The Big Exit by David Carnoy

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Carnoy follows his 2010 debut, Knife Music, with a thriller set in California’s Silicon Valley that has it all: a convoluted but convincing plot, a likable protagonist facing terrible odds, and a meaty supporting cast working for and against him.

While Richie Foreman served seven years in prison for vehicular manslaughter, the friend he claims was actually behind the wheel, Mark McGregor, not only achieved success as “a hotshot Internet entrepreneur” but also married Richie’s former fiancée, Beth Hill.

When Beth finds Mark’s bloody body on the floor of the garage of their pricey Menlo Park home, she and Richie become natural suspects in Mark’s murder. Evidence suggests that Richie was at least involved in the killing. While troubled lawyer Carolyn Dupuy represents Beth, and charismatic Marty Lowenstein (aka “the DNA Dude”) defends Richie, local legend Det. Sgt. Hank Madden seeks definitive proof of Richie’s guilt.

This exceptionally satisfying murder puzzle should whet readers’ appetites for more.

 
 Book Details

Genre: Legal Thriller
Published by: Overlook
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 320
Purchase Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Seven years ago Richie Foreman was living the good life.  He had a high profile marketing career, was engaged to a beautiful woman, had an incredible best friend, and was an aspiring singer.  After a spur of the moment bachelor party his life changed forever.  He was charged with vehicular manslaughter but he swears his best friend Mark was driving.  The cops believe Mark’s story that Richie was the driver and Richie goes to prison for seven years.

Fast forward to the present and Richie is looking for a job now that he is out of prison.  He begins a trial job working for a law firm that works to exonerate prisoners using DNA evidence.  Things begin to look up when his ex-best friend Mark winds up murdered and Richie is the main suspect.  Mark’s wife, Beth, is also Richie’s ex-fiancee and it looks like she is trying to set him up to take the fall for the murder.

The story brings together many of the same people that were involved with the vehicular manslaughter trial.  It’s interesting to hear what they think of each other and how they interact in the present.   The book is told through multiple points of view which allows the reader to see inside each characters head.

I enjoyed the fast pace of the this and it kept me guessing until the end.  Each time I thought I found a clue as to who murdered Mark another piece of the puzzle dropped into place which led me to another character.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.