Margolin does a bit of change to his usual legal eagle Robin Lockwood's legal cases and mystery solving with the latest book in the series. First Robin is asked to take a case, by a retired DA, to help overturn the murder conviction of Jose Alvarez. Years before the DA was the lawyer that helped convict Alvarez and was later to find out the man was innocent but the manner in which he learned the truth prevented him from taking on the case. Once Jose's freedom is accomplished Robin, Jose, and associate Ken go to the spooky Black Oaks estate of the retired DA Melville for a celebration. Out in the middle of nowhere, supposedly cursed, and close to an insane asylum, the estate is the perfect place for incidents that will need Robin's lawyer skills to answer the questions arising about strange events and murder It's an interesting trip through the legal issues, the celebration, murders, and resolution. Definitely a different approach to Robin's usual legal activities but her lawyer skills and ability to walk through the issues made it an interesting read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've enjoyed all of the Robin Lockwood series, and this was no exception. It is a little different from the previous books in the series - we do get the courtroom action, and a lot of clever legal action, both from Robin and her associates and from two earlier cases handled by Francis Hardy, a former prosecutor and defense attorney. I always enjoy the legal action in these books, and this forms the back story for this book.

But, Margolin decided to have some fun with this one as well, by offering an homage to classic mystery writers - we have a locked room mystery, the setting is a creepy mansion at the top of a mountain, with secret tunnels, and it's always raining while Robin drives to the mansion. You know that we're looking to earlier classic mysteries, when we head up the mountain and pass a creepy insane asylum along the way! There is a curse, there are references to werewolves - it's all there!

Despite all of this, however, it's a real mystery - not played as a slapstick. And, you still have the pleasure of figuring out who-dun-it and why, along with Robin and her investigator. You also have the ethical issue that is troubling to the characters and to the reader - what happens when an attorney learns from a client that he actually committed a murder and framed someone else for it - and now that other person is on death row. What does the attorney do when he knows, beyond any question, that an innocent man is on death row, and he can't figure out a way to save the man?

Well worth reading - I'm enjoying this series considerably, and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. Wow! Phillip Margolin is in top form in this incredible “locked room” mystery. The setting is an isolated, cursed mansion with characters flawed and filled with strong emotions. Margolin is the King of the twist and this story is loaded with them. I always love his books and this one does not disappoint. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy a psychological thriller with amazing, surprising outcomes.

This was a quick read with several storylines. I liked the legal ones and helping get innocent people out of prison, more than the locked room mystery. So for me, this was a mixed bag. If you like locked room mysteries in haunted houses, you will probably like this book. 3.5

I liked some parts of this story with a passion. A Gothic mansion, built brick by brick to resemble a historied European castle, a curse, werewolves, legends and a lot of creepiness made me pick up this book to find… a lot of chapters devoted to a legal thriller with redundant information and endless recaps. I liked the first part, which lays the background to the story, but I’m not a fan of legal thrillers so the main chapters didn’t capture my attention as much as the locked room murder mystery. It is my fault, since this is part of a series, I should have checked the previous volumes to learn more about it. A rich retired prosecutor put a man on death row and later learned that he was innocent. After much maneuvering, Defense Attorney Robin Lockwood frees the wrongly convicted man and they all go to the titular Black Oaks, to celebrate. Instead, murder ensues. This part doesn’t happen till the middle of the novel, but then, there are more chapters afterwards with more legal shenanigans. Finally, the conclusion, which I saw coming. Fans of the series will probably enjoy it, as will readers of legal thrillers. Murder mystery fans will enjoy that part of the plot, but, in my case, it was too short and predictable.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books!

I didn't know this was part of a series, but I will definitely be looking into prior books! This had everything I wanted out of a suspense book.

I picked up this book because I really needed something quick and easy after a spte of longer, more challenging reads. I really like Phillip Margolin's legal thrillers includingn Gone but not Forgotten, The Associate and Wild Justice. Margolin's been writing forever and so, though I knew this book was a bit different for him, he has a really readable writing style so how bad could it be?

Oh boy. Those are famous last words. Because this one was so shockingly... not. good.

But let's start with what I liked about it.

It was propulisive in that things kept happening that made me want to find out what would happen next. That's something, right?
Also, short chapters and a sub-300 page count meant it was a fast read. That's also something.
And, from the start I Liked the lead character, attorney Robin Lockwood.

But then... Oh my lord.

The writing was so painfully bad. Which, again, was surprising because I know that Phillip Margolin can write better than this. Is he going to win a Booker Prize. Not a chance, but his writing isn't laughably bad, and that's what we have in this book. It honestly felt like he asked his 17 grandkid to write a book and said he'd hand it in and they'd both have a good laugh over it.

Also, the locked room element. My Lord in Heaven. It felt like Margolin was in the middle of writing a legal thriller and someone rushed in and said "hold up, the pub wants a locked room mystery" and so he just jammed one in there. Right in the middle.

And then the ... well, I can't say, but there's a large piece of the plot that is just so laughable that I literally threw my head back and cackled when I read it. I mean COME ON.

Murder at Black Oaks is a clever whodunnit. It is full of surprises so I won't summarize it here. Suffice it to say that author Phillip Margolin has accomplished his task. I recommend the novel.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Murder at Black Oaks, by Phillip Margolin, is a great book for a reader looking for something that's not challenging and that will hold their attention. As someone who usually enjoys gothic style locked room mysteries, it was compelling enough for me to want to finish. However I found the characters all too flat, the plot improbable, and a lack of subtlety in both characterization and prose. There were also a few plot devices used that just plain didn't make sense. That being, said, I still wanted to finish the book to find out what happened. A good title for a time when you need to be distracted but can't think too hard.

This was a really well written book. The twists and turns in this book were amazing and there were several stories going on within this one book which made you want to keep reading to find out what happened. There are a few typo errors but nothing serious.

A strong start, that I felt dropped off pretty rapidly. I am interested to read Margolin's other works and see how I feel about those in comparison.

Murder at Black Oaks was a quick and easy legal thriller. It is centered around Robin Lockwood an attorney that is called into help a man who has been in prison for a crime that he didn't commit. Now I know many novels have been written with the same premise. Yet Murder at Black Oaks has a twist to it. First off there was not just one murder committed at the so called '" cursed " house, but there were numerous ones. Once Robin proves Jose Alvarez is innocent she then embarks on a crazy series of events. One with the murder of Mr. Melville the man who worked the original case that put Jose in jail. When Mr. Melville finds himself in a tight situation years after Jose's imprisonment , that he is able to as Robin for her help. The same weekend that Jose and many are at Black Oaks to celebrate his release another murder is committed., and more clues to the history of this house is revealed. Is this house really cursed? Is there a werewolf roaming the property:, and why did Frank Melville really want Robin Lockwood there?.

First off I loved the clues that Phillip Margolin provides withing the story. How the case of Jose Alvarez led into the murder case of another guest that was at Black Oaks. Which gave us another clue as to why the deaths that weekend occurred. It made me want to keep reading to find out who did it. I was totally wrong about who committed these killings and was surprised at who did commit them.

Robin was my favorite character. I liked the way she was written. A strong professional women, who over came a harsh ordeal but pushed herself to get past her pain and move on. The description of Black Oaks reminded of Werewolf of London. The stormy rainy weather, the legend of the werewolf and the mysterious murder weapon.

I realized this was number six of the series and since Mr. Margolin is a new author for me I will surly look into the other five books. Read this in two days because I had to know how it ended.

Thank you NetGally and the publishers for the advanced copy, and Mr. Margolin for a very enjoyable read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a mystery and thriller like I do.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book. I didn't realize this was part of a series, but I don't think it matter at all. It read like a stand alone book. Imagine being put in jail for a crime you did not commit and not being bitter after at those who put you there. Would you be able to forgive before it to late?

Phillip Margolin’s latest Robin Lockwood book is riveting as well as quite different from what I expected or had read in the past. Robin is a successful attorney who works tirelessly until she finds a solution and the truth. In this book, the setting of an old home in the backwoods of Oregon is personified and is a big part of the book, thus accounting for the significant difference that I noted in this book as opposed to other Lockwood novels. The setting is a main characters, overshadowed only by Robin Lockwood and her tenacity to overcome and reveal its secrets. Owned by a former DA named Francis Hardy, Black Oaks has a legend and supposedly a curse, but that does not stop Robin from taking a case that Hardy desperately wants her to pursue, that of proving that a man he put into prison is innocent. There are a lot of twists in this novel as well as an unexpected murder (in spite of the title, the murder was surprising to me), and characters that are credible if somewhat secretive. The secrets are the key to the story and the truth that Robin has to unravel. Her methodical exploration of the case and all that was happening had me captivated, as she and her investigator Ken try to get to the truth of who is who as well as the how and the why of the crimes committed. This is a legal thriller, wrapped up in atmosphere and just enough creepiness that gives it a tone of darkness and evil that is ever present. I enjoyed getting to know how Robin would handle a case that is completely different than what she usually takes on as well as getting to know how skilled Ken is at assisting her. Robin Lockwood does not change her tactics, but she is great at adapting to the challenges of this case. The action is fast-paced and the characterization is layered and dynamic. Fans of legal thrillers will enjoy this book and Margolin’s journey into an Alfred Hitchcock-like world.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Murder at Black Oaks by Phillip Margolin was a good, entertaining, quick read. It stars Robin Lockwood as the legal heroine in a multi-storyline mystery.

I’m rating at three (would do 3.5 if I could) stars since I thought some of the storylines aren’t brought to conclusion, some storylines leap around a bit awkwardly and the characters aren’t deeply developed. The setting is well-described and contributes to the spooky entertainment factor. This book is part of an ongoing mystery series but can easily be read as a standalone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Often justice hides in dark and deadly places and Phillip Margolin’s latest yarn connects defense attorney Robin Lockwood, retired D.A. Francis Hardy, a former death row inmate, a has-been movie idol and a score of other players as they come together at Black Oaks, a manor house located in the mountains of Oregon that is a replica of an English mansion built in 1628.

Philip Margolin is a master craftsman and IMHO one of the best authors in the business. His creation, Robin Lockwood and her associates “get them job done” without resorting to gimmicks and glitz found in many of today’s TV dramas. His books provide an admirable protagonist, a winning supporting cast, a taste of Agatha Christie and a dash of humor - - what more could one want in a mystery? 3 1/2 stars

I didn’t realize when I requested a copy of this book from @netgalley and the publisher @stmartinspress that this was book 6 in a series. I typically do not read series, let alone one so far in, but I was intrigued and decided to read it after all.

Robin Lockwood is a well respected and sought after attorney in Portland Oregon. One day she receives a call from retired district attorney Francis Hardy to meet him at his home, Black Oaks. Black Oakes is cloaked in superstition and Hardy believes it. Since retiring Hardy has dug deep trying to free wrongly convicted people and he believes one of the people he helped put away is actually innocent. Intrigued Lockwood takes the case and works to set the convicted man free. Along the way people start dying, including Mr. Hardy. Lockwood works hard against the clock to not only free the man, but to figure out who has killed Hardy. Will she be able to figure it all out before falling victim herself?

This book hooked me from the start. I was a little put off with how much was going on, and how nicely things were wrapped up as the book went on. Things almost went too fast for me, and that’s saying something since I often find things too slow. I appreciated the legal aspect of this thriller, and how the author was just technical enough for me to get it. I’m no legal expert but I’ve watched enough Law & Order to get the gist of what was going on! I rated this one 3.75 but rounded up to a 4 for rating purposes. While the story of Robin Lockwood was interesting and entertaining, I probably wont be reading more of the series. I want to extend my deepest thanks to @netgalley and the publisher, @stmartinspress, for my advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review. This book is out November 8th and if you’re looking for a solid legal thriller – look no further.

Well. I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Having read the other books in the series, I found this one to be a disappointment. The legal parts felt skipped over, and were kind of a summary. The suspense was fantastic, and ramped up throughout. This will make a great Halloween book around spooky season but for a legal thriller, I found it lacking. 2.5 ⭐️

Another page turner and not disappointing. The characters were well thought out and the plot held my interest throughout the book! As always, I believed that Robin was on top of her defensive game!! There is plenty of meat in the story which kept me interested in to the very end. I would recommend this book and all of his others as well.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope she writes more! I am totally hooked!