By: Amanda Peck
In legal thrillers, few authors bring the same level of authenticity and insider knowledge as Mike Papantonio. Known for his gripping DEKE series, Papantonio leverages over four decades of legal experience to craft stories as informative as they are thrilling. His latest novel, Suspicious Activity, continues this tradition, offering readers a window into the complexities and challenges of the legal system.
In this interview, Papantonio discusses what sets Suspicious Activity apart from other legal thrillers, the delicate balance between entertainment and education in his storytelling, and the real-world implications of the pursuit of justice depicted in his books. He also shares insights into his meticulous research process and gives a sneak peek into his next project, which tackles the pressing issue of antitrust price fixing. Join us as we delve into the mind of one of the genre’s most compelling voices.
In legal thrillers, what do you believe sets Suspicious Activity apart from other works in the genre?
Mike: For more than 40 years, I have practiced law in an area that writers sometimes have difficulty fully understanding from a sense of realism. The entire series of DEKE novels is driven by cases taken from my file cabinets. It is the equivalent of inside baseball reporting.
As an author, how do you balance entertaining readers with suspenseful storytelling and provoking thought on real-world issues?
Mike: It is always my goal to have readers, hopefully, as they are being entertained, constantly question the line between fact and fiction. In a perfect world, I feel that the book would be successful if the readers found themselves researching issues that were troublesome to them.
The pursuit of justice is a central theme in Suspicious Activity. What message or takeaway do you hope readers will glean from the book regarding the quest for justice in today’s society?
Mike: It is our nature to believe that governmental agencies such as the DEA, DOJ, FDA, EPA, and SEC are fully functional and there to protect us as consumers. That type of belief gives us great comfort. However, the truth is that most of those agencies have been commandeered by a quality of corporate influence that very often makes them barely viable. We want to believe that the cavalry is always right over the hill. The DEKE books, hopefully, in a subtle way, make the reader understand that in real life, the cavalry may not be coming and that perhaps we collectively need to save ourselves.
What research or preparation did you undertake to ensure the legal aspects of the story were accurate and plausible?
Mike: Since the entire series of DEKE books have been created from actual facts directly from cases I’ve handled, the authenticity of events becomes easier to promote.
Finally, can you offer any insights or teasers for readers eagerly anticipating your next project after Suspicious Activity?
Mike: The next book in the DEKE series will be based on antitrust price fixing. It is based on a national case that has been filed to correct the problem that consumers face when they have to decide whether they should pay for food for their family or pay for the insulin that keeps them alive.
Download: “Suspicious Activity: A Legal Thriller“.
Published By: Aize Perez
