EARLY GRAVE

PAUL LEVINE

It has been my pleasure to read all of Paul Levine's novels, especially his Jake Lassiter books, of which there have been many. And unlike some writers, every Lassiter mystery is enthralling, witty, and raucous. Paul Levine started this fantastic series with To Speak For The Dead and has now concluded it with  Early Grave.

Jake Lassiter, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, became a rough-and-tumble everyman's lawyer after his career petered out in the N.F.L. Killers, drug dealers, extortionists, you name it, and Jake defended the alleged perpetrator. All the while having a romantic time with the ladies and even taking over guardianship of his nephew, Kip. Now Jake is old and in mediocre health. One night, he watches his friend's son playing high school football and takes a vicious hit. The coach sends him back in, and therein lies the problem. The player seems paralyzed and deathly injured. Jake sees this and decides that High School football is too dangerous and contributes to Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy, the illness that can lead to grave diseases and strokes. Jake decides to file suit to stop football from playing in Florida until safety reforms are integrated. What follows is a topical and necessary examination of America's most popular sport, centered around realistic, sympathetic, and greedy people who stand to lose financially if Jake and his legal team pull off a miracle.

Paul Levine provides a well-written, logical, and entertaining novel that shines a bright light on Jake and all that has been endearing to his readers over the past 32 years.