This is the first book I have read by Lachian Smith and will definitely be interested in reading more. The book keeps you engrossed in the story from page one.

Wolf’s Revenge is the fifth book in the Leo Maxwell series and tells the story of the lawyer Leo’s attempts to remove himself and his loved ones from entanglement with the sinister Aryan Brotherhood. Operating from within prison, the Brotherhood has chosen Leo to defend a teenager in court who is on trial for a seemingly indefensible murder. As Leo delves deeper into the case, other parties begin to involve themselves, and before long the consequences begin to affect Leo and his family in drastic ways.

Having not read the previous books, it took me a while to get up to speed with all the different characters and their pasts. Although this way did efficiently, it did make the first few chapters tough to get through and left me with less of an emotional attachment then was perhaps required to get the most out of this story. The writing style is clear and readable, although at times overly American. The book uses a lot of lawyer jargon which feels very authentic but a bit mundane. The story is clearly a thriller, with plenty of twists and turns that leave the reader guessing as to the motivations of various shady characters and what is going to occur next.

The main issue I had with this book is the lack of connection to the characters, although this may come from the knowledge of the previous books. The main character Leo is a bit too idealised; often he is the only character who can solve every problem, and he comes across as a bit too cool, which makes him harder to empathise with. Throughout the book, there are a number of deaths, and they are also treated a bit strangely. Leo doesn’t ever seem to react appropriately, and important characters die and are forgotten about remarkably quickly, particularly if these characters have been present in the four previous books as well!

Overall I think this is an interesting book and a good thriller that does offer some suspense. However, I struggled to properly get into it due to slightly one-dimensional characters and a lack of knowledge from the previous books in the series. Personally, I would recommend reading the previous books first, where perhaps the characters are more fleshed out!

Boromir

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

So this is my first time reading a book in this series. I did have a couple chapters where I had to catch up with the characters but was smooth sailing after. I'm a huge fan of a good thriller/mystery and this one had enough turns to keep you hooked. The story centers around Leo and his case for the Aryan brotherhood. He has no choice but to represent them and his brother and dad work for them too. There is tragedy and plenty of drama. It seems like a good legal/court room drama.

If I had read the other books in turn maybe i would have been more invested but I found myself putting this down too much.

Recommendation: read it if you like more legal dramas and probably in series.

I enjoyed reading this well written legal thriller. The bad guys are revealed early on, making it a thriller and not a mystery. Leo Maxwell is a lawyer who represents clients from the AB(Ayran Brotherhood), a criminal gang involved in murder, drugs, prostitution and other crimes. His father and brother also work for the AB. Leo gets a client from the AB, accused of murder. Leo's father is murdered and the rest of his family and Leo are threatened. How Leo survives makes for a page turning thriller. I recommend it to legal fans.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me this book.

San Francisco attorney Leo Maxwell is coerced by the leader of a prison-based gang into defending a young woman who murdered a member of the Aryan Brotherhood in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighbourhood. The woman is uncooperative so Leo has the challenge to develop a suitable defense for her and to separate himself and his family members from the commitments made years ago by their father to the Brotherhood. This was a riveting read and another exciting book in the Leo Maxwell mystery series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Grove Atlantic - Mysterious Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

I hadn't read any of the previous books in this series, but it wasn't necessary for the enjoyment of this book. The book is well-written with interesting characters and story. I can't say any of the characters were especially likeable (ok - Carly was - she was too young to be otherwise), but I felt some sympathy for Leo. He was in a position where he felt forced to defend clients he knew weren't innocent - but he didn't want to risk harm to his family for doing otherwise.

The first half of the book seems a bit slow, but once I got into the rhythm of the narrative and it moved on to the courtroom, it was fascinating.

WOLF’S REVENGE: A Leo Maxwell Mystery
Lachlan Smith
Mysterious Press
ISBN 978-0-8021-2707-5
Hardcover
Thriller

Lachlan Smith kicks things up a notch or two in WOLF’S REVENGE, the latest installment in his revered Leo Maxwell series. Maxwell is a San Francisco attorney who over the course of the canon has made the transition from a down-heeled public defender obtaining justice or something close to it for his shopworn clients to private practice. He has also along the way moved out of the shadow of his father and brother, both successful attorneys in their own right who have experienced dramatically different falls from grace and station. WOLF’S REVENGE is full of revelations, surprises, and shocks as Maxwell, even as he takes control of his life and practice, finds himself and his family in terrible danger.

WOLF’S REVENGE begins with a Maxwell family outing at a baseball game that quickly turns terrifying for a moment or two when five year old Carly, Leo’s niece, goes momentarily missing. She is quickly returned by a stranger who claims that he found her wandering in the stadium. There is, of course, more to things than that. Maxwell is quick to figure out that the alert stranger, a DLR named Jack Sims, is hardly a good samaritan. Maxwell quickly learns that Sims is delivering a message from Bo Wilder, the head of a wide-ranging criminal enterprise who controls it --- as well as Leo and his brother Teddy --- from a prison cell in San Quentin. Wilder is apparently concerned that Leo, who has been taking criminal cases on referral from Wilder, is not hewing to the line which is set up for him. Carly’s disappearance, however brief, is supposed to be Wilder’s way of conveying the message that Leo or any member of his family can be touched anywhere at anytime. The message cannot come at a worse time for Leo, who is trying to maneuver the Maxwells out from under Wilder and his myriad criminal enterprises. Leo doesn’t really get a chance to implement any sort of plan, however, as he is in short order retained to defend a young woman who in full view of all carried out an execution of an ex-convict affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood on a busy street in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. The woman won’t talk --- she won’t even tell anyone, including Leo, her name --- so that Leo is at least initially left bereft of any possible means of defending her. And it is here that WOLF’S REVENGE gets really, really good. Leo joins forces with Car, who had been Teddy’s go-to investigator, and utilizes him in tracing the woman’s recent and remote past. He is able to uncover a complex web of violence and deceit in which the repercussions of a robbery occurring over a
decade before have a direct and proximate result in the present. As Leo prepares for trial however, a violent personal tragedy occurs, one which serves as a warning to him and Teddy. What is even worse, however, is that everything, including the trial and Leo’s efforts to pull his family out from under the yoke of Bo Wilder, may well hinge on one man who seeming represents the forces of law and order but whose obsessions may well put Leo, and those he loves, in even greater danger.

WOLF’S REVENGE is the best of the Leo Maxwell series to date. Smith’s ongoing brooding take on San Francisco’s more down-heeled streets is darkly attractive, with the walking flotsam and jetsam occupying it serving as quick but effective cautionary tales about the evils of bad companions and choices. I had privately wondered at the beginning of the series how long Smith could utilize Leo Maxwell’s understated character, not realizing that Smith had apparently planned a slow-boil development of Leo and those around him. It is obvious in WOLF’S REVENGE that, five books into the series, Smith is just getting started. Oh, and by the way, readers who have been with the series from the jump will be surprised at who gets off the bus, permanently, in WOLF’S revenge. Read and see. You won’t be sorry.

Stick with this and you'll be rewarded with a good courtroom drama that's also a tale of a twisted legal legacy. You'll ask yourself why on earth Leo doesn't walk away from all the drama and heartache of his family's relationship with the Aryan Brotherhood. Well, it's not that easy. There are long held secrets and lies here. as well as family drama between Leo, his brother Teddy, and his dead father. This one is complex and twisty= the hallmarks of a good legal drama. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. You don't need to have read the earlier books (that's partly why the early going is slow as you are caught up on the action) to enjoy this one. Try it if you like legal thrillers.

Great drama Lachlan Smith! There's great courtroom drama in this legal thriller as well as quite of bit of action. Not sure why I read the 5th book in a series when I haven't read any of the previous books, but it didn't matter - after a little slowness in the first two chapters I was hooked. May have to go back and read the earlier books. This centers around an attorney who has been kind of trapped into defending people for the Aryan Brotherhood and he wants out - but there are threats and consequences and getting out is not going to be an easy task. Most of the time I'm rooting for Leo, but sometimes I wasn't so sure about him. There's a lot going on it this story and everything is not black and white.

My thanks to Lachlan Smith and Grove Atlantic - Mysterious Press through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The courtroom drama of Wolf's Revenge alone is worth the read, and the plot in this Leo Maxwell series regarding the Aryan Brotherhood was as new to me as the author. The protagonist is an attorney in the Bay Area of California and has inherited a dubious legacy from both his older brother (now handicapped) and his father, now deceased. His clients are not A-List people.

First, I had a difficult time getting through the first two chapters. Way too much explaining how we got here. You have to hang on until he is called in to defend a young woman accused of the murder of an Aryan member.

Suddenly, the protagonist changes from being a storyteller delivering information to being an involved main character, and rather than a spectator, a proactive lawyer with up-to-his-neck involvement.

The protagonist, Leo Maxwell, would rather not take on the case, funded by the AB. (And you're saying, huh?) As the writing style relaxes into intrigue, the dialogue becomes more natural. Easier to visualize the scene and the main characters including the antagonist(s), and there certainly appears no shortage of those.

Leo is torn over how to fully protect his client (never mind the men paying for her defense or why) and his own family.

Who is the good guy here--or is there one? It would appear even the good guys are not. The trial is a struggle, Leo making a dent in testimony only to lose to the next challenge and it's difficult to say which way this jury will go. His client is only 16. Even if he wins the case, how can this have an equitable ending for her?

The narrative evolves into a hold-onto-your-seat climax with an ending you did NOT see coming. I have to say this novel starts out slow. Then, the whole conspiracy turned an interesting direction and I was glad I hung in there. I downloaded this novel from Mystery Press and NetGalley and appreciated very much the opportunity to read and review. Recommended as a legal thriller, crime and mystery, suspense novel.

I received a free electronic copy of this mystery from Netgalley, Lachlan Smith, and Grove Atlantic - Mysterious Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

This is an interesting mystery, with the Aryan Brotherhood playing an important roll both inside prison and out. We have two generations of lawyers in the San Francisco Bay area, Generation two unable to separate themselves from the Brotherhood and decisions and commitments made years ago by their father. Our protagonists are all damaged in some way and attempting to work and raise generation three without the constant worry of AB retribution as they try to go straight. This is not a make-happy novel, but it is one I am glad to have read.

Written by Lachlan Smith, I think this might be a sequel to another book.

I just could not get into this book.

This novel follows a lawyer and his handicapped brother, sister in law, and niece who are being threatened by the local kingpin.

This was well written, I just could not get into the story. I wish I could tell you why. It might have a good portion to do with feeling like I was dropped in the middle of the story.

If you enjoy stories of gangsters and the law, you may enjoy this novel.

I usually don't read thrillers/crime any more but I made an exception here. I liked the main character but as I came in at book 5 I'm sure that I've missed out on a lot of character development. The plot really kept me on the edge of my seat although not really my genre I still enjoyed it.

Took me a while to get into as I was getting married. Once I got into this book I couldn't put it down! read from 50% to 100% in one afternoon! Very gripping page turner. Makes you question which side you're on who you believe and I changed my mind soo many times. I had an inkling of how I thought it would end and I wasn't far off. I really enjoyed this. The characters really drag you into their life.

4.5 Stars Wolf's Revenge is the first book I have read by Lachlan Smith and what a great introduction. The character interaction is believable and the storyline compelling. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author.

I will add to this review closer to release date

What is so engaging about this one is the narrator's voice - slowly inveighling his way into his client's consciousness even when she is determined to remain silent; and then his own past and his family's precarious position between psychopaths and his own efforts to rid himself of the criminal past of his father just adds layers and meanings to what is essentially a police procedural of enormous skill and intrigue. Very impressive writing but also very dark.

An excellent story depicting a very real possibility for our future. The anti hero is depicted brilliantly and the story unfolds in a rational and measured way that leaves you on the edge of your seat. A great story.

The book was extremely well written it just wasnt something that was fast paced for me it really took me a long time to read is all. The storyline was good and i really like the main character.

Great book! Plot was good and kept me up late wanting to know what was gonna happen next.

Full confession. I think I may be in love with Leo Maxwell. This book is wonderful! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED LEO. I am adding Mr. Smith's books to my collection.