Mad Dog Justice, by Mark Rubinstein, is the sequel to Mad Dog House which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Roddy and Danny, blood brothers, are once again involved in a morally complex situation linked with gangsters, violence and murder.
Roddy, a surgeon, and Danny, an accountant, abandon life as they know it in order to find the ones responsible for attempts on their lives and the lives of their families.
There are many hold your breath moments, cat and mouse chases and surprising twists and turns. Filled with intense and chilling moments Rubinstein delivers an action-packed, adrenaline-spiking thriller.
I hope there is more to come.nov-1410 s Brenda4,395 2,834

2.5?s

As a stressed Danny Burns was trying to explain by telephone to his wife Angela why he was working so late, why he just couldn’t come home for dinner right then – it was tax time after all – he heard something outside his office door. Angela on the other end of the line was shocked and horrified to hear what she thought were gunshots – Danny didn’t respond to her screams…

Surgeon Dr Roddy Dolan was gutted to find his best friend in intensive care in hospital – the thoughts going through his mind were not good ones; the events that transpired ten months ago may well have caught up with them at last. And when a police detective by the name of Morgan began to ask deeply probing questions, Roddy was sure their futures were non-existent – or at least going to be very different to what they were used to.

As Roddy and Danny scrambled to send their families away, to hide themselves in various unobtrusive ways, it seemed the hunters were getting closer. The danger to them both, plus to their families was escalating. And hovering in the background was the presence of Morgan – what were they to do? Could they find the killer or killers themselves before it was too late?

The plot of Mad Dog Justice looked good, the look at the depth of friendship between Roddy and Danny and the way their relationship became strained, almost to breaking point – almost to one betraying the other – was great. But I’m afraid the continual repetition of events, being told to the reader over and over irritated me incredibly. It was as if the author felt the need to tell us the facts again, and again, so we would remember the plot…

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
2014-release arc net-galley ...more5 s Dan SantosAuthor 9 books20

I seriously need to either start reading some bad books, or stop reading Mark Rubinstein; one of the two.

“Mad Dog Justice” is the story of two friends who test the bonds of their lifelong friendship against society’s values and mores. Childhood friends Roddy and Danny have done something terrible: they’ve committed murder. Whether or not their victims deserved to die, they planned and carried out a vile execution style murder. If someone finds out what they did, they will go to jail for sure.

NYPD Detective Harvey Morgan is trying to find out why someone is trying to kill the two friends. HIs experienced detective nose tells him that there is something amiss. He suspects that the friends are hiding something that could clarify the unexplained attack on Danny, and at least one more mysterious killing that appears to be totally unrelated. There is no doubt someone is after Roddy and Danny. Is it the Russian Mafia? Is it the Italian mob? Can they just hide and wait for everything to return to normal; or, must they try find out who’s sending the hitmen. Can the friends stop the mystery killers on their own, without going to the police?

It’s a great plot with an incredibly surprising ending. Just for that, for its entertainment value, Mark Rubinstein deserves high praise. At the risk of sounding an infomercial: but wait, there’s more, lots more.

“Mad Dog Justice has tremendous literary quality. Rubinstein weaves words and thoughts as a Flemish artist would lovingly craft the world-famous Chantilly lace: “Crossing the bridge, necklaces of red and white lights slink languorously in the distance. Lower Manhattan’s crenellated wall of glittering lights looms just beyond the bridge and reflects on the inky waters below.” Amazing visuals! That sort of wordsmithing injects a conceptual photograph into the reader’s brain. Is it because the author is a psychiatrist who understands the manipulation of the brain; or is it that the psychiatrist has pupated inside the chrysalis into literary genius?

Here’s another one: “Beneath a somber sky, Roddy looks out over the Atlantic. [now listen to these sounds] The water roils and sloshes against the rocks below. Clumps of green and brown seaweed float in swirling eddies on the foaming surface.” This artistry is by design, not accident.

I had the first taste of his incredible talent in “Love Gone Mad,” when he describes Megan’s mad dash through a supermarket: “Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck bristle. She feels, rather than sees, a shadow behind her, and a cold, sickening feeling pervades her. Her insides shudder. She whirls around.”

Rubinstein refined his mastery further in “The Foot Soldier,” his novella about the Vietnam War: “The thoughts vanished when a spray of dirt slapped onto my face and a bullet whined past my head. My body nearly went into a spasm, and I felt a desperate need to keep firing amidst frantic yelling and the thunder of weaponry everywhere.”

“Mad Dog Justice” is the crowning jewel that will ensure that future generations will describe Mark Rubinstein in the laudatory terms the world reserved for a Hemingway, a Truman Capote or a Leon Uris. The difference is that it's happening today, right before our very eyes. As readers, we have that rare honor of witnessing an epic explosion of greatness. Be prepared to be WOWED!

All I can say is: “Thanks, Mark Rubinstein for the singular honor of being entertained by your artistry and genius.”4 s FranAuthor 47 books133

Mad Dog Justice: Mark Rubinstein

Roddy Dolan and Danny Burns were best friends until they weren’t. What happens to cause more than just a rift between these two men reverts back to a deal they made with a loan shark and a friend that was out to scam them both? Roddy is a well renowned surgeon and Danny an accountant. Their friendship goes back to when they were teens. Danny was smart, never really accepted by the tough or cool kids and Roddy with his Mad Dog attitude would step in and handle anything that might come Danny’s way. Roddy and Danny developed a friendship that bound them and fostered loyalty, trust and faithfulness until it did not. Roddy and Danny were blindsided or shall I say Roddy was because his friend decided to get into bed with a loan shark and an old friend who was linked to the mob. From the author of Mad Dog House comes the next chapter in the lives of Roddy and Danny as they reflect on what they did in the past, their childhood memories and their friendship know tangles on a short string or as delicate as a piece of blown glass as the haunting past of one incident comes back and smacks them in the face. Kenny Egan reentered their lives and convinced Danny to want to invest in a restaurant named McLaughlin’s. Eager to make some money and wanting Roddy to be in on the partnership, Danny does a certain amount of due diligence in order to make sure that the deal is legitimate and that the funds that Kenny will invest in this restaurant come from a sound and reliable source. But, sometimes people want to believe a truth even if it’s a lie and they don’t see things clearly and become embroiled in something that is so tangled, convoluted and distorted that the end result is terrifying.

As the deal goes through and the two partner with Kenny a third man enters who is attached to the Russian mob. When funds are allocated and the business seems to soar no one sees what is really happening behind the scenes. Lies, betrayals, disloyalty and fear rise to the top as Kenny admits where the money came from and the end result will tear Roddy and Danny’s friendship and lives apart. When the truth comes out and a man named Grange threatens the two men and wants his money at all costs and they realize he will bleed them more then dry what they do will bring back Roddy’s days as a Mad Dog and remind readers that he was a difficult teen who wound up in the army instead of jail and got lucky. But, will he be able to hide what he and Danny did to both Kenny and Grange as the story begins and the past comes full circle and hits them in the face in the present.

Someone is on to what they did and someone wants to take them both out. Danny is critically wounded and winds up in the hospital and as Roddy enters the parking garage of his hospital someone is waiting to take him out too. But, a case of mistaken identity and being in the wrong parking spot at the wrong time, leads to the death of another doctor and close friend. As the two friends devise a plan to figure out who might be behind what is happening a police detective named Morgan investigating the death and the shooting seems sure that both Roddy and Danny are hiding the truth and he will do anything it takes to uncover what they claim they do not know.

Each time they are questioned the tension rises, their bodies seem to react and Danny’s breathing is hampered. Roddy comes up with different excuses and decides that Danny betrayed him and knew about Kenny’s link to Grange and the mob and is determined to save his own hide and protect his family. But, things get out of hand and threats are made as both men realize their family’s are in danger and they need to be somewhere safe. As Angela, Danny’s wife seems to know just so much and is unhappy but not totally aware of her husband’s deceptions, Tracy, Roddy’s wife learns more than must the harsh truth about the restaurant, his involvement, the disappearance of Kenny Egan and then from another source about the man that came to his house and scared his daughter, Sandy. As one wife seems to be trying to adjust another wants nothing to do with her husband.

Roaming through Brooklyn, riding the trains we see Roddy taking a downward path and running from himself, his life and trying to find his place in the world as the author relates his relationship with his mother’s boyfriend Horst, the tortures he endured and how he finally took care of business and got rid of this man. Remembering what he learned in the army from Sergeant Dawson the author relates the lessons and how Roddy would use what he learned to survive in the present. But, ultimatums are not something that Roddy takes lightly and when things spiral out of control Danny states his point and gives him one week to find a solution to their problems before it goes to the police and confesses.

Each character deals with the present in different ways. Danny eats himself into oblivion causing his asthma to flare up at times, his skin felt milk that curled and his entire body seemed to be heading on a downward slope. As Dan’s genes the author shares might be gearing up for a massive heart attack, Roddy recounts how his father wound up in jail and he might follow suit. With his mother’s boyfriend taking it on him and his life going sliding downward, Roddy’s marriage is the next casualty when Tracy learns the hidden truth or what he claims is the hidden truth behind what happened to Kenny Egan and the restaurant deal. Both characters searching for acceptance and hoping that they would rise above what they think they have become. Danny the pudgy faced young boy and Roddy the tough guy from Brooklyn. But, things get more tense as both men start to piece things together and another life is sacrificed but who and why? Friendships, trust, loyalties and families are tested to the limit as one friend pits himself against another and the fear of being betrayed is just one phone call away.

When Danny threatens to tell it all to the police and come clean with Morgan will Roddy stand by and allow it to happen? Thinking it through both men come up with several common denominators and when they reduce the fraction the one common denominator is revealed and just how they will take this fractional part down you just won’t believe. Fear, and the need for retribution rise to the top and the anger that festered inside Roddy brings out Mad Dog once more.

When one man is confronted you won’t believe what the end result will be as both Danny and Roddy take one more step closer to what might be his own brand of Mad Dog Justice. Will they survive? Will Tracy ever forgive Roddy? What will happen if she and Angela ever learn the stark truth behind what really happened to Grange and Kenny? Whose life will be sacrificed in order to save theirs once more? An ending that will pose many questions and leave some unanswered as once again author Mark Rubenstein takes us deep inside the minds of two men so different yet so a whose final fate is still in the hands of one man: THE AUTHOR! MAD DOG JUSTICE: You won’t believe what happens as once again we wait with bated breath for the dramatic conclusion.
Fran Lewis: reviewer


2 s Sarah Wynker294 143

*I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange of a honest review*

The memory of what Roddy Dolan and his friend Danny Burns nicknamed the Snapper Pond is still haunting them. Yet, both suppose that this “accident” is buried deep in the past and will never resurface. They’re dead wrong.

As a stressed out Danny argued over the phone with his wife Angela, an armed man breaks into his office and shot him twice. Thankfully, Danny’s wounds weren’t fatal, but for his friend Roddy, the message is clear: the events of the Snapper Pond are going to get back at them.

His foreboding is confirmed, when a day after his friend’s attempted murder, his work colleague Walt Mckay receives a shot that was meant for him and subsequently passed away.

Roddy and Danny feel cornered from every side. Someone is trying to kill them and will potentially attack their family as well, they can’t tell their wives what is going on and they can’t seek protection from the police either.

When the two friends talk or think about the Snapper Pond, they aren’t remembering an embarrassing event, or an unfortunate accident, but rather a murder scene.

Nowadays, Roddy works as a surgeon, live in the suburb, drive a nice car and have a lovely family. Before that, he was a sergeant in the army, but before he entered the army and turned his life around, Roddy was known as The Mad Dog in those Brooklyn streets where criminality is rampant.

Even after he headed toward a better path in life, Roddy still kept in contact with some of his old pal.

He and Danny decided to do some business with one of them, Kenny Egan. Nothing truly illegal, they became his silent partner in a restaurant investment. Unfortunately, for them, Kenny was a low class scum and made them lose money big time. At the end of the day, some loan shark John Grange reclaimed a million from them.

Both realized that this sum wouldn’t be enough to mollify Grange and they would be forever indebted to him. So, they eventually killed him. The night they took out Grange, they also sent Kenny to the grave. And the whole thing became known as “Snapper Pond” between the surgeon and the accountant.

We all know that murder doesn’t rhyme with police, that’s why the two childhood friends can’t do no confession. And they better avoid telling their wives of their first degree crime if they want to avoid divorce papers and a possibility that their secret get blown out.

To add more misfortune to their misery, Detective Harvey Morgan is on their case, and tries to squeeze a confession out of them with his sharp questions.

I was truly impressed by the description in Mad Dog Justice. It was very clear and precise.

The characters were all able and relatable. Well, except for Morgan. I know the guy was just doing his job and he was doing it in the name of justice. But god, he was so annoying about it. His nosiness and cockiness were insufferable. The less we saw him, the better I felt.

My personal preference character wise leans toward Danny. His guilt over the murder and his inner turmoil were just so believable. You could truly feel his pain. I couldn’t help feeling bad for him and wishing he would get the peace he was seeking. I also hoped he and Robby wouldn’t land in jail.

There were a few thingss that bothered me in the storyline, though. Many scenes carried the same scenario.

Furthermore, Robbie kept mentioning the mafia, the Russian underground, the Asian gangs, but in the end, none of them appeared in the book.

I was disappointed by that, because I truly expected that criminal goons would make their entrance, that there would be some vendetta Godfather style, that Robbie would meet up with some people from his old crowd and that they would talk “business” in order to get him out of the mess he was in. But no, there was none of the mafia “stuff” I’m fond of and that I craved to see.

Mad Dog Justice was definitely a tension filled book. However, it was lacking in the action department. That’s why to me, instead of being great, it was merely good.





2 s Deborah414 36

Mad Dog Justice is the sequel to Mad Dog House. I had already read Mad Dog House and had not been impressed. Mark Rubinstein is a physician, as is his lead character Roddy Dolan; his choice to use medical terminology was, therefore, understandable but nevertheless out of place in what was intended to be a mob thriller. Mad Dog House was also far too long, with Dolan reflecting in practically every chapter about how much he loved his family and how fortunate he had been to become a surgeon living the good life after than a less-than-auspicious childhood.

In Mad Dog Justice, Rubinstein's dialogue has become a little more natural, but the repetitive lecturing remains. It is a better book than its predecessor, but therein lies its main problem. Mad Dog Justice does not stand alone well. Although Rubinstein tries, with only partial success, to blend in the back story from Mad Dog House, one really needs to have read that book first for this one to make sense, yet most readers will abandon the series after the first book, rather than taking a chance on Mad Dog Justice. Rubinstein is clearly improving but not quickly enough to justify any more of my time.

I received a free copy of Mad Dog Justice through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.netgalley own2 s Linda1,017 40

The book was a quick and enjoyable read. The surgeon and the accountant were targeted by hit men, but they did not know why. For which of their of their indiscretions were they and their families in danger. They had to handle their trouble without police intervention because of past bad acts. While trying to not get themselves killed or arrested, they told their wives lies in an attempt to save their marriages.

I d the plot. It was easy to follow without being simple. The author's writing mechanics were good except for too much filler. I recommend the book which was recommended to me by Bookbub at a special price.

The book could have been a four star read if the author had cleaned up the language and deleted some of the stalking scenes. Too much time was given to Roddy's being followed by hit men, especially when it did not move the story along. The private conversations between Roddy and Dan were full of unnecessary filthy language. So much so that I nearly quit reading the book at the first barrage of vulgarity. To the author's credit, he did not pen tawdry sex into the book. There was adequate mystery to keep me reading.

Thank you, Mr. Rubinstein, for a good read.2 s Cathy Cuomo werner3

I love the Mad Dog books by Mark Rubinstein! They are engaging, smart and an easy read. My only problem is that I have to slow myself down from reading them so make the suspense last longer! I look forward to more from Mark!
Mad Dog Justice a continuation of of the Mad Dog series(?) Its visiting old friends and catching up on what they are doing.. 2 s Sherri1,157 19

If you are looking for an book that not only has a great storyline, but is also action-packed with unforgettable characters, then look no further than Mad Dog Justice. Very good book.... I look forward to reading more by this author.2 s Bill54 4

I won a paperback copy of “Mad Dog Justice”, a suspense novel by Mark Rubinstein, on Goodreads.com and am obligated to give an honest review. I gave it a rating of 3+ stars.

“Mad Dog Justice” is the sequel to “Mad Dog House”. Enough backstory is furnished here so that a reader needn’t read the first book to get up to speed. However, as I was reading, I found myself wishing I’d read the two books in order.

Surgeon Roddy Dolan is shocked to learn his lifelong buddy, accountant Danny Burns, has been shot at his office in an apparent robbery attempt which, on further examination, is actually a botched hit by unknown parties.

When a business associate of Dr. Dolan is gunned down instead of Roddy himself, the two friends are convinced the violent attacks stem from a harrowing ordeal (detailed in “Mad Dog House”) ten months ago in which desperate circumstances involving the Mob and Russians forced them to kill two men at a deserted location and bury the bodies.

Since that nightmare event Roddy and Danny have drifted apart, keeping their secret and each one increasingly suspicious that the other one was the trigger that started their lives unraveling. Now, intense scrutiny directed at them by Detective Harvey Morgan only escalates the tension between the two as they try to determine who wants them dead and why, all the while trying to stay alive and protect their families.

Roddy and Danny are forced to move their unsuspecting families out of harm’s way, as well as hide out in separate locations themselves. While Danny is laid up recovering from his wounds, Robby must traverse New York City searching for clues about the killers on their trail. He’s suspicious of everyone he sees. A visit to an old acquaintance leads to another grisly death.

Roddy’s caught in a tense cat-and-mouse game with several apparent thugs. I was disappointed by the lack of any real confrontation along the way. The two buddies finally solve the complex puzzle and confront the greedy mastermind who’s destroyed their lives. They wring a confession from him in a gruesome scene that ends unsatisfactorily for me.

Reunited with their families and out of hiding, all seems to be well until an unexpected twist threatens to hurl their lives right back into terror-filled chaos. This highly unly turn of events seems to be the impetus for a third book in the series.

This novel is a smoothly written thriller by a doctor and psychiatrist who knows how to create terror and suspense. It races along at a breakneck pace. The author makes good use of "italized" thoughts, especially in the first part, to ramp up the mounting tension. I would have preferred to see more action along the way between Roddy and his stalkers. Greater involvement of the two families would have been a bonus. In summary, a good read that’ll grab your attention and not let go until the very end.1 Matt752 566

3? stars of 5.

The second (and probably last) part of the Mad Dog stories takes place about 10 months after the first: Roddy Dolan and Danny Burns went back to their jobs as surgeon and accountant resp. When one day Danny got shot in his office and a little later a colleague of Roddy is murdered, it's clear to both of them, that no grass has grown over the events at Snapper Pond. Who is now out there to get them, and why? I don't think I reveal too much when I say that these questions will be resolved in the end. But until then our heroes will have a rough ride. While hunted by villains and harassed by the police, their lifelong friendship is put to the test as well as the relationship with their respective wives and children.

All in all, I have read the third thriller novel by Mark Rubinstein with great pleasure. The story holds water, despite its pace, and the two main characters, friends through thick and thin (actually it should say thick and thicker) are credible. My favorite minor character is that of Detective Morgan. Just an evil jack-in-the-box he keeps popping up and starts nagging. Marvelous! The story takes place in the state and the city of New York and its suburbs. Because some real street addresses, names of bars, and so on, are mentioned, I have allowed myself the fun, and visited these places virtually in Google StreetView. As far as I can tell, the descriptions in the book match the reality perfectly. A good book this just requires a good research of localities.

Two things, however, would have made the book even better for me:

The bad guys didn't get enough chance to speak. That was different in the first book. The same is true for Roddy's wife Tracy. Their relationship is on the line, and I would have d more input from Tracy, or perhaps even from their children.

Important for MAD DOG JUSTICE are the events from the first book MAD DOG HOUSE. Those events are partially reviewed in MDJ, so that newcomers can understand the second book without having to read the first one. So far, so good ... for the newcomers. But I, as an old-timer, could remember MDH too well, so some passages of MDJ were old news to me. This proves one more time, that such a balancing act between continuation and independence is hard to achieve.

I'm hoping this new novel finds many readers. I'm already looking forward to the next Rubinstein (intentionally leaving out the word book here, out of respect for the author's work).


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareA 3.0 Unported License. media-ebooks1 Amy (Lost in a Good Book)718 67

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

This is the second book in the series but Rubinstein writes it in such a way that you don't need to have read the first in order to understand what is happening or who these guys are. Through conversations, flashbacks, thoughts, and memories the events in the first book are explained fairly well so that nothing is left unanswered or confusing for the reader. If you haven't read the first book ( I hadn't), then a great air of mystery is present having not known the past and you seek to find out something that the main characters already know about, but this does not take anything away from the book it simply adds curiosity on our part and a desire to find out.

Roddy as a character is curious, he is rough around the edges at times, and comes off as a little bit needy. Whilst on the run he laments often about his wife, every woman he meets reminds him of her in some arbitrary way, and it gets a bit much at times. Donny, on the other hand, tries to suppress his moral dilemma and the fear of being hunted by persons unknown and prays a lot in order to justify to himself their past actions.

The way Rubinstein has constructed the narrative is clever and with realism. Hiding from questioning police, running away from friends and family, while also trying to track down potential killers is a lot harder that it seems, especially in the modern world and Rubinstein explores that.

With Roddy and Donny unsure exactly why it is they are being targeted, it adds a great element to the story. As readers we do not know, and as characters they have theories but are not certain, leading to assumptions being made and stress and panic over past behaviour. Even when their theories are eventually revealed, there is still a great suspense just in the fact that they are uncertain and it shows that the explanation and the story itself may not be as simple as it first looked.

I enjoyed how Rubinstein chose to end this story, after the events in the book and the actions of Roddy and Donny it was unexpected but not displeasing and it suited the story wonderfully. The story is clever and real but is also filled with danger and mystique that makes real life a little bit more interesting and certainly not as simple as it appears.

A longer version of this review was published on my blog https://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/2...owned1 Jim1,106 16

The continuing story from the previous novel, "Mad Dog House", author Mark Rubenstein has crafted another gritty, dark, and suspenseful tale. "Mad Dog Justice", again features as it's protagonist, Dr. Roddy "Mad Dog" Dolan, and his boyhood friend CPA wizard Danny Burns. Roddy and Danny had thought their business with Richard Grange and Associates had ended in the first book. But for the guys "The juice is running" and they don't realize it. First Danny is badly hurt in a shooting that occurred one night at his CPA office. Roddy is very concerned they are dealing with a situation they cannot fathom. Local Yonkers P.D. Detective Harvey Morgan is investigating shooting at Danny's office. Morgan is an extremely sharp detective and realizes Danny and Roddy are refusing to come clean with info on this case. Then second, in the parking garage at hospital Roddy is parked next to anesthesiologist Walt McKay which for Walt is a bad thing. An old Chevy rolls up on the two doctors and when shots are fired from the Chevy, McKay is killed not Dolan. Both Danny and Roddy now further deepen the mess they are in by not filling in their families with the real horror story. Each must send their family off for protection. Detective Morgan is a dog with a bone. At every turn and corner he's there pumping Danny and Roddy for answers. When things start to get back to Roddy's wife Tracy, the damage may be permanent to their marriage. As Tracy says, "Roddy, we're so over". As is the case with the first book, this is a lightning face pace read. The riveting story is just impossible to put down at times. This story is complete with some Russian gangsters, made guys from the Mafia, and a balcony or two that's not too safe. In depth and very colorful characters sure do drive this story. Never a dull moment withing the many moving parts of the plot. The book is very addicting to the point of wanting to just keep on reading one more chapter, then one more again, and again. This one delivers for those who enjoy dark gritty crime novels. Especially when the good guys and bad guys can intertwine. I'm really wondering what happens next. Will story continue ? Hopefully a third book will come out continuing from these first two. Highly recommended, "Mad Dog House", and "Mad Dog Justice" are max thrillers not to be missed. five stars out of a possible fives stars. It's too bad I could not gives these two books six stars each ! Grab 'em fast and enjoy. 20151 Luccia GrayAuthor 11 books108

I enjoyed Mad Dog House so much, I couldn’t wait to read the sequel, Mad Dog Justice, and read it in two days. Unfortunately I had other things to do, otherwise I would have finished it in just one day!
Although I would strongly recommend reading both, preferably in the order they were written, it can be read alone, but that would be a great pity.
Mad Dog Justice takes up almost a year after the events narrated in the first book. The two ‘blood brothers’, Roddy and Danny, are once again thrown into a physically dangerous and morally complex situation, including mafia, gangsters, money laundering, violence, and murder.
They will have to give up everything they have: families, jobs, and risk their lives, in order to recover the privileged and comfortable, middle-class lives they had worked so hard to build for themselves, after managing to leave behind their disadvantaged and traumatic childhoods in Brooklyn.
It’s an exciting read, which is not meant for the faint-hearted! There are plenty of pursuits along the streets of NY, as ruthless, unknown killers hunt them down. Once more the climax is surprising and well unraveled, and the end is satisfactory.
The friendship between the two main characters is powerfully depicted, as we revisit their troubled minds once again. The respectable surgeon and the ambitious accountant, not only have to deal emotionally with past events, they also have to deal with their present daunting dilemma.
Readers are again challenged, through empathy with the main characters, to confront our views of what is right and wrong, and decide how far we are prepared to go to defend and protect our families, and our lifestyle. An even harder choice than in the first installment, because there are more lies, there is more danger, and there are more innocent people affected.
Mark Rubinstein is an exceptional writer of action-packed stories, which include well-written descriptions, vibrant dialogues, illuminating interior monologue, and pulsating action, throughout.
1 Todd77 2

Thriller mystery with an ending that leaves the reader wondering what happens next.

This mystery thriller centers around two lifetime friends (Danny and Roddy) trying to cope with the aftermath of a murder they committed. When Danny is shot and then an attempt is made on Roddys life they begin to peace together who is behind the threat. A determined police detective is hot on their trail and putting together the pieces of this mystery in a hurry. Will they get away with murder? Will they be killed? Read the book to find out.

This book is the sequel to a prior novel, a fact I was not aware of when I began to read the book. While there were a few gaps in the book (ly due to not having read the prior book) I still found this book to be enjoyable and fairly well paced. The writer has a very unique style that on occasion tended to distract from the overall enjoyment as well as some continuity issues. For example at the end of one chapter Danny is arriving at a hotel to plan something, then the next chapter starts and the event has already taken place, Danny is now with Roddy and they are half way across the State. It took me half of that chapter to understand what was going on. I felt as if an entire chapter had been left out.

Even with those issues, the writer still shows great promise and an ability to paint a vivid picture for the reader. The storyline is well thought out and plausible with an ending that screams for yet another follow up novel. For the price point this book is worth reading. 1 Babus Ahmed792 67

Danny is shot in his office while he's on the phone to his wife, a few days later a doctor working at the hospital his best friend works at is shot too, the bullets in both shootings match but why would anyone try to kill Danny and his best-friend and blood brother Roddy? To cap it off Detective Morgan suspects that Danny and Roddy are up to their necks in something illegal and, a dog with a bone, he won't let it go.

I really enjoyed this mystery/suspense thriller, I enjoyed the characterisations and the friendship between Danny and Roddy. Roddy, a general surgeon, undergoes a metamorphosis from a working surgeon to a very able investigator during the course of the book. The investigative path they both take was enthralling and kept the plot interesting and the conclusion was not completely predictable. There were points in the book where a good editing could have reduced some of the unnecessary repetition, but although this is a sequel I had no difficulty reading it without having read the first book. I was jolted by a jump in the plot: one chapter Danny is planning a visit to ply someone with laxatives and the next the whole encounter is concluded, which was a shame as I would have d to have been a fly on the wall at that meeting.

However, the book was strong enough to emerge from the cons and still be a cracking read. I really am looking forward to the next one and am missing Roddy and Danny already. 1 Stacey256 1 follower

Thank you to Goodreads First Reads and to author Mark Rubinstein for my good fortune to win a copy of Mad Dog Justice. This was a terrific suspenseful thriller, starting on page one and never letting up. Two professional men, a surgeon and an accountant, best friends since childhood, find themselves in the middle of a situation that they can't seem to get out of. And, our heroes are running for their lives. The problem is who is trying to kill them and why? To make matters worse, they fear for the safety of their families as well. Danny, the accountant, is starting to unravel and wants to go to the police, but because of an event that took place a year earlier, that is the last thing that will help them. Although that event took place in an earlier book, it was covered well in this book making it totally stand alone. The characters were well developed and it was easy to identify with the stress and fear they were under. The plot was terrific, and the book was very well written. I enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more by this terrific author. I highly recommend this book!first-reads1 Barb197 4

This book is a great fast-paced novel that keeps you guessing on who the 'bad guy' is. It is the second one in a series and I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if I had read the first book ahead of this one (as I wanted more details on the reason the men were being targeted by killers), but it does stand alone quite well (we did get more information throughout the course of the book).
I was expecting a book that was a lot more 'fluff', but this is a smart well-written novel. A recommended read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.1 Collette Mcgaahan878 4

The characters are able and the descriptive parts of the story very clear. I felt I was in New York on that subway carriage!
I would have given the book a five star rating but for one gripe...It felt there had been one chapter written then removed and I can't say more than that really or it might be a spoiler. It didn't detract from the story however and I would recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller.....enjoyed the ending too.1 Diane42 2

A story with secrets that could break the trust between a man and his wife and two men that have been friends since childhood. Paranoia starts to set in and people are being murdered. Do the secrets remain secret and is trust restored? It's a pretty quick read, so if you want to know check it out!1 Eddy BryantAuthor 3 books14

I received this book as a first reads from good reads and the author. I did not read the first book in the series, but it was easy to follow without it. It was a very good thriller. Highly recommended. Now I need to pick up a copy of his first mad dog novel. first-reads1 Cathleen Ryan2 2

Enjoyed tremendously. Need a third to see what happens when the building of condos begins!1 chelepissbcglobal.net263 6

Fantastic book.

An action filled book that gets better with each and every page. Great characters, great story, great book. A must read.1 Allen Jaszcar8 1 follower

An excellent mystery murder novel.

One of those books you can't put down. Well written. Fast paced and action packed. The characters are brought to life in a reLationship way 1 Tulay1,202 2

Lies and more lies.

Greed, murders and Russian mobs. Promises, but never kept between husbands and wives. Too many repeated sentences. If you have time maybe you'll this book. 1 Lois323 10

Just as thrilling as its predecessor, Mad Dog House, at the hands of noted physician and psychiatrist Mark Rubinstein, comes Mad Dog Justice: A Novel, a tale of running from the recrimination that follows on the heels of the murder of a loan shark, whose untimely end one might have thought was inevitable. However, when it is the so-called ‘good guys’ that perpetrate what could be called ‘street justice’ is the crime involved any less heinous and devastating for those who are left behind? Not, it seems, when it involves the uprooting of entire families and the disruption of the workplace. When does order become reduced to mayhem, and when does law, or, at least, taking the law into one’s own hands, become disorder and chaos?

As one might expect from such a professional practitioner of the arts, the questions surrounding ethics that lie at the heart of Mad Dog Justice make it far more intriguing than a mere thriller or everyday detective story. Though the pulse does quicken and the blood and sweat do pour forth, this novel is much more than a quick read. The tension of the plot does sweep one onwards and away from the mundanity of everyday existence, but there is a depth to this work on which one can dwell for some time.

Who to trust, and who to distrust, and whether trust is possible at all in a world that is torn apart by violence is a core issue of Mad Dog Justice. In one of the few places in the book where the philosophical depth underlying the psyche of the leading protagonist is shown, the uncertainty of the daily stresses that flummox us all is revealed: “…when it comes to people and money and greed, you never know. When money is at stake, plenty of people lose their sanity. They no longer act rationally. You just can’t know what drives people to do what they do in this world.” And who better than a psychiatrist and medical professional to tell us that?

This work should appeal to all those who enjoy a great escapist read, with the haunting anxiety that besets the lead characters being disturbing enough to make one’s flesh crawl. You’ll no doubt heave a sigh of relief at the end of the book, but then be itching for more of the same. Mad Dog Justice: A Novel is an intoxicating read that will have you hankering for more … guaranteed!
David Layne42 2

Once it's been done it's constants how the anti-hero feel after a compltely unexpected

Adventure takes over the lives of these lifelong friends. They both came. BrooKlyn but hard, -work and great families turned it all around for the DR. and the accountant. Besties thru life.and then it almost took it all away with murder s and mayhem and I it seems to all be
Taken care of when there are things coming that might just read the lives apart,again. Read it I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did!!



Pat Pullum385 8

Roddy and Danny, though from different backgrounds, are unexpectedly the hunted. Someone is after them and they wonder why they have become prey.
Unfortunately, though well written, this book was not for me.
I do thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. Dawn Thomas1,031 5

Mad Dog Justice Mad Dog Trilogy Book 1 by Mark Rubinstein

328 Pages
Publisher: Thunder Lake Press, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Member’s Titles
Release Date: September 1, 2014

Fiction (Adult), Racketeering, Money Laundering, Brooklyn, Murder

Roddy “Mad Dog” Dolan, a prominent surgeon and his childhood friend, Danny Burns, an accountant are on the run. Danny was shot while sitting in his office. Next, a doctor who resembled Roddy was shot and killed. They do not know if these actions were related to the events of the past year involving their silent partnership in a restaurant or something else entirely.

As with the first book, the story takes place in a short time frame, but it feels slow. There are a lot of repetition of Roddy’s reminiscing. The characters are somewhat developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. Again, as in the first book, Roddy spends a lot of time reflecting on his childhood and his time with the Army Rangers. I d the concept of the story but felt it could have been delivered better. I enjoyed this book more than the first book. Michelle1,471

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