Odell's Fall
Reviewed By: Susan Keefe
Susan Keefe reviews and promotes poetry, fiction and non-fiction, and is also author of the Toby's Tails series of children's books.

As soon as I opened the first page of this exciting legal thriller I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down. Straight away the lead character Odell Moore’s incredible presence and power as one of New York’s most successful lawyers captured my attention. Little did I realise that underneath the formidable, confident, presence which is Odell’s face to the world, lies a much more complex character, one which continues to unravel and offer new surprises right until the very last page.

The story begins with a celebration, it’s champagne all around as the lawyers at the prestigious international firm TGO congratulate themselves on having won the “Bounty” deal, and as their leader Odell Moore, affectionately known as The General, must celebrate this a major victory with them.

However today Odell’s mind is elsewhere, it is with his new wife, beautiful southern belle Dee. The couple have just returned from their secret wedding in Vegas and Dee is on her way to break the news of their marriage to her parents. How will her mother react, and what impact will their marriage have on her father, a deeply racist Alabama senator, when he learns her new husband is an African American?

Odell’s rise to the top of his profession has been achieved by sheer determination and he has fought for recognition and respect every step of the way. This is the way it is if you want to succeed in this business, in a profession which is ruthless, cut throat even. However, Odell is not the only one fired with a deep hunger and ambition. Jackson Sherman, Odell’s young underling, is hungry for success, sure of his own potential and unwilling to let anything get in his way. His rise through the ranks at TGO seems destined to succeed, but will it? When the seeds of doubt are planted in Jackson’s mind he discovers his darker side, a side which will stop at nothing in order to succeed.

The author’s best-selling first book “Breakdown” told the story of the rise and fall of the iconic Canadian law firm Heenan Blaikie, and in this his first work of fiction he uses his vast experience in the world of law to treat his readers into a glimpse of what life is really like for these high achievers, the glitzy and glamor, the toll on relationships, and what really happens in their lives both inside and outside the boardroom.

This story is a modern day take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Othello, and Odell like Othello  is soon to learn that you can trust no-one, and when you are sitting high up on your pedestal, there are plenty of people who are watching, and waiting for you to fall.

I just loved this exciting fast-paced thriller. Right from the first page there’s a wonderful mix of excitement, revelation and expectation as the plot evolves and new discoveries about the characters are made. Highly recommended!

Author’s Website https://normanbacal.com/