What does a busy trial lawyer from the prestigious law
firm
of Devlin & Knight do for relaxation and enjoyment? Go to
Boston's Suffolk Downs to watch his two cousins, who are
jockeys, race.
Michael Knight is at the rail waiting for the start of the
8th race that features the Mendosa brothers; Roberto
astride the favorite, Dante's Pride, while his brother
Victor, is positioned in the next gate mounted on Summer
Breeze. Michael has known the boys, as brothers, since
they were teens and his family brought the boys from
Puerto
Rico to escape the vicious gangs active there. Watching
the
race, eyes glued to the brothers, he was stunned when
Victor's horse shied and veered into the path of Dante's
Pride. The horse's legs crumbled, Roberto was thrown off,
injured and later died at Mass General Hospital. The
District Attorney wants charges of felony murder against
Victor. He runs and disappears. Devlin & Knight will
represent Victor. The legendary trial attorneys will have
a
tough task proving the innocence of their client but first
things first. First, they have to find him.
Investigation quickly leads Michael to discover the race
was
fixed and the reasons for it goes beyond his wildest
expectations. He is quickly in the crossfire from
organized
crime, the Boston Maffia and two rival, brutal gangs, the
NYETAS and the INSECTOS. These gangs, formed in prison in
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, are violent and all have Michael in
their sights to kill. What illicit deal is attracting the
attention of these killers? What promises more money that
everyone involved has dreamed of. Can Michael stop them
and
free Victor?
We are taken to a village deep in the Amazon rainforest
and
introduced to two of the villagers. Ancarit and his
grandfather, Ancuro. They live a quiet and peaceful life
caring for the animals there. One day a ship sails into
their remote tributary and grandfather is fearful. First,
the sailors are friendly but soon they order the capture
of
rare primates and exotic birds to be placed aboard the
ship. At gunpoint, grandfather loads the animals, is taken
aboard as they sail away, This is the sub-plot, giving an
explanation of how the unlawful trade of rare wild animals
bring estimated billions of dollars.
John F. Dobbyn has the best storytelling flair I have read
in ages. You will admire some of his characters, hate some
others, as you turn those pages faster and faster. Michael
is a sterling character, with a keen sense of humor,
especially when he has conversations with himself. His
sweet romance with Terry added a special touch and added a
sparkle to the non-stop action. I enjoy the relationship
between Michael and his mentor/partner, Devlin. What a
sting! What a climax! FATAL ODDS has it all. It is an
exciting read. I loved it!
Danger escalates as Michael Knight and Lex Devlin enter into
the defense of a Puerto Rican jockey charged with felony
murder as a result of a fixed race at Boston’s Suffolk Downs.
As their investigation exposes the jockey’s role, they
become embroiled in a conflict between two Puerto Rican
crime gangs. One of these gangs is aligned for the first
time with Boston’s Italian Mafia in tapping into almost
limitless profits from the illicit trade of exotic and
endangered species of wild animals captured in the Amazon
rainforest of Brazil and smuggled through the shoreline of
the Florida Keys.
Working to free their client and to prevent the brutal abuse
of these vulnerable animals, Michael and Lex find themselves
squarely in the crossfire of rival organized crime gangs
from the barrio of Jamaica Plain, Boston, to the
gang-dominated streets of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
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