Recommend a good non-Grisham legal novel

Self-explanatory title. I like Grisham, and read Turow. Any suggestions?

Damn. I opened this thread to recommend Presumed Innocent.

I don’t read many legal/courtroom books, but I’ve recently enjoyed a couple by William Lashner – Hostile Witness and Veritas.

If you don’t mind going back a hundred years, The Trial of Elizabeth Cree by Peter Ackroyd was great fun. Part of the story involved London musical theater, and some of the actual recordings of songs mentioned in the book are on-line, performed by the artist in the book. Talk about interactive!

I enjoy all of Lisa Scottoline’s books. She used to be a legal ethics professor, and her novels often feature assorted ethical dilemmas for the lawyers.

Another enjoyable hundred year old choice would be Orley Farm, by Anthony Trollope.

The Merchant of Venice…? Though the writing can be a bit dense.

People at our library seem to love the legal thrillers by Brad Meltzer (The Zero Game, etc.). I’ve heard he’s a better writer than Grisham and Turow, and I’m a little familiar from his forays into comic book writing (DC Comics’ Identity Crisis, a superhero murder mystery).

Charles Dickens, Bleak House.

Steve Martini can be fun.Also, for laughs, try Paul Levine’s “Solomon vs. Lord”.

Really? I’m only about a third of the way into the book. The legal case drives the story, but it’s mostly in the background, and we don’t get much in the way of legal maneuvers, tactics, courtroom drama, etc. Not so far, anyway.

Does that kind of stuff happen later in the book? I’d like to see what those Chancery lawyers are doing to earn their money. :slight_smile: I’m curious about the case and how it got so complicated, but Dickens isn’t giving out many details, and I’m not sure he’s going to.

Haven’t read much Grisham or Turow (seen some movies), but I have read a few books by Richard North Patterson that, I think, may be what you’re looking for.

Wow, somebody recommended Bleak House? I’m impressed. Could never finish that one…

I came in to recommend Lisa Scottoline, and also Perri O’Shaughnessy (which is two sisters writing under that name).

Marianne Wesson, Render Up the Body.

Baine Kerr, Harmful Intent.

I have enjoyed books by Alafair Burke (yes, she’s James Lee Burke’s daughter, but can write in her own right) and Michelle Martinez. They are both in the “gutsy female prosecutor” mode, and very fast paced, like Grisham.

Linda Fairstein is another option who many people adore. I have given up on them as not-for-me, though. She creates good NYC atmosphere, but I find the pace a little slow and the tributes to her protagonist’s wonderful family life a bit <barf smiley>.

I’ve been very much enjoying John Hemry’s books: A Just Determination, Burden of Proof, Rule of Evidence and Against All Enemies.

Naval law, set in the future (so it’s the US space navy), but well-written and with a superb grasp of military law.

Pick up The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly. You will not be disappointed.

Non-fiction - The Justice Game by pre-eminent barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC. Compelling reading.

Sheldon Siegel’s books are awsome.
The first in the series is Special Circumstances

How can you not love a description like that of the DA?

Actually the quote in my post above was quoting the Amazon.com editorial review
:wally<-me :smack:

Specifically, Silent Witness.

I like the Horace Rumpole books by John Mortimer, novelizations of the BBC television series Rumpole of the Bailey starring Leo McKern. They’re smart and funny, and Rumpole is one of the best characters around. There’s an article about the series and the stories here.

One of the classics in the genre is Anatomy of a Murder - which was turned into a great movie, too…

I stumbled upon this author a few years ago in a used book store and after one read, became a huge fan.

John Lescroart .

From The Washington Post, " Surpasses anything Grisham ever wrote and bears comparison with Turow"

I’ve read half a dozen of his books and have never been disappointed.

The Second Chair

The First Law

The Mercy Rule

The Motive

to name just a few. Really, give him a try if courtroom drama is your thing.