Charlie Webb is considered a third-rate lawyer who opened his own law firm when he couldn’t get hired by any major law firms in Portland, Oregon. He gets by handling court-appointed cases as well as handling cases for friends and family.

When Guido Sabatini is arrested for breaking into a restaurant and stealing back a painting he sold them, Charlie is assigned to handle his case. However, the painting isn’t the only thing Guido stole, and the situation quickly escalates. But as the charges mount up, can Charlie's experience be enough to handle the cases?

I love a good courtroom drama and this did not disappoint! The pacing was fast and kept me engaged and turning the pages rapidly. The story quickly hooked me and kept me engaged to the very end. Overall, this is an entertaining, suspenseful, and fast read with several plot twists and a good legal thriller.

I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought it was really well done. the author did an amazing job with the characters and story line. I haven't had the chance to read the Robin Lockwood series, but I will admit that this book definitely makes me want to. The themes of this book are a pro bono lawyer going against powerful people involved in several dark things including sex trafficking. This really was some dark subject matter, but I have to give it to the author because they did an excellent job getting the point across without to much grittiness. I can't wait to read more from this author. I definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Macmillian Audio, and Phillip Margolin

This was a wild ride and I didn't see some of those twists coming. And almost everyone in this book was a bag of dicks, minus Andy and maybe Guido! Philip Margolin is on my always-read list for his Robin Lockwood series but this book shows me that he can write a stand-alone thriller just as well as a series!

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me the ALC via NetGalley. This title was released on November 5, 2024.

3.5 STARS

Phillip Margolin delivers a solid yet run-of-the-mill legal thriller.

Our protagonist, "third rate" lawyer Charlie Webb, stumbles onto the big time when he runs across the whacky artist Guido Sabbatini. Guido is convinced of his artistic genius and has made a habit of breaking into places to reposition his works of art if they're not being displayed to his liking. On the latest escapade, Guido comes across incriminating evidence that drags both Guido and Charlie deep into the criminal world of traffickers and danger.

Overall, I was entertained. Margolin sticks to the conventions of the genre. Guido was perhaps the highlight of the story, as his characterization was vivid and wild. Charlie as the protagonist served up a stereotypical male thriller protagonist, someone who is portrayed as well meaning but also a little misogynistic. Margolin knows how to keep the pacing steady. The ending underwhelmed.

AUDIO: Peter Ganim gave a stellar performance. With crisp and animated delivery, he enhanced the storytelling and listening experience. No issues with audio production. 5/5

I am big fan of Margolin's Robin Lockwood series, so I was glad to see a new release by the author.

This novel, hopefully first in series, centers around a pro bono defense attorney and his new client. The case seems "insignificant" until powerful people have been accused of partaking in a sex traffiking ring. When these people are beginning to be found dead, you have to wonder, is someone trying to keep them quiet or is it vigilante justice?

While the topic surrounding this novel is disturbing, the author is very discreet and gets the points across without a lot of discription. There are also several humorous moments throughout with Webb and his client, who you will fall in love with.

I really hope this is the start of a new series and I hope for more in the Lockwood series as well.

A well-written and well-narrated legal thriller by Phillip Margolin. This is not one of those dime-a-dozen breakneck speed, twisty domestic thrillers, but much more of a well-crafted and thoughtful traditional mystery. With quirky and unusual characters (how refreshing to have a good courtroom attorney who isn't a graduate at the top of his class for a change, and a client who is..... quite a trip!) the mystery slowly unravels with some great, funny, and realistic courtroom and legal scenes. High legal drama, skillfully plotted and always intellectually stimulating, Phillip Margolin's books are always reliably entertaining with good mysteries and great endings. This stand-alone novel is a great introduction to Margolin, especially if you're a fan of Micheal Connelly and other hardboiled mystery/legal thriller masters. Great voice acting by the audiobook narrator as well.

I enjoyed this standalone thriller from Phillip Margolin, although I hesitate in calling it a "thriller" as it was lacking in suspense. It was more of a crime mystery that unraveled well but had an abundance of characters to keep up with. The narrator was pleasant to listen to and did a good job. My thanks to McMillan Audio for providing an audiobook for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Overall, this was pretty good. While not necessarily thrilling, it did keep my attention throughout, thanks to the pacing and characters. Listening to the audio version of the book was also a delight. The narrator did a wonderful job. I think I actually enjoyed this more than I would've enjoyed a physical copy. My critique would be that, when there are several details and chapters after the "climax" of the story, it starts to feel a little tedious, and takes away more than it adds to the story. I wish the reveals & climactic parts had taken up more space in the book, with the "what happened after" parts condensed into something that helped it keep momentum. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 stars. This was a fast paced legal thriller that centered around a very unique character who thinks he's a painter from a previous era - and has the artist quirks and affectations to complement the identity. A relatively insignificant case against this artist quickly spirals into something much deeper and much more significant than the lawyer assigned to his defense is really prepared for - or expecting to take on. A fascinating web of relationships and characters shifts the understanding of the case to show a much deeper plot and series of connections.

I thought the characters were fairly well done - and the interconnected nature of the plot lines was interesting and generally fast paced. This isn't usually a go-to genre for me, but I was pleasantly surprised with how engaged I stayed throughout the story. I also thought the narration was very well done - bringing the characters to life and giving a good voice to the story over all.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

Great book with a lot of drama and keep you at the edge of your seat. Would recommend! Will be looking for more from this author.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author. If you are looking for a suspenseful legal thriller, this is the book for you!

I read An Insignificant Case in audio form with Peter Ganim as the narrator. Charlie Webb thinks he is not a good enough lawyer to do anything but the simplest of criminal defense work. He did so-so in his s0-s0 law school, and while he has had some decent success in some moderately challenging cases, he just does not have a decent self image. Guido Sabatini (born Lawrence Weiss) is a very talented artist who believes that in a prior life he was trained by Italian Masters. He lives alone on a farm and has a studio where he paints. He then tries to sell his paintings to restaurant customers and others in ways that get him in trouble, particularly if he later decides they did not deserve to own one of his paintings. Guido is in trouble for something he took and Charlie is assigned the case. When Guido later is charged with murder, Charlie begs off of being appointed as his public defender until the judge explains a very well known, experienced lawyer will be second chair. It is Guido who insists Charlie must defend him. So, thinking this will work, Charlie takes on a relatively straightforward murder trial that is no such thing. Because Guido took something that is very threatening to several powerful people with a lot to hide.

I really enjoyed the writing, plotting and characters, including Guido, who skates along the absurd but has more going on upstairs than we initially believe. Highly recommend it.

An average lawyer is thrown into a potentially deadly case in this pulse-quickening thriller from bestselling novelist Phillip Margolin. Larry Weiss is a mathematical genius and world-class gambler who has taken up painting and become convinced he's Guido Sabatini, a reincarnated renaissance master. After selling a canvas to the manager of an exclusive restaurant, he's outraged that it isn't hanging in the dining room, and steals it from her office, along with a flash drive in her open safe. Charlie Webb, an undistinguished attorney, is called upon to defend him, but unknown to Charlie and Guido, the flash drive will implicate some very wealthy and powerful people in an ugly scandal, and they'll kill to get it back. Margolin gives his story a good portion of wit along with the thrills (and a truly surprising ending), and plenty of local color from its Portland, OR settings. And Peter Ganim's cool, clever narration keeps the pace steady and gives the characters lots of personality. Who knew art could be this exciting?

3.5 Stars (rounded up)

I don’t read a ton of lawyer thrillers so I may be way off base here but the beginning of this gave me Lincoln lawyer vibes.

An artist who takes so much pride in his work he steals back his paintings when not placed where he thinks they should be (lol). The storyline progressed at a good pace and kept my attention throughout with some of the character introductions and surprises.

The only thing that had me hung up a bit were some of the characters who were not developed well enough for me to remember or care much about.

Overall enjoyable and will look forward to reading more from Phillip Margolin. Great narration from Peter Ganim as well, his voice really fit the tone of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

4/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

As with the other books I've listened to by Phillip Margolin, this was a super fast-paced and exciting story. This took on more legal-thriller vibes, which I really enjoy now and then! This book could take a minute to get into, because at the start it's hard to get settled and tell where things are going, but it really picks up. There were some good surprises throughout and the writing is so well done that you'll be enticed the whole way. I really enjoyed the courtroom scenes and the legal aspect; these were really fun to listen to and wrapped up the story nicely. Perfect palate cleanser book that will keep your attention and entertain you!

This is my first Phillip Margolin novel. I've seen his legal thrillers around, but not ready to invest my reading time into a big legal thriller series, I had patiently waited for the opportunity to try a standalone.

I found An Insignificant Case to be wildly entertaining almost from the start. What seems like a highly manageable case for a fairly nutty client, outside an underachieving attorney's comfort zone, quickly explodes into something insanely huge.

I enjoyed the fast action and unpredictability of the story. Every new revelation made things so ridiculous yet also so intriguing. The character development was so incredibly well done that as things escalated, I found myself 100% invested in how everyone fared through the ridiculousness.

Too bad this one wasn't destined to be a series.

I was sort of interested in this book. I am not big on law procedurals but it sounded interesting and I like to try and branch out. I am so glad I did. This book hooked me. I was drawn in and wanted answers. I loved the characters and felt for them. It was like watching any of the law and orders on TV and I was all for it. I kept wanting to listen to know what was going to happen and who it may have been. I knew one of the characters was sketchy but I why they were I was very wrong about. I love thinking one thing and being wrong and surprised. If you like law procedurals or think you might definitely give this book a read. I bet you will not regret it!

An Insignificant Case has one one rather significant issue, and that is that the MMC is so incredibly naive and trusting, that it's almost unbelievable that he's an actual lawyer. I get that Charlie is described as "a third rate lawyer who graduated from a third rate law-school", but the amount of times he said or did something that even I, a non-lawyer, know are wrong were entirely too many. I will say that the book was interesting and kept me listening. I found the narration was well done. Thank you to NetGalley, Phillip Margolin, and St. Martin’s Press for an ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I listened to the audiobook for this book and I’m glad I didn’t, I don’t think I would have liked this story as much as I did if I read it myself. I will say I don’t agree with this being categorized as a “thriller” it should have been categorized as a mystery in my opinion. The beginning of this story was a little boring tbh, and it felt like the synopsis basically tells you the entire story. The story was longer than it needed to be, and overall was just an okay story. If you’re wanting a good mystery story that escalates the farther into the story you get then this book is for you. Just be mindful of the TWs before reading this because it does have a lot of parts about sex trafficking of young women.

This is my first book I’ve read by this author, and this kind of came off like a James Patterson book to me. Nothing wrong with that but I just want a lot more going on and a thriller story that sucks me in and keeps me on the edge of my seat, and I didn’t really get that feeling from this story.

This is a fast-paced legal thriller that focuses on attorney Charlie Webb, who becomes embroiled in a case involving a mathematician-turned-painter of questionable sanity. The painter has stolen a painting from a client and also taken a flash drive from her safe that has incriminating evidence of a grisly crime. Several bad people want that flash drive and will do anything to get it, but the painter believes he has divine protection and is not very concerned for his welfare. The storyline keeps one's interest and the characters are believable (if flawed!) The narration is flawless, providing realism to the story. A good thriller for winter reading/listening.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.