Poignant. Profound. Lashner is a brilliant writer. ( )

This was a great legal thriller. it was a bit slow in parts but i enjoyed the book and would read another book from this author. ( )

3rd in the Victor Carl, Philadelphia defense lawyer, series.

Another outstanding entry in this series. Carl has become obsessed with his lover, Hailey, a beautiful sad, seductive woman who is also a lawyer. Called one night to the home of his friend Gary, another lawyer--who coincidentally just happens also to be Hailey’s lover with whom Gary is living--Carl finds Gary naked out on the front stoop and Hailey murdered inside. Carl swears to find out the truth of the murder and bring the murderer to justice--and is convinced that Gary is the murderer. Accepting Gary’s request to be his lawyer, Carl cold-bloodedly sets up to sabotage the defense and see Gary get at least life if not the death penalty for the murder.

But things are not always what they seem.

A fast-paced thriller that follows Carl to Las Vegas, West Virginia, and the inside of a courtroom as the plot takes any number of twists and turns. A new characters shows up, the inimitable Phil Skink, somewhat disreputable private investigator. If nothing else, Lashner has a knack for inventing engaging and unusual private detectives!

The writing is above average, the characters believable and well-depicted, and the plot is extremely well-done. Highly recommended. ( )

Victor Carl draait nu al drie boeken mee in het wereldje van de legal thriller. De verliezers was een amusant boek rond een te pas en te onpas opduikende tandarts en een zeer cynische Victor Carl. Verdiende straf dateert van vóór De verliezers, en Carl is nog niet wie hij later zal worden. Dat is een gemis, want een ellenlange zoektocht door Las Vegas en West-Virginia naar Haileys verleden was met een beetje meer humor beter verteerbaar geweest. Daartegenover staan een goed uitgedokterd verhaal en het feit dat Carl opnieuw weet te winnen van een omhooggevallen aanklager. Of mochten we dat nog niet verklappen?
Volledige bespreking via http://wraakvandedodo.blogspot.com/2008/12/william-lashner-verdiende-straf.html ( )

Hailey Prouix was loved by many, too many. Guy Forrest was her fiance, and she was the life of his life. He left his wife, children, and successful career to be with her. So what happened that made him the prime suspect in her murder. Victor Carl was her lover, they meant in secret and let no one know of their affair. Guy and Victor go all the way back to law school. On the night of Hailey's death Guy called Victor and asked for his help. When Victor arrived at the home of Guy and Hailey he found Guy sitting naked on the front stoop with the murder weapon in his hands. Victor then promised Guy that he would help him, what he didn't say was that the help would be to make him pay for killing the woman they both loved. Victor quickly makes decisions that will help aid in the speedy conviction of Guy.

Unfortunately for the both of them, not long after it seems that Victor has succeeded in sealing Guy's fate, small details start to not add up just right. Somewhere, Hailey has more lovers and Victor must travel through time and space to uncover the secret life of the the woman he loved but never quite knew.