Law and Disorder

Law and Disorder
A Legal Thriller
Author: Mike Papantonio
Select Book, Inc.
New York, New York
ISBN: 978-1-59079-367-1
Hardcover
2016
$ 26.95
338 pages

Nicholas "Deke" Deketomis is a passionate attorney.  He believes in those he represents and will fight for his clients.  He is persistent and will not give up always keeping the clients first.   Deke is the type of attorney everyone dreams of on their side.
Deke specializes in torts.  He is currently representing Annika Phillips. 
Her life seemed perfect being an honor student and an athlete but all that changed after she used the drug, Ranidol.  Now, paralysis is part of her life.  Annika suffered a drug-induced stroke.  
Deke is representing Annika against the pharmaceutical company which makes this birth-control drug.  Unfortunately, she suffered one of side effects permanently changing her life forever.
Deke is not fearful of being the David going up against the Goliath pharmaceutical company.  He thrives on knocking down establishments who believe rules and laws are for other people, not them.
Underlying his motivation for winning this case is the realization that his daughter, Cara, has also admitted to using this particular drug.  Will she also have an adverse side-effect?
Additionally, Deke has been invited to take on a case where a large oil company, S. I. Oil in Texas, is indirectly poisoning those who live in the community.   Smoke-stacks every day regularly spews out toxic chemicals in the air while also destroying the local water supply through the aquifer with a multitude of toxic chemicals causing a variety of health problems, including cancers. 
While considering these two cases, Deke accidentally puts himself in a situation where he kills a man.  Deke's temper took over in this split-second confrontation, and the attack happened as a reaction, but it still resulted in someone dying.  Could this be entrapment?  Can someone force anyone into a situation where they end up killing another person?
How can Deke defend others when he has to be defended?
Law and Disorder is a fast-paced page turner that reminds me of the early John Grisham novels.  It is well-organized and enthralling as it throws readers into a thriller with non-stop action while maintaining a strong narrative voice with the character, Deke.
Author Mike Papantonio obviously bases his protagonist Deke on his life.  He is a senior partner in a law firm specializing in mass tort cases throughout the country.  He is one of the youngest attorneys to be inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame.  He was elected president of the Trial Lawyers Association in 2012 as well as receiving a variety of award by the Public Justice Foundation, The American Association for Justice, and the National Trial Lawyers Association.  He is a host of the radio show and on the Free Speech TV Network, "Ring of Fire" along with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Sam Seder.
Law and Disorder is a phenomenal novel for those who enjoy legal thrillers and anyone who likes fast-paced realistic stories.