Reviews

 
 

Unlawful Games Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers’Favorite (Five Stars)
Barely a day after being acquitted, David Flores made headlines after killing his wife and child. The reputable defense attorney for a New York law firm, Salvatore Amici, was having a hard time with the fact that he had helped acquit a murderer – David Flores. To his horror, Salvatore is asked by his seniors to represent Sean Lancaster, a city tycoon and philanthropist, in yet another murder case. Apparently, the tycoon had specifically asked for Salvatore to be his attorney. Sean Lancaster was being charged with the first-degree murder of his wife and three children, and two counts of sexual assault. Hesitantly taking the case, Salvatore finds himself treading a dangerous path that puts his job, reputation, marriage, and life on the line. Why does Lancaster specifically ask for Salvatore as his attorney? Get yourself Adam Klein’s Unlawful Games to know more.

If you are looking for a mystery thriller legal novel laced with a gripping tale of nasty love affairs, family drama, betrayal, money, bribes, blackmail, prison life, courtroom drama, dirty secrets, and so much more, Adam Klein’s Unlawful Games is a must-read for you. Klein breathes life into the scenes with vivid depictions. The narration has a subtle tone to it. Klein forges an intriguing plot, with mind-blowing plot twists. I loved how tremendously dramatic the scenes were; this made the reading experience fun. Klein had me going through a rollercoaster of emotions in depicting the well-developed characters’ emotions. This allowed me to connect with the characters and understand them. Albeit egotistical, Salvatore is an emotionally sensitive, intelligent guy with a big heart and it broke my heart to see others taking advantage of that. Unlawful Games is a magnificent piece of work and I loved it. I have just added it to my favorites shelf. I am looking forward to reading more of Adam Klein’s work.

Unlawful Games Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite (Five Stars)

Unlawful Games by Adam Klein is a legal thriller that follows the trials and tribulations of Salvatore Amici. Salvatore is a successful lawyer who has the best of everything. With a great career, a wonderful wife, and incredible children, Amici is high on two big wins when disaster happens. His client is caught for murder just a day after his acquittal, and Salvatore is crushed. However, what surprises him is that a new client specifically asks for Salvatore to represent him after the disaster. But Salvatore isn’t sure if he should take the case because Sean Lancaster is also charged with the first-degree murder of his entire family. He isn’t ready, but something about Sean’s case calls Salvatore, so he takes it. What he doesn’t know is that this new case just might be his undoing.

Unlawful Games is the perfect story for a legal thriller that teeters on the edge of being the best mystery I have ever read. Salvatore is a sensitive man who is in touch with his emotions, yet he knows how to gain control of them, along with everything else in his life. In short, he is an intelligent, perfect man who just happens to be conflicted. The story is dark at times, but Adam Klein brings it back to the lighter side by adding more suspense and plenty of action to make sure we are in the moment with Salvatore at all times. The pace is perfect, but the real gems of the story are the descriptions. They are vivid and transportive. This is the kind of story that you love to read again.

Unlawful Games Reviewed by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite (Five Stars)

Unlawful Games is a legal thriller by Adam Klein. Defense attorney Salvatore Amici has just won the biggest case of his life. A day after his client is out of jail, he murders his wife and son. Sal feels that he is partly responsible for the murders. He had a sense that his client was lying to him. When Sean Lancaster is arrested for the murder of his family, he wants Sal to defend him. Sal has no idea why Sean chose him to defend him. They don’t know each other at all. Sal is told by his bosses to defend Sean, and if he wins the case, there is a good possibility that he can become a partner. Sal accepts the case, and his life is completely turned upside down.

Adam Klein executes an excellent plot in Unlawful Games. He never bores us with lengthy legal procedures. It is fast-paced and packed with action. The story is intriguing and complex from the beginning until the end. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. With all the twists and turns, I never knew what to expect. As soon as I tried to predict what would happen, there was a surprise waiting. The characters are authentic and well-defined. With all that was going on in Sal’s life, there were a few rough days when he had to keep his wits about him in the court case. It is an excellent story with a surprise twist at the end.

Unlawful Games review by Literary Titan (Four Stars)

Unlawful Games, by Adam Klein, is a gripping legal thriller that plunges readers into a world of high-stakes tension and moral ambiguity. From the outset, Klein crafts an action-packed murder mystery, leaving readers glued to the pages as they try to unravel the dark secrets and deadly traps that surround Salvatore Amici, a promising defense attorney in New York City. Salvatore, fresh from a courtroom victory, is basking in the praise of his family and friends when his life takes a chilling turn: a former client, newly acquitted, becomes the prime suspect in a brutal double homicide. But why was he targeted? And what danger lies ahead? The suspense in Unlawful Games doesn’t ease up. Klein masterfully weaves in plot twists, from anonymous threats at Salvatore’s doorstep to harrowing encounters with law enforcement, that keep readers on edge. Just as you think you’ve pieced together the mystery, a shocking new revelation emerges, pulling you deeper into the story’s intricate web. Klein’s skillful pacing and efficient prose make this complexity manageable within the novel’s concise length, under 300 pages, yet the impact lingers long after. While the plot is fast-paced and intense, Klein’s characterizations, particularly Salvatore’s, provide a thought-provoking look at the attorney’s internal struggles. Salvatore’s professional facade cracks under the weight of guilt and self-doubt as he questions his own ethics and the consequences of his work. I do believe that the supporting characters could benefit from deeper detail. While Salvatore’s wife and children appear throughout as anchors in his tumultuous life, they serve more as background elements than as fully realized characters. Klein’s writing style, formal and precise, seems to draw from his familiarity with legal settings, adding authenticity to Salvatore’s voice. By the end of the novel, some mysteries remain unanswered, leaving an open door for a sequel. Klein sets the stage for further character development and exploration into Salvatore’s troubled conscience and professional battles, a prospect that would appeal to rea