Jailhouse Lawyer and Power of Attorney - James Patterson and Nancy Allen

When my book arrived, I thought oh my gosh - 560 pages! But....it's two books in one. The Jailhouse Lawyer and Power of Attorney are both co-authored by James Patterson and Nancy Allen. 

Lawyer Martha Foster takes a job as the new Public Defender in Erva, Alabama. She and her young son are welcomed with open arms by not just her work colleagues, but by the townsfolk as well. Oddly, Judge Pickens seems to the final  word in not just the courtroom, but in the town as well. There are some sketchy things going down in Erva - and Martha wants no part of it all. Instead she wants to shut it down - if they don't shut her down first. You won't believe what happens to Martha - Pickens plays dirty. Personally I would have turned tail and run right outa Erva. I did question some of Martha's actions, given that she has a medically fragile child with her. But that's the best part of legal thrillers - the protagonist that won't back down, the courtroom battles - and a satisfying ending. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Jailhouse Lawyer.

The second book, Power of Attorney, is also a legal thriller. Leah Randall is a lawyer who heads back home to her hometown when her father is diagnosed with dementia. She steps to take over his practice -  and her first case is a doozy. Amber Lynn Travis is the only survivor of a house fire that killed her two cousins. When suspicion falls on Amber, Leah steps in to help her. But she's stymied by Amber's lack of cooperation. Could she be guilty? As readers, we're privy to some of Amber's thoughts. I did find some the plot to be more than a little off-putting as more of the deliberately salacious details of Amber's life are brought to light. Gentle readers, there are triggers in this book.

I didn't enjoy Leah as a lead as much I liked Martha from the first book. For me, Leah was abrasive and kind of full of herself. I wasn't totally sold on her interactions with Amber.

Patterson has picked a good co-author for these two books. Allen is a lawyer herself. 

With Prejudice - Robin Peguero

With Prejudice is Robin Peguero's debut novel. 

I quite like legal suspense and am always on the lookout for new authors, so I happily picked up With Prejudice.

Peguero rapidly introduces us to a large group of characters - jury members, prosecution, defense and judge, all involved with a rape/murder case. We meet them in the present, but are then served up a snapshot of their past. A time that they exhibited prejudice - racial, faith, sexual orientation, social status and more. These moments can be tied to the present. 

But....yes, I have a but. Those time periods don't follow a pattern. So, that was difficult to keep track of. Sometimes the jurors are called by name, some by number. Also confusing. 

I agree with Peguero's take on the 'prejudices'. This happens and is indeed an issue. I applaud that part of the book. 

But the execution wasn't great for this reader. I found the courtroom legal machinations to be overly convoluted, with way too much legalese. Peguero has worked as a homicide prosecutor in Miami, so his take on that bit is spot on. But, I found myself skim reading some of those scenes as the end drew nearer. Which took a while for me to reach, as I kept picking up and putting down the book. It didn't hold my interest as I had hoped. Peguero did surprise me with a late entry twist that changed things. The jury is still out for me on the ending. For me it almost negated what had come before. On the other hand, it does show the cracks in our systems.

The prose are staccato, almost presented like court documents. It kept me at arm's length as the depiction of the characters was too clinical. They never became 'real' to me. 

A solid debut, but not a stand out for this reader. See for yourself - read an excerpt of With Prejudice.

The Murder Rule - Dervla McTiernan

I love a good legal suspense tale. There's been lots of buzz around Dervla McTiernan's newest book, The Murder Rule - and it's well deserved. I thought The Murder Rule was an absolutely fantastic listen.

"First Rule: Make them like you. Second Rule: Make them need you. 

Third Rule: Make them pay."

Hannah is a law student who leaves Maine to volunteer at The Innocence Project in Virginia. The impetus for the move is what she discovered in the pages of  her mother's old diaries - and the story they tell. And the man at the center of the latest case of the wrongly convicted justice group.

Oh, Hannah is a complicated lead character. She presents one persona to the group, hiding her real motives and self from the group and the public. But - she would do anything for her mother. She sacrifices much to keep her healthy and happy. I was so curious about the why and what of her plan.

Now here's the neat bit - McTiernan's inspiration for the Murder Rule was an actual case of The Innocence Project. It is indeed a real organization. McTiernan is a lawyer herself and that insider knowledge adds so much to the book. The courtroom pieces, the behind the scenes machinations and more have that ring of authenticity. But, that's not to say that McTiernan doesn't put her own spin on things, adding levels and more levels to her plotting. The answer to that burning question - is he innocent - is up in the air until the last chapters. 

Danger, suspense, action, corruption, betrayal and duplicity abound in The Murder Rule. And my favorite - twists and turns. I honestly couldn't stop listening. An easy five stars for me. 

The readers were Kate Orsini, Sophie Amoss and Michael Crouch. I really like having multiple narrators, as it makes each character easily identifiable. And it feels more 'real'. The voices used matched the mental images I created for the characters and suited the characters McTiernan created. The energy of the plotting, the emotions of the characters and more are all easily portrayed and performed, bring the book to life. Each narrator spoke clearly and was easy to understand. The speed of speaking was just right. A great performance by all. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Murder Rule.