Anthony Franze, an appellate attorney who has argued more than 30 cases before and provided commentary about the U.S. Supreme Court, offers up his third thriller set within the mysterious world of the Court. As with his previous novels, Franze’s familiarity with the inner workings of the Court, combined with historical details about former justices and some of the Court’s most scandalous and maligned decisions, provide an intriguing backdrop against which the murder mystery plays out.

Grayson Hernandez grew up working in his family’s pizza restaurant and, as the story opens, is living in a modest apartment, barely eking out a living on a messenger’s salary as he struggles to manage a mountain of student loans. Gray is also suffering from a crisis of confidence and lack of hope. In his messenger uniform, working out of a cubicle, Gray observes and envies the justices’ clerks — recent law school graduates of prestigious, Ivy league schools from powerful, connected families who will bank $300,000 to $400,000 signing bonuses from top law firms after their one-year clerkships. Gray ponders why such opportunities are foreclosed to him.

Gray’s fortunes improve after he comes to the rescue of Chief Justice Douglas one evening in the parking garage. If not for Gray, the Chief Justice may not have survived the brutal assault. The Chief Justice takes an interest in Gray and awards him a coveted clerkship. In addition to taking an interest in Gray’s career, the Chief Justice offers Gray the use of his apartment and vehicle, buys Gray expensive tailored suits, and invites Gray to dine with him in restaurants Gray could never afford to patronize. As thrilled as he is by his new circumstances, Gray struggles to fit in with his resentful male colleagues. The lovely, intelligent Lauren now also takes an interest in Gray. But a former outsider does not instantaneously adjust to being part of an influential inner circle of power, as Gray soon realizes.

Gray’s life is further complicated by the FBI’s intrusion. Agent Millstein enlists him to access information she is prohibited from obtaining herself because of the ongoing power struggle between competing law enforcement agencies. The Supreme Court’s own chief of security does not want to yield jurisdiction to the FBI, actively campaigning for the establishment of a task force, further exasperating Agent Millstein who is intent upon preventing more killings as the fifth of the month again looms.

Franze constructs an intricate backstory, at the center of which is a ruling from the Chief Justice many years ago before his elevation to the High Court. Because he ruled that Constitutional construction required certain evidence to be suppressed, a defendant escaped justice for a heinous crime. Now a series of murders are punctuated by seemingly indecipherable messages left by the killer, along with quill pens presented as keepsakes to attorneys who come before the Supreme Court. The only way to prevent more deaths is for the authorities to determine whether the killings are, in fact, linked to each other and the Supreme Court. Once Agent Millstein enlists Gray, he becomes as driven as she to find the killer and prevent him or her from striking again.

Of course, Gray finds himself in grave danger — is he a potential victim or being set up to be charged with the murders? Either way, the pace of the story accelerates as Gray begins, with Lauren’s help, piecing together the significance of the clues. Franze assembles an eclectic cast of supporting characters. In addition to Agent Millstein, Lauren, and their fellow clerks, there are, of course, the Supreme Court justices, including Chief Justice Douglas’s lifelong friend, fellow justice, and rival, which raises the question of whether their lifetime of competition with each other has gone too far. Most intriguing are Gray’s childhood friends, Samantha and Arturo, who remained in the old neighborhood, his life evolving in a direction diametrically opposed to Gray’s efforts to elevate and remove himself. But Samantha and Arturo prove that no matter where one goes in life, true friendship and loyalty can never be overvalued. Via Arturo, Franze pays homage to The Outsiders, the classic S.E. Hinton novel and the character of Johnny Cade, who was neglected and abused by his parents, noting that the Hinton story “meant a lot to me as a kid.”

The Outsider is a fast read that propels the action forward with clues interspersed at perfectly-timely intervals, keeping the reader guessing about the killer’s identity and motive. It is also thought-provoking, not just because of Arturo’s conflicted feelings as he seeks to reconcile his upbringing with the career he desires. The inclusion of clues to the killer’s identity are cloaked in some of the worst, most shameful decisions ever rendered by the Supreme Court, thereby elevating The Outsider as compared with Franze’s earlier efforts, and providing depth to what could otherwise be just another escapist murder mystery. Fans of legal thrillers will find The Outsider gripping and intriguing — and themselves rooting for Gray, the outsider.

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Outsider. This is a typical crime suspense novel. I do like books by Turow etc., and this is that genre.
The underdog, a young latino man, who wants to become a lawyer but has the stacks against him, helps a high ranking official. His life is turned around, but he finds himself in another predicament - murders to be solved.
Written well, but been there done that. Just ok.

I give this 4.5/5 envelopes.

It has been quite a while since I last read a legal thriller. I enjoy the works of John Grisham, Scott Turrow and Grif Stockley. This is my first time to read a work of Anthony Franze. So far, it has been very engrossing just like the works of the three authors I have mentioned. Franze is a lawyer himself, so it's just obvious and to be expected that his expertise and experiences as a lawyer are very imminent in his writing.

The plot is intricately planned and laid out. As it unravels, it still remains to be seen as to who the perpetrator is in the series of murders in this story. A lot of angles and theories has been explored that would throw the readers doubts as to who has done it. A very well-played move that will leave the readers guessing until the very end. I have thoroughly enjoyed this chase for the killer and for wrecking havoc and chaos in the highest court of the land. The story intimately described the inner workings of the Supreme Court. It gave the readers a picture of how the Supreme Court justices functions and how the clerks serve as a fundamental part of the whole system to work. I also liked the legal trivia on the most notable decisions ever made by the highest court. For those who love buildings and architecture, it is fascinating to know the distinguishing features of the structure and design of the Supreme Court building that are not known by most people.

Honestly, I had an idea of who the killer might be but I was not so sure. I think at some point, the author did throw some very very subtle clue which made me suspect. But it was so subtle that it was negligible. In the end, I was still a little surprised to find who it was.

What I liked most about the story was how the character of Grey was made. I like protagonists who are underdogs. I root for them. Grey here is the same and how his character was shaped, his background and where he grew up made him a close image of someone in real life. And giving him a Mexican-American background tops it all. It made his character even more perfect to this story. Aside from the usual protagonist that we mostly encounter, Grey absolutely represented and conveyed the message of the author across to the audiences as intended.

I give this 4.5/5 envelopes. Definitely, my frustrated inner lawyer was so absorbed in this legal thriller. I will not be surprised if more stories of Grey's law practice would be made. I am actually looking forward to more of them. More of Grey, please Mr. Franze!


Your argument is akin to the man who kills his parents and then pleads for mercy on the grounds that he's an orphan.
- Anthony Franze, The Outsider -


Thank you PICT for the copy.

In The Outsider, author Anthony Franze utilizes his legal knowledge and position as a Washington D.C. attorney with Appellate and Supreme Court experience, to weave a riveting legal thriller that takes the reader behind the scenes into the inner workings of the United States Supreme Court.

From its gritty dark beginning to climatic ending, The Outsider is an action packed and fast paced gripping tale that follows Supreme Court messenger turned law clerk Grayson Hernandez as he tries to help the FBI uncover the identity of the Supreme Court serial killer who strikes on the fifth of every month.

As a fan of legal thrillers, especially when they revolve around a political and judicial theme, I was eager to read The Outsider, and I wasn't left disappointed! Author Anthony Franze weaves a gripping dark tale that has enough drama, mystery, suspense, intrigue, and surprising twists and turns that easily engages the reader to follow Gray as an outsider investigating the Supreme Court murders, while getting the opportunity of a lifetime working as a Supreme Court law clerk.

I really enjoyed how the author utilized his legal knowledge and experience to transport the reader into the fascinating inner workings of the political and judicial world that is Washington D.C. When you add in the mystery of the murders, the hidden secrets and dark pasts, and the suspense and danger of the investigation, you get an explosive story that takes you on one hell of a thrill ride, and a book that you won't be able to put down!

RATING: 5 STARS

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour.


http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-outsider-by-anthony-franze-book.html

This legal thriller was a joy to read, both from the standpoint of being intellectually stimulating, and of being well-paced and sufficiently suspenseful to keep me riveted.

There are a number of underlying themes. One is a series of unsolved, ongoing murders that seem tangentially related to the Supreme Court. A second is the book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, to which there are a number of references. The main character here, Grayson “Gray” Hernandez, evokes one of the protagonists of The Outsiders. And on a meta level, there is also the theme of the obvious love of the Supreme Court as an institution by the author, who shares with readers much of its culture and lore via the main characters, who work at the Court.

Gray, in his late twenties, graduated from a lower-tier law school, and while he loves the Court and constitutional law, he only serves as a messenger in the Court building; it was the only work he could find. He feels like an outsider there. The Supreme Court has 36 law clerks - four per justice - but they are almost all white, from affluent backgrounds, and graduates of Harvard or Yale, “or institutions that, unlike Gray’s law school, had ivy instead of graffiti on their walls.”

Gray’s luck changes however when he thwarts a murder attempt on the Chief Justice, who then asks Gray to serve on his own team as the “thirty-seventh” clerk. This is not only a fantastic opportunity for Gray to learn and contribute to Court decisions, but a great career move: “It was an internship like no other, promising young lawyers . . . a ticket to any legal job in the country. . .” Gray eagerly accepts, although his four fellow clerks aren’t quite as enthused.

Gray quickly proves his worth; he is hard-working and loves what he does, and tries to go the extra mile to compensate for his less-than-stellar academic background. The Chief Justice seems to take him under his wing too, even arranging for Gray to stay at his fabulous apartment he keeps in Georgetown, and letting him drive the extra car he keeps there.

But Gray is a natural helper/superhero kind of guy, and one of the FBI agents working on the murders takes advantage of Gray’s desire to save everyone around him by asking for his help with the case. Eventually not only he is in great danger, but his two best friends - the rest of “The Outsiders” gang - are too.

Evaluation: I really enjoyed this book, even though all the references to famous Supreme Court cases that served as “clues” were obvious to me. But I doubt they will be obvious to most readers. And the insights into what goes on inside the Court on a day-to-day basis were very interesting. (The author is a lawyer in the Appellate and Supreme Court practice of a prominent Washington, D.C. law firm.) Gray is a great character - very smart and brave, but human enough to do some really dumb things.

Grayson "Gray" Hernandez is trying to make the best of a bad situation. He has a job and it's at the United States Supreme Court. Sadly, it isn't a job as an attorney but it is a job. He lives in a neglected area of town and uses a bicycle to get to and from work. Fortunately, Gray's luck changes when he thwarts an attack on the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Now Gray is working as a law clerk to the Chief Justice, is living in a condo the Chief Justice owns, and has use of one of the Chief Justice's car. Gray knows he has to take the bitter with the sweet with his changed circumstances and the bitter is being an informant for the FBI as well as being the perpetual outsider with the Chief Justice's other law clerks. Is this the opportunity of a lifetime or something much worse? What could possibly link a series of apparently random murders with the United States Supreme Court?

The Outsider is a fast-paced legal mystery-thriller and one that I read in one day. All of the characters are flawed in some way and relatable, yes even the Justices on the Supreme Court. Mr. Franze provides the reader with two interlinked stories, that of Gray and his family, friends, and coworkers, and that of the FBI investigation into a series of murders that are linked to the Supreme Court. The story provides a few twists and turns along the way that made this anything but a predictable read. It was fascinating to read about the behind-the-scenes day-to-day life of the Supreme Court even when you know some of it is fictional. The Outsider provides legal thrills, an intense mystery, hints of romance, family drama, drama between old and new friends, and more. If you read mysteries or legal thrillers, then you'll definitely want to add The Outsider to your TBR list. For those of you that enjoy books that are influenced by other books, namely The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, you'll want to read the story just for those references. Just in case you couldn't tell, I enjoyed reading The Outsider and look forward to reading more from Mr. Franze in the future.

I really liked this well crafted legal thriller. The characters were engaging, the plot was captivating, and the action suspenseful.

The novel centers around Grayson, a young lawyer who, through a quirky experience, saved the life of the Chief Justice. In thanks, the justice has Grayson come on staff as a clerk. He is an outsider, not having gone to a prestigious law school. The attempt on the justice may have been the act of a serial killer and Grayson is asked to work with the FBI. They want his help because he is an outsider.

I was amazed at what Supreme Court clerks experience, the work, the pressure, and the play. I learned some things by reading this book, such as that the Supreme Court takes only about one percent of the cases they are asked to review. I also found out who, talking about the limits of free speech, said one should not yell fire in a crowded theater.

I highly recommend this novel to those who like legal thrillers. It's very informative and entertaining. There is a clever twist when it comes to the resolution of the murders – one I didn't see coming at all.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I am totally biased because I'm an attorney but an accurate legal thriller is so fun! The Outsider is such a book and I loved the behind the scenes setting at the Supreme Court. The scenes in the actual Supreme Court were probably my favorite but the thriller/mystery part of this book was pretty satisfying as well. Gray was an awesome narrator and character - well developed and I liked his struggle with the job but also how he fell into the job. This was a fast and fun read and I hope this author writes more. Even if you don't necessarily love legal thrillers, if you've ever read something like Kiss the Girls and loved it, this book will intrigue you!

The Outsider comes out later this month on March 21, 2017 and you can purchase HERE. I definitely recommend this one if you love legal thrillers in the vein of John Grisham or thrillers like the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. Such a fun read!

Lore had it that when the aging Justice Marshall had fallen ill and was in the hospital, Richard Nixon had asked the doctor for a report on Marshall's condition, not out of concern, but with the hope that the elderly justice was dying so the president could replace him with a more conservative jurist. The doctor asked Marshall if he could give the president a report. Marshall said he'd love to give Nixon an update, and then took out a pen and wrote not yet! on his chart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a lawyer working as a messenger at the Supreme Court, until a mugging to a chief justice to which this young man, Grayson Hernandez ,responds. This starts a friendship with the Justice that gets him in as a clerk with new suits and a new place to stay. Interesting,..At the same time strange murders are happening on the fifth of every month,which also coincided with the attempted mugging. The FBI are trying to figure out what is going on, while Grayson tries to get used to the job of law clerk. Excellent characters and situations,all well-defined. I could not stop turning the pages! I received an arc of this book from Netgalley,the author Anthony Franze and publisher Minotaur Books from which I am able to give this review,.

This is a thrilling page turner of a book. When Grayson Hernandez graduates from a low ranked law school the best job he can find is as a messenger at the Supreme Court. But when he comes to the aid of the victim of a mugging, who turns out to be the Chief Justice, his life gets turned upside down. He experiences a meteoric rise only to become involved in a murder conspiracy which gets him fingered by the FBI as a major suspect. This author really knows how to tell a good story. Not only that, but he gives you a backstage look at the inner workings of the Supreme Court. This book is a page turner from first to last and is a perfect combination of murder and mayhem, with twists and turns you will not see coming and it will keep you guessing right up to the end. I could not put it down!