Review of "The Third Victim: A Novel" by Phillip Margolin

A sadistic serial killer is at work in Portland, Oregon. The murderer's first two victims were prostitutes - unfortunate women who were burned, beaten, and starved before being snuffed out. The third victim - a pretty young barista named Meredith Fenner - was lucky enough to escape, but she's physically and psychologically damaged. 



Meredith's winsome neediness touches the heart of (unmarried ) Sheriff's Deputy Harry White, who shepherds Meredith through her first hours of freedom and helps her search for the cabin where she was tortured. Harry's taken with Meredith 💖, but knows he can't pursue a relationship until the case is completely resolved.



The cabin Meredith identifies belongs to Portland lawyer Alex Mason - a wealthy, rude, unpopular loudmouth whom no one likes - not even his trophy wife Allison. Allison tells detectives that her husband likes 'kinky sex' that involves burning and restraints, which is a milder form of the torture inflicted on the dead hookers and poor Meredith.



The cops figure they have their man and arrest Mason, who promptly hires legendary criminal defense attorney Regina Barrister - a brilliant, litigator who rarely loses. Regina's been feeling a bit unwell lately, but tries to brush it off as stress.



Regina's new junior associate, Robin Lockwood - a former MMA fighter fresh off a clerkship at the Oregon Supreme Court - is THRILLED to be working on a murder case with her idol, Regina Barrister. Thus Lockwood is dismayed when Barrister shows signs of being less sharp than usual, with occasional bouts of confusion and memory loss.



In any case, Lockwood teams up with the law firm's investigator, Jeff Hodges, to look for an alternative suspect to Alex Mason. The duo hit on a likely candidate, Police Detective Arnold Prater, a vicious dirty cop who's known to beat up prostitutes for sexual pleasure. Barrister refuses to point the finger at Prater though, because he's a former client.....and she'd have to give up the Mason case for conflict of interest. Barrister thinks she can get Mason off without mentioning the corrupt cop.



As the story unfolds, a series of revelations show that things are more complicated than they seem; a character does something TOO STUPID TO BELIEVE; and Lockwood gets to use her MMA skills.😊

The tale is related from the rotating perspectives of a number of characters, including attorney Regina Barrister; associate attorney Robin Lockwood; Sheriff's Deputy Harry White; a detective named Carrie Anders; a pimp; and more.

Astute readers may think they're a step ahead of the defense team in figuring things out, but they shouldn't get too cocky.😏

This isn't Margolin's best work (IMO) but it's a good story with interesting characters and compelling courtroom scenes. Recommended to mystery fans. 

Rating: 3 stars