The Neon Lawyer

By: Victor Methos

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 4 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's Summary

With money and hope in short supply, newly minted attorney Brigham Theodore decides it’s time to lower his standards. He joins a seedy fly-by-night firm in Salt Lake City out of desperation. After he loses his first case - a speeding ticket - he’s convinced his career is over. But to his shock, his boss hands him a slightly more complex case: capital murder.

Brigham’s new client is Amanda Pierce, a lost, exhausted woman who gunned down the man who tortured and killed her six-year-old daughter. A jury may prove sympathetic to her unbearable pain, but the law is no fan of vigilante justice - and neither is Vince Dale, the slick and powerful prosecutor who’s never lost a murder case. There’s no question that Amanda pulled the trigger - she did it in front of five witnesses. If she pleads guilty, she will avoid a death sentence, but saving her life this way comes with an admission that what she did was wrong. However, if she refuses the “guilty” label, Brigham will have no choice but to fight for his career - and Amanda’s life.

©2014 Victor Methos (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Good Court Room Drama!

I really enjoyed this legal thriller/drama... You start getting the meat and potatoes of the story from the first chapter. It is not stuffed with a lot of fluff or filler.

However, I had to suspend my disbelief a good deal, but I didn't mind because the story was very interesting and I wanted to know what happened next. I recognized that some of the court room antics would not be permitted in the real world, but like in most real court rooms there are "back room dealings." The story was very well told in such a way that it kept my interest and I cared about the outcome of the trial and the conclusion of the story.

This story is about how much a mother loved her child who was assaulted and murdered. I think the tactics defense attorney used in his closing argument sealed the deal.

I've heard the narrator before and I think that his performance was okay. I was really into the story but noticed from time to time that he could have used a little more drama or excitement in his voice.

45 of 51 people found this review helpful

Very unrealistic but still enjoyable

STORY (legal thriller) - I love legal thrillers, and I'm very capable of suspending common sense for the sake of good fiction. Battles in outer space with aliens, check. Talking dogs, check. But this book just has too many things that made me roll my eyes and go "No way." A brand-new lawyer defending an accused murderer on his second case? Asking no questions of the jury panel? Arguing with a judge? And the sentencing of his client, c'mon, really? I also don't care for how he continuously bashed the American legal system. It is NOT perfect, but I think the author portrays it too negatively in this book.

All that aside, the main character is a likeable, idealistic young lawyer who truly believes in justice and tries his best to defend his client. And you will root for his client, a woman accused of killing the man who raped and murdered her young daughter. The story moves along quickly, only about 4 1/2 hours, and held my interest throughout.

PERFORMANCE - Very good job. Good foreign accents and does pretty good female character voices as well.

OVERALL - The worst part of the book is the coroner's description of Tabitha's injuries, but it's short. There are a few F-words but, otherwise, it's a pretty clean book. Recommended for anyone interested in the genre. Legal professionals may want to listen to something else.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

HERE'S THE DEAL

If I was to judge this off of what I've read from the quote unquote best courtroom drama writers lately - Then this book was genius. I.E. Grisham and Sycamore row as of late. At least in this book - The main character in the Neon Lawyer acted like a lawyer and argued points. It took a little bit before i could get into the narrators voice - But once I did - He did fine. He wasn't the best - But I've heard worse for sure.

I'm not saying this book is genius. The book may not be as realistic in some areas as some people would hope - But I did like the court room drama & arguments.

I thought Victor did a fine job with this book and I will look at his others because this was my first by him....

I haven't wrote a positive review for awhile now. Very disappointed by the same old boring stuff.... This was decent enough to stop an give kudos to.

For what its worth... J

58 of 67 people found this review helpful

Good Story , I hope the writer is not a lawyer

What made the experience of listening to The Neon Lawyer the most enjoyable?

The narration is great, the story builds up and is exciting. I listened til 3AM.

What could Victor Methos have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

If he had some idea how one of these cases is tried. There were glaring legal errors and the idea of a Judge permitting a tyro lawyer to try a death case is impossble. But..the story carries it well and a few more corrections he could have made. eg the Jury would have to be death qualified, the prosecution cannot put on psychiatrists until the defendant goes forward.. Any criiminal lawyer would know this was never a "death case"

Which scene was your favorite?

Lawyers opening statement. His closing was limp.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No just enjoyed flaws and all.

Any additional comments?

The writer knows how to keep you into the story. He should have had legal advice to avoid the major flaws. We know its not a death case and the offer is impossible to accept.

22 of 27 people found this review helpful

Love It! Hooks you right off the bat.

What made the experience of listening to The Neon Lawyer the most enjoyable?

Excellent writing. In the style of Grisham and Mitzner. Terrific narration.

What did you like best about this story?

How the lawyers and judge interact. It's the real world of back room deals and harsh side talk.

Which character – as performed by Nick Podehl – was your favorite?

Certainly Brigum.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The first chapter will certainly move anyone.

Any additional comments?

If you love Mitzner, Grisham, etc. then you'll enjoy this one immensely. Going to listen to the rest of this authors offerings.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Is homicide defendable?

This is my first book by Victor Methos. It seems I am venturing out and trying different authors recently. What made me buy this book is that it is based on a true story. The novel is an emotional crime legal suspense thriller with some humor mixed in.

Brigham Theodore has graduated from Tulane Law School and has moved to Salt Lake City, Utah after Hurricane Katrina. He has a hard time finding a job. He finally obtains one with the Law Offices of TTB (Tommy Two Balls) with a neon sign and a bail bonds agency next door. The firm is also part of the public defenders network. Brigham receives no salary just a percentage of the cases he brings into the firm. He is assigned a public defender case of Amanda Pierce, a poor disabled veteran woman whose only daughter was kidnapped and killed. Amanda shoots and kills the man accused of killing her daughter as he walks out of a courtroom; the shooting takes place in front of lots of witnesses.

How is Brigham going to defend her and will she be the first women executed in Utah? The courtroom drama is great with lots of suspense and action as the plot thickens. The inside view of a struggling attorney fighting against a corrupt legal system makes for great human interaction and dynamics. The writing is about typical for a first time author but his character development is great as is the fact it is based on a true story. I discovered the author was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and was a prosecutor in Utah and now is a defense attorney. I have listened to Nick Podehl narrate before and as usual he does a good job narrating this book.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Impassioned and Not Deterred by the Impossible

Brigham Theodore, a newly admitted attorney in the state of Utah, finds a position with TTB Law the day after he's sworn into the bar. Putting his janitorial job in the past and reveling in the just deserves of securing work after being turned down by thirty-two other firms, he doesn't have time to savor his success as he only gets paid when he brings in work, or assists on a case.

After losing his first case, he's compelled to take a public defender matter because the plight of the accused resonates deeply. We watch as he navigates the law, the prosecution and a client that is teetering on the brink of implosion fueled by grief. No longer doing what's easiest, he sets upon a course to spare the punishment of this alleged capital offense.

He uses precedent, sharp, intuitive responses and calculated risks to dismantle the prosecution's case while exposing the thought processes that underlie the craft of legal art. This all occurs while he shares his matter of fact wisdom gleaned in a life lived far away from the neon lights.

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Rookie Atty Fantasy Overly Simplistic

That's really enough said. It captures your attention and holds it. But the truth is it wil never happen, or it shouldn't. A first year attorney with 1 speeding violation case under his belt tries a capital murder case. No press to speak of, an experienced DA bumbles, a judge is put in his place... Too much.

24 of 34 people found this review helpful

Good story and narration!

This was a really good story. Very engaging and entertaining. Especially for a legal story. When you work in the legal field its hard to find a legal book that isn't way off base.

This was based on a true story which made it more interesting. I really liked Brigham's character. He was newbie but he was committed to his case. I liked that there was a little romance thrown in too.

The story line and plot was good. It all flowed very well and was easy to follow along and not get confused. I enjoyed some of the secondary characters too.

As for the narration, it was very good. The women sounded like women and everyone got their own distinct voice. His reading voice was very nice and he read with emotion.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Nothing new or neon here

What would have made The Neon Lawyer better?

So many times, a book cries out for an editor to edit, as in cut, shorten, condense. This book cries out for enhancement, more description, just more, please. I recognize it's a series and this is just the first book, but a first book in a series should capture the readers' interest, setting up the character for further adventures. I have little or no interest in following this very bland character. Was there any in depth physical description or did I miss it? All I remember is that he's a young white guy.

What was most disappointing about Victor Methos’s story?

I was looking forward to an exciting, tense and involving courtroom drama, but instead got a weak, watered down TV version where you really, really have to suspend disbelief.

How could the performance have been better?

Nick Podehl's narration was okay until he did the female voices where his voice became strident and high-pitched making the women sound weird.

What character would you cut from The Neon Lawyer?

I wouldn't cut any character, in fact, I'd add way more! I know, I know, it's a series, but as an example, Brigham's female love interest was so cardboard and their affair so thrown in that it came across as just formula.

Any additional comments?

I don't even care who killed the boss. I guess it will be explained in the next book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Light east listen

I really quite enjoyed this legal drama. I took a chance on it in the sale and am jolly glad I did. The outcome, though predictable, was arrived at in a well written a realistic manner. I would be happy to listen to another by this author. Not competition for some of the legal heavy hitters, but still earned its place in my library.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

move over grishham

great narration, great story, great listen. it's amazing how the narrator really can make or break a book on auible.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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