William Manchee Black Monday

Black Monday

William Manchee

Lean Press, 2005, $13.00, 260 pp.

ISBN: 1932475087

Attorney Stan Turner hates Mondays because his clients have a weekend to think. However, this Monday, October 19, 1987, is worst than usual as the markets have nose dived from the opening bell and his clients are panicking like everyone else's customers accelerating the drop.

Stan faces a more horrendous BLACK MONDAY than most lawyers. Someone murdered client Lottie West, who named Stan as her executor and the SPCA as her beneficiary of an estate that includes the renowned Ludinburg Collection of art treasures allegedly stolen by a GI during World War II. As the stock market collapses and the Federal Reserve fails to react, Stan is caught up with hostile fire between the CIA and the FBI on an overseas matter he works involving the other espionage group the IRS. Finally his partner Paula Waters informs him she plans to defend Jimmy Bennett accused of killing his father-in-law, the CEO of Metroplex Savings and Loan. As Stan reflects on a law banning Mondays, he investigates Lottie's murder with Dallas Police Detective Besch, struggles with Federal entanglements that tie Central America to Iran, assists Paula, and waits for Tuesday while someone wants him dead, but for which case he does not know.

Stan's the man as he does his best whether his clients are dead, government or that of his partner. The tongue in cheek story line feels like a historical Noir as Stan cynically pontificates on various 1980s events; for instance he blames the market collapse on President Reagan's tax cuts promised as part of his 1984 reelection debate. Legal thriller fans will appreciate 1987 as seen through the eyes of Stan unless President Regan is part of your pantheon of the Gods.

Harriet Klausner