Here are some of the many reviews of my first novel, Old City Hall, from print and online publications. There have also been a number of profile pieces and radio appearances. You can check them out on the Media page. Thanks.

January - March, 2009

Toronto the bad
Toronto stars as itself in this gritty murder mystery
by Nathaniel G. Moore
Rotenberg is a master at farming personal histories, embedding clues that forebode future actions. His devotion to his characters is unique, in that it's predominantly their flaws that hook readers … the plot is chock full of atmospheric tension. From the sometimes banal police protocol to the haunting, eerie incandescence of the morgue, it's clear that Old City Hall has enough hidden motives and gumshoeing to make it a hard-boiled classic. Read the complete review here.

Apart from evoking the seasonal rhythms of life in the city, the novel offers a convincing portrayal of backstage operations in the justice system, from details about prison hygiene to the catering in the police cafeteria (where lattes, smoothies and mini-brioches are served). The author, a defense lawyer, represents and thereby raises questions about such serious and central parts of the procedure as interview techniques, plea bargaining, media pressure, and the deals that may be made in judges' chambers or coffeeshops in the pre-trial process. Insiders will perhaps detect a roman à clef. For the rest of us, Old City Hall is an enjoyable addition to the literature of urban crime.

(Starred review)
… Rotenberg's debut novel turns into a roller coaster of a legal thriller that's got it all—an outstanding and fast-paced plot, well-developed characters with depth and personality, great dialog, plenty of courtroom and investigative drama, and an explosively satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended for all public libraries. Read the complete review here.

Everybody lies. Even in Toronto.
Lawyer Robert Rotenberg’s masterful fiction debut puts his city on the map –undisguised
by Brian Bethune
But even when the secrets are laid open, and everyone’s private life exposed, it doesn’t always follow that the truth will come out, not in life and certainly not in Old City Hall. Rotenberg’s novel ends in a way that manages to be both satisfying and remarkably uncertain for the genre. Read the complete review here.

A debut thriller in the vein of Scott Turow and John Grisham … Rotenberg knows well and captures compellingly the rivalries, ambitions and chicaneries of the courthouse … the other star is the city itself: Rotenberg makes Toronto less a backdrop then a character in the drama … the atmospherics and Rotenberg’s affection for the city of Toronto and the involutions of the law make this a fast-paced, appealing addition to the genre.

(Starred review)
by Thomas Gaughan
This truly fine first novel, which is both a police procedural and a courtroom drama [is] nominally focused on the murder of Brace's common-law wife. The author, a criminal lawyer in Toronto, leads his characters – police, prosecutor, and defense attorney – on a circuitous chase toward the truth that is full of twists and surprises … Through his characters, Rotenberg also fires sly and funny barbs at political correctness and bureaucratic inanity. And most of all, he tells a compelling tale and tells it skillfully and smoothly.

These characters sound familiar
by Joan Barfoot
For those familiar – or even perhaps unfamiliar – with Toronto, … there's much to be said for Old City Hall, whose title comes from the novel's main dramatic setting, the historic building downtown that years ago became a huge courthouse. In and out of this building wander a cluster of lawyers and cops, even a journalist, with compelling interests in the murder of the partner of a nationally beloved radio host. Read the complete review here.

by Thom Geier
Robert Rotenberg juggles a large cast and spins his twisty yarn efficiently … Read the complete review here.

Robert Rotenberg weaves a fairly intricate and interesting Grisham-like plot around a cast of colorful and believable characters … Toronto comes alive in these pages. There are streetcars rumbling along Gerrard Street; plenty of references to the main streets and landmarks in Toronto; the smell of the Toronto harbor, unlike the rest of the city; and even a theory about Chinese food: "The closer you are to the lake, the better it is," one character says. Read the complete review here.

It's about time someone put Toronto on the international crime thriller map, and local lawyer and editor Robert Rotenberg does just that with his widely acclaimed first novel. Read the complete review here.

A clever debut that modifies the legal thriller template into a larger study of the vagaries of human behavior … Rotenberg’s writing style is understated and fluid, enhanced but not overwhelmed by his knowledge of Toronto’s criminal courts … the twist and turns develop briskly but the author allows sufficient time to develop his cast of characters in three dimensions rather than giving them a series of quirks. The generosity augers well for future novels. Read the complete review here.

Murder most polite
by Philip Marchand
… authenticity is Rotenberg’s strong suit. He points out in some detail the fine choreography of courtroom questions and answers, and clearly knows his police procedure, including the dos and don’ts of informing people about the brutal murder of their family members. Readers will also learn how carnival hucksters guess people’s ages, and how to make a file folder of documents look more impressive. Read the complete review here.

The Knowledgeable Blogger
by Dick Adler, former crime fiction reviewer for the Chicago Tribune, based in the UK
(4 stars out of 5)

Rotenberg, a criminal defense attorney in Toronto, captures the richness of the city and the sleaziness of its nastier citizens in this debut novel -- more, please! -- about a radio star known as "The Voice of Canada" who admits to killing his wife in the first chapter. Things go straight downhill from there.

Crime fiction
Another debut novel, this is tremendously readable and well-plotted, providing a mystery which intrigues almost to the last chapter. Read the complete review here.