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Death Qualified (1991)

by Kate Wilhelm

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: Barbara Holloway (1)

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4381557,517 (3.59)26
Fiction. Mystery. HTML:

Travis Morgan's case seems open-and-shut: a plot to kill his estranged father, fundamentalist preacher Arlie Morgan, goes awry and his bullet slays an innocent bookkeeper. Two eyewitnesses seal Travis' fate. But despite damning evidence, Travis staunchly maintains his innocence. Beseeched by his anguished mother, veteran defense attorney Barbara Holloway agrees to represent Travis. With the support of her father attorney Frank Holloway and crack private investigator Bailey, Barbara uncovers a convoluted conspiracy braiding religious fanaticism, unimaginable atrocities, and a heavily bankrolled militia. Despite accumulating evidence implicating the Reverend Arlie Morgan, the family physician, and others, Travis' case proceeds to trial. Barbara finds herself pitted against a complacent legal system and a judge eager to simply close the case and retire. Knowing she must intervene decisively to avoid a conviction, Barbara steps squarely into the path of danger. She confronts the Reverend Morgan, uncoiling his venomous wrath. Risking her own life, Barbara knows she must force his hand in order to save Travis' life.

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» See also 26 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 15 (next | show all)
Not an earth shatteringly good mystery, but it passed the time. ( )
  Fish_Witch | Jul 4, 2023 |
may be the narration but I can't get into it
  daaft | Aug 13, 2022 |
This was my first book by Wilhelm. I was looking for her early SF books but decided to try one of her Thriller/Mystery/Court-Room-Drama books. Though she started in the SF pulps her real claim to fame is in this genera. She wrote many of these with great success and won several awards.

The book is good and is the first, of more then a dozen, featuring the same protagonist. Like many female authors she is writing for women. This can be negative for many male readers unless the writing is good. I think the book is well written. I enjoy a good court room drama but this story was a bit lame. Reading reviews of her later works assure me she only got better with time. ( )
  ikeman100 | Jun 29, 2019 |
I thought I'd enjoy this one more than I did, but it steered too close to sci-fi for me. I suppose every novel is in some sense a sci-fi or fantasy (there never was a Mr. Darcy, after all) but rather than positing "what if so-and-so killed so-and-so" (the typical mystery postulation) it ventured much, much further into sci-fi territory, creating an uncomfortable (for me) amalgam.

For some reason when thrillers do this (e.g. Crichton) it seems perfectly reasonable, if MacGuffin-ish, but when tossed into a legal mystery it seemed very out of place. (Eventually it steered into suspense thriller territory too, but too late to make everything seem all right again--if anything, it was just one more element too many, in an already long book).

I suspect the sci-fi elements are what interested the author, and the mystery is a vessel for containing them. She may be pleased, but it didn't work for me.

(Note: 5 stars = rare and amazing, 4 = quite good book, 3 = a decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. There are a lot of 4s and 3s in the world!) ( )
  ashleytylerjohn | Sep 19, 2018 |
Five years ago, Barbara Holloway gave up practicing law. Then Nell Kendricks askes for help. Her husband seven years earlier, until he arrives at the edge of her property and is shot. Accused of his murder, Nell turns to lawyer Frank Holloway and his daughter, Barbara for help. Barbara reclaims the search for truth that first led her to the law. First in the Barbara Hollaway Series.
  mcmlsbookbutler | Mar 30, 2017 |
Showing 1-5 of 15 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (2 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Wilhelm, Kateprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Fields, AnnaReadersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas? Edward N. Lorenz
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For Julie A. Stevens, with appreciation and affection.
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They always called him Tom.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Fiction. Mystery. HTML:

Travis Morgan's case seems open-and-shut: a plot to kill his estranged father, fundamentalist preacher Arlie Morgan, goes awry and his bullet slays an innocent bookkeeper. Two eyewitnesses seal Travis' fate. But despite damning evidence, Travis staunchly maintains his innocence. Beseeched by his anguished mother, veteran defense attorney Barbara Holloway agrees to represent Travis. With the support of her father attorney Frank Holloway and crack private investigator Bailey, Barbara uncovers a convoluted conspiracy braiding religious fanaticism, unimaginable atrocities, and a heavily bankrolled militia. Despite accumulating evidence implicating the Reverend Arlie Morgan, the family physician, and others, Travis' case proceeds to trial. Barbara finds herself pitted against a complacent legal system and a judge eager to simply close the case and retire. Knowing she must intervene decisively to avoid a conviction, Barbara steps squarely into the path of danger. She confronts the Reverend Morgan, uncoiling his venomous wrath. Risking her own life, Barbara knows she must force his hand in order to save Travis' life.

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