Tragic

The 25th volume (after Bad Faith) in Tanenbaum's series of legal thrillers chronicling the lives and careers of Butch Karp and his wife, Marlene Ciampi, opens at a performance of Macbeth in New York's Central Park, setting the stage for the crime drama that is about to unfold. A mob hit on labor union leader Vince Carlotta, though plotted by corrupt union members, is carried out by a gang of young thugs hired for the task, some of whom quickly find themselves—like Macbeth—haunted by guilt. It is the broad range of characters Tanenbaum presents to his readers that will draw them into the tale while Karp and Ciampi's tenacity in solving the case and bringing the true culprits to justice maintains its momentum. Many will also enjoy the various Shakespearean allusions—including a modern-day trio of witches—that arise throughout.