Throwback Thursday (15)

Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books.

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.

Here’s how it works:
1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.
2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.
3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.
4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

Title: No Lesser Plea

Author: Robert Tanenbaum

Original Publication Date: May 1st 1987

Available at: Kindle – Barnes and Noble

From Publishers Weekly:

Tanenbaum has written an exceptionally good contemporary novel about the criminal justice system. Set in New York during the early ’70s, the book focuses on young, idealistic assistant D.A. Butch Karp and his conflicts with both a single criminal and the politicized bureaucracy that seemingly makes a travesty of justice. In his first murder case, Karp is prosecuting Mandeville Louis, a brilliant killer who has feigned insanity, hoping to protect himself from trial until the court system eventually forgets about him. But the determined Karp refuses to let Louis’s ruse succeed. While Karp is trying to put Louis behind bars, he is also caught up in the politics of the D.A.’s office as petty bureaucrats struggle for control of their turf and power. An attorney himself, Tanenbaum has infused this book with a strong collection of characters, a raunchy energy that crackles in the out-of-office lawyer talk and a basic sense of outrage at a system that is failing miserably.

This is the first book in the Butch Karp series that now numbers at twenty-four novels. It’s a hugely successful series because of the colorful characters. Butch Karp is a Jewish prosecutor and Marlene Ciampi begins the series as a prosecutor herself. Their careers see them in various positions but their relationship remains rock solid. Eventually they have children and Tanenbaum manages to include them in the series as equally important characters as well.It’s a masterfully done series. I don’t normally read this genre so you know it’s special if I’m gushing about it.  The plots are over the top but I read it for the characters  not for the realism.

I was first introduced to it by my mother of all people. I was in between books and she was gushing about these books. I happened to pick it up for no good reason other then I was in the mood for something different. I’m so glad I did. If I hadn’t I would have really missed out on a really good thing.

In my room, I have a box full of Tanenbaum’s. My friend Kate gave them to me and I treasure them. Eventually I’ll reread the series. Eventually I’ll get to the new book.

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