Friday, January 15, 2010

Review and Giveaway: Conflicts with Interest by Michael Ruddy

Conflicts with Interest Conflicts with Interest by Michael Ruddy


My rating: 4.25/5.0

Publisher: Rodeo Publishing
Publish Date: January 30, 2010
Format: Paperback
Pages: 334


Giveaway Chance
I received this book from Rebecca Brown of the Cadence Marketing Group.  I hope to have an interview with the author to post before the book releases so stay tuned for that and if you have any questions you would like to ask this new author, leave a comment and one lucky commenter will win my ARC of Conflicts with Interest.  Open to Canada and US only, ends 1/20/10 so I can get the questions to the author.

My Review:

I have read plenty of suspense/thrillers and my fair share of legal thrillers, but Conflicts with Interest is very different from all I have read before. It's a fascinating look at lawsuits involving the construction industry and an overview of the lawyers involved and the insurance industry as well. It focuses on corruption on one case against a father and son construction company.

There are many players in the story and they make all the layers that this story entails. I did get lost a few times with some of the legal terms but most of the book flowed very well for me. The plot never lost my attention for one moment. I liked T.R. and Ryan from the first page and enjoyed the addition of Catherine as a character and interest for T.R.

All of the lawyers had very different personalities and outlooks and that made it real and interesting. There was one lawyer I particularly liked - he really told it like it was. I also liked T.R. because he often used sarcasm to make a point and I love sarcasm. A well-written debut entry into the thriller genre - I hope Mr. Ruddy continues what he has started and has more books in store for the future.  

About the Book:
T.R. Morgan, a seasoned building professional, finds himself entangled in the combined corruption of the high profile law firm that is attacking him and the insurance companies that are supposed to defend him. Still enduring the painful memories brought on by the tragic death of his wife, he soon finds out, nothing involving lawyers and insurance companies happens quickly. Instead of resolution, T.R., unwittingly enters a world of human trafficking, drugs, and illicit sex taking place behind the scenes. And his story comes forward to an explosive climax that no one could possibly foresee, least of all T.R. himself. This suspenseful tale of contemporary fiction is packed with enlightenment and high-stakes characters; provoking thought on a new subject in a new light.