Benn Bluesone is an attorney who juggles but he's gotten himself into trouble this time. This is a fast paced page turner- a good read.

Drug lawyer Benn Bluestone is kind of a jerk. He likes the ladies a little too much, he loves money, and the criminals he defends are the worst of the worst: powerful cartel members that don’t think twice about killing anyone that gets in their way. Benn justifies this a bit by explaining that the people he defends help put the bigger cartel fish away, which while sometimes true, still isn’t much of a defense.

He explains thusly:

We settled on a day, and I clicked off. I’d juggle and manage. You learn to in a business that’s totally unpredictable—months without a peep of new work, then two cases in two minutes. The work itself, however, was totally predictable: same old, same old, researching and developing deep-throat information Uncle Sam deemed significant—drugs by the ton and seizures in the multimillion of dollars—then horse trading it for minimal jail time my clients could do standing on their heads.

Being the keeper of such secrets entailed great responsibility—and, if one were careless, a fair amount of risk. I reduced that hazard by maintaining constant vigilance and trusting no one.


Benn narrates, and he lets readers know very quickly that he’s tired of his job. He’s looking for a big score so he can get out for good.

The other day while online, I was required to select my date of birth by scrolling down a numbered wheel. I watched the years pass, thinking how quickly they had gone. My next birthday was a year ending in zero, and I didn’t want to go on working until I ran out of juice. Couldn’t, because sooner or later, the whole rotten-drug-lawyer monopoly game was going to crash, and a lot of players would be drawing cards that said Go to Jail, I planned to be long gone by then.

Because I had a dream…

I’d snag a client named Biggy who would deliver unto me the mother of all scores. I knew that my Biggy existed in the realm of possibility. In fact, he might even be Mondragon’s guy. One never knew—

Mondragon might indeed be his ticket out. In fact, when he flies to Columbia to meet him, he’s greeted with a one-million-dollar offer. That’s huge, but he knows there must be some sort of catch. He’s shocked when he learns his new client is Rigo Ordonez, a man who was involved in the deaths of 200 of a former client’s extended family—a client that Benn counted among his very few friends. They killed the man’s entire family, including women and children. Rigo doesn’t play around.

What follows is a deep dive into labyrinthine cartel politics in Benn’s search for the big one that will get him out for good. These are big fish, alright; but is it worth his life—or what is left of his soul? The legendary Biggy Sombra (aka the Shadow) will test him to the limit and beyond.

Benn isn’t a bad guy. He’s really not. Don’t get me wrong, he and I wouldn’t be friends, but his regret when it comes to his ex-wife (and former paralegal) Mady adds depth to his personality and possibly partially explains his devil-may-care attitude. I get the distinct impression that losing her changed him, and it wasn’t a change for the better. He’s world-weary to the point of not caring, and it’s a dangerous way to be.

Flashback: twenty years ago.

Mady is my new bride. We’re not only joined at the hip; she is also my accomplished paralegal. We are deeply in love and best friends and workmates. Our future is bright and limitless. My professional star is rising. I’m just a couple of years out of law school, not yet thirty, but already I’ve become a hell of a trial lawyer. My ascent begins when I work some courtroom magic, get lucky at the same time, and win a no-win case. For a Columbian. He sends his friends to me. His friends send friends.

One day I receive a call from a man with a hoarse voice. He is extremely polite. Reserved. Would I consider an expense-paid trip to Cali to discuss a case?

“Yes,” I say. “With my paralegal.”

“Of course.”

But I have reservations about bringing Mady.

He should have listened to those reservations because that was the trip that led to the death of so many people and marked the beginning of the end for him and Mady.

Merer—who has 30 years under his belt practicing the exact kind of law that Benn does—knows his material, which to me, makes it even scarier. And this is scary, dirty, low-down business. Benn is no hero, and I’m not sure anti-hero fits either. But I like scarred and deeply flawed characters, so that’s not a quibble for me.

If I had a quibble (or two), it would be that there are so many characters in this book that you may need to make a list. Also, the narrative could have been whittled down a bit. It gets a bit confusing, but don’t let that scare you off—Merer is a talented writer, and he knows how to build a scene. He’s got his finger on the pulse of these bad guys and gals, and it shows.

If you’re fascinated with the illegal drug trade—which I am—and the ins and outs of criminal cartels, this is an author to watch. His addition of a plot thread involving an indigenous people of the Andes and their enigmatic leader makes for an intriguing twist.

I cannot accurately summarize this crazily twisty, engaging and exciting novel. There is a huge cast of characters that are nicely developed. Not to say that you would want to have dealings with some of them. Because unsavory does not due justice to some of the players. The main character is both good and bad and that makes this a worthy read. It resembles what could be. Pick this up to enjoy an involving and entertaining mystery. You will be pleased.

The Extraditionist
By Todd Merer

While being well written and face paced, the characterisation and settings left a lot to be desired. I think that was due to so many characters and locations.

That being said, the author has researched the book well, yet has not drawn the plot out to its potential.

Benn Bluestone is a drug lawyer sharp enough to exploit loopholes in the system, Bluestone loves the money, the women, the action that come with his career. However new cases threaten his current and future lifestyle.

The book leaves you unfulfilled, failing to reach its potential.

#NetGalley

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Full review from MurderinCommon.com here: https://wp.me/p3XU1u-4Ht

The author took me on a nerve-racking journey into the adrenaline-charged world of the illegal drug trade. The costly war on drugs had been a complete failure. Death-dealing drugs crossing the border like the wind. A total success. For all involved, it was every person for them self. This well-written narrative had unscrupulous characters coming at me from all angles. Not a moment to breathe. No one was clean. At every turn, I was waiting for a bullet to whiz by. I was riveted by non-stop action with endless twists and turns that carried through to the very end. A fitting end.

There are lawyers to fit every conceivable legal need of society. Then there is Benn Bluestone. A specialist among specialists. Extraditionist. Extraditing someone usually meant trying that person for a crime in another country. It came with its pitfalls. Not all countries shared this agreement. To expedite matters, it always came down to the same thing. Greasing the palms of the right people.

Benn's New York City law practice had taken him to far reaches around the globe. Especially, South America. The land of white powder. Cocaine. Life in the fast lane. He knew the extradition laws of these neighboring countries like the back of his hand. White powder is a big business that won't be going away anytime soon. Talking billions here. Always comes down to supply and demand.

As sometimes happens, when a Colombian drug lord had found that he is no longer welcome in his home country, it's time to take a powder. If possible. Many a time, punishment for drug-related crimes in a criminals host country would prove far worse than, let's say, the United States. Better to stay alive and work a deal within a safe haven. The good ole' US of A. Just ask Pablo Escobar, king of cocaine. Former king. Oh wait, you can't. He was gunned down in the streets of his hometown by the National Police. Justice served-up seething hot, Columbian Style.

Benn needed to get out of this racket. He'd been cashing in on the proceeds of crime without enduring the ramifications of being a criminal. Been walking a tightrope for way too long. If Lucky, it would only be a matter of time till he's rich beyond his wildest dreams. Most probably, he'll just get whacked. Maybe both. Dead and rich. Haunted by the lure of the money, oh the money. Just one big score - one last trial. Set up for life. One more. So he keeps telling himself. Immersed in a world of drugs, blood and dirty money. Didn't know if he'd ever find the exit door. Or if there even was one. It all came down to one last trial. So he hoped. Time would tell.

Todd Merer has an engaging writing style. He puts readers right in the midst of the characters' world. The pace is quick and the concept unique. That being said, I didn't love this book.

To begin with, I didn't like Benn Bluestone at all. He's a womanizer, he's greedy, and he lacks compassion. This story is written in first person, from Benn's perspective, so the reading experience came down to me spending hours with someone who grated on my nerves the entire time.

The plot is well thought out and executed. It's also (overly) complex. Benn interacts with a whole lot of people, both clients and associates. He also travels all over South America, routinely flying back and forth from New York, interacting with yet more people. You might need a chart to keep all the characters and their relationships straight while reading. For me, the abundance of characters and things happening made the story feel too chaotic. I couldn't settle into it.

I figured out Sombra's identity early on. Even so, it's a good twist that's handled well.

The author's own background and experience in the field lends authenticity to the material. In fact, the author's bio reads much like Benn Bluestone's bio would read. Because of this, the story has a strong feel of realism.

If you like legal thrillers, and you want to see our wonderfully corrupt drug laws at work, then you might want to give this book a try.

Did not finish the book. Have explained in publisher comments