This book COULD have been a run of the mill legal drama. Instead it is a unique drama that pulls you in and takes you for a ride. The book is based on a medical malpractice case but don't let that fool you. You will become so involved in the characters and plot that you will stay up at night to keep reading. Andy Siegel does a great job at keeping you informed and explaining the legalese and medical technicalities you need to know and progressing the story. There are points that will make you laugh out loud and there are plot twists you don't see coming. This is a book you should read. Just make sure you set aside some time, because you aren't going to want to put it down. ( )

Suzy's Case is a rolling stone. After the plot gets a little push the action gets faster and faster. Enter Tug Wyler, personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer who defends mostly small time crooks and big shot criminals. When asked to beg off a no-win case for a colleague Wyler finds himself reluctantly giving it a second look for unprofessional reasons. When Suzy, a young sickle cell patient, is left severely brain damaged after a freak stroke every professional told her mother there was no evidence of hospital malpractice. Every expert involved swore off the case except Suzy's determined mother. If it weren't for her good looks and ever better figure Wyler would have been walking away as well. As an excuse to get closer to Suzy's beguiling mother Wyler declares there is a case and suddenly the game is on. Murder and mayhem ensue. Wyler's life is even endangered three different times.
It took me a few chapters to warm up to Siegel's main character, Tug Wyler. It was if Siegel was trying too hard to make Wyler a complete personality without letting the character development happen organically. It's almost too much too soon. Wyler comes across as a hybrid of jerk and sensitive guy. He is wisecracking and womanizing and less than ethical in his tactics to win a case. He's almost a cliche lawyer; the kind you love to hate. But, in the end you root for him because, after all that, he's one of the good guys. ( )

At one time I thought I might go to law school - its what humanities majors did. If I did go, I was sure I'd do personal injury law - it seemed like a way to write some wrongs and do some good for some people who really needed some help. I found that I didn't want to go law school so I didn't take this path, but I still find the whole realm interesting - filled as it is with sleazebuckets, people trying to cheat the system, and real victims who are victimized all over again by the veritable armies of lawyers that insurance companies and hospitals can send against them.

Suzy's Case is a medical legal thriller written by Andy Siegel who is a personal injury lawyer. His insider knowledge definitely gives the book a huge leg up. Everything that happens in this book feels believable from the tragedy of Suzy, a once highly intelligent child, trapped inside her body after heart failure and loss of oxygen to the brain as a result of a sickle cell crisis. It's heartbreaking and it's heartbreaking every time you see the child.

Initially our hero, Tug Wyler, gets the case by a referral and is told it's a loser. His goal is to get off the case so it gets dismissed. But then he meets Suzy and June, Suzy's indomitable mother, and as he digs deeper he finds that he very well may have a huge case and, for once, he might be able to represent some clients who deserve the help and the money that would come with it.

I found Suzy's Case funny and readable with just enough suspense to keep the book going. I loved all the characters, even our dubious hero who really needs to be taken into hand by someone. I hope this is the start of series because if it is - it's an awesome beginning. A highly entertaining read. ( )

You may also read my review here:http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/07/suzys-case-by-andy-siegel.html

Tug Wyler is a personal injury lawyer who has taken on cases for a high powered criminal attorney, Henry Benson. The problem is, part of the deal with taking these cases, is they’re sight unseen and more often than not put Tug in unenviable positions with his client. Usually these cases involve felons trying to commit insurance fraud, and Tug would rather get reprimanded by the Office of Professional Conduct than represent this kind of client. However, when Benson hands him Suzy Williams’ file, he has no idea that this will be a very different kind of case, one that he’ll want to see through, even if it destroys his career.

Suzy’s Case begins with the incident in the hospital that supposedly led to Suzy’s current condition, six years later. Suzy Williams has sickle cell anemia, which, through complications, has led to her current condition, which is severe cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia. Also, her intellectual development has been compromised, and she only functions at a 2 year old level. The intro read a bit awkwardly to me, but once we got past that and onto Tug’s narrative, I was pretty much hooked right away. Tug Wyler is middle aged, married with three kids, has a beautiful receptionist that’s been with him for 10 years (and takes none of his crap), and has an eye for the ladies (which he’ll never act on, but flirting is certainly not out of the question.) He’s also smart-mouthed, rather obnoxious, and funny as hell. You’d think someone like Tug would be the absolute wrong person to handle a case like Suzy’s, but you’d be wrong. Aside from the smart mouth, Tug’s also sharp as a tack, and there’s a heart of gold lurking underneath the obnoxious exterior. Benson claims that Suzy and her mom June have no case, but Tug believes otherwise, and against all of his better instincts, decides to fight it out as far as he can. One of the best moments, and most heartbreaking, is when he goes to the independent exam of Suzy by the doctor hired by the hospital, and Suzy won’t open her arms because her scar embarrasses her. Tug makes a connection with her, and really sees this beautiful, damaged little girl for the first time: not as a paycheck, but as a person. He’s really sort of built a bit of a wall around him because of what he does and doesn’t allow himself to get emotionally involved, and that wall comes down for just a little bit. The author knows his stuff, because he’s a personal injury attorney himself, and he manages to detail the case and the ins and outs of medical litigation without talking down to his readers or getting bogged down in jargon, and it’s actually quite fascinating. He also has a gift for some of the funniest dialogue I’ve read in a long time, and there were quite a few laugh out loud moments for me. I was reminded at times of the Stephanie Plum series (which I love), and I can see myself getting as attached to Tug as I am to Stephanie. I mean, how can you not love a guy that gets a tingle in his nether regions when he’s getting close to a breakthrough on a case? There are lots of twists and turns in this one, plenty of thrills, and perfect for when you want something funny in between darker reads. This debut is pure fun and I’ll look forward to Tug’s next case! ( )