The Substitution Order

By: Martin Clark

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

From Martin Clark - praised by Entertainment Weekly as "our best legal-thriller writer" - comes a wickedly clever, tenderhearted, and intricately plotted novel about a hard-luck lawyer's refusal to concede defeat, even as fate, the court system, and a gang of untouchable con artists conspire against him.

Kevin Moore, once a high-flying Virginia attorney, hits rock bottom after an inexplicably tumultuous summer leaves him disbarred and separated from his wife. Short on cash and looking for work, he lands in the middle of nowhere with a job at SUBstitution, the world's saddest sandwich shop. His closest confidants: a rambunctious rescue puppy and the 20-year-old computer whiz manning the restaurant counter beside him. He's determined to set his life right again, but the troubles keep coming. And when a bizarre, mysterious stranger wanders into the shop armed with a threatening "invitation" to join a multimillion-dollar scam, Kevin will need every bit of his legal savvy just to stay out of prison. A remarkable tour of the law's tricks and hidden trapdoors, The Substitution Order is both wise and ingenious, a wildly entertaining novel that will keep you guessing - and rooting for its tenacious hero - until the very last moment.

©2019 Martin Clark (P)2019 Recorded Books

Writes like John Grisham used to.

Love all of this book . Five stars all around. Well worth a credit so get this book without fail and get ready to enjoy.

Nailed it...

Now this is writing . First of all, this is is comeback story. I think lots of people appreciate an underdog who makes good after hitting rock bottom.
Kevin , an attorney who’s lost his license over a felony charge does just that.
His wife files for divorce and he works at substitute, a sandwich shop a lot like a another chain sub shop.
Kevin is determined to pay his dues and get his license and his life back. That is really all you need to to know as things really take off.. Kevin is a bit of a Martyr but he is soon a hero.
the story is well executed, realistic and above all laugh out loud funny.
After a long dry spell of duds, this book met every expectation , ticked every box. Highly Recommended!!!! Great narration too, even with the female voices and I love the accents. Being from the south, he nailed the southern vernacular too.

Marin Clark Exemplifies Quality Over Quantity

Just finished this epic book for the 3rd time in 3 months. However, at my age I can safely hide my own Easter eggs. Mr. Clark's few but extremely well crafted novels are welcome balm to the anxiety and PTSD that Vietnam, multiple marriages, 911, mass shootings and Covid-19 have freckled my life with. The Legal Limit was exemplary and The Substitution Order was impossible to put out of my mind. What a complex yet every man's kind of story. Unlike Martin Clark, I do not possess the words necessary to express the welcome distraction from both the stuff going on "outside the wire" and my perceived challenges in growing old. I had thought that Ed Sala's narration of The Legal Limit was without peer. I was mistaken, as Davis Aaron Baker gives this work a stellar performance!

The exacting character introductions and development were without equal as always. Hopeful authors should take note. I love a good story from start to finish and this was exactly that with seldom seen holding power. No matter what genre a reader enjoys most, this book will find a comfortable spot. Click the Use Credit button and settle in for a great listen!!

All's Well That Ends Well!

I knew this story would end well-it had to! I have to agree that the story was a tad too long; I was getting quite worn out from Kevin being "beaten up" by his antagonists: the court system, the scammers, well, just about everyone but a few close friends. This went on for the majority of the book, so it had to be working up to a rousing ending, right? And it was. Was it worth the trip? For me, yes.

Kevin was a very likeable person, honest, very repentant, never giving up. Maybe a bit too honest and likeable to be imagined as an attorney? Never the less, I found him worth rooting for.

And the narrator was exceptionally good, which overrode any of my quibbles about the book.

I would certainly read another book by this author and certainly one narrated by David Aaron Baker.

So Good!

It's not often that a book can keep me hanging, unsure of what's coming next. This book had me holding on until the last word was read. I can honestly say, I did not see that coming.

Convoluted But Clever

The twist at the end was neatly woven from all the hints in the earlier chapters and did not feel contrived. It was a bit of a stretch to be believable but the pieces of the puzzle fell neatly into place.

Longer than necessary, the book could use tighter editing. Some chapters rambled and contributed little to the story.

Not great literature but worth the time far an enjoyable listen...

This will be my book of the year!

I listen to so many books, that I rarely review anymore. This is Grisham on steroids. Needs to be a movie! Excellent in every way...great character development,brilliant legal maneuvering, perfect narration. An amazing and enjoyable roller coaster ride! 5 stars across the board.

Complicated

Liked the book but a little too many characters to keep track of hard to follow trail at end. It was good to see the crooked justice system and some unethical lawyers screwed!

Well woven tale!

The ending is great! I could not figure what he was up to. Very clever! This is the first book I've listened to by Mr Clark. great read!

Excellent

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! If you like legal dramas this is a great one! The narration was excellent also!