Un-put-downable…
Intricate plotting, neat legal details, and a fully fleshed-out, multilayered cast provide plenty for readers to sink their teeth into Shaiken’s absorbing second installment in the legal thriller series. 3J and Pascale are busy filing bankruptcy cases on behalf of Adam and Bey Rapinoe for their Kansas City jazz clubs that have somehow managed to survive the Covid pandemic. But an unknown enemy is running an anonymous disinformation campaign on social media, threatening to put the clubs out of business. The pair must locate the person behind the malicious campaign if they want to save the clubs and keep jazz alive in the city. Shaiken delivers adrenaline-fueled legal drama brimming with meticulous detail. He skillfully balances legal particularities and heart-thumping action with affecting discussions about friendship, relationships, integrity, revenge, redemption, and finding oneself. The realistically rendered, relatable cast is authentic and full of intrigue: 3J and Pascale are passionate characters whose fierceness for justice and tender affection for each other make them worthy series protagonists; Phillip remains a sinister antagonist: the inevitable controlling issues are deeply rooted in his innate psychology, making him thoroughly intimidating; despite that, his torturous childhood memories, his moments of emotional anguish will stick with readers. The narrative alternates between Phillip’s backstory and the ongoing legal drama, and the suspense and tension mount as the these tightly plotted story lines converge. Tension-filled, atmospheric prose add depth, resulting in a tale both deeply engrossing and highly entertaining. A must-read for lovers of finely crafted legal thrillers.
Automatic Stay
Mark Shaiken
Pub date (May 20, 2022
ISBN 978-1734557145
Price $12.99 (USD) Paperback, $0.00 Kindle edition
