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Summary and Reviews of Absolute Rage by Robert Tanenbaum

Absolute Rage by Robert K. Tanenbaum

Absolute Rage

by Robert K. Tanenbaum
  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • Readers' Rating (1):
  • First Published:
  • Aug 1, 2002, 368 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jul 2003, 480 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

Tanenbaum delivers his grittiest, most ethically challenging thriller yet, as New York chief assistant district attorney Butch Karp fights for his family in the wilds of West Virginia's coal mining country.

New York Times bestselling author Robert K. Tanenbaum delivers his grittiest, most ethically challenging thriller yet, as New York chief assistant district attorney Butch Karp fights for his family in the wilds of West Virginia's coal mining country.

While New York City sizzles beneath a blanket of early summer humidity, the Karp family is happily taking refuge in their renovated farmhouse on Long Island's north shore. Karp's battles against the City's corrupt politicians are never-ending. His wife, Marlene, is training guard dogs on their picturesque acreage; Lucy is enjoying her summer break from Boston College and playing the part of the dutiful daughter, assisting with the running of the business and tending to her rambunctious twin brothers.

The tide quickly changes, however, when Marlene befriends her beachside neighbor, Rose Wickham-Heeney, a northeastern aristocrat turned wife of West Virginia coal mine union leader Ralph 'Red' Heeney. Soon after the fun-filled weeks of family barbecues and lazy afternoons with the Heeneys, the Karps discover that Rose, Red, and their daughter, Lizzie, have been brutally murdered back home in McCullensburg. Irresistible force meets immovable object when the West Virginia governor appoints Karp as special prosecutor to bring justice to the corrupt town, its union chieftain, and his band of merry thugs. Marlene joins Karp as he searches for the killers and works to save his own family from an evil that runs as deep as the mines that fuel it.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Talk about irresistible, no fan worth his or her salt will miss this earthquake of a thriller.

Booklist - Stephanie Zvirin
The solid characters and taut plotting that have put previous Butch Karp-Marlene Ciampi books at the top of bestseller lists are evident again in Tanenbaum's latest legal thriller, though this time things start up a bit slower than usual.... Fans won't be disappointed.

Library Journal - Ann Vicarel
Expertly combining his prodigious knowledge of the legal system with the usual social concerns, he draws a compelling portrait of the unique and complex relationships between the Karps and their closest friends.

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Read-Alikes

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