Former Heisman winner turned lawyer Tom Perini is shot at close range while jogging in Central Park. Perini had been part of the defense team for Congressman Danny Fonseca, who is being tried on charges of bribery. Perini’s wife Julie is questioned by FBI agent John McGlynn, who leaves Julie with the impression that he is not willing to put much effort into finding her husband’s killer. Julie decides to use her skills as a journalist to begin her own investigation into her husband’s death and starts with his case files. Subsequently, Perini’s client Selig Klein, an alleged mobster, is gunned down, and Julie is sure the two murders are connected and that somehow McGlynn is involved. When the FBI subpoenas her husband’s files, hinting they believe he was involved with money laundering, Julie implores Tom’s defense partner Vincent Sorrentino to help her stop McGlynn from ruining her husband’s reputation. What the two discover is not only shocking but may be the only way to save the lives of Julie and her daughter.

Death’s Witness is the debut novel for Paul Batista, criminal defense attorney and media pundit. The mystery, although easily solved, is filled with twist and turns, and Batista entertains the reader with an onslaught of red herrings to consider. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, this is overall a good read. ( )