Neon Dragon

By John F. Dobbyn

Book Overview

Amid the flash and din of Boston's Chinese New Year's celebration, a man is murdered

In Boston's Chinatown, an elderly man is shot while watching the Chinese New Year's parade from his window. Anthony Bradley, the son of an African American judge, is standing across the street at the time, and is immediately arrested for the crime.

Michael Knight, a young lawyer who's going places, is surprised when Judge Bradley asks him to defend his son in such a high-profile and politically delicate case. Luckily, Knight finds powerful support from Lex Devlin, a senior partner at his firm. Once the foremost criminal defense attorney in Boston, Devlin has mysteriously withdrawn from defense work in recent years.

As Knight and Devlin investigate and prepare their client's defense, Knight is forced to confront the murky allegations that eclipsed his mentor's career and to enter into the shadow of gangland Chinatown.

From the halls of Harvard to the streets of Chinatown, Knight doggedly pursues an investigation that involves drugs, prostitution, human trafficking, and a corruption scandal that could bring down the most powerful people in Boston.

Perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Alafair Burke

While all of the novels in the Knight and Devlin Thriller Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:

Neon Dragon
Frame-Up
Black Diamond
Deadly Diamonds
Fatal Odds
High Stakes

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1933515937
• ISBN13: 9781933515939
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

One Wild Ride

In Neon Dragon, John Dobbyn has written a thrilling novel starring two of his short story characters, Michael Knight and Lex Devlin. In this first novel, the two attorneys in the Boston law offices of Bilson, Dawes, Lefbridge & Sykes join together to defend an unusual client. On his way out of court one morning, Michael is pulled aside and asked by Judge Amos Bradley to defend his son, Anthony. The younger Bradley has been accused of killing a revered elderly man in Chinatown during a Chinese New Year's celebration the night before. As Michael begins his investigation into the case, he finds himself involved in the dangerous world of corruption, human trafficking, prostitution, and drugs that is the underbelly of Chinatown. With Harry, his Harvard Law school buddy, Michael heads straight into the tail of the dragon. While seeking to prove Anthony's innocence, Michael also works to find out the truth about his mentor and friend Lex Devlin, and why Devlin turned away from a stellar career as a defense attorney ten years before. This taut, fast-paced story delivers. The well-developed characters are easy to love or hate, depending on their role. This story can be harsh at times, but also a story of love and a caring for others that shows the tender side of people who respect their friends and co-workers. There are funny moments along the way. One of my favorite characters is Julie, the secretary in Michael's office. Here's hoping for many more Lex and Michael novels. Neon Dragon

A great read

Though I normally don't read many detective mysteries, I read this one by my friend, law professor Jack Dobbyn. The action moves, the humor is wry, and the book is well plotted and well written. Set in Boston, it offers fascinating information on the tongs that terrorize chinatowns in many American cities. A great read.

A wonderful debut

First Sentence: Suppose you were to wake up one Monday morning to a promising, amber sun rising out of Boston Harbor. Michael Knight is a young attorney in a very prestigious Boston law firm. Lex Devlin is a legendary attorney whose career was nearly ruined by rumor that he bought a juror. Now the two are working together to defend, and prove innocent, the son of an important Judge. The young man is accused of shooting a revered elderly man in Chinatown. In the investigation, Michael, with his college friend Harry, sees sides of Chinatown he didn't know existed and he may not survive the experience. Gripping, exciting, suspenseful--over the top at times but boy, did it keep me turning the pages. There was good development of the main characters, wonderful wry humor and a chance to visit my favorite city of Boston and the drive to Canada. I can't ensure the accuracy of the legal scenes, but considering Dobbyn was a practicing lawyer and now a professor of law, I have to assume they are correct. They certainly aren't dull, as is nothing in this book. If you are looking for an exciting weekend read, this is it. I'll also admit I also loved that his inside cover picture is him, his wife and their dog.

NEON DRAGON - picture cover

My awesome sister-in-law TOOK the picture that is now the cover of this book! Also, she named her picture "neon dragon" BEFORE the book was ever written....HOW COOL IS THAT!!!! Yes - she's very talented!!!!! Just thought I would share! Thought some of you might find this info interesting!

SHORT TO LONG

As a long time fan of Dobbyn's short stories in Ellery Queen, Hitchcock, et al,I read his first full length novel with eager anticipation.Neon Dragon did not disapppoint & in fact was a great read! Fast paced with well placed sarcasm & wry humor, the story & characters pull one in & make it difficult to put down ala Patterson & Grisham.However, Dobbyn has a style uniquely his own. His scenes in & about Boston bring back images that I as a former Bostonian can really appreciate. I look forward to his next novel. C.F.DiSilva