Attorney Kevin Corvelli is coming off a stunning courtroom defeat in which his client, Brandon Glenn, was found guilty of murder. Brandon was soon after discovered dead in his jail cell, a suicide. Corvelli, trying to distance himself both geographically and professionally from this defeat, moves from Manhattan to Hawaii and vows (half jokingly, half seriously) to take only traffic tickets and misdemeanor cases.

When Jake, his law office landlord, brings Kevin a murder case with a $50,000 initial retainer, he's hooked (he's got a mountain of law school loans to pay). The case involves the murder of a young woman, Shannon Douglas, who the prosecutor suggests was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Joey, with whom she recently broke up.

One Man's Paradise, Douglas Corleone's debut novel, won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writer's of America First Crime Novel Award (what a mouthful, huh?) and I can see why. Corleone has an easy going writing style, has created a bunch of great (presumably recurring) characters (Jake, Kevin and Flan their private investigator who all fled their past, as well as Dapper Don Watanabe, the prosecutor) and an interesting set of one time characters. The plot moved swiftly, with a satisfying number of twists and turns. While I'm not a 'humorous' mystery fan, Corleone's humor was low key and I did laugh out loud a few times.

If One Man's Paradise is the start of a series, and I think it is, bring it on. I'll sign up for book two. ( )

It was an interesting read for me for several reasons. First of all, I have never read a book with my own home as the backdrop. It was strange from that standpoint because I kept listening for things. Don’t ask me what things, just things. Secondly, my reading experience has always been one of finding a link to the narrator telling their story. In this case, there were several times that I just wanted to reach out and slap him! My mind kept thinking, “Dumb ass!”

I guess I have very little patience for misplaced arrogance, or something. As dumb as he came off at first, he was actually quite legally clever, when he stopped being so self-important and actually put his mind to it. Matters of the heart were something quite different. Men aren’t always very intelligent in the realm of dealing with manipulative women anyway. I’m just saying. There are deviant and manipulative women in every story so there is no surprise there!

As things move along in the story and a new case falls into his lap, Kevin is no longer concerned with his own notoriety; his concern and focus are with proving his client’s innocence. There are interesting twists and interesting and twisted characters.

For my full review, go here: http://writesprite.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/book-review-one-mans-paradise/ ( )

First, let me say, that this book takes place in Hawaii and is the authors debut Novel..Since he is living in Hawaii, there is a sense of realism to the story. Words, both hawaiian and pidgin, are bantered about in a Hawaiian way. Not how we think it is, but how it truly is.... Loved it-like being home.
Characters were strong and easy to follow. Open for more Novels. The protagonist was not a perfect man, but with flaws making him believable.
I loaned the Arc to a friend who is an avid Mystery reader and picky. I know that it was good enough to pass her critique. Great read. ( )