Publication Date October 8, 2024
Wow, this one was a surprise! I was looking for some escapist fiction…you know, aka “news avoidance.” Described as “perfect for fans of John Grisham and Scott Turow,” instant thought was “sign me up!” – even though I had no idea who Lawrence Robbins was, I was ready to take advantage of the copy of The President’s Lawyer I received from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
Other than #45, every President has one or more truly reliable friends, right? In this story, an attorney named Rob Jacobson is asked by his lifelong best friend, the former President of the U.S., to defend him when he accused of murdering his is mistress. Typical of many powerful men, the President – make that FORMER President – has some familiar attributes: he has anger issues, some “unconventional” sexual habits, and he is just a sleazy guy. As Rob dives into the case, it becomes more complicated by the history between the two men. For example, Rob sees his childhood friends as a guy who had never been held accountable for anything: “He was born with bumpers that kept his bowling balls rolling down the middle of the lane, while the rest of us had to worry about staying out of the gutter.” Rob, by contrast, “…grew up thinking that around every corner lurked a manhole with a false cover, and that no matter how gingerly I stepped, I was bound to fall through.”
There are some interesting characters. I especially liked Jane, the first Black female lawyer at her firm, who tells Rob “…you really can’t imagine. You’re thinking that I had to deal with racist remarks, maybe some misogyny thrown in, but no. The…partners were far too genteel for any of that. Theirs was the soft racism of low expectations.”
It really is a fun read, and well written. I will definitely look for anything else by Lawrence Robbins, and highly recommend this one. (oh, and wow, that ending!). Five stars, mostly for the entertainment value and the whiplash at the end.