Genre: Legal Thriller

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Deborah Hawkins made me love her characters early on in Keeping Secrets, and I continued to be invested in a positive outcome until I turned the last page. There are several protagonists, and Hawkins gives them each their moments in the sun as she features different ones in each chapter.

The story centers around the life and imminent death of Professor Edward Wynne Carter, III, who has spent over thirty years on Virginia’s death row for the murder of his pregnant wife, Anne. Ed insists his love for Anne would have never allowed him to kill her, and Attorney Brendon Murphy has kept him alive until now, but an execution date looms ahead.

Ed’s son, Wynne, is an Attorney and his father’s biggest champion, and is doing everything in his power to save his father as well. Wynne's fiancé, Claire, is willing to give up her big wedding and concentrate on helping the Carters prove Ed’s innocence, but complications arise.

McKenzie Fitzgerald, just out of law school when Anne was murdered, interviewed a key alibi witness, forgot to turn on the tape recorder, and covers up her mistake at Ed’s expense. Now she is fighting for a seat on the Supreme Court and realizes if she brings out the truth to save Ed, she will lose the nomination.

The story, with so many roads to follow, is an easy one to get involved in, and I never felt lost. Hawkins style pulls us into the mind and heart of each of her characters, and the story itself, loosely based on the truth, is a fascinating read. Although the end felt a wee bit too contrived for my taste, I enjoyed the book enough to overlook that small issue.

-Beverly


Publisher - Amazon Digital Services LLC
Date of Publication - ​​​August 30,2018

​Genre: Legal Thriller

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Most legal thrillers are written from the prospective of the attorney, and it is refreshing to read J. D. Trafford’s novel through the eyes of the judge. Good Intentions introduces us to Judge Jim Thompson just as his world seems to be coming apart. He has been following in the footsteps of his mentor, Judge Meyer, and is working with children and their families, trying to fairly determine if foster care is the correct solution for the children who come before him. A recent decision that turns tragic jeopardizes his job at the same time that he finds Meyer’s murdered body.

I must say, I have read a great deal of legal thrillers and find it odd that so many lawyers  (and now a judge) spend most of their time trying to solve crime rather than defend or adjudicate. In Good Intention, Judge Thompson is determined to find out who killed his mentor. While digging through Meyer’s belongings, he comes across several pictures that seem out of place and a bank account earmarked for Thompson that contains millions of dollars. Trying to save Judge Meyer’s reputation while in the midst of trying to salvage his own gets complicated, and Thompson is no longer sure who he can trust.

Trafford is a compelling writer, and his stories always keep the reader interested. He is a lawyer by trade, and I feel he does a stronger job representing lawyers as displayed in his last book, Little Boy Lost. In that novel, attorney Justin Glass felt three dimensional throughout, where as in this latest novel there are times when Judge Thompson falls a little flat. The story is a good one though, and he does a good job showing the various sides of foster children cases.

This is a good choice for Trafford fans as well as legal thriller thriller enthusiasts looking for a slightly different point of view.

- Beverly


​Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - ​​​June 19, 2018

​Genre: Legal Thriller

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John Dobbyn’s passion for his topics always draw me in, and this book is no exception. The illicit trade of exotic and endangered species of wild animals has always bothered me, and Dobbyn makes it clear that it is a hot button topic for him as well. Hopefully, these facts embroiled in fiction will alert his readers to this despicable practice and lead toward changes in the near future.

The relationship between defense attorneys Michael Knight and Lex Devlin is one that I have enjoyed through this series. Devlin has proven himself a strong mentor for the younger Knight who is a better attorney because of their relationship. Things become personal in Fatal Odds for Knight when Roberto, a jockey and a relative of his, dies in a fixed horse race. As if that isn’t bad enough, Roberto’s brother, Victor, is being accused of murder, and Knight is determined to defend him.

Suddenly, the lawyer is in way over his head, dealing with Puerto Rican crime gangs and threats against his life. He follows Victor to Puerto Rico and the story really picks up pace there. The reader is taken into the rainforest and is given a lesson on animal smuggling that will definitely make one think. When an author can teach me new facts along with entertaining me, I consider his/her book a success.

There are quite a few secondary characters in this book, and I had to focus as I turned each page or I would have lost my way. I don’t want to say too much and give away the plot, but I will say that with help from his friends Knight comes up with quite a scheme to outwit the mafia, gang members, and anyone else who gets in his way. Dobbyn is foremost a storyteller, and this is one story that you won’t want to miss.

- Beverly

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​Publisher - Oceanview Publishing
Date of Publication - ​August 2,2016

​Genre: Legal Thriller 

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Some authors are captivating and some are comfortable, but Adam Mitzner is the perfect blend of both. Every one of his books have me sitting on the edge of my seat as his protagonists go through hoop after hoop before bringing us to a satisfying ending. Somehow he also manages to make sure that the reader is totally invested in his characters as we become more and more involved in their lives. Never Goodbye is a sequel, of sorts, to his last book, Dead Certain. I read, loved and reviewed Dead Certain here last May and was thrilled to find protagonist Ella Broden back in Never Goodbye.

Never Goodbye finds Ella trying to get over events that occurred in Dead Certain after giving up her job as a prosecutor and concentrating more on her dream of being a singer. When another personal tragedy befalls her (it was difficult to imagine so much violent death surrounding one person) she is forced into working with her boyfriend Gabriel (the gorgeous police detective from the previous book) into making sure the guilty party pays.

Mitzner added a second protagonist to this book, Deputy Chief of the Special Victims’ Bureau, Dana Goodwin. Dana, who took over Ella’s previous job, is driven in her career at the expense of her family life and gives us a chance to delve into the life of a new character while experiencing the comfort of revisiting a familiar one.

As always Mitzner’s storyline is both complicated and captivating, inviting his readers to solve a murder while involving us in the lives and loves of these two dynamic women. His ability to build characters gets stronger in each of his novels and leaves the reader wanting to spend a little more time with them when the last page is reached.

Although this book can certainly stand on its own, I recommend grabbing a copy of Dead Certain and reading it first. Events in that book will explain Ella more clearly, and give you insight into some of her current relationships.

- Beverly

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - ​April 24, 2018

​Genre: Legal Mystery

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Rosenfelt’s plots are generally comfortably basic as far as legal thrillers go, but his talent with characterization has me anxiously awaiting each addition to his Andy Carpenter series. Although I have never met the author personally, I have to believe that he sees himself in Andy. Outwardly pushy and inwardly humble, Andy uses his sarcastic wit to get him out of (and generally in to) some very difficult situations.

Andy's friends and associates have all been fleshed out throughout the series and continue to make me laugh through the murder and mayhem that each novel presents. His brave and patient wife, Laurie, his pessimistic partner Hike, and Marcus, the huge and basically non-verbal muscle of the group, band together to aid and protect Andy as he tries to save the world. Even Edna, his “office manager,” adds a bit of humor to Andy’s days when he decides to take on a new client.

In Rescued: An Andy Carpenter Mystery, defense attorney Andy is called to the scene of a murder on a truck that is housing over seventy dogs on their way to shelters in various states. Since his affinity for dogs is well known (his conversations with his own golden retriever, Tara, are some of the best one way exchanges in his series) it isn’t a stretch that he becomes involved. The dogs are transported to a shelter that he co-owns with his former client and pal, Willie, and he goes home to find Laurie speaking with his soon to become newest client.

Dave Kramer is in trouble, and he is also Laurie’s ex-fiancé. This tall, good looking ex-marine admits to shooting the driver of the truck Andy just viewed. He claims it was self defense, and Andy isn’t sure he is buying it. Preferring to be retired, and feeling immediate jealousy when he looks at Kramer, his first instinct is to turn down the case, but Laurie’s expression tells him otherwise.

As always, Rosenfelt’s book is filled with excitement, surprises and humor, as we follow Andy and his crew through one adventure after another in this fun-to-read “who done it.”  

-Beverly
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Publisher - MacMillan
Date of Publication - ​July 17, 2018

Genre: Legal Thriller 

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Author Robert Bailey lives in Huntsville Alabama and is obviously quite familiar with life in the Deep South. His descriptions of Tuscaloosa and its environs were so vivid that I feel as though I had actually been on a city tour. Even the restaurants and food came alive as I got deeper into this “who done it” legal thriller.

This is the third book in Bailey’s series featuring Tom McMurtrie and Rick Drake. Since Bailey’s character development is as strong as his scenic descriptions, by this time I was as familiar with McMurtrie’s aches and pains as I am with my own. While there are definitely references throughout the book of the previous two plot-lines, The Last Trial can easily stand on its own.

Jack Willistone, recently released from prison, is found dead on the banks of the Black Warrior River. When every bit of evidence points to Wilma Newton, a local woman whose life was ruined because of Willistone, district attorney Powell Conrad loses no time in bringing her in for questioning. He tries to contact his mentor, McMurtrie for advise, only to find McMurtrie has decided to represent Wilma in what seems like an open and shut case.

Taking on the case was not an easy call for McMurtrie, but he thinks he owes her something because of a previous case, and he also believes she is innocent. Since his partner, Drake, is tied up with personal business, he turns to his friend Bocephus Haynes for help. Bo is an attorney who has been temporarily suspended (another story from a previous novel) and agrees to act as McMurtrie’s investigator. Bailey does a good job high-lighting the troubles facing a black man in the Deep South in his descriptions of Bo’s experiences in this book as well as the previous two books.

As the story progresses McMurtrie finds other possible suspects as he interviews a monster he helped to incarcerate as well as witnesses who suddenly disappear. I was lucky to happen upon Bailey’s first book several years ago, and he quickly became one of my go to authors. This book certainly keeps him on that list.

- Beverly

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Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - May 6, 2018

​Genre: Legal Thriller

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Ben Kincaid is another fictional attorney whom I have followed through the years. Bernhardt  has done a good job maturing Kincaid through his journey, both in his personal life and his career. He is now a married man with twins whom he adores and worries about incessantly. His sister, who occasionally shows up in his life is back, and her former boyfriend, Oscar Kirby (Oz) is in trouble.

Oz is a former Iraq war veteran with Islamic leanings. He was apprehended and tortured by a former Iraqi “interrogator”(Nazir) who now works for the CIA. When Oz, who has now become Omar al-Jabbar, visits Kincaid, he explains that the CIA now sees him as a terrorist. While he admits that he works for a non-profit organization that protests the Patriots Act, and, in fact, dates the founder’s sister, Mina, he swears he is not a terrorist. He wants Ben to help him sue the people who wrongfully imprisoned him.

Things become more complicated when Nazir is murdered and Oz is found at the scene with a weapon. Kincaid is now embroiled in the toughest case of his career and needs the help of all of his friends and colleagues to save his client and himself. As always, Bernhardt sets his story in Oklahoma City, and I find his descriptions and references an enhancement to the story.

When one reads a series, an investment in the characters' lives becomes inevitable, and Bernhardt’s books are no exception. Kincaid’s relationships with his wife, sister and colleagues make us root for this nice guy who really wants to believe that his client is innocent. While I feel that the author might be using the novel as a forum for his political beliefs every now and again, it is his book to do with as he pleases. The story is definitely relevant politically, and I am looking forward to Bernhardt’s next book.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Babylon Books
Date of Publication - ​October 21, 2017

Genre: Legal Thriller

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James Grippando has the uncanny ability to crawl into his readers' hearts and make them feel every emotion that he puts on a page. Throughout the years he has made me laugh at the antics of his protagonist, attorney Jack Swyteck, cry at the misfortunes of Jack’s client and sometimes just wonder about the cruelty that some people seem to inflict without any conscience at all. In his latest book, A Death in Live Oak, Grippando proves he is still a master at whipping up our emotions while telling a story that is as relevant today as it was fifty years ago.

When Jack’s dad asks him to look into the case of Mark Towson, president of a white fraternity in Florida’s major university, he reluctantly agrees. Mark is being accused of the lynching of fellow student Jamal Cousins, president of the school’s top black fraternity. The evidence is pretty damning and the political implications are overwhelming. A threatening text message from Mark’s phone goes a long way in bolstering the prosecutor’s case, but Mark swears he never sent it.

Never one to give up, Swyteck begins to find evidence that points to Mark being an innocent victim of a criminal plan as horrifying as the one he is being charged with and just as difficult to prove. Grippando’s storytelling ability is at its best as this tale unfolds, and I found myself having to put the book down at times because my emotions got the best of me. This type of story has been told many times through the years since the turbulent sixties, but this author kept it fresh and important. His descriptions of northern Florida are spot on, and I felt myself sweating in the swamps around the Suwannee River Valley.

Jack’s hunt for the truth will keep you on the edge of your seat as you realize that while the days of obvious segregation are behind us, much still needs to be done to make sure that our justice system works equally for all. This February title will definitely give you plenty to think about as you try to stay warm.

- Beverly​


Publisher - HarperCollins Publishers
Date of Publication - February 6, 2018

Genre: Legal Thriller

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Reading Lescroart’s books always makes me feel like I am visiting with old friends, and Poison is no exception. He has introduced several protagonists through the years, and while each of his books features one, they all seem to pop up in most of them. Defense attorney Dismas Hardy was the main character in the first book of his that I read, and he seems to be a favorite of this author.

In Poison, the seventeenth Hardy book, we find the hero finally recovered from two bullet wounds. He has vowed to steer clear of murder cases and concentrate on himself, when he is called by a former client. Several years ago Abby Jarvis went to prison for vehicular homicide. Grant Wagner hired her when she was released, and she turned her life around. By all accounts she adored Wagner and his family, yet she finds herself accused of murdering him and needs Hardy’s help once again.

As Dismas investigates the Wagner clan in an effort to find an alternative theory, he finds himself in several dangerous situations. As always there are several sub plots that keep the readers’ interest, including one that features the murder of a friend of Hardy’s son. As the plot evolves, many of the protagonist's friends make their customary appearances, and a feeling of deja vu set in for me.

Lescroart makes his characters come alive, and they are definitely the high point of his books for me. His ability to intertwine his characters and make us root for all of them is a talent he uses well. His plots are always intricate but quite easy to follow, and I enjoyed trying to figure out who did what to whom as I got deeper into this storyline.

As a legal thriller, Poison is a winner, and I am looking forward to seeing who Lescroart features in his next book. I recommend this as an addition to your legal thriller collection as soon as it is released.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Atria Books
Date of Publication - February 13, 2018

Genre: Legal Thriller

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Trafford's legal thriller, Little Boy Lost, is about more than one lost boy.  When eight year old Tanisha Walker enters struggling attorney Justin Glass's office, he has no idea how his next few weeks will change.  He can't afford to work for free, but he can't turn away this young girl looking for her teenage brother. 

Hoping to quickly re-unite brother and sister, Justin starts the search that will ultimately lead him to Devon Walker's murdered body, and the bodies of a dozen more murdered African-American teens.  When he finds that they all had been reported missing, but none had been properly investigated, he begins to wonder if there is an inside connection.  

Justin, African-American himself, comes from a prominent St. Louis family.  His father is a well liked U.S. Congressman who is planning to retire. He wants Justin to run for his seat, and this investigation might hamper his chances.  Justin, attempting to get over the death of his wife while raising their daughter, does not particularly want to replace his father, and certainly won't halt his investigation to better his political chances.

Trafford does a good job building his characters in his latest novel, and by the time I finished the book I was anxiously searching for news of a possible sequel.  Justin Glass is a strong protagonist who could definitely keep my interest in several more sequels to this book.  I also enjoyed the glimpses into life in St. Louis, and the in-fighting of family politics.

Justin's family, particularly his obviously intelligent daughter, offered a welcomed break in the search for answers to these heinous crimes, and the possibility of vigilante  justice gave me something to think about long after I finished reading the book.

-Beverly
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Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - August 1, 2017