Implied Consent: A Maureen Gould Legal Thriller by Keenan Powell – #BookReview – #womensleuths

Book Blurb:

Introducing a new series with a twisty edge-of-your-seat courtroom thriller from award-nominated author Keenan Powell.

When a tearful young woman appears at attorney Maureen Gould’s office with a tale of workplace assault, Maureen agrees to fight for her. Surprise evidence? No problem. Witnesses hiding? Maureen will find them. Ironclad agreements? No such thing. But when the defendant, a Hollywood mogul, hires Maureen’s estranged father, long buried secrets pull her back into his dark orbit. Maureen must steel herself to protect her client even as the past threatens to destroy her marriage and her practice.

As Maureen fights for justice, doors are slammed in her face, a witness is murdered, and her office is burglarized. She doesn’t know who she can trust. Clearly, someone is trying to silence her. But Maureen knows that secrecy binds the shamed to the guilty. There is only one way to save her client, and herself, and that is to tell the truth.

His Review:

Maureen Gould felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Her mother and step-father doted on her constantly. In her fourteenth year that all changed. One day her step-father put her on his office couch and violated her. She felt guilty and full of shame! What had she done to cause such an action by him?

Josephine was recently fired from her job. Everything had been going well and she was being groomed as a production assistant with a major motion picture studio. Her future could not have looked brighter. Then late one night her boss was reviewing the studio’s next project with her when he grabbed her head and forced it down on him. She ran from the room ashamed and devastated. Early the next morning she was fired from the job she loved and told to leave the hotel they were staying in.

Josephine engages Maureen to sue the offending boss. Frank Gould represents the defendant and Maureen is seeking damages from her father’s employer! A young attorney, she is expected to lose against her highly influential and successful father.

The trial centers around the age-old axiom, “she asked for it.” Josephine is considered guilty until proven innocent. After all, she was wearing very provocative clothing and the offender was enticed to perform. The prosecution maintained that the real victim in this situation was the man who was enticed by the woman.

This is a very interesting story showing the dynamics of courtroom posturing and the assumption of guilt of the young woman in question. The narrative is enlightening and made me angry to think the victim in question was assumed to be the perpetrator. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women Sleuths
Publisher: Three Hooligans Press LLC
ASIN: B0BKYMP37V
Print Length: 351 pages
Publication Date: January 26, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): Implied Consent [Amazon]

The Author: Keenan Powell is the Agatha, Lefty, and Silver Falchion nominated author of the Maeve Malloy Mystery series.

Despite being one of original Dungeons and Dragons illustrators, art seemed an impractical pursuit – not an heiress, wouldn’t marry well, hated teaching – so she went to law school. The day after graduation, she moved to Alaska.

She is the author of the Maeve Malloy Mysteries, a three-book series and numerous short stories. She belongs to Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She writes a legal column, Ipso Facto, for the Guppies newsletter, First Draft, and blogs with Miss Demeanors.

When not writing or practicing law, Keenan can be found oil painting or studying the Irish language.

Have a great weekend!

The Girl You Killed by Leslie Wolfe – #BlogTour #BookReview #Giveaway

in Conspiracy Thrillers

The Girl You Killed by Leslie Wolfe

I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for The Girl You Killed by Leslie Wolfe on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

Scroll down to enter your chance to win the Giveaway!

Book Details

Psychological Thriller, Domestic, Legal
Stand-Alone Novel
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Italics Publishing (October 5, 2021)
Number of Pages – 302
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09CN54114

Book Blurb

Andrea Brafford’s life is nearly perfect. A passionate marine biologist, happily married to Craig, the man she loves, recently moved into a home commensurate with their success to enjoy a life many others only dream about, in one of Houston’s most desirable suburbs. But only a few months later, a trial that dramatically polarizes their town names Craig Brafford as a defendant in the murder of his young wife, shattering the serenity of the peaceful community.

Andi’s name is on everyone’s lips, her relationships exposed and torn to shreds in a highly publicized case that has everyone’s eyes glued to the internet. Andrea’s life remains a mystery that investigators and public opinion equally fail to solve. Was she the happy, devoted wife she’d made everyone believe she was?

Only she can answer that question.

The best-selling author of Dawn Girl is back with a suspenseful, gripping psychological thriller. Fans of Celeste Ng, Alex Michaelides, and Liane Moriarty will enjoy The Girl You Killed, an addictive psychological thriller that will keep readers enthralled until the last page.

Andrea Brafford is a graduate marine biologist working on a doctorate. She is married to Craig, has a gorgeous home in a desirable area of Houston, and just interviewed for the job of her dreams—sure she nailed it. And? She just discovered she is pregnant.

She is over the moon with excitement about the baby—but not so sure hubby Craig will be. He’s deep in high end real estate, working feverishly to include in his client list the “whales” of the area bringing in exclusive clients with the big bucks. He has repeatedly groomed her in hosting elite dinner parties with the select invitee list (providing eye candy), subbing as chef, staging, and general go-fer duties.

Unfortunately, she did not get that coveted job at her alma mater, nor any of the ensuing positions sought. Why not?

The author skillfully builds the tension, developing Andi as a very sympathic character and Craig as a rapidly declining supportive husband. Andi is passionate about the ocean and much as she’s trying to support Craig, would love nothing more than to work as she’s been trained.

The well-plotted psychological thriller weaves forward motion into the drama with each chapter, the storyline never sags, and the way she concludes chapters with portions of court testimony builds the suspense. This doesn’t look like it will end well!

There were times I questioned Andi’s decisions—how in the face of info she’s gleaned—could she still create plausible excuses. How could that end well? Is she blind?

Stop with the Stepford thing already! Blinded by love, maybe, but not wholly stupid, nor justifying actions with all her faculties.

The pace continues to speed up, keeping the reader glued to the pages and flipping. Shocking twists, compelling, and unique. Greatly enjoyed the intelligent writing style. Loved that final twist at the conclusion–wondered when that would happen!

My first novel by this author. I’ll be looking for more.

Giveaway

Sign up for your chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card on this Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author: Leslie Wolfe is a bestselling author whose novels break the mold of traditional thrillers. She creates unforgettable, brilliant, strong women heroes who deliver fast-paced, satisfying suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology.

Leslie released the first novel, Executive, in October 2011. Since then, she has written many more, continuing to break down barriers of traditional thrillers. Her style of fast-paced suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology, has made Leslie one of the most read authors in the genre and she has created an array of unforgettable, brilliant and strong women heroes along the way.

A recently released standalone and an addictive, heart-stopping psychological thriller, The Girl You Killed will appeal to fans of The Undoing, The Silent Patient, or Little Fires Everywhere. Reminiscent of the television drama Criminal Minds, her series of books featuring the fierce and relentless FBI Agent Tess Winnett would be of great interest to readers of James Patterson, Melinda Leigh, and David Baldacci crime thrillers. Fans of Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni suspenseful mysteries would love the Las Vegas Crime series, featuring the tension-filled relationship between Baxter and Holt. Finally, her Alex Hoffmann series of political and espionage action adventure will enthrall readers of Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, and Lee Child.

Leslie has received much acclaim for her work, including inquiries from Hollywood, and her books offer something that is different and tangible, with readers becoming invested in not only the main characters and plot but also with the ruthless minds of the killers she creates.

A complete list of Leslie’s titles is available at LeslieWolfe.com/books.

Leslie enjoys engaging with readers every day and would love to hear from you. Become an insider: gain early access to previews of Leslie’s new novels.

Email: LW@WolfeNovels.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wolfenovels
Follow Leslie on Amazon: http://bit.ly/WolfeAuthor
Follow Leslie on BookBub: http://bit.ly/wolfebb
Website: LeslieWolfe.com
Visit Leslie’s Amazon store: http://bit.ly/WolfeAll

Purchase Link – Amazon

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

October 27 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW,
October 27 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 28 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST
October 29 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
October 30 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 31 – off
November 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 2 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
November 3 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
November 3 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
November 5 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
November 6 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 7 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 7 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
November 8 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHTNovember 9 – fundinmental – REVIEW

Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!

V Williams

A Matter of Life and Death: A Robin Lockwood Novel by Phillip Margolin – #BookReview – #legal thriller – #TuesdayBookBlog

Happy Book Release Day!

Book Blurb:

Joe Lattimore, homeless and trying desperately to provide for his young family, agrees to fight in a no-holds-barred illegal bout, only to have his opponent die. Lattimore now finds himself at the mercy of the fight’s organizers who blackmail him into burglarizing a house. However, when he breaks in, he finds a murdered woman on the floor and the police have received an anonymous tip naming him the murderer.

Robin Lockwood, an increasingly prominent young attorney and former MMA fighter, agrees to take on his defense. But the case is seemingly airtight—the murdered woman’s husband, Judge Anthony Carasco, has an alibi and Lattimore’s fingerprints are discovered at the scene. But everything about the case is too easy, too pat, and Lockwood is convinced that her client has been framed. The only problem is that she has no way of proving it and since this is a death case, if she fails then another innocent will die.

His Review:

Capital crimes require the best available defense attorneys. Robin Lockwood fits that description. A persons’ life hangs in the balance. The press and the prosecuting attorneys present the defendant as a cold blooded and ruthless killer. Robin is faced with the task of saving the life of the accused. All the I’s and T’s need to be dotted and crossed and no mistakes made!

Phillip Margolin opens the reader’s eyes to the process. Robin is portrayed as a hands-on defense attorney charged with saving the arrested man’s life. Evidence can point one way and the truth takes another path. Knowing that a life hangs in the balance is the carrot driving the story line.

Unlike TV dramas this book reads more like a defense lawyers’ primer. Dig into the events, identify key witnesses for both the prosecution and the defense and strategize how the prosecutor will present the case. Build a solid timeline of the events leading up to the crime. The investigators of the crime and the forensic team will do their best to label your defendant as the perpetrator and how he is tied to the case.

Framing a patsy for the crime is an interesting process. Robin goes about the procedure with a fine-toothed determination. Certainly, the prosecutors are not cheating or manufacturing evidence. Can the actual killer be doing such a great job of manufacturing damning evidence? Reading this book is a way to learn what brilliant strategies culprits can employ.

I highly recommend this book as both an entertaining read and a satisfying use of time. The actual conclusion had enough twists to keep me totally engaged. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from publisher through NetGalley. These are my honest opinions.

[NB: I reviewed Book 3, A Reasonable Doubt, in April, 2020. There is a slight disparity in how I saw the protagonist. See that review here.]

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Legal Thrillers, Women Sleuths
Publisher: Minotaur Books

ASIN : B08BYC5YSM

Print Length: 281 pages
Publication Date: 1^st Edition, March 9, 2021
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: A Matter of Life and Death [Amazon]
Also find the book at these locations:
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: PHILLIP MARGOLIN has written over twenty novels, most of them New York Times bestsellers, including Gone But Not Forgotten, Lost Lake, and Violent Crimes. In addition to being a novelist, he was a long time criminal defense attorney with decades of trial experience, including a large number of capital cases. Margolin lives in Portland, Oregon. This text refers to the audioCD edition.)

Audiobook Reviews by Bestselling Authors #jdrobb #davidrosenfelt

Audiobooks by bestselling authors

Gotta temper the heavy with the light audiobooks and last week I enjoyed both. Here is a quick summary of Outfoxed released in 2016 by David Rosenfelt and Golden in Death released last February (2020) by JD Robb.

Book Blurb: Golden in Death An Eve Dallas Novel (In Death, Book 50) by JD Robb – In the latest thriller in the number-one New York Times best-selling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas investigates a murder with a mysterious motive – and a terrifying weapon.

Pediatrician Kent Abner received the package on a beautiful April morning. Inside was a cheap trinket, a golden egg that could be opened into two halves. When he pried it apart, highly toxic airborne fumes entered his body – and killed him.

After Eve Dallas calls the hazmat team – and undergoes testing to reassure both her and her husband that she hasn’t been exposed – it’s time to look into Dr. Abner’s past and relationships. Not every victim Eve encounters is an angel, but it seems that Abner came pretty close – though he did ruffle some feathers over the years by taking stands for the weak and defenseless.

While the lab tries to identify the deadly toxin, Eve hunts for the sender. But when someone else dies in the same grisly manner, it becomes clear that she’s dealing with either a madman – or someone who has a hidden and elusive connection to both victims.

My Review:

My first experience with this series and it was an eye-opener. I was astounded to realize this is Book 50. ACK! Fifty of these? Starting in 1995? And this is supposed to take place in 2061? Really! Somehow, I totally missed that.

I love getting into a unique premise and, for me, it was unique and well-plotted and I kept either my earbud or the wifi speaker handy. I can’t speak, obviously, to Eve’s evolving dynamics—her relationship with slobber-worthy Roarke.

You may remember I read Hideaway by Nora Roberts (I’m not sure which is the alter-ego) and found it a little syrupy. This series (and J.D.) alternates between offering slightly lighter scenes of banter or situation to downright serious and deadly scenes punctuated with profanity. While the other, of course, is a romance novel, this one would be classified as a near future police procedural. (Damn—I really never got that they’d progressed much further than they are today.)

The body count begins to escalate while the interviews become more intensive lending a stark tension to the narrative. Eve and her partner Detective Delia Peabody pursue leads, hit a brick wall, go around it, and find another lead. There are twists. It’s complex, compelling, and entertaining. Narration kept interest. The conclusion satisfying.

Recording Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Police Procedural
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B07QQZW5JL
Listening Length: 13 hrs 50 mins
Narrator: Susan Ericksen
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2020
Source: Local Library
Title Link: Golden in Death [Amazon]

The Author: J.D. ROBB is the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. She is the author of over 200 novels, including the futuristic suspense In Death series. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

♥ ♥♥♥♥

Book Blurb: Outfoxed by David Rosenfelt – Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter spends as much time as he can working on his true passion – the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs. Lately Andy has been especially involved in a county prison program where inmates help train dogs the Tara Foundation has rescued to make them more adoptable, benefiting both the dogs and the prisoners.

One of the prisoners Andy has been working with is Brian Atkins, who has 18 months left on a five-year term for fraud. Brian has been helping to train Boomer, an adorable fox terrier the Tara Foundation rescued from a neglectful owner. Brian and Boomer are clearly a terrific match. In fact Andy hopes that Brian will adopt Boomer himself, once his sentence is up.

But one day Andy arrives at the prison to discover that Brian has used Boomer to make an ingenious escape, and man and dog are both in the wind. The next day the man on whose testimony Brian was convicted is found murdered. Brian is caught and arrested for the crime, though he forcefully asserts his innocence.

Suddenly Andy finds himself with a new client in Brian and a new dog in Boomer. And as he starts to dig deeper into the murder and the events leading up to it, Andy realizes he might be putting them all in far more danger than anyone had realized.

My Review:

No, I don’t wish to hammer you over the head with books by David Rosenfelt. Really, my major go-to by him is the Andy Carpenter book series.

I have read a number of his other books, but for fun, fast, and fascinating legal two-step courtroom drama, I return to the Andy Carpenter series. They are clean and comfortable with a cast of support characters that seldom vary with the exception of the reason for the current mystery.

Andy is a well to do attorney (not all of it money from his cases), his wife Laurie, son Ricky, Willie, Marcus, and Hike. Each a force of their own. It’s a familiar and winning formula. Andy doesn’t want the case but feels the guy (or gal) is innocent.

Proceed with investigation,

Enter chuckle-producing snarky dialogue,

Continue with investigation,

Get dangerously close to be taken out (enter bad guys),

Continue with LOL moments, snarky dialogue, tongue-in-cheek observations,

Continue to courtroom drama, wring hands over witnesses, documents,

Add sarcastic quips,

Win case, go celebrate. Andy pays.

Did I leave something out? Yes, usually the beginning sets the stage for the plot which always sets a hook, grabs your interest and promises to be highly entertaining. And, of yes, he begins with those same self-deprecating remarks and cheerful scenes to the setting, players, and his two dogs, Tara and Sebastian. It’s not a K-9 series per se—it’s a legal thriller mystery series with a snarky attorney who loves dogs enough to set up a rescue with Willie (see above). The narrator, Grover Gardner, btw, is absolutely perfect. Nails it!

And I never fail to enjoy each and every one, a few of which are listed here: Silent Bite, Muzzled, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, Rescued.

Recording Details:

Genre: Animal Fiction, Traditional Detective Mysteries
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B01H5U6F5Q
Listening Length: 7 hrs 18 mins
Narrator: Grover Gardner
Publication Date: July 19, 2016
Source: Local Library
Title Link: Outfoxed [Amazon]

The Author: David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. “Open And Shut” was his first novel; “First Degree,” his second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.

Are you a JD Robb fan? Rosenfelt fan? (I prefer the JD Robb books to the Nora Roberts books—not a romance fan.)

Blood Money by Chris Riedel – #ReleaseBlitz #legalthriller #giveaway @RABTBookTours

White collar crime.

Blood Money: One Man’s Bare-Knuckle Fight to Protect Taxpayers from Medical Lab Fraud

True Crime/Thriller

Date to be Published: 10/13/20

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

BLOOD MONEY is the true legal thriller of a terrifying David vs. Goliath
fight against massive healthcare fraud by a brave Whistleblower. It
includes attempted murder, extortion, money-laundering, fraudsters hiding
money in the Cayman Islands, gold buried in a storage container in a
CEO’s backyard, an Assistant Attorney General sabotaging her
state’s case, and a corrupt Governor torpedoing litigation by his own
Attorney General. From Silicon Valley to the Sunshine State, in a
showdown that reads like a Hollywood movie, Chris Riedel survives to share
it all. His actions have resulted in more than $550 million in settlements
and a court verdict… and counting.

About the Author

CHRIS RIEDEL is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded five
healthcare companies and served as the Chairman and CEO of all. Chris
achieved the Silicon Valley dream when he took his third company public in
1991. A few months later, it was ranked by Business Week as the 40th
best small company in America. Soon after founding a fourth company,
his battle against healthcare fraud began. In 2011, he received the
Taxpayers Against Fraud Whistleblower of the Year award.

Contact Link

Website

Purchase Link

Amazon

B&N

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Justice Gone by Nick Lombardi – Spotlight Five Time Award Winner – Legal Thriller

I am thrilled to present a five-time award winner for a forward-thinking novel I reviewed back in December of 2018. I knew it was good then and awarded my own five stars.

I was blown away by the descriptive collapse of the care of our veterans with PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome), both with the lack of support for vets as well as the state of awareness of our law enforcement bodies. Lombardi’s indictment hit the subject hard and was apparently about a year before it’s time. See my review here.

In the meantime, the narrative has quietly been racking up awards and should definitely get a hard second look to see what you missed.

WINNER OF FIVE AWARDS

2020 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD

NEW YORK CITY BIG BOOK AWARD 2019

2019 AMERICAN FICTION AWARD

NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCY AWARD – Best Legal Thriller of 2019

SILVER MEDAL WINNER 2019 READERS’ FAVORITES AWARDS

Chosen by Wiki.ezvid.com among their list of 10 Gripping and Intelligent Legal Thrillers

Book Blurb

An act of police brutality hurls a small town into a turmoil of rage and fear, igniting a relentless witch hunt and ending in the trial of the decade.

“When a homeless war veteran is beaten to death by the police, stormy protests ensue, engulfing a small New Jersey town. Soon after, three cops are gunned down.

A multi-state manhunt is underway for a cop killer on the loose. And Dr. Tessa Thorpe, a veteran’s counselor, is caught up in the chase.

Donald Darfield, an African-American Iraqi war vet, war-time buddy of the beaten man, and one of Tessa’s patients, is holed up in a mountain cabin. Tessa, acting on instinct, sets off to find him, but the swarm of law enforcement officers gets there first, leading to Darfield’s dramatic capture.

Now, the only people separating him from the lethal needle of state justice are Tessa and ageing blind lawyer, Nathaniel Bodine. Can they untangle the web tightening around Darfield in time, when the press and the justice system are baying for revenge?”

Editorial Reviews

The courtroom scenes are wonderfully written…the characters are well described and the author paints a picture of each in the mind of the reader…Strong plot, strong characters and a strong writing style that I really enjoyed. This one is a definite “thumbs-up.” Strongly recommend! I look forward to reading additional works by N. Lombardi, Jr. Kim M Aalaie, Author’s Den

One of my favorite suspense novels of the year. It will make you question the legal system. The Eclectic Review

The courtroom action is excellent, trimmed to the most gripping parts of the trial, with plenty of emotional impact…a fairly realistic portrayal of the way small-town US society works…a fast-moving story with plenty of dramatic moments, and a big twist in the final pages. Crime Review

Big Book Award 2019 Winner

Book Details

ISBN-10:1785358766
ISBN-13:978-1785358760
ASIN:B07N175RZJ
Page Length: 336 pages
Publication Date: February 22, 2019

Buy Links

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
https://bit.ly/2SoiKwc

Kobo
https://bit.ly/2BgY7ID

Book Depository

Waterstones
https://bit.ly/2D37Y56

Amazon India

About the Author

N Lombardi Jr - author

N. Lombardi Jr, the N for Nicholas, has spent over half his life in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, working as a groundwater geologist. Nick can speak five languages: Swahili, Thai, Lao, Chinese, and Khmer (Cambodian).

In 1997, while visiting Lao People’s Democratic Republic, he witnessed the remnants of a secret war that had been waged for nine years, among which were children wounded from leftover cluster bombs. Driven by what he saw, he worked on The Plain of Jars for the next eight years.

Nick maintains a website with content that spans most aspects of the novel: The Secret War, Laotian culture, Buddhism etc. http://plainofjars.net

His second novel, Journey Towards a Falling Sun, is set in the wild frontier of northern Kenya.

His latest novel, Justice Gone was inspired by the fatal beating of a homeless man by police.

Nick now lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook
https://bit.ly/2sY7LeN

Goodreads
https://bit.ly/2D1Ktt5

If you missed this the first time around, now is your chance to follow the link of your choice and secure a copy of this award-winning novel for yourself!

Legacy of Lies: A Legal Thriller (Bocephus Haynes Book 1) by Robert Bailey – a #BookReview

“To be respected was wonderful, but to be feared was divine.”

Book Blurb:

A small-town attorney takes on prejudice and corruption in this powerful legal thriller.

Small-town lawyer Bocephus Haynes comes home late one night to find District Attorney General Helen Lewis waiting for him. Her ex-husband has just been killed. She’s about to be arrested for his murder. And she wants Bo to represent her.

There’s a lot working against them. Just before his death, Helen’s ex-husband threatened to reveal a dark secret from her past. Bo has been in a tailspin since his wife’s death. What’s more, his whole life has been defined by a crime committed against his family, and he continues to face prejudice as the only African American litigator in Pulaski, Tennessee.

Bo’s back is against the wall, and Helen resigns herself to a dismal fate—but a stunning discovery throws everything into chaos. There’s a chance for justice, but to achieve it, the cost might be too much for Bo to bear.

My Review:

HooBoy! I blindly stepped into this one with no warning!. A new author, new series for me, and although perhaps the series for you as well, apparently a spin-off of a previously successful series.

Main character Helen Evangeline Lewis is the General (district attorney general of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit), Tennessee. Helen loves that designation, revels in it, and she does her utmost to maintain that level of fear and respect. But now she finds herself on the other side and begs protagonist Bocephus Hayes to represent her in the alleged murder of her ex-husband. Bo has been through a triple whammy, the loss of his wife, his children, his practice as one of Pulaski’s premier defensive attorneys. He’s been slumming it–at a total loss–devastated and can’t seem to pull himself back from the brink…until something Helen says stirs him to action.

There are references to characters from a previous series and this series continues with a few of those support characters, family of Bo, the General’s office, persons of the court, and baddies everywhere, generally in positions of power. Having been an extremely successful prosecutor, the General keeps secrets from Bo and sends him out for discovery.

You have to give it to author Bailey for putting together a suspenseful, emotional well-plotted and fast-paced legal thriller. Short chapters keep you flipping pages as Bo continues to recreate his team and wrest tidbits. Helen, after all, has as many detractors as fans. It won’t be easy.

It’s apparent there are layers to the plot lending Helen’s secrets potent causes of PTSD, conspiracies with a separate case with which she was working, and Bo’s racially charged background. Bo, a big African American who might have gone pro NFL had he not blown out his knee, is a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom as well. The reader almost gets a three-dimensional character here though I assume there will be more to come after this set up of a new series. I liked the characters of Chief Deputy Sheriff Frances Storm and Sheriff Hank Springfield.

But there is a triple-whammy in store for the reader as well as the courtroom revs up for the defense and Helen, herself, is called to testify. You’ve heard that old adage, “never ask a question to which you don’t know the answer?” (Or something close to that.) Boy does the prosecutor make that mistake! And then the author isn’t through as there are several more twists, one designed to knock the breath out of you. The conclusion has surprises, one on top of the other until the great reveal that turns into one big shock. Still, how is this all this possible? Hmmm…It’s complex, entertaining, and immensely engaging. And that ending? Surely that’ll produce a HUH! And you can’t say it wasn’t a fun ride.

I received this digital download from the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Looks like I have a new legal thriller author I’ll be following and I’m looking forward to Book 2 in this series. Recommended.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five of Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Conspiracy Thrillers, Legal Thrillers
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ASIN: B07YKTYZJ6
Print Length: 329 pages
Publication Date: June 1, 2020
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): Legacy of Lies [Amazon]

The Author: Robert Bailey is the bestselling author of the McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers series, which includes The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor. The first two novels in the series were Beverly Hills Book Awards legal thriller of the year winners, and Between Black and White was a finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year.

For the past nineteen years, Bailey has been a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, where he lives with his wife and three children. For more information, please visit http://www.robertbaileybooks.com.