William Manchee’s Deadly Dining A Stan Turner Mystery begins with Stan reflecting on the topic of his wife Rebekah’s extraordinary illness.

Set during the late 1990s; 7 May, 1997 Stan has just transported Rebekah back to their home from the hospital following a parathyroidectomy.

Following a more than year bout of illness culminating with stroke like symptoms and finally a diagnosis and surgery; Stan sincerely hoped life for them both would soon return to normal. Settling down in for an evening of pizza and movie on the TV; the duo is stunned as the evening news relates that 2 couples enjoying their dinner together at local bistro, Emilio’s Italian Restaurant, have unexpectedly taken deathly ill. All 4 have collapsed during dinner and have been rushed to Medical City Hospital where 2 of the 4 are DOA and the other 2 are fighting for their lives. Stan and Rebekah have enjoyed eating in the restaurant in the past. Emilio Belucci and his retired model wife, Eva, have been more fortunate than many launching a new business; the eatery has prospered from its opening. And, now this. Soon Stan and his law firm, Turner & Waters are retained by Emilio to represent waiter Ricardo Ricci who is the leading suspect in the poisoned Parmesan Cheese topping deaths of Bill and Donna Rice, and John Richardson.

Only Richardson’s wife Sandy pulls through the incident. Turner & Waters rapidly find themselves facing three tricky situations at once.

Stan’s partner, Paula Waters, will be in charge of the defense of Ricardo Ricci, while Stan embarks on a Chapter 11 bankruptcy calculated to safeguard Pakistani émigré, Ram, Ramadan Bakira, who invested life savings of $250,000 in Pakimart, a local grocery, concentrating in ethnic foods.

Jodie Marshall, recently elevated to position as associate, is given the assignment to organize a defense for one Bob Larson who in his exercise of Good Samaritan to stop a robbery in progress seems to have been over ardent and was the reason of jewelry store owner Herb Stein was shot by thief Michael Mahoney. Stein is now suing Larson for pain and suffering.

Jodie soon has her research and defense ready for her court encounter defending Larson, and offers to give Paula a hand in helping with the investigation needed to prepare the defense for Ricardo as Stan is facing unpredicted complications surrounding what should have been a pretty simple bankruptcy.

Adding to the continuing quandary is the fact that Stan keeps vanishing for several hours at a time. Unexpectedly straight arrow Stan is coming under growing scrutiny by the women on his staff who suspect that he is having an affair.

Deadly Dining is a narrative sure to draw you into the tale beginning with the opening paragraph and will hold reader interest firm on through to the last page. As always, writer Manchee has adeptly interlaced an intricate account complete with a very public threefold murder complete with film of the death throes replayed on TV.

However, the offender liable for the horrific misconduct not to mention the reason for the murders have Paula perplexed as she begins to sort how the two couples and the accused waiter might have crossed paths. Even if this is a crime for hire, Ricardo as a hired killer seems a tad farfetched.

Paula Waters customarily delights in a case bursting with twists and turns, however, when she considers she finally has it all figured out, her trial outline arranged and is prepared for the Monday court date Dec 1, 1997; Paula is distressed to learn two of her witnesses have disappeared. Paula’s consternation grows when Stan tells her he will shift focus from the bankruptcy to help.

However, Stan says, their whole proposition regarding the killings in the Belucci restaurant has been a miscalculation, and, they have the weekend to get their proofs and witnesses in order. Between Stan’s concerns with the bankruptcy he has been working on, and helping Jodie Marshall, prepare for her first trial, the Larson defense, and Stan’s disappearing act; Paula is more than a little piqued with the man she would like to have had an affair with when she and he first began working together several years, books, before.

Red herrings appear in all the predictable places as well as in sly unanticipated places as well. Jam-packed with the twists and turns and those tricky signals we have come to associate with Manchee and his Stan Turner mysteries. Deadly Dining is an first-rate addition to the increasing body of work fashioned by this capable barrister writer who says he finds grist for his writing in the cases he has worked on in his lawyering work.

Manchee’s dexterity for the human condition and his evocative account keep the reader turning the pages. Situations are well defined, imaginative circumstances, milieus, and behaviors all indicate an essential insight into the human psyche and its workings.

Characters are well fleshed, bad guys are often categorically bad, and good guys may not actually be all that good. Manchee’s secondary characters are well thought out, the unexpected is plentiful. In due course the murders are solved satisfactorily as is Stan’s unpredicted, rather ill-mannered, behavior. Turner & Waters firm is undamaged, solvent and everyone in the office is ready for the round of cases.

Deadly Dining is one of this story teller’s finest, in the opinion of this reviewer. Reader interest will be heightened via Deadly Dining rich tapestry offered through Manchee’s representation, language and even some sizzling sexual tension between various of the characters found sprinkled throughout the narrative With any luck the next Stan Turner Mystery is well into production and will soon be ready for review.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend Deadly Dining for those who enjoy a well written, fast paced, highly readable work sure to intrigue the most discriminating reader.

Amazon: About the Author William Manchee is a consumer lawyer by trade and practices in Dallas with his son Jim. Originally from southern California, he lives now in Plano, Texas with his wife Janet. He is the author of the eleven volume Stan Turner Mystery series inspired by many actual cases from his past. His other works include the Rich Coleman Novels Death Pact, Plastic Gods, and Unconscionable and a science fiction series, the Tarizon Saga. He is also the author of the nonfiction book Go Broke, Die Rich, Turning Around the Troubled Small Business.

More About the Author,

Amazon’s William Manchee Page: Biography I'm originally from Ventura, California where I grew up during the 50s and 60s. My wife Janet and I were married while I was attending UCLA and she was attending nursing school. We immediately started having children and had three boys and a girl by the time I graduated from SMU Law School. With four young children we decided to stay in Dallas, where we had family and friends, rather than returning to California. I started law practice in the late 70's and today practice consumer law with my son, Jim. About eighteen years ago I took on a famous romance author as a client and, after working with her for a while, I started wondering if I could write a novel myself. Eventually I gave it a shot and found I really enjoyed the writing process. After that it only took a few generous reviews of my first novel and I was hooked. My goal is to continue to write a novel a year for the rest of my life.

================================

Reviewed by Molly’s Reviews            molly martin

================================

Product Details  Amazon

TITLE Deadly Dining

AUTHOR William Manchee

GENRE Mystery

Product Details Series: Stan Turner Mystery

Paperback: 338 pages

Publisher: TOP (December 17, 2013)

Language: English ISBN-10: 1935722786

ISBN-13: 978-1935722786

Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches