A Patent Lie

By: Paul Goldstein

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Forced out of his high-powered Manhattan law firm and stuck in a dead-end solo practice, Michael Seeley, the tough-but-wounded hero of Errors and Omissions, cannot say no when his estranged brother, Leonard, head of research at upstart biotech Vaxtek, Inc., flies in from California to beg him to take over the company’s lawsuit for patent infringement of its pathbreaking AIDS vaccine after the sudden death of the lead trial lawyer. The financial and moral stakes of the case are staggering, and Seeley suspects that murder cannot be ruled out as a hardball litigation tactic of big-pharma adversary St. Gall Laboratories.

As Seeley travels between San Francisco and Silicon Valley to prepare for trial, dark facts surface concerning the vaccine’s discovery by Vaxtek scientist Alan Steinhardt and its alleged theft by St. Gall researcher Lily Warren. Ethical quandaries deepen into mortal danger as the trial, under the stern prodding of federal judge Ellen Farnsworth, rushes to its unexpected end. A timely and fascinating look at how the law operates at its most arcane yet financially consequential, A Patent Lie is further evidence that Paul Goldstein is an emerging master of the legal thriller.©2008 Paul Goldstein; (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR ERRORS AND OMISSIONS


“Memorable [and] pleasurable . . . Goldstein displays the keen eye and sure hand of a gifted writer.” —Wall Street Journal

“A compelling yarn and a fascinating glimpse at one of the more notorious chapters in Hollywood history.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“It’s difficult to convey the mounting excitement with which I turned the pages . . . the writing [is] masterful, not one wasted word . . . A terrific read.”
—Sue Grafton

“[S]pins out a fresh, sharp-witted drama about Hollywood’s blacklist . . . Goldstein, who does a fine job of breaking down complicated moral, ethical and historical issues to understandable nuggets, has laid the foundation for what could be a strong franchise.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Compares favorably with the best legal thrillers of the likes of John Grisham . . . [Errors and Omissions] qualifies Goldstein for a high position among recent crime fiction.”—Political Affairs

First Chair Courtroom Whodunnit!

Amazing... here's a legal mystery that's actually driven by courtroom drama. As many of the BIG NAME legal writers have ridden their polemical vehicles out of the courthouse, Paul Goldstein's passing them on their way out. "A Patent Lie" is refreshing in so many ways. For example - it's NOT set in a Dixie city walled tight against justice by racist cretins. It's not about corrupt governments nor business-mogul polluters snatching millions by callously sickening thousands of kids. Nor is it about big city bosses acting to rape the treasury from the shadows of cynically manipulated polling booths.

NOPE... it's not about any of those tired veins that authors have over-mined to create manipulative propaganda. Instead patient attorney Michael Seeley has once again found nosebleed-high risk in the world of intellectual property. And as he did in "Errors And Omissions" - the first book in the Seeley saga - Goldstein explains every legal nuance so that I can understand it - and in fact - find them fascinating.

Plus Paul Michael is a voice-genius! Not only can he do dialects, and women's voices - he has the talent to subtly yet accurately make character voices age-appropriate. He somehow seems to move his voice box on an elevator in his throat.

WARNING: Start the series with "Errors and Omissions" which is quite good, then move to 'A Patent Lie" which is better. How much did I enjoy this book? I'll preorder the next Goldstein book in this series just as soon as it's announced.