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Once upon a time, the term "Philadelphia lawyer" carried with it a certain prestige.

But the late Liam Byrne, center of William Lashner's thriller, "Blood and Bone" (Harper Books, 390 pages) was a downright scoundrel.

Such ethical lapses as blackmailing clients and money laundering the lucre of the local gangster, Tony Sorrentino, were part and parcel of the scoundrel's sordid practice.

Kyle Byrne, the illegitimate son of the infamous lawyer, is shocked to spy a gray-haired man resembling his deceased father, watching him play softball.

The mystery thickens as Lazlo Toth, Liam Byrne's former associate, is murdered. Kyle attends Lazlo Toth's funeral in hopes of finding any information about his long-lost father.

What Kyle uncovers is a complex maze of lies spun by his pathologically dishonest father.

He narrowly escapes being beaten to death by goons employed by his father's former partner, Tony Sorrentino. He encounters a weak-willed Republican Senator with presidential aspirations but a secret from his past and a family willing to do anything even murder to protect their political investment.

While the story is suspenseful and the writing is reminiscent of the great hard-boiled mysteries of days gone by, the ending is a bit far-fetched even for fiction, boyo.

It takes a bit more than a decent dress suit and an attractive girlfriend for a man to make it in this competitive age.

But for those who miss the barroom mystery, "Blood and Bone" is a pleasant enough diversion.