‘The Middleman’ is Mike Papantonio’s new thought-provoking legal thriller. Photo: Barnes & Noble
“The Middleman” by Mike Papantonio is a gripping legal thriller that explores the high-stakes world of whistleblowers, corruption, and corporate greed. Drawing heavily from real-world headlines, the novel weaves a fast-paced narrative that’s as timely as it is thrilling. Papantonio, a renowned trial lawyer, uses his insider knowledge of the justice system to craft a story that feels disturbingly authentic.
The plot centers around Amy Redmond, the president of EirePharma, the Redmond family business and a powerful Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). EirePharma was recently taken over by the charismatic CEO Connor Devlin who she suspects of using racketeering practices—and perhaps murder—to raise the prices of insulin for his own profit that ultimately harms consumers.
Amy is engaged to Connor but she tentatively decides to become a whistleblower as she tries to gather evidence to make sure Connor pays for his crimes. Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis and his law firm have a reputation for taking on America’s Big Pharma, so when Deke’s college friend and Amy’s cousin Matt Redmond presents him with a case of possible fraud, he agrees to investigate the matter. Amy is caught in the middle of a deadly game of wills between a formidable gangster, who in the eyes of the public is a respected businessman, and a law firm that is determined to investigate and uncover Connor’s crimes.
As the stakes rise, the characters are drawn into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, where truth comes at a steep price. Murder, manipulation, and lies blur the lines between right and wrong, keeping readers on edge until the final page. The narration is non-linear, providing the necessary character development to make them relatable. There is not much court drama and the language doesn’t include too much legal terminology; instead, it focuses on the intense relationship between Amy and Connor, as Amy tries to gather the necessary evidence to convict him and Connor’s use of mobster-like tactics to preserve his way of life. Papantonio doesn’t just tell a story—he delivers a wake-up call about the consequences of unchecked power and the courage it takes to stand against it.
Overall, “The Middleman” is a suspenseful blend of mystery and moral urgency. By exploring the themes of family, friendship, justice, and good vs. evil, it creates a compelling and thought-provoking story. With sharp dialogue and a plot full of twists, this book is recommended for fans of John Grisham or anyone intrigued by the dark intersections of law, politics, and corporate influence.
*The author of this blog received a copy for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Middleman’ is Mike Papantonio’s latest legal thriller. Photo: Barnes & Noble.
Legal thrillers blend courtroom drama, high-stakes legal battles, and moral dilemmas. They often feature sharp-witted attorneys, complex cases, and unexpected twists that keep readers on edge. I like that they provide a behind-the-scenes look at the legal system, showcasing both its strengths and flaws. With elements of crime, suspense, and ethical conflicts, legal thrillers challenge readers to question justice and truth. The first legal thriller I read was John Grisham’s “The Client” and I was instantly hooked on the genre. Authors like John Grisham and Scott Turow write stories that combine legal intricacies with human drama, making the genre both intellectually stimulating and emotionally gripping.
Mike Papantonio is another excellent author worth reading. I have read and reviewed several of his legal thrillers, the most recent one being “Inhuman Trafficking.” His newest one, “The Middleman,” will be out this week and promises another thrilling and suspenseful thriller involving Big Pharma.
Mike Papantonio is a senior partner of Levin Papantonio, one of the country’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, and was one of the youngest inductees into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He has aggressively taken on Big Pharma, tobacco, weapon manufacturers, human trafficking, and the automobile industry, among other strongholds of corporate greed, and uses his own cases as springboards for his novels. He was a lead lawyer in the national opioid litigation and the national PFAS litigation.
Papantonio is also a well-known media presence as host of America’s Lawyer, and founder and former co-host of the syndicated radio show Ring of Fire. His new legal thriller is “The Middleman” is an epic drama of whistleblowers, murder, thrills, and legal combat—torn from today’s headlines. It will be released on March 4, 2025. (Wunderkind PR, 2025)
“The Middleman” – Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis and his law firm take on America’s Big Pharma when Deke’s college pal, Matt Redmond, presents him with a case of criminal fraud involving EirePharma, a powerful Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). PBMs serve as the “middlemen” between drug manufacturers and insurance companies. The Deketomis firm unravels the details about how governmental graft enables PBMs like EirePharma to create America’s catastrophic price gouging crisis.
EirePharma was recently taken over by the charismatic CEO, Connor Devlin, who has a Rasputin-like influence over the company’s president. Devlin utilizes racketeering practices—and perhaps murder—to raise the prices of insulin and other drugs for his own profit and to the detriment of consumers.
Amy, the president of EirePharma, decides— at great peril—to become her company’s whistleblower and provide evidence to Deke and his team. When key witnesses and even Redmond family members meet mysterious and violent deaths, Amy finds herself a pawn caught in the center of a frightening and deadly game of wills between a formidable mobster, who in the eyes of the public is a respected businessman, and a law firm that is determined to put an end to the Middleman’s crimes.
‘Inhuman Trafficking: A Legal Thriller’ is the new novel by Mike Papantonio and Alan Russell. Photo: amazon
Mike Papantonio is a senior partner of Levin Papantonio, one of the country’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, and was one of the youngest inductees into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He has aggressively taken on Big Pharma, tobacco, weapon manufacturers, and the automobile industry, among other strongholds of corporate greed, and uses his own cases as springboards for his novels. Papantonio is also a well-known media presence as host of America’s Lawyer and co-host of the syndicated radio show Ring of Fire.
Alan Russell is the #1 bestselling author of seventeen mystery and suspense novels, including “Burning Man,” “Shame,” “St. Nick,” and “A Cold War.” Russell’s novels have been nominated for most of the major awards in crime fiction, and he has won a Lefty award for best comedic mystery, a USA Today Critics’ Choice Award, multiple San Diego Book Awards, and the Odin Award for Lifetime Achievement from the San Diego Writers/Editor Guild.
In their new novel “Inhuman Trafficking: A Legal Thriller,” while taking on a human trafficking case, the past comes calling with word that Nick “Deke” Deketomis’ fifteen-year-old goddaughter, Lily Reyes, is missing.
“Inhuman Trafficking” begins with Lily Reyes being set up by her boyfriend Carlos Navarro and handed off to a strange man who calls himself ‘Tío Leo’ as collateral for a planned score gone bad. Seven days after Lily disappears, her mother Sylvia contacts Deke for help in bringing her home safely. This is a sideline from his current case with Welcome Mat Hospitality.
For Deke, going head to head with some of the most dangerous cases has long been a way of life. His target this time is Welcome Mat Hospitality, a firm known for its truck stops and lodging throughout the United States. What Welcome Mat does not advertise is the human trafficking—for sex work and slave labor—going on at many of its properties. For the sake of better profits, Welcome Mat’s ownership has turned a blind eye to this lucrative enterprise. When Deke learns that Lily has fallen prey to a notorious trafficker, his personal and professional worlds converge when Lily comes in contact with Karina, a Russian woman who is one of the many victims of a madwoman’s human trafficking operations. For his goddaughter to survive, Deke must prevail not only in the legal arena but outside of it.
Mike Papantonio is the author of the Nick “Deke” Deketomis series of legal and courtroom thrillers including “Law and Addiction,” “Law and Disorder,” and “Law and Vengeance.” Even though “Inhuman Trafficking” is not a “Law and..” titled book, Deke is back in action trying to save the world from man’s inhumanity to man, in this case, human trafficking, which includes slave labor and sex traffickers.
There is not as much courtroom drama as in Papantonio’s previous books, but Deke and his team shine as they work incessantly to find Lily while trying to identify Karina and bring down the system that is taking advantage of her and countless others. The language is down to earth, easy to understand and expressive at times “Colors shimmered, appearing and disappearing like will-o’-the-wisps.”
With action that flows easily through the pages, one of the highlights is the heart-pounding action when Karina finally gets the nerve to call Deke’s office for help while looking over her shoulder to make sure no one sees her. Some of the details of human trafficking, including Lily’s survival mechanisms, are hard to read but are not overly graphic. The main takeaway is that everyone has had their challenges but nevertheless survived and are stronger because of them. Filled with relatable and well-developed characters, investigative action, and unpredictable developments, “Inhuman Trafficking” is a fast-paced thriller recommended for John Grisham fans who root for the little guy.
“Deke knew the ‘damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead’ look in Gina’s eyes. As she opened her mouth to reply, Deke surreptitiously banged the side of her chair. Gina turned his way, took a read of his eyes, and swallowed her commentary.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
The unfamiliar red Mustang pulled up alongside Lily Reyes, matching her pace as she walked on the sidewalk. Lily didn’t like the feeling of being stalked. She began walking faster, and looked around to see if anyone was outside. The Tallahassee heat and humidity had the neighborhood looking like a ghost town; everyone was at work or had retreated inside their air-conditioned homes. The Mustang continued to creep along and pace her. Its windows were tinted, only offering her a general outline of the male driver wearing a baseball cap.
Maybe I should run up to a house and ring the doorbell, Lily thought. But what if no one was home, and her stalker took that opportunity to come after her?
The car came to a hard stop right next to her. As the passenger window inched downward, Lily took a breath to scream.
“You getting in?”
“Oh, god,” she said, blowing out pent-up air. “I thought you were like some disgusting creep. Where’d you get the car?”
“Borrowed it from a friend.”
Lily opened the passenger door, tossed her backpack inside, and got comfortable in her seat. The cooling AC blew over her. “Nice ride. Must be a good friend to let you borrow it.”
“It’s a business thing.”
Lily decided not to press him for answers. Carlos never liked it when she asked too many questions, and she didn’t want him getting uptight. He seemed distracted about something. Why, he’d barely looked at her.
Lily was kind of hoping he would have noticed how she’d dressed up for him.
“I thought you were going to pick me up at Subway,” Lily said. “Decided to spare you the walk.”
Lily’s mom, Sylvia, didn’t know about Carlos. No one knew about him, except for Lily’s best friend, Madison, and even she wasn’t supposed to know anything. Carlos was paranoid about being busted. When Lily had first started dating him, she’d lied about her age, telling him she was eighteen. It was only after they’d been going together for a month that Lily admitted she was only fifteen. Of course, she hadn’t been the only one stretching the truth. When they’d first hooked up, Carlos had said he was nineteen, not the twenty-one he really was.
“Did you bring some change of clothes?” Carlos asked.
“In the backpack, even though you never explained why I needed them.”
“Always nice to have options.” “Where we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Lily tried to play it cool, and hid her smile. Madison seemed to think that Carlos was just using her, but she didn’t know him like Lily did.
“Stopped and got you a wild cherry Slurpee,” he said. “Better drink it before it melts.”
He had remembered her favorite drink. She would certainly mention that to Madison. Lily reached for the Slurpee, and took a long sip.
“Want some?” she asked.
“Not without adding some rum.” “I’m okay with that.”
“Maybe later.”
Carlos liked to party, and liked it even more when Lily joined in with him. She had to be careful, though. Her mom was always in her business.
As if reading her mind, Carlos said, “How long did your mom let you off the leash?”
“I told her I’d probably be eating dinner at Madison’s.”
“That gives us a little time.” “Sure does,” she said.
Lily reached out her hand, and ran it along his leg. Carlos needed to see she was grown-up, and not some kid, but instead of positioning her hand on him like he usually did, Carlos acted preoccupied. Maybe he was just in one of his moods.
She withdrew her hand and began drinking her Slurpee. “Sure you don’t want some?”
He shook his head, and she continued to sip. Halfway through the cup, Lily’s skin began tingling.
“I feel weird,” she said.
“We can get some fresh air at Cascades Park.” “Is that where we’re going?”
Carlos nodded. He still wasn’t looking at her, and seemed unusu ally attentive to his driving, continually checking the rearview and side mirrors.
“It feels like we’re floating,” she said.
Lily flapped the hand not holding her drink. “I’m flying. Whoa.”
Something wasn’t right. Why was she feeling out of it? Her gaze fell to the Slurpee. One look, and the pieces came together. Lily’s accusation was shrill: “You put something in my drink!”
“Relax. I just made you a Molly and benzo cocktail to help loosen you up.”
Lily tried to process her panic, along with Carlos’s explanation. She wanted to feel reassured, but didn’t. One by one, words emerged from her mouth. Each syllable felt as if it were weighted down on her tongue. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted you to be calm while I explained a few things.” “Oh, shit.” This was bad. “You’re breaking up with me.” “No, baby, never.”
Lily struggled to find the words, and speak them. “We’re. Still.
Together?”
“Forever, baby. It’s just that things didn’t work out with my big plan.
Remember we talked about that?” “Big score.”
“That’s right. And it would have been, but my luck went bad, really bad.”
Lily managed to say, “That’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay. Everything went to shit. It put me in the hole for almost five thousand bucks.”
“I can help you . . .”
Lily had earned almost two hundred dollars babysitting. She’d give it to him. But Carlos interrupted before she could finish.
“Thank you, baby. I knew I could count on you. They were going to mess me up bad, maybe even kill me. You were my only hope.”
Lily tried to follow what he was saying, but her brain couldn’t find its balance. Everything was hazy.
“After you work off my marker, baby, we’ll get back together. I promise.”
“Don’t understand.”
“A guy I know fronted the money I owed, but he needed collateral.” “What?”
“I had to put up something of value. And nothing’s more valuable to me than you. I love you.”
Lily had been waiting for a long time to hear those words. But now they sounded wrong. Felt wrong. Love?
Carlos said, “You’re a lifesaver. It will just be for a few months. And when you come back to me, things will be better than ever between us.”
Too dizzy to support her chin, Lily’s face dropped down to her chest.
Talking was beyond her. She didn’t know how long they drove, and was barely aware when they came to a stop. She heard two men talking, but it was like listening in to a dream.
“Is she good to go?”
Lily had never heard that voice before. She would have remembered it if she had. There was something scary about it, a rasp with a serrated edge.
“She agreed to work off what I owe.”
“You explain what would happen to you if she didn’t?” “I told her.”
“Okay, then. I’ll find you if there’s a problem. Count on it. Give me the keys.”
Lily heard retreating footsteps. Carlos didn’t say goodbye. There was a part of her that was still listening for his voice, that wanted him to declare his love for her once more.
She couldn’t lift her head to acknowledge the new occupant of the driver’s seat, but heard the ugly voice.
‘Inhuman Trafficking: A Legal Thriller’ is the new novel by Mike Papantonio and Alan Russell, releasing October 5, 2021. Photo: amazon
Mike Papantonio is a senior partner of Levin Papantonio, one of the country’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, and was one of the youngest inductees into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He has aggressively taken on Big Pharma, tobacco, weapon manufacturers, and the automobile industry, among other bastions of corporate greed, and uses his own cases as springboards for his novels. Papantonio is also a well-known media presence as host of America’s Lawyer and co-host of the syndicated radio show Ring of Fire. He is based in Pensacola, Florida. Alan Russell is the #1 bestselling author of seventeen mystery and suspense novels, including “Burning Man,” “Shame,” “St. Nick,” and “A Cold War.” Russell’s novels have been nominated for most of the major awards in crime fiction, and he has won a Lefty award for best comedic mystery, a USA Today Critics’ Choice Award, multiple San Diego Book Awards, and the Odin Award for Lifetime Achievement from the San Diego Writers/Editor Guild. They are co-authors in the upcoming new novel “Inhuman Trafficking: A Legal Thriller.” It will be released October 5 and is available for pre-order on amazon. (amazon, 2021)
“Inhuman Trafficking” – For Nick “Deke” Deketomis, going where angels fear to tread in waging legal battles has long been a way of life. As managing partner for one of the nation’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, Deke has gone toe to toe with some of the largest corporations in the world. His firm specializes in the tough, even quixotic, cases that few lawyers would dare to take on. Like human trafficking. Deke’s target this time is Welcome Mat Hospitality, a firm known for its truck stops and lodging throughout the United States. What Welcome Mat does not advertise is the human trafficking—for sex work and slave labor—going on at many of its properties. For the sake of better profits, Welcome Mat’s ownership has turned a blind eye to this lucrative enterprise. As invested as Deke is in the case, though, it takes on even greater urgency when the past comes calling with word that his fifteen-year-old goddaughter, Lily Reyes, is missing. When Deke learns that Lily has fallen prey to a notorious trafficker, his personal and professional worlds converge. For his goddaughter to survive, Deke must prevail not only in the legal arena but outside of it. This is a fast-paced thriller in the tradition of John Grisham, Joseph Finder, and John Lescroart.
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‘Law and Addiction’ is the new legal thriller by Mike Papantonio. Photo: google
Mike Papantonio is a writer, prominent trial attorney and co-host of Ring of Fire, a nationally syndicated weekly radio talk show, along with Robert F Kennedy, Jr and Sam Seder where he is known as ‘America’s lawyer.’ He has written several books including “In Search of Atticus Finch, A Motivational Book for Lawyers,” “Resurrecting Aesop: Fables Lawyers Should Remember” and the Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis’ legal thrillers “Law and Disorder” and “Law and Vengeance.” In his newest novel, “Law and Addiction,” Mike Papantonio pulls back the curtain on America’s deadly opioid epidemic with a legal thriller about greed, corruption and the power of personal conviction.
“Law and Addiction” begins with a Prologue that has Blake Rutledge, in the middle of a drug-induced paranoia attack, becoming another victim of the opioid crisis: “Blake’s lungs slowed to a stop, but his mind didn’t know it.” This was one week before his twin brother Jake’s law school graduation. Upon hearing of Blake’s death, Jake returns to his hometown of Oakley, West Virginia, who many now refer to as “Zombieland” because most of the city has been ravaged by the opioid epidemic. Seeking justice for Blake, he plans to take on Big Pharma but realizing that he is way out of his league, he seeks out famed lawyer Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis for help. Together they join forces but soon death threats, bribes and unlawful property seizures threaten to derail their legal efforts. To discredit Jake, he is kidnapped and unwillingly turned into an addict. He escapes, but not unscathed because now he is faced with his own battle to become clean.
With his latest novel, Mike Papantonio successfully translates the opioid epidemic into a suspenseful legal thriller. The research Deke’s team does to prepare the case develops into a narrative into how the pharmaceutical companies fueled the epidemic and eventually profited from it and it is nothing short of eye opening. As with his other novels, the story has a strong beginning with the Prologue where readers have a front row seat to witness Jake’s suffering and death. The author re-introduces Deke’s legal team, so readers who may be unfamiliar with them are not lost. Regarding the legal jargon and courtroom drama, they are both easy to understand and the fast-paced action flows easily from page to page. The characters are well-developed and relatable and the poetic prose brings a fresh perspective to the storytelling: “skeletal branches from trees reached for him, snagging his clothing.” “Law and Addiction” is a must-read and recommended for fans of smart legal thrillers, but it also has elements of suspense and mystery with some politics mixed in to appeal to most readers. Since Mr. Papantonio uses his real life cases as springboards for his novels, readers can surely look forward to more in this exciting series.
“As I write these words, somewhere in America an individual is dying of a drug overdose. During the next twenty-four hours, there will be at least 115 deaths from the same cause.” – Mike Papantonio (Author’s Note)
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘Law and Vengeance’ is Mike Papantonio’s most recent legal thriller.
Mike Papantonio is a writer, prominent trial attorney and co-host of Ring of Fire, a nationally syndicated weekly radio talk show, along with Robert F Kennedy, Jr and Sam Seder where he is known as ‘America’s lawyer.’ He has written several books including ‘In Search of Atticus Finch, A Motivational Book for Lawyers,’ ‘Resurrecting Aesop: Fables Lawyers Should Remember’ and the legal thriller ‘Law and Disorder.’ ‘Law and Vengeance’ is his most recent release about a highly successful trial lawyer who goes up against a weapons manufacturer.
The protagonist in ‘Law and Vengeance’ is Gina Romano, a trial attorney with the Bergman-Deketomis Law Firm. Last seen in ‘Law and Disorder,’ the firm defends the little guy from greedy corporations in cases few law firms would take. The latest case is against the manufacturer of Sight-Clops, a high-powered gun that malfunctioned outside of a controlled environment, causing innocent deaths along the way. One of the lead engineers of Sight-Clops complained about possible problems with the weapon and ended up getting fired. He is now the firm’s top witness against the company and must be protected from those out to silence him. When a traffic accident kills the lead attorney and leaves Gina in the hospital for weeks, she is convinced he was murdered and vows to make the guilty parties pay.
Mike Papantonio is back in force with another winning legal thriller. Some of the characters from the last book are back in what looks to be a series, but the story stands on its own. It starts strong right from the beginning in the Prologue where readers have a front row seat to two heart-breaking cases of the Sight-Clops malfunctioning and killing innocent bystanders. The author makes the legal jargon and courtroom drama easy to understand and the fast-paced action flows easily from page to page. Filled with relatable and well-developed characters, it is refreshing to see a strong female lead character who though flawed, does what is necessary to get the job done. It is a must-read and recommended for fans of smart legal thrillers, but it has elements of suspense and mystery with some politics mixed in to appeal to most readers. Hopefully there will another Bergman-Deketomis Law Firm novel in the near future.
*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.
Mike Papantonio is a prominent trial attorney and co-host of Ring of Fire, a nationally syndicated weekly radio talk show, along with Robert F Kennedy, Jr and Sam Seder where he is known as ‘America’s lawyer.’ His new legal thriller ‘Law and Disorder’ was released in September of last year and tells the story of a highly successful Florida attorney who suddenly finds the system working against him.
In ‘Law and Disorder’ Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis is a successful attorney who despite coming from a humble background has built a successful practice where he defends the rights of the innocent in the form of multimillion dollar lawsuits. While in the middle of a highly publicized lawsuit against a powerful pharmaceutical company he makes the wrong kind of enemies including the local bible thumpers, a district attorney out to win at any cost and two corrupt brothers who own one of the country’s biggest oil corporations. To bring Deke down they plan to set him up on a murder charge and during the murder trial which becomes a media circus he must find a way to exonerate himself before his family becomes the next target.
‘Law and Disorder’ by Mike Papantonio is a fast paced legal thriller and an impressive addition to the genre. Readers get an in-depth look at the justice system from the inside out. The author makes the legal jargon and courtroom drama easy to understand and even though the characters are diverse they are relatable and well developed. Given the progressive themes of the story it is disappointing to have the housekeeper character be a Hispanic woman driving a burrito-stained jalopy and speaking in broken English. Aside from that it is an enjoyable read with enough plot twists to keep the story from becoming predictable. It is recommended for fans legal thrillers but it should be noted that the main character is a progressive liberal and that might turn off the more conservative readers.
*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.
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