An absorbing page-turning. Lots of twists and turns in this crime drama. Keeps you guessing until the end! ( )

Definitely a case of look before you leap. Had I done another 2 minutes of research I would have discovered that this book, while done by Recorded Books for Audible.com is part of an “imprint” called Inspirational something or other. It’s also tagged as Christian lit. Oy vey.

So plot-wise it’s OK. Nothing stellar. It hangs together in a work-a-day fashion, but doesn’t do anything innovative or surprising. Unless you count Cat’s visions. Yeah, visions. From God. Oh man.

I will admit to the light hand with which Singer feeds us his message (from God…I can’t help it, but do you hear Elwood Blues, too?) and it didn’t grate as much as it might have. Still, that’s what this novel is for, to see if our minds are open enough to the spiritual possibilities of God speaking to us in his usual oblique way. You’d think for an all powerful deity, he’d be more direct. Anyway, only at the end, when Quinn is nobly falling on his sword and Cat is understandably falling for him does the message get more forced. Luckily it was the end.

So why did I give this only 2 stars out of 5? Because the sanitized fantasy world given to us in the guise of a legal thriller was laughable. African Americans abound. I guess Black is not PC enough. PC rules in this book. No one shall think, much less say, anything slightly offensive to anyone. Ever. Even in prison. Yep, the toughest language these hardened criminals can come up with to insult each other is jerk. Oooh. That’s so chilling. She called her a jerk. Did you hear that? Gonna open up a can of Whup-Ass on her! It is so bland and safe that it can hardly be called a thriller. It’s a paint-by-numbers picture of Jesus with a lamb or something. Yawn.

Even people’s vices are wrapped in a gauzy film of righteousness. When not outright condemned and painted in extremes that is. Take Quinn, our fancy, smooth-talking Vegas attorney. He’s our token sinner who shall be reformed because he is, at heart, a good guy. His high stakes gambling is only one of his addictions. He also cheats. But this is to fund his destitute sister’s legal fund so it’s ok. That heart of gold is just peeping through that hard exterior (laugh…Quinn is a marshmallow inside and out, what the author thinks is a hard shell is really funny). And then there’s the drinking. Each and every time Quinn so much as raises a glass he ends up stinko, which we all know is unattractive and inevitable. What, you didn’t know that NO ONE can drink in moderation? It’s either all or nothing, bucko.

Oy vey. Such a sanitized and careful little world does not convey anything like reality. Do Christians really like it like this? Are they really that soft that they must insulate themselves from anything that might upset their beliefs about the way things should be? Seems very strange and does NOT make for an effective genre thriller. Squeaky clean crime for the faint of heart who dwell inside the bubble with Glinda the Good Witch. ( )

Randy Singer writes courtroom thrillers that are every bit as good as John Grisham’s. Better, if you prefer your protagonists chaste and sober. In By Reason of Insanity reporter Catherine O’Rourke is following the story of a serial killer when she starts having ghastly visions that reveal details of the crimes. Because of the bizarre way she gains intimate knowledge of the cases, she’s charged with murder, and her high-priced lawyer wants her to plead insanity. Lots of wonderful twists and turns, and I guarantee you won’t guess “who dunnit” before it is revealed. In fact I wondered for a while after reading it if I felt betrayed by the author. There’s no way the reader can see this ending coming. Is that fair? It’s such a fun read that I think I’ll let Singer get away with it this time.

From my blog at http://signsoflifebooks.com/blog/2008... ( )

Attorney/novelist Randy Singer brings readers an interesting twist on the legal thriller genre with his latest release, By Reason of Insanity.

Trial lawyer Quinn Newberg is becoming famous as he presides over the defense of a woman who is charged with the murder of her husband. Meanwhile, Catherine O'Rourke, a Virginia Beach reporter covering the trial for her employer, begins having strange visions that make no sense to her. Then she discovers that her visions are the exact details of a series of kidnapping and murders in the Virginia Beach area. The details of what her mind's eye sees is so exact that she soon becomes a suspect when she offers to help. Quinn Newberg is brought in to represent Catherine at trial because of his expertise in the much maligned insanity plea.

This was the first novel of Singer's that I've read and I was privileged to read an advanced reader copy before publication. I was familiar with the author, just never gotten around to reading him. Boy, was that a mistake. By Reason of Insanity is one of the best novels I've read this year. And I've read a bunch. What I liked most about it was the twist of adding the supernatural/paranormal concept of visions to this genre. And the way the two main characters (Quinn and Catherine) separate storylines intersect will not disappoint.

Singer's writing is fast paced, page-turning suspense at it's best. He gives good attention to detail and along with the joyride you just might learn a thing or two about the law.

This may have been my first Randy Singer novel, however, I can guarantee it won't be my last. I've read lots of comparisons of Singer to Grisham. Umph. I say move over Grisham and share the throne before you're removed from it completely.