Genre: Legal Thriller

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Truth be told, I have not read every book in Levine’s series featuring attorney Jake Lassiter. I am not sure why, and I just might go back and catch up on those I missed. Jake is an interesting character, and like Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter and Coben’s Myron Bolitar, he surrounds himself with equally interesting people. His fiancé, Melissa, and his nephew, Kip, feature heavily in Cheater’s Game as Jake tries to save Kip from himself.

The plot of this latest book is so timely that it is almost uncomfortable. Twenty year old Kip, who was raised by Jake since Jake's sister deposited the very young child on his doorstep, is exceptionally intelligent and seemingly equally naive. Kip gets involved with a wealthy con man who acts as a mentor and convinces him to join his business. He has Kip help him in conning millions of dollars out of parents who want to insure that their children will be accepted into the finest colleges in the country. In fact, with Kip's expertise in taking the SAT’s, which he does for the clients' sons and daughters, the young people are accepted into the schools of their choice. Everyone is happy...except for the government.

When his “mentor” cuts a deal with the government and throws Kip under the bus, Uncle Jake takes on his most difficult challenge yet. He must convince a jury to find Kip not guilty, even though the government has a rock solid case. Adding to the stress is Jake’s health issues, which cause him migraines, memory lapses and dizzy spells. Jake is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that many former football players are dealing with now. Jake, a former Miami Dolphin, is taking part in medical trials headed up by his fiancé.

This “ripped from the headlines” legal thriller is easy to read as a stand alone even though it is the fourteen book of his series.

-Beverly


​Publisher - Herald Square Publishing
Date of Publication - April 20, 2020

Genre: Legal Thriller

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Wow! The Big Lie is so topical it is scary. Criminal attorney Jack Swyteck is asked to represent Charlotte Holmes, gun lobbyist and one of Florida’s 29 electors who is bound by oath and law to cast her vote for President MacLeod, because he won Florida by the thinnest of margins. Once again the country will have a president who did not win the popular vote.

When Charlotte announces that she intends to cast her vote with her conscience and throw the electoral college to Florida Senator Evan Stahl, the president's opponent, President MacLeod, doesn’t take it well. His hand-picked prosecutor intends to prove Charlotte is unfit to cast her vote.

Whenever Jack Swyteck is in the picture, you can be sure that his client will have the best representation possible and that we, the readers, will be reading a story to remember. With help from Theo, his “friend/investigator/former client/bodyguard”, Jack is determined to prove Charlotte fit to cast her vote, even while he is loathe to get involved in politics.

Grippando has been one of my go to authors for many years, and his stories always do seemed “ripped from the headlines.” Although there were one or two slow moments in this book, it was certainly worth reading. For the most part it kept me turning pages and rooting for Charlotte to have the right to represent all of the people of her state.

-Beverly

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Publisher - Harper
Date of Publication - February 25, 2020

Genre: Legal Thriller

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In The Holdout, Graham Moore gives us a legal thriller different than any I have read before, and I hated to turn that last page. Protagonist Maya is part of a jury convened to decide on the guilt or innocence of Bobby Nock, a twenty-five year old teacher accused of murdering Jessica Silver, one of his students. Jessica vanished on her way home from school one day and hasn’t been seen since.

The story alternates between the trial itself and a meeting of the jurors ten years later as they participate in the making of a docuseries about the case. The flashbacks of the trial are told from the viewpoint of each of the jurors as the novel progresses, and when one of the jurors is murdered while making the docuseries, everyone becomes a suspect.

Moore does a masterful job keeping the reader guessing about the original murder as well as the newest one, and each of the jurors pull the reader in with their own life stories told along with their experiences during the trial. When their individual secrets threaten to be revealed during the present day murder investigation, the consequences for all involved could be disastrous.

Moore’s strength in his characterization coupled with his ability to weave together a mesmerizing story make this a book you don’t want to miss.

- Beverly


Publisher - Random House
Date of Publication - February 18, 2020

Genre: Legal Thriller

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Victor Methos is an attorney, so it doesn’t surprise me that he can tell the legal stories that he does so well. His frame of reference is his own practice, and his obvious talent with the written word draws his readers into a world in which he is quite familiar. What does surprise me in A Gambler’s Jury is how successful he is in inhabiting the persona of a female protagonist.

Most men who write legal thrillers do so through the voice of male protagonists. Methos introduces us to Attorney Dani Rollins, a woman fighting her own demons as she fights for her clients. His ability to capture her emotions and speak through her voice is a testament to a truly talented author.

Dani’s latest client is a mentally challenged teenage boy who supposedly masterminded a drug deal that was way beyond his abilities. Someone is setting him up, and the system just might be a part of it. With  help from Will, her investigator, Dani does all she can to set Teddy Thorne free from a justice system that is using him to make a point. It is a solid story that keeps the reader rooting for Teddy as the deck is stacked against him.

My only complaint about the book is a general one. Why do authors feel the need to paint all defense attorneys as barely functioning alcoholics? I don’t like to spend a great deal of time around people who are inebriated at parties, so why would I want to spend time with them when I am enjoying a good book? I realize it adds a dimension to a character, but I believe a good author can add a dimension in a more creative way. Methos surely qualifies as a talented author, and I hope he brings a sober Dani back to help fight the bad guys in another book.

- Beverly
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​​Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - February 27, 2018

Genre: Legal Thriller

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I have been a Margolin fan since I first picked up Gone But Not Forgotten many years ago.  He pulls you in on the first page and never lets you go.  Most of his books are stand alone, and his plots are always fascinating. He does have one series that I thoroughly enjoy, and A Reasonable Doubt is the third in the series that follows the exploits of attorney Robin Lockwood.

Margolin created such an interesting character in Lockwood that I understand why he doesn’t want to let her go.  Aside from being an extremely bright defense attorney, she is a former MMA fighter which adds depth to her character.  She is surrounded by several interesting secondary characters, but there is never a doubt as to who is the star of this series.

In A Reasonable Doubt magician Robert Chesterfield requests her help in obtaining patent protection for an illusion that he is about to present.  As a criminal attorney Robin explains that she would not be the right choice, but Chesterfield insists.  He had been defended in a murder trial several years before by Regina Barrister, former partner of the firm and a legal legend. Regina, suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s, retired from the firm after mentoring Robin to follow in her footsteps.  Chesterfield is somewhat mysterious as he gives her a retainer and asks her to please look into his patent protection.

Shortly after the meeting, Robin is invited to the unveiling of his illusion.  Chesterfield disappears, as expected, but he never reappears.  Robin isn’t sure whether he is in hiding from his many enemies or whether one of those enemies actually harmed him.  Following her, as she tries to track him, makes for some very exciting reading.

Margolin does such a good job with his characterization of the despicable magician, that you can easily see any number of people wishing to make him disappear.  His characters are always multifaceted though, and the reader continues wondering if perhaps Chesterfield is more than just a con man.

A Reasonable Doubt is a wonderfully plot driven story that will have the reader wondering until the very end.

- Beverly


​Publisher - Minotaur Books
Date of Publication - March 10, 2020

Genre: Mystery

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The women of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club are at it again in The 19th Christmas. Lindsay (detective), Cindy (reporter), Claire (coroner) and Yuki (prosecuting attorney) represent their city well as they work together to solve crimes through this series. In this story they are trying to stop a crime that they believe will happen, but have no idea of the who, what, why, where or how. Information is slow to appear, and danger to the city seems imminent.

Meanwhile Cindy involves Yuki in the case of an undocumented immigrant who is being held without trial for a murder that Cindy believes he didn’t commit. I assume this is Patterson’s way of bringing relevance to his story, but it felt a little forced to me at times.

It is difficult not to love these four women and the men who surround them. The 19th Christmas seems to focus on Lindsay more than the others, and I found that a little disappointing. I found myself wanting to see more of the others, and I had a little bit of trouble keeping focus in the middle of the book, although the beginning did pull me in.

If you are a fan of the Women’s Murder Club, you will probably want to get this book, but I will admit that it wasn’t my favorite of this series.

- Beverly

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Publisher - Little, Brown and Company
Date of Publication - October 7, 2019

Genre: Legal Thriller/Romance

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Some books are legal thrillers with a little romance written in, and the reader immediately gets pulled into the mystery. Some books are romance novels with a little mystery written in, and the reader is swept into the romance with little attention given to the mystery. Cara Putnam embraces both genres so completely in her newest novel, Flight Risk, that I have to list it in both genres.

Attorney Savannah Daniels has built a law practice that she is proud of, but her latest clients seem to be keeping something from her. Her family life is a bit troubled, with a sister, Stasi on drugs and a troubled niece, Addy, whom she adores. Her ex-husband, Dustin, betrayed her fifteen years ago and then had a daughter, Addy, with Stasi. Through it all, Savannah has been there for Addy and kept a rather cordial relationship with Dustin.

When he was a young boy, journalist Jett Glover’s dad killed himself over a false newspaper article that destroyed his reputation. Jett became a journalist to assure himself that the truth will always be told. After weeks of research, including trips to the Far East, Jett exposes an international sex trafficking ring that points the finger at a well known baseball player and three associates, one being Dustin who acted as his pilot.

When the story breaks, tragedy follows in the form of murder, a commercial airline crash and problems with Addy and Stasi. The author had me so engaged with her characters, and the plot flowed so well, that I hated to see the book end. She added a bit of romance between Savannah and Jett which lightened the story and gave the reader something to smile at when things around them got tense. I hope Author Putman considers bringing these two back in a follow-up to this book.

- Beverly

​Publisher - Thomas Nelson
Date of Publication - April 7, 2020

Genre: Thriller

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Joseph Finder searches out the perfect story, and he tells it well. His ability to flesh out his characters is masterful, and his plots are captivating. In House on Fire he takes a most relevant topic and puts it into a story that we can’t put down.

Nick Heller is a reoccurring protagonist in several of Finder’s books. He is definitely the heroic figure, with a military background and a penchant for the moral high ground. This novel opens with the death of his good friend, Sean, a man who saved his life. Sean was killed by a drug overdose. He had been addicted to opioids after returning home wounded from war.

Nick is approached at the funeral by Sukie Kimball, daughter of a pharmaceutical kingpin,  whose company sells opioids even though her father is well aware of the dangers and buries the evidence. She hires Nick to find the evidence and help her expose her father and the company.
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This is actually a bit of a family dynasty story as well as a thriller. There is the domineering father and his foreign fiancé and the spoiled children who are more interested in money than each other. Finding out who the “bad guy” really is puts Nick in constant danger, a place with which he is quite familiar, and his developing relationship with Sukie doesn’t make things easier.

House on Fire is a great read for the new year, and my only disappointment is having to wait another year for his next book.

- Beverly


Publisher - Dutton
Date of Publication - January 21, 2020

Genre: Thriller

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L.C. Shaw’s book, The Network, was a great way to finish off my year of reading. It was well written, exciting and informative in many ways. My one complaint is that I believe the author spent too much time moralizing throughout the book. It was difficult to tell if the religion and moralizing were used to further a plot that centered on good versus evil, or it was Ms. Shaw  just using this book to further her own agenda. It did make me uncomfortable at times.

The story was an exciting one though, and the characters were well developed. The hero, journalist Jack Logan, is visited by a frantic Senator Malcolm Phillips who asks him to protect Taylor, who happens to be Phillips’ wife and Logan’s ex-girlfriend. Phillips is sure that he will soon be murdered and needs Jack to make things right. If the beginning seems a bite trite, fear not...there is nothing about this book that is humdrum.

The twists and turns take us through the past and the present, and the evil characters give new meaning to the term evil. Shaw helps us to understand how the antagonist became so hateful, but it is still difficult to accept that a human being can be so devoid of emotion and empathy.

There is a bit of Dan Brown in The Network, as the characters search for old coins purported to give them eternal life, and I enjoyed the little bit of history thrown in here and there. The obvious feelings between Jack and recently widowed Taylor seemed odd at times, but I am a sucker for a good love story.

All in all this was a good book, and I am looking forward to the next offering from L.C. Shaw. Hopefully the next book will be less moralistic and concentrate on the author's obvious ability to tell a good story.

- Beverly


Publisher - Harper Paperbacks
Date of Publication - December 17, 2019

Genre: Mystery

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Trace of Evil begins with sisters Natalie and Grace visiting their sister Willow’s grave as they do each year on her "deathaversery". Willow had been murdered twenty years before by a jealous boyfriend. We learn a bit about the past and protagonist police detective Natalie’s recent break-up as the girls catch up by their sister’s grave.

Natalie has been assigned a cold case involving a number of transients who disappeared years ago in upstate New York. At the same time she is assigned a new case involving the murder of the wife of a fellow detective, Daisy. She was a friend of Natalie’s, and the murderer seems to have been someone Daisy knew. Natalie sifts through possible suspects looking for answers. Could it be Daisy’s detective husband or one of her high school students?

I found the town itself, and it’s Wicca culture an interesting draw to the tale.  The story got a bit convoluted at times for me, and that slowed it down a bit, but for the most part I enjoyed the interweaving of characters and the ultimate conclusion.
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This was my first Alice Blanchard mystery, and I will definitely try another.

Beverly
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Publisher - Minotaur Books
Date of Publication - December 3, 2019