Synopsis

Mike Papantonio is a novelist who knows his material only too well. One of America’s top plaintiff’s lawyers, Pap – as he’s called by friends and colleagues – has taken on the tobacco companies, the automotive industry, and more. His new legal thriller, LAW AND ADDICTION (Waterside Productions; April 2019), is based on his experiences fighting Big Pharma on behalf of hundreds of American communities devastated by the opioid crisis.

As the book opens, readers meet Jake Rutledge a week before his law school graduation. Jake is shattered. His fraternal twin, Blake, has died suddenly of a drug overdose. Devastated by the loss, Jake returns to his hometown of Oakley, West Virginia to discover that Blake was not the only one addicted to opioid pain killers. The entire region has been ravished by an epidemic insidiously planned and carried out by America’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.

Still wet-behind-the-ears, the newly-minted lawyer is determined to seek justice not only for Blake, but for all the victims of Big Pharma’s greed. He quickly discovers, though, that he can’t do it alone. The drug companies’ tentacles reach far and deep. The only hope is to entice a seasoned pro like the indomitable Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis to join the battle. A partner at one of the country’s most powerful law firms, Deke’s “as tough as a two-dollar steak” and well-known for his winning tactics against corporate wrong-doers. With just enough persistence, Jake coaxes Deke to visit Oakley to see first-hand why the once thriving town is now called Zombieland. Deke is overwhelmed by the devastation and agrees to join forces with Jake.

And that’s when the real heat begins. Death threats, bribes, unlawful property seizure schemes – all connected to the massive distribution of both legal and illegal drugs. Everyone is impacted from the highest levels of corporate America to corrupt local officals to their lackeys and hapless victims. The complexity of the schemes is overwhelming.

But there is hope. Working tirelessly, the lawyers begin to uncover the truth. Along the way, Jake falls for a local woman, a former high school classmate who’s succumbed to the power of opioids. With his support, she weans herself off the drugs and the future looks bright – until Jake suddenly disappears. Has he abandoned her and his crusade? Can the case against the drug distributors move forward without him? Will Oakley and its residents survive? Mike Papantonio has created a fast-paced thriller that will keep readers glued to the page. LAW AND ADDICTION is real drama about real life – a book that reveals the truth through expert story-telling.

About the Author

Mike Papantonio is a crusader who uses fiction to entertain and inform readers about some of the most pressing issues of our times. In each of his legal thrillers – from Law and Disorder to Law and Vengence, and now LAW AND ADDICTION – he lays bare the conspiracies and white-collar crimes that hurt ordinary Americans. A senior partner at Levin Papantonio, he’s taken on Big Pharma, tobacco companies, and the automobile industry, among others. One of the youngest trial lawyers to have been inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, Papantonio is also a distinguished media presence as one of the hosts of the syndicated Ring of Fire radio show and as the host of American Lawyer on RT America network. A skilled musician and athlete, Papantonio is based in Pensacola, Florida.

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