Bino Phillips

Bino Phillips, a tough Texan crime lawyer, links the murder of his seedy underworld client to the assassination of one of the most prominent politicians in Texas. As a result, Bino finds himself the most unpopular man in the state, but this does not stop him digging deeper into the rotten heart of Texas. His search takes him from the halls of Congress to the arms of a sexy FBI agent to the sleaziest bars in Dallas.

Bino Phillips is one of the best defenders in all Dallas. He is known for defending disreputable characters and fighting for justice-even against high political interests if necessary. For the honest but politically unpopular federal judge Emmett Burns, Bino Phillips is the last hope. Burns is about to be indicted on trumped-up charges, and his gorgeous but reckless daughter, Ann, has gotten into some trouble of her own. "Lurid, laid-back, and literate prose...Though this highly readable yarn has more than its fair share of plot twists, it's the author's tough-talking, wisecracking style that puts him at the top of the heap. With a flair reminiscent of the best of the Bogie gangster flicks, Gray presents Dallas as a place where corruption hangs out on every corner...There are double-crossers and bad guys aplenty here...This is as good as it gets, crime novel—wise."

Bino Phillips has seen his share of crime-fighting, but nothing has prepared him for the desperate search for a serial killer stalking the streets of Dallas-a serial killer that has more than the usual thirst for blood. One woman has been found, the blood sucked from her body. She and a friend, who remains missing, were to be key witnesses in Bino's defense of a young coed dealer. Now Bino finds himself in a sudden race against death, especially when the killer gets personal and targets Bino's secretary as his next victim. Used to be you could call the Feds for help. But for some reason even they're stumped by this clever would-be Dracula. "About as powerful a purveyor of hard-boiled fiction as there is on the contemporary scene...Gray paints vivid, compelling pictures of both major and minor characters...Nonstop action, sparkling dialogue, and clever plot twists add up to one helluva read." "The combination of strong characterization and frantic pacing is engaging...The killer is quite original-a combination David Koresh and your worst nightmare." "If only lawyers in the real world were more like Bino Phillips...The action jumps back and forth between Bino and the killer, who has picked Dodie as his next victim. Gray tightens the noose of suspense effectively, but, frankly, we are a lot more interested in Bino and his pals than we are in the vampire. Bino's everyday life is so much fun that we just don't have time for the exciting parts. That's high praise indeed." "Creepy, funny, and sick, with as much tension as a high-wire walk on a high-voltage wire. Shove over, Elmore Leonard."

Defending a flashy, big-time Houston lawyer who is accused of killing his wife, Dallas attorney Bino Phillips becomes involved with a sultry blues singer, a vindictive judge, and a hired killer with a cleanliness fetish. Before long Bino will uncover corruption and conspiracies perpetrated by those on both sides of the law. And with all the deals being made, Bino is left to sort it out on his own.