| An author that sets out to write a trilogy, is to say the | | | | can treat, and even reverse the ravages of |
| least ambitious, to maintain key characters over three | | | | Alzheimer's. This could be the single most important |
| books requires some very intricate plot manipulations. | | | | breakthrough in medical science in many years. |
| Mary Martin has succeeded in grand style. A Trial Of | | | | Research takes money though, and Dr. Hawke |
| One wraps up The Osgoode Trilogy. In book one we | | | | contends that the money Harry Jenkins seeks was |
| meet our intrepid, yet unlikely hero Harry Jenkins, a | | | | legally raised, and was specifically for research into |
| very average lawyer, practicing in a very small and | | | | Alzheimer's. Harry Jenkins must also deal with the |
| very nondescript law firm. When his partner dies | | | | distraught widow of his dead partner. Dorothy |
| suddenly he finds himself captain of the ship, but | | | | Crawford is convinced that her husband Richard was |
| where is the ship headed? It is now his alone to make | | | | poisoned, and the fatal Stroke, was merely the result. |
| work. | | | | And the murderer is someone just know by the initial |
| Book two Final Paradox continues Harry's saga, he | | | | 'Q.' |
| discovers that a huge fraud was perpetrated years | | | | A Trial Of One is a cracking read, to call it a page |
| before, millions of dollars disappeared in a medical | | | | turner does not do it justice. What I really liked was |
| research scam, and his elderly client Norma Dinnick | | | | that even through it is part of a trilogy it stands on its |
| exhibiting the tell tale signs of dementia confuses Harry. | | | | own. You do not need to have read the previous |
| Is she victim of the fraud, or a partner to the crime? | | | | books to understand the plot, or the characters |
| In A Trial Of One these mysteries, and there are | | | | involved. The characters are well developed,and rich in |
| several interwoven and cleverly executed plot twists, | | | | texture. |
| all gradually come together. Our hero Harry finds | | | | The story moves from Toronto, to Vienna, to London, |
| himself once again caught up in the needs of his clients. | | | | each step becomes more dangerous for Harry. |
| Norma Dinnick has been incarcerated in a mental | | | | This is an interesting book and operates on several |
| institution having been found not guilty by way of | | | | different levels. This is not your standard action |
| insanity due to the onset of Alzheimer's for murder. In | | | | adventure by any stretch of the imagination. One of |
| her rare trips into lucidity she talks of a huge fortune | | | | the subplots involves sex, well actually that is not quite |
| that rightly belongs to her. Harry acting as not only her | | | | true, it involves sexuality, and it certainly is thought |
| lawyer, but also legal guardian feels obliged to | | | | provoking. |
| investigate. The fortune itself seems real, but is it the ill | | | | Maybe a trilogy is the ideal number of books to work |
| gotten gains from a fraud, or money that was justly | | | | a character, and then move on. Even famous best |
| earned? A shell company called Elixacorp raised over | | | | selling authors have fallen into the trap of wearing a |
| $30 million dollars, but where is the money now? | | | | character out, one example is author Tom Clancy who |
| Although all of the original protagonists in the fraud | | | | worked his character Jack Ryan until he became a |
| scheme are dead, there is one man who still has a | | | | joke. Mary Martin has not done that, in fact I am sure |
| driving interest in the loot, Dr. Robert Hawke. Is he | | | | that she could use him a couple more times. Certainly if |
| medical genius, or maniacal madman? That is the | | | | I was her, I would be giving serious thought to it. |
| question that we are faced with. It does not take | | | | This is a great book, and you can get your own copy |
| Harry long to realize that Dr. Hawke is a dangerous | | | | from Amazon, there is also an interesting web page, |
| adversary. Dr. Hawke is researching a new drug that | | | | The Osgoode Trilogy, supporting the trilogy. |