Robert Dugoni's novels are so full of intrigue. The stories are so real and I fall into his novels every time. "The 7th Canon" is a novel that will keep you wanting more; which is great because his novels are series.

Swift legal thriller about a Catholic priest accused from a horrible crime - and a young attorney with his owen doubts trying to do his client justice.

Is Father Thomas Martin a dedicated priest, or a ruthless killer (and a paedophile maybe)? These times, the answer would be a sound "yes". But - could this be a prejudice, too, even when the crimes done by religious persons are well known at the present?

As a Catholic I am not always happy with novels about Catholic priests and crimes against young people (a healthy balance is needed), but here I report that I like this book.
And a a literature lover I like that the characters are multi-faceted, with their own pasts, issues and doubts. But as this is an early works (written in 1993) from now seasoned author (his Tracy Crosswhite series is pure reading pleasure) - there are some beginner´s faults, too (attorney Peter Donley might be influenced a bit by Perry Mason and the baddies´motives might be more convincing, for example).
Yet, this is a highly entertaining read (meaning I could not stop reading this fast-paced novel). And this is always a sign of a good read in my books.

RATING: 3 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)

This novel started off with a bang, but then the story began to kind of dwindle as it seemed to slow down. I am still not sure how I feel about the ending but overall this was a good mystery.

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

I’m not going into much detail at all here.

I need to say I’m not much into legal dramas in books.
But this one sure changed my mind.
It’s very fast paced with a good flow of utter suspense.

3.5 Stars - This is a stand alone thriller from Dugoni, the author of the Tracy Crosswhite series, which I love. Several homeless boys have been killed in California in the 80's and a priest has been charged with one of the murders. I enjoyed the setting of the 80's (one character just bought a cell phone which was big and expensive and "no one is going to buy these things", which made me laugh.) Lots of good old fashioned corruption and a great story. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for a review.

Attorney Peter Donley has worked with his uncle in a tiny law office where little money is made, but clients are first priority. When Father Thomas Martin is accused of the brutal murder of a young boy at a shelter that he runs, and the evidence is overwhelming, Donley must step in to help Martin and prove his innocence. Before becoming a Catholic priest, Martin was himself a street kid, complete with tattoos and earrings, and has been judged by others so that he is guilty by popular vote. Donley, however, believes in his innocence and even though he is not yet a seasoned attorney, is willing to find a way to find out who is trying to frame his client and why. The story takes place in the seedy, dangerous Tenderloin district where many of the young boys are prostitutes and drug users – destined to be discarded and forgotten.

Bestselling author, Robert Dugoni, who has penned two popular series, has done an excellent job in The 7th Canon, a standalone saga with new characters; his storytelling skills are excellent, and his skill in developing believable, human characters is a strength that makes his novels “unputdownable.” His expertise in building suspense pays off, and while readers may be resigned to seeing Father Martin spend the rest of his life in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, albeit enough evidence to be convicted, Donley works nonstop to prevent it.

Once read, most readers will surely want to pick up everything Dugoni has written; his novels are definitely a cut above, and highly recommended for thriller lovers of all ages.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I have loved Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series! So I thought I would try this one out as well and was not disappointed at all! It is set in 1987 and father who runs a shelter for boys on the street is convicted of killing one of the young boys. Pete is a newer lawyer who works for his Uncle Lou and comes from a fairly shady past. Lou has a heart attack and Pete has to take over the father's case. He feels like he is in over his head, but he truly believes the father is innocent. He starts investigating behind the scenes with a private detective and falls into a mix of deadly secrets that takes him down a dark path of deceit and deception that could get him killed.

If you love a good lawyer and crime fiction book, I highly recommend checking out The 7th Canon! This book pulled me in right from the beginning and I didn't want to put it down until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the review copy!

'Justice isn't always about right and wrong, it's all about what we can and can't prove. '

Ain't that the truth!

I have never been a big fan of legal thrillers. Robert Dugoni and the 7th Canon may just have changed that. But then Pete Donley probably isn't your average lawyer. He seems to spend far more time out of the office chasing down the bad guys than he does in the courtroom or writing briefs.

So there actually isn't a great deal of courtroom action in this book - probably why I enjoyed it so much. That and the fact that Dugoni's characters are both gritty and endearing.

This is the third of Dugoni's books that I have read. He is a consistently good author and I hope that this is not the last we will see of Pete Donley.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The 7th Canon for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Seventh Canon of the title refers to a principle in the practice of law: that an attorney shall do his utmost to represent the best interests of his clients. In this case, that leads to attorney Peter Donley becoming a detective to solve the murder of which his client, Father Thomas Martin, is accused. There’s more to the murder than meets the eye, of course, and one plot twist leads to another. As a legal/detective thriller, the story moves right along, competent although not extraordinary. What is fascinating and makes the book noteworthy beyond its intrinsic uncomplicated reading pleasure, is that it is an early work by an author who went on to become an award-winning bestseller. The author made the decision to leave the story as it is, set in the time in which he wrote it, and the setting reflects that era (late 1980s). More than that, I could see the glimmerings of a deeper talent within a well-executed but fairly conventional story. The author tried to give his characters internal conflict and depth of background, which was much less usual when it was written than today. If the characters and their motivation seem predictable (abusive alcoholic fathers seem to be the simplistic reason for nightmares, poor self-esteem, you name it), that’s a judgment made by today’s more sophisticated standards. Then, too, the author was laboring under fairly rigid genre restrictions. Given the expected length (or lack thereof) of this type of novel when it was written, there just isn’t much room for the kind of in-depth character development possible at longer lengths. Today, the same story might well be viewed as a psychological thriller, with the expectation and scope to delve more deeply. So the resulting story must be viewed in context: not only the effort of a fledgling author, but a product of its literary times. I found that understanding this context enriched my reading experience and recommend the book not only for the story itself but for insights into how genre types as well as individual authors mature and change.

Decades ago, a well-established science fiction author told me of a novel written in the late 1950s in which the plot hinged on the inability of the human body to withstand the gravitational forces of space flight. No matter how good the story was (and the author thought it very good), it would not longer fly, not after Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 flight. Around 1984 I wrote a science fiction novel that hinged on the “Star Wars” satellite defense system President Reagan promised to build; another learning experience on the dump heap. Dugoni managed to write a thriller that, while dated, is still enjoyable, and for that he gets my applause.

This legal thriller by Robert Dugoni was a great book. I enjoyed the suspenseful storyline, the great characters, and the non stop action. It was fast paced and kept my attention. I've been enjoying Dugong's Tracy Crosswhite series, and this stand alone novel was just as good!

THE 7th CANON, a standalone novel by New York Times and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author Robert Dugoni is a legal crime thriller that is sure to please. I have read most of his novels in the “Tracy Crosswhite” series and” David Sloane” series, and have nothing but praise for his writing. The police procedural featuring Seattle Homicide Detective Tracy Crosswhite has kept Dugoni in the Amazon top 10 for more than two years. He is also the author of the legal thriller series featuring David Sloane.

“In San Francisco’s seamy Tenderloin district, a teenage street hustler has been murdered in a shelter for boys. And the dedicated priest who runs the struggling home stands accused. But despite damning evidence that he’s a killer—and worse—Father Thomas Martin stands by his innocence. And attorney Peter Donley stands with him.”

And all the evidence points to Father Martin as the killer. He is arrested and stands by his innocence. The case is assigned to an inexperienced lawyer, Peter Donley, who works at his uncle’s small firm, who fight for the rights of the accused. Donley struggles with his own baggage…the memories of an abusive father.

Donley believes the priest is innocent…and agrees to help and represent him. He must overturn the evidence stacked against his client, and find out the truth.

I loved this book as the story line is both dark and detailed, and moves at an alarming speed. Information and clues are released on a need-to-know basis, which increases the tension and thrill of the ride.

Highly recommended.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas And Mercer for an ARC

I loved this legal thriller set in the gritty tenderloin district. You saw the best and worst of men in this fantastic read. I could not put it down. The case was enthralling and the action/danger seemed real and close to home. I recommend this book highly.

Loved this book, cannot wait for more by Dugoni. They are well written with great characters.

A compelling story fantastically told. I would have no problem recommending this book to anyone. Robert Dugoni always keeps me guessing until the very end. My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Merced for letting me read it early.

What a great book. I really like the author's writing style as well as the 80's setting. (Amazon reviewed).

Another great thriller book from Robert Dugoni! This a fast-paced legal thriller from the beginning to the end. Very well written and he does a great a job developing the characters. I've enjoyed reading the author's Tracy Crosswhite series and this new series (hopefully?) did not disappoint. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of 'The 7th Canon' in exchange for an honest review.