If you hate lawyers, you will love ONCE A LIAR. A.F. Brady’s new novel (following THE BLIND) is a dark journey into the soul of a sociopath who has chosen a career path that best utilizes his character traits. However, he suddenly finds himself in an unfamiliar and dangerous position, where his past lies, errors and omissions will come back to haunt him.

Peter Caine is the book’s protagonist and first-person narrator. Brady’s choice to have Peter tell his own story is an excellent one; in his internal monologue, he provides the truth, whether it be good, bad or ugly. Peter is a Manhattan defense attorney who is at the pinnacle of his career, acknowledged as the very best at what he does. Having reinvented his humble childhood into an exotic background, he caught the attention of a noted lawyer who groomed him to become the best of the best. Peter’s outward facade is that of a dashing and charming individual who is always impeccably attired and used to nothing but the absolute best. It is a thin veneer, though, one that covers a coldness and heartlessness.

"ONCE A LIAR is a grim tale that is short (yet not totally bereft) of likable characters, but long on drama and characterization. Brady does an excellent job of portraying Peter Caine as the villain of the piece, even though he is innocent."

Defense lawyers often represent clients who may well be guilty in order to fulfill a necessary element of the criminal justice system. But all Peter is concerned about is that each defendant he successfully represents takes his career to another level. So it is not surprising that New York County District Attorney Harrison Doyle is his principal professional enemy. Peter’s reputation has been built in large part at the expense of Harrison’s office, but Peter is unable to forget that one of his very few losses was administered early in his career by Harrison. This is part of the reason that Charlie Doyle, the D.A.’s social-climbing daughter, has been Peter’s occasional paramour. Their informal relationship has bridged Peter’s first marriage and his current significant other, Claire.

But when Charlie is brutally murdered shortly after he terminates their relationship, Peter is in for a shock. All of the evidence regarding the identity of the killer seems to point in Peter’s direction, and Harrison is all too happy to seek vengeance against his longtime foe as the obvious instrument of his daughter’s death. Peter uses all of his skills and powers in an attempt to clear his name, knowing in his heart (what there is of it) that he is truly innocent of the charges leveled against him. What he does not know, however, is that he is up against an adversary who is every bit his equal and knows him all too well.

ONCE A LIAR is a grim tale that is short (yet not totally bereft) of likable characters, but long on drama and characterization. Brady does an excellent job of portraying Peter Caine as the villain of the piece, even though he is innocent. As Aunt Polly said about Tom Sawyer, “He didn’t miss a lick!” It certainly appears that as the book nears its conclusion, Peter will face justice. Whether he does or not is a question that will lead you to race through this well-written story in order to obtain the answer.