Books with author Michael R. Katz

In a fallen society……order was supposed to save them.But will it destroy what’s left?Rylee had lived her whole life in Seattle. The natural disasters had destroyed most of the world. They were told the technology would save them. It was a lie.Elects could afford the implants.Most people couldn’t.She hated the Elects, except for one. Grayson seemed different, but could she trust him? The rest were cruel, privileged, and dangerous. They were supposed to help everyone, but greed made the Alliance the enemy. The rules were designed to oppress the Norms.Will anyone stand up for the have nots?Rylee and her young rebel friends had a plan. Hunt the Elects. Protect the Norms. Defy the Alliance. But when Rylee unwittingly kills the son of a high-ranking Elect, the Alliance retaliates, executing an innocent Norm. Shattered, Rylee questions if she can go on.Does she have the strength……to save her friends and family?Will she let feelings for Grayson cloud her judgment?You’ll love this fresh take on post-apocalyptic survival, because the characters are worth rooting for and the struggle will keep you turning the pages.Get it now.

"With an ear for intelligent, breezy dialogue and clever plotting, Kahn spins an engrossing yarn." ―Publishers WeeklyWhen Graham Anderson Marshall III of the prestigious corporate law firm Abbott & Windsor dies, even stranger than his bizarre death is the codicil to his will, which provides a large trust fund for the maintenance of a grave at a pet cemetery. The issue? No one in his family has ever owned a pet―much less one named Canaan. And since Abbott & Windsor is named as the sole beneficiary if the trust is deemed invalid, there is a conflict of interest.They turn to Rachel Gold, the savvy young attorney who left the firm to open her own law office. But before she has a chance to find out what is inside Canaan's coffin at Wagging Tail Estates, the grave is robbed. Teaming up with her best buddy, the brilliant Benny Goldberg, Rachel sets out in search of the stolen contents, following an ominous trail of clues which leads into the heart of a secret legacy of three centuries of blackmail, sexual depravity, and murder. While tracking whatever had been in Canaan's grave, it's soon apparent to Rachel that someone has plans for hers...

A desert planet. A dangerous secret.When Skylar’s enigmatic uncle warns him to stay away from the mysterious winged insects that have been sighted on other planets, he thinks little of it; no one has seen the insects on his own planet of Haladras. His uncle knows more than he’s telling, though. The creatures are not insects, but machines. And they're hunting for Skylar. Only after Skylar narrowly escapes capture and flees Haladras with his uncle does he learn the whole truth. What his uncle reveals will shatter Skylar’s world. Torn from the girl he loves and thrust into the center of a conflict that will consume the empire, Skylar must fight for all he cares for, even as he struggles to know who he can trust.An epic space opera adventure.Praise for Haladras:"What a fantastic story! Well done! I was captivated throughout each chapter. I do look forward to reading the next novel.""Really love your story, great combination of sci-fi, adventure and fantasy-like elements.""I will definitely be looking for the next book.""A very good book""Amazing story!! Honestly one of the best books I have read! I can't wait to read the second book!""Loved the story""Riviting, breathtaking, disturbing..."

"Rachel remains one of the more engaging sleuths on the mystery scene." ―Publishers WeeklyAfter the death of her father, attorney Rachel Gold has returned to her hometown of St. Louis to spend more time with her mother. The savvy and beautiful Rachel, who made a name for herself in complex corporate litigation in Chicago, finds herself enmeshed in Landau v. Landau, a high-stakes divorce case far nastier than any of her former lawsuits. And, as she will soon find out, far deadlier.Rachel's client is Eileen Landau, the best friend of her sister Ann. Eileen and Ann are just two of many wealthy, bored housewives who get their kicks three days a week in an aerobics classes conducted by the handsome fitness guru, Andros, at an upscale gym. Eileen, however, gets some additional kicks once or twice a week with Andros at an upscale hotel.Shortly after his last tryst with Eileen, Andros is found dead. The coroner determines the cause of death as cyanide poisoning. The trail of clues leads not to Eileen but to Ann, Rachel's sister, who was having her own affair with Andros.Suddenly, Rachel has a personal stake in the case. But as she works her way through the list of angry wives seduced and scorned by Andros, she realizes that sex may not have been the motive behind his seductions. Indeed, Andros may have been doing the bidding of a puppet master far more dangerous―someone with few qualms about eliminating a semi-incompetent accomplice, and none about eliminating a competent lawyer whose investigation threatens a multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise.

Two lawsuits spiral out of control, one ending in murder, the other in courtroom humiliation―both challenging St Louis attorney Rachel GoldAn ugly trust fund dispute among siblings turns deadly when the trustee brother, Isaiah, CEO of the family firm he stole from their father, is murdered in his office. St. Louis attorney Rachel Gold, hired to bring suit against Isaiah on behalf of his sisters, must now defend one against the charge of fratricide.As Rachel and her team seek essential evidence, the widowed Rachel struggles with family issues of her own, including relationships with her young son Sam and the attractive Abe her mother pushes her to do more than date. The jury is still out on whether or not Rachel can create the work-life balance she is seeking.Meanwhile what starts out as a lawsuit filed to cover up a minor fraud by a rich social climber spirals into a courtroom showdown when the victim refuses to be one and hires Rachel to defend him. With few strategic options, Rachel concocts a spectacular courtroom bluff.Bad Trust, the 11th book in the fascinating Attorney Rachel Gold Mysteries, is the perfect pick for fans of Lisa Scottoline and Sara Paretsky.

He went searching for his lost sister. Nothing can prepare him for what he'll discover.Even with peace is restored to the empire, Skylar cannot rest easy. The promise he made to his dying father weighs on his heart. His promise to discover what became of his sister. A clue from his father's old journal points toward the very heart of his enemy's home planet. With his faithful companions Endrick and Grüny Sykes at his side, he embarks on his quest. They scarcely make it out of the empire, when they meet with disaster. Through Skylar's own folly, they are captured by slave traders. But that is only the beginning of Skylar's troubles. What lays in store for him on Gorgoroth will make him wished he'd never left home. Has his decision doomed them all? And what he finally learns of his sister…he could never be prepared for. The epic sequel to Haladras, full of adventure unexpected twists and turns.Praise for Gorgoroth:"I have hardly been able to put it down.""Tell me there is a 3rd book!!!""I loved it. I can't wait for more.""Seriously excellent."

MURDER OFF THE GLASS is the introduction to the acclaimed Andy Sussman/Murray Glick comic mystery trilogy from Michael J. Katz. It's a pro basketball murder mystery, set in Chicago. "Murder Off The Glass is like an off-balance jump shot that rolls tantalizingly around the rim before dropping through for the score." Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-TimesTHE STORY: Sportscaster Andy Sussman is suspected of murder when his sidekick is shot during a power blackout. He turns to his buddy, private detective Murray Glick, who has moved his offices to the Northbrook Court shopping mall and no longer “does murders.” "Murray Glick is a new type of private eye in contemporary fiction...Get. You'll like."New York Times"A highly entertaining tale. Katz displays a flair for witty dialogue and for funny characters as well."Publisher's Weekly on "Murder Off The Glass"“An agreeable, promising, mystery debut – thanks to a genial sleuth-hero, an amusingly crass Watson and a bright, breezy Chicago milieu…atmospheric fun.”Kirkus Reviews"A writer who combines both mirth and murder from the world of sports."San Diego UnionAlso by Michael Katz:Last Dance In Redondo BeachThe Big FreezeDearly Befuddled PRAISE FOR LAST DANCE IN REDONDO BEACH: "What a lot of raffish, rowdy, reprehensible people Michael Katz has assembled on Redondo Beach. I loved hanging out with them, and I was sorry when the party was over."Donald Westlake"[Andy Sussman's] dogged pursuit of the facts is consistently beguiling. Katz' character is as relentless in the pursuit of the story as Gregory McDonald's Irwin Fletcher, and he could just as easily be played by Chevy Chase."New York Newsday"The second adventure of Andy Sussman, an out-of-shape, un-suave personality, should delight his fans...Funny, poignant, and definitely human."Sara Paretsky "Michael Katz is one of the wittier crime writers to come along in some time. I enjoyed Last Dance In Redondo Beach every wry step of the way. Don't miss it!"Roger L. Simon"Katz makes the men behind the gaudy facades believable figures rather than comic grotesques...the unmasking of both victim and killer is cleverly and comically plotted."Los Angeles TimesPRAISE FOR THE BIG FREEZE: “Katz, who's always looking for good ways to segue between New York sportscaster/ amateur investigator Andy Sussman and his buddy, seedy Chicago private eye Murray Glick finds a honey here...Katz's breezy, what-the-heck style is always easy to take. Kirkus Reviews "Spirited prose, refreshing surroundings, deftly delineated characters and engaging protagonists."Library Journal "A light-hearted romp of a mystery...a solidly plotted mystery that provides a glimpse of the conflicting problems facing developers and environmentalists." The Toronto Star "Panache, charm and wit. All are apt descriptions for the style of Michael Katz."West Coast Review of Books "Crackles with wit."ALA Booklist

"Trophy Widow is a must read for anyone who likes a top-rate thriller." ―Midwest Book ReviewSavvy attorney Rachel Gold has represented a few celebrity clients in her career, but none anywhere close to Angela Green, the most famous abused housewife in America. She is surely the only former housewife to receive an award from the NAACP and an interview with Oprah while serving time for killing her husband. Her recently announced book and motion picture deal has her enmeshed in a new legal controversy―a Son of Sam lawsuit over the proceeds from that deal.To defend her in that lawsuit, Angela retains Rachel Gold, who already has her hands full with a wacky ostrich sexual abuse case, compliments of a referral from her best friend, Benny Goldberg.As Rachel digs into the underlying facts of the murder case, she comes across issues that were never pursued at trial―loose ends no one bothered tying up because of the dramatic nature of the incriminating evidence. Is it possible, Rachel wonders, that Angela is innocent, that she was framed by someone with an entirely different motive for killing her husband? But if Angela is really innocent, the killer is still out there―and, as Rachel soon discovers, prepared to kill again.

St Louis lawyer Rachel Gold deals with many a family drama, mostly of the dysfunctional variety. Divorce. Paternity. And death. Occasionally, all three combine into a "dead hand" trifecta, where the deceased seeks to control the living―and especially his descendants―from beyond the grave.Rachel calls them "zombies." The legal term for such inheritance plans is "the dead hand," the English translation of the Old French term "mortmain." The term refers to the attempt by wealthy individuals to exert perpetual ownership over property (and future generations) through legal documents prepared before they die. But not even the most obsessed tycoon or his skilled attorneys can foresee every future contingency. To quote the old Yiddish maxim, "Man plans, and God laughs." And angry descendants sue.It's so true. Rachel suddenly finds herself representing two women―one a young widow, one an older divorcee―in a pair of nasty zombie cases where the outcome of each hinges upon a clause in a contested estate plan.Client Cyndi Mulligan is the trophy widow of the late Bert Mulligan, a billionaire entrepreneur whose last will and testament left his estate to Cyndi's unborn daughter. The challenge comes from Bert's angry first wife and her angrier only son. Their claim: Cyndi's daughter―born eleven months after Bert's death―cannot possibly be Bert's child.In the other case, Rachel represents Marsha Knight, the first wife of the wealthy founder of a women's lingerie manufacturer. Marsha has been sued by his young widow, who seeks to invalidate Marsha's divorce settlement and, in the process, impoverish her through invocation of the ancient and nearly inscrutable Rule Against Perpetuities.As the trial date approaches in each lawsuit, the threats to Rachel and her two clients begin to escalate. Zombies, as Rachel discovers, are hard to kill. And even worse, they can still kill―and where least expected.The Dead Hand is written with the verve, humor, and legal smarts that are trademark Michael Kahn.

St Louis lawyer Rachel Gold deals with many a family drama, mostly of the dysfunctional variety. Divorce. Paternity. And death. Occasionally, all three combine into a "dead hand" trifecta, where the deceased seeks to control the living―and especially his descendants―from beyond the grave.Rachel calls them "zombies." The legal term for such inheritance plans is "the dead hand," the English translation of the Old French term "mortmain." The term refers to the attempt by wealthy individuals to exert perpetual ownership over property (and future generations) through legal documents prepared before they die. But not even the most obsessed tycoon or his skilled attorneys can foresee every future contingency. To quote the old Yiddish maxim, "Man plans, and God laughs." And angry descendants sue.It's so true. Rachel suddenly finds herself representing two women―one a young widow, one an older divorcee―in a pair of nasty zombie cases where the outcome of each hinges upon a clause in a contested estate plan.Client Cyndi Mulligan is the trophy widow of the late Bert Mulligan, a billionaire entrepreneur whose last will and testament left his estate to Cyndi's unborn daughter. The challenge comes from Bert's angry first wife and her angrier only son. Their claim: Cyndi's daughter―born eleven months after Bert's death―cannot possibly be Bert's child.In the other case, Rachel represents Marsha Knight, the first wife of the wealthy founder of a women's lingerie manufacturer. Marsha has been sued by his young widow, who seeks to invalidate Marsha's divorce settlement and, in the process, impoverish her through invocation of the ancient and nearly inscrutable Rule Against Perpetuities.As the trial date approaches in each lawsuit, the threats to Rachel and her two clients begin to escalate. Zombies, as Rachel discovers, are hard to kill. And even worse, they can still kill―and where least expected.The Dead Hand is written with the verve, humor, and legal smarts that are trademark Michael Kahn.