Steve Martini rides his books as if they are

surfboards. A helluva trip," said Newsday about

the New York Times best-seller Undue Influence,

the book Kirkus Reviews called the "court-

room novel of the year." Now, with The Judge,

Martini returns to give his readers another

edge-of-the-seat ride.

Steve Martini s explosive new thriller finds

attorney Paul Madriani the unlikely defense

lawyer for an old nemesis. Judge Armando

"the Coconut" Acosta is arrested on charges

of soliciting prostitution in a st!rig operation

for "johns," and few, including Paul Madri-

ani, who has a long history of enmity with

the judge, are sympathetic. Abandoned by his

friends on the Capital County bench, Acosta

is forced, in an ironic twist, to ask Paul to save

his career from intpending doom. Paul ini-

tially rejects Acosta s pleas, but when Acosta s

original defense lawyer is forced off the case

by a zealous district attorney looking for

revenge, Paul is required to step forward and

defend the judge.

As the case proceeds, the young female

deputy reserve officer who snared the judge is found brutally murdered, and Acosta is the

prime suspect. The reason? The officer was

the only person who could give evidence

against the judge. With his client now charged

with murder, Paul faces the most daunting,

disturbing, and complex case of his career.

Packed with the nonstop drama and richly

drawn characters that have come to be Steve

Marring trademarks, TheJudge delivers a decisive

thumbs-up verdict.

Steve Martini s best-selling novels include

Compelling Evidence, Prime Witness, and Undue

Influence. He lives on the West Coast.