Fatal Flaw (A Victor Carl Novel Book 3)

Talk about an ambitious plot! Victor Carl, a lawyer, finds his friend, Guy Forrest, also a lawyer, sitting naked outside the house of his friend's murdered girlfriend, Hailey Prouix, who of course is (or was) also a lawyer. Got that? But wait - there's more. It turns out that old Vic was also sleeping with Hailey, and he agrees to represent prime-supect Guy in his defense as Hailey's murderer. As Guy's lawyer, Vic figures, he can make sure that Guy, who maintains an improbable innocence, pays his due for the murder of Vic's also-girlfriend Hailey. Convoluted? You bet. But nonetheless, this is one terrific read. And not simply because the plot's main characters are all lawyers who are either 1) dead, 2) in jail awaiting trial, or 3) twisting the law for personal gain.William Lashner - think Grisham without the cornpone. Or the street smarts and grit of "Mystic River"(s) Dennis Lehane with the courtroom realism of Scott Turow. Lashner's "Fatal Flaw" is a compulsive tale of love, betrayal, murder, and mayhem wrapped around a good old-fashioned who-dunnit and a compelling courtroom drama. This guy is the real deal: sharp dialogue, interesting and believing characters, well-drawn settings, an intriguing storyline. Lashner's Hailey Prouix, while dead from the first page, emerges through the memories of those still living as one witchy woman, able to reduce a man to a sniveling pile of desire with a mere bump of the knee. Lashner takes us on a journey through time and place, from Philadelphia's home of the affair and murder, to the Las Vegas strip, to the hills of West Virginia in an investigation that will reach back into the hills of Hailey's childhood. And the deeper Carl digs, the more his certainty fades, as a murky tale of old murder and dark secrets unfolds. Vic Carl is an engaging and believable protagonist backed by a dependable supporting cast, most notably Philadelphia Main Line Detective Breger and private investigator Phil Skink, the human metaphor of a blunt instrument. While the reader will likely figure out the end game well into the last third of the book, expect no diminishing enthusiasm in reaching the payoff. The reader is held helpless in Lashner's vicelock grip to the last word.If you're looking for a real page turner - a fresh and exciting take on the overdone legal drama - look no further. William Lashner's "Fatal Flaw" is on the top self of American pop crime fiction.

Often I enjoy good reads but this was really a favorite. The twists and turns were perfect. It also has more pages than I usually like but I never felt this went on to long. I will buy more by this author for sure.

Talk about conflicting emotions....William Lashner has crafted the best legal-mystery-thriller of the year in my judgement and I don't hand out praise to this type of book lightly.Victor Carl is called to the scene of a murder by a former law school classmate and friend, Guy Forrest. He finds Forrest sitting on the front steps of the house, naked, with the apparent murder weapon at his feet and beside himself with grief. Inside Carl finds Forrest's fiance, Hailey Prioux with a bullet through her heart. Carl's first emotion is shock, then grief and then revenge. Why? Well, he has been sleeping with Hailey on a fairly regular basis during this time and she has worked her spell on him, just as she has with any man she cared to. It seems clear to Carl that Forrest murdered her. With revenge on Forrest as his prime motivation, Carl agrees to represent him and plans to see that he is convicted and sentenced to death, all the while appearing to defend him. Tricky, eh?Well, it certainly is and it gets even trickier as Carl probes into the background of his lover. As he does so, he eventually becomes convinced that his client his innocent, however it comes about at a point where the evidence againt Forrest is very compelling. How Carl works to extricate his client from a web that his own lawyer has helped create is interesting reading. There is no need for a suspension of belief or a leap of faith. It is well crafted, compelling story telling. The trial scenes at the end are a treat. Those who compare this to a Grisham novel do a disservice to the author. It is better!

I love all of Will Lashner's books, from The Barkeep on, so may be prejudiced. He's heavy into metaphors; but, they're often funny and better than simple adjectives("...she let all my openings fall to the floor and flop there, like fish in the throes of death.").Victor Carl is jaded, self serving, hilariously sarcastic, and while his ethics are questionable, when he believes in someone/thing, he gives it his all and his moral compass is not so far off from what's right.As for Lashner's writing, I'm glad I read on e-reader, or I'd have to carry a dictionary. (solipsistic, evocative, abrogate...are a few I learned; but, that's just me.)The only criticism I have of Lashner is his tendency to duplicate characters giving them same type dialogues; but, this is more in the earlier books and he does improve as series ages.

This 3rd novel in the Victor Carl series is much better than the first of the series (Hostile Witness). The writing flows, and the book is filled with interesting characters. Most importantly, the clever plot is tightly woven; whereas in Hostile Witness there was a lot of gratuitous sex and other silly diversions. Maybe that's the point--Carl is maturing as we go through this series (I haven't read #2). This all makes a great read (4.5 stars). James Meyer

I found this book to be a very, good read. I thought parts were a little be too much to be believable, but it did make for a racy, keep turning the pages kind of book. The story was well told and easy to follow, but I thought some of the book was too drawn out, I felt it got a bit slow in the mid section. None the less, well worth reading if this is the genre you like.I have also read The Barkeep by William Lashner, which I also liked, but I think this is a better story.

I usually avoid books written by lawyers and books about lawyers as iI find the whole suject matter extremely boring and the thought of further enriching the legal profession disturbing.However to every rule there is an exception,and Lashner is that exception.Grab every book written by him.They are all intriguing,beautifully written with a true command of English,with thought-provoking moral dilemmas and wonderfully insighful humour.Lashner cannot possibly be a lawyer!Fatal flaw is outstanding and rivetting.Get all his books from Amazon immdieately .

I love legal thrillers and I've read many beautifully crafted novels with unpredictable outcomes, populated by well-developed, interesting characters. But William Lashner is only the second author I've found writing in the genre (Scott Turow was the first) who adds amazing, almost poetic, prose to the mix. Fatal Flaw is a superb book and stands alone perfectly well, although it is the third featuring lawyer Victor Carl. I can't wait to read the rest of the series... I've ordered Hostile Witness and Bitter Truth (AKA Veritas) today!

Thanks to Kindle I've only recently discovered William Lashner and have enjoyed every one of the half dozen of his books I've read so far. Lovely style, great writer.

For anyone considering this series, I can recommend you give Victor Carl a try. Nicely woven storyline. Good easy read to take on a trip. This coming from someone who enjoys Lee child, John Grisham, Ian Rankin, C J Box to give you a clue as to my tastes.

The glamorous but flawed characters don't really work here. I read Accounting by the same author and bought this on the strength of that book. It does not come close the that brilliant book. Its a little formulaic and uses too many characters possibly?