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The Redcap

A Sam McKay Novel
K.M. Hardy

2021 Finalist
294 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

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Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

A wealthy woman's death in Chicago has become a cold case, and when a team of FBI agents from Cleveland travels to Chicago to solve her murder, local law enforcement and organized crime syndicates impede their investigation, provoking deadly consequences in the thrilling murder mystery, The Redcap (A Sam McKay Novel) by K.M. Hardy. As a favor to an old friend, the Director of Cleveland's branch of the FBI sends Agents Sam McKay and his team, Julie, Rivera, and Simon, to Chicago to solve a murder that has gone cold. While looking into the victim's life, Sam discovers a clue that the previous investigators overlooked. His new lead indicates that someone from the art world is involved and has ties to a psychotic mafia leader. Charlotte, a charming art thief, becomes involved in the investigation, but her tactics are questionable, and the team doubts her reliability. With so many elements impeding their investigation, Charlotte may hold the key to unmasking the killer, but can they trust her?

Intense and exciting, The Redcap (A Sam McKay Novel) by K.M. Hardy is a thrilling novel filled with twists and turns. Filled with avarice, malice, and murder, the story is an intricately woven web of intrigue and suspense. It is a well-written story with a complex plot, engaging characters, and a captivating storyline. I was captured by Sam's brogue from the first page, and the further I got into the story, the more I admired his character. The Isobel/Claire/Charlotte aspect was intriguing and kept me guessing until the end. This is a stunning novel that is sure to delight everyone who loves a good murder mystery.

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Death of a Rancher's Daughter

#2 In The Lady Lawyer Mysteries
Susan P. Baker

2021 Silver Medal
416 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2021     Silver Medal
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Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Death of a Rancher's Daughter: #2 In The Lady Lawyer Mysteries by Susan P. Baker is an intriguing legal mystery that will keep you in suspense until the end. This second offering in the series has lawyer-of-a-certain-age Sandra Salinsky representing a Latina who allegedly shot the rancher's daughter, a twin. This gripping scenario takes place in Texas Hill County in a small town, revealing racism and murder, and culminates in a jury trial that will satisfy legal drama fans everywhere. Along with her attorney/mother, Sandra watches the wheels of white privilege turn.

Baker has formulated the perfectly satisfying legal suspense novel in this one. You'll appreciate the author's legal prowess, and there is a reason for that: Baker is a retired Texas judge, which lends an impressive realism to the story you don't find with some other crime dramas. I really enjoy the characters of Sandra and her mother--a unique criminal defense team to say the least, and a combination that is fresh and inviting. Their clashes seem natural. Melinda is a great character as well, as are the others that enter the picture, especially the sympathetic defendant, Rufina.

The plot that the author has built is gripping from the beginning, and you may think you have things figured out and know how the story will play out, but there are some surprises. I like how the themes of racism and phobias are used, which definitely infiltrates the legal system as well as any other. The plot is well-paced and inviting, the characters and situations convincing, and you get the feeling this author really enjoys entertaining you from a legal but also a personal aspect. If you're up for a bumpy ride through a gritty Texas murder trial, buckle your seatbelts and check out Death of a Rancher's Daughter by Susan P. Baker.

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The Car Thief

A Boy's Perilous Journey through the Juvenile Justice System
Vicki Reed

2021 Gold Medal
407 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2021     Gold Medal
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Reviewed by Frank Stephen for Readers' Favorite

The Car Thief is a tale about a twelve-year-old orphan, Kelly Morgan, and his ordeals at the hand of child services and the juvenile justice system. The best he was offered after his father's death was a cold and abusive grandfather, a child home that subjected him to the point system, a juvenile detention facility, and a correction facility for adults. After a couple of failed promises and childish mistakes, he is left at the mercy of an ill-prepared justice infrastructure, a gutsy public defendant, and a veteran correctional officer. All Kelly wants is to get back to his home in Wyoming, but he may have to settle for a minimum-security forestry camp.

Author Vicki Reed addresses the flaws in the juvenile justice system and child services from the witty and innocent perspective of a child — one for who the system was not designed. As his lawyer puts it, "The law set a trap for a tiger. It caught a kitten." His story offers a mix of delight and sadness, inspiring and empathetic. Vicki Reed draws from her wealth of experience working in the juvenile justice system to deliver a fast-paced and straightforward plot, perfectly scripted with powerful diction that is easy to read and a thrilling delight. From the first scene, I was hooked and intrigued. Kelly's wit and innocence are very endearing and entertaining. Kelly is a compelling character, and his story will definitely resonate with anyone who has suffered unfairly at the hands of a failed system.

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Rattlesnake & Son

Jonathan Miller

2020 Finalist
344 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

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Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Rattlesnake & Son is the eleventh novel in the Rattlesnake Lawyer Series by Jonathan Miller. Dan Shepard was called to Truth and Consequences, New Mexico to represent a boy who had been caught shoplifting. Thinking that this would be an open and shut case, he drives there to find out that the boy he is going to defend is his son. He meets with his ex-wife and his now fourteen-year-old son Marley. Taking it as the perfect opportunity to reconnect with his son, Dan finally experiences what it means to be a father. However, life has other plans for him and his son, as Marley is charged with some terrible crimes that he might have committed at his school. It is not your usual trouble at school and Dan has to work especially hard to get his son’s name cleared. This could be the toughest battle that he has ever fought and it might be the one that he loses.

Fast-paced and heart-racing, Rattlesnake & Son by Jonathan Miller had me sitting on the edge of my seat. It was a quick novel to read, the characters were well developed, the plot was well-thought-out and everything was given proper time and space to grow naturally. Nothing was hurried and the author never tried to wrap up something. Every twist and turn of the story was necessary and it all tied together in the end. The author did a wonderful job at not only writing an amazing mystery novel but doing it justice. Reading Rattlesnake & Son was an amazing, very entertaining experience.

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The Midnight Call

Jodé Millman

2020 Honorable Mention
460 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2020     Honorable Mention
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Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

The Midnight Call by Jodé Millman is a legal thriller. Jessie Martin is a successful attorney, mentored by a high school teacher, Terrence Butterfield. Midnight. The phone rings and Jessie answers it. Terrence is pleading for help, admitting to killing someone, and loyalty has her rushing to him. There’s a lot at stake here though, not least Jessie’s professional life and her unborn baby. The police arrive to start the investigation into the body of a boy in Terrence’s basement but Jessie is uncertain – is she there as a friend or attorney? A monster betrayal sees Jessie fighting for everything she ever held dear in a bid to get to the truth behind the murder. Is Terrence innocent or has he been playing Jessie all along?

The Midnight Call by Jodé Millman was inspired by a true crime that, to my mind, made it even more gripping. Right from the start, the story drags you into a complex, thrilling plot with plenty of subplots to add mystery. This is an 'action all the way' thriller, there’s no let-up and the story will leave you wanting more – indeed, I hope there is a sequel to this. The characters were fantastic, well developed, and real people that you can instantly relate to, and all the different plots wound together to create a book that you won’t want to put down. The only downside is that I felt there was rather too much going on at times but this was one legal thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait for more.

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Ariel's Island

Pat McKee

2020 Honorable Mention
352 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2020     Honorable Mention
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Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

Paul McDaniel is thrilled when he is offered a full partnership in the law firm of Strange & Fowler, one of Atlanta’s most prestigious law offices. He is soon disappointed to learn that this partnership has not come because of his talent for winning a really big case but instead because of the circumstances surrounding this case. Paul has just won a patent case for the Milano Corporation and he is feeling pretty good about himself; not only has he won the case but the beautiful owner’s daughter, Melissa, seems to be interested in him and looking for a romantic ending. Paul suddenly finds himself in the middle of murder and bribery that are putting him in danger and he is accused of crimes he did not commit. He is frightened, confused and having a hard time coming to terms with all that has happened to him in a very short time. Several people come to Paul’s defense and do their best to rescue him, keep him alive, safe, and try to prove his innocence.

Ariel’s Island is a legal story with a lot of thrills, twists, turns, and surprises. I anxiously read Ariel’s Island and rooted for Paul to have a happy ending. Pat McKee’s writing style is unique and entertaining. I am still pondering on the surprise ending which I could never have predicted and am not sure yet how I really feel about it. If you like thrillers, mysteries, legal themes and a little touch of romance, then Ariel’s Island by Pat McKee is a must-read for you and should be put on the top of your reading list.

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Burning Justice

Innocent Prisoners Project Book 6
Marti Green

2020 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2020     Bronze Medal
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Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Burning Justice by Marti Green is Book 6 in the Innocent Prisoners Project Series. Becky Whitlaw, a young widow from Texas, stands accused of burning her house down, killing her three children. She claims she is innocent but could she have done it in a drunken blackout? The jury says she is guilty and convicts her. Twenty years on, Dani Trumball takes her case. Working with the Help Innocent Prisoners Project as a defense attorney, Dani agrees to defend Becky, even though the evidence is pointing straight at her. At the same time, California wildfires are raging closer and closer to Dani’s home; can she find the evidence she needs to get Becky acquitted at the same time as keeping her own husband and kids safe? Time is short for Dani and this case will test her to the limits.

Burning Justice by Marti Green is the sixth book in the Innocent Prisoners Project series but can be read as a standalone story. Marti Green has written a cracking legal thriller here, a story that tells another side of the justice system and shows us that not everything is black or white. The main protagonist, Dani, is very well developed, a likable, real person with real problems. This isn’t just about her legal battles; this is about her personal battles too and it makes for an intriguing read. There’s plenty of action, suspenseful mystery, and legal information along the way, some of which might cause your eyebrows to raise a little! The story is full of emotion and you will feel drawn to both Dani and Becky, rooting for them all the way. Highly recommended reading. I will be reading the rest of the series.

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Rattlesnake & Son

Jonathan Miller

2019 Finalist
344 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2019     Finalist
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Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Rattlesnake & Son is the eleventh novel in the Rattlesnake Lawyer Series by Jonathan Miller. Dan Shepard was called to Truth and Consequences, New Mexico to represent a boy who had been caught shoplifting. Thinking that this would be an open and shut case, he drives there to find out that the boy he is going to defend is his son. He meets with his ex-wife and his now fourteen-year-old son Marley. Taking it as the perfect opportunity to reconnect with his son, Dan finally experiences what it means to be a father. However, life has other plans for him and his son, as Marley is charged with some terrible crimes that he might have committed at his school. It is not your usual trouble at school and Dan has to work especially hard to get his son’s name cleared. This could be the toughest battle that he has ever fought and it might be the one that he loses.

Fast-paced and heart-racing, Rattlesnake & Son by Jonathan Miller had me sitting on the edge of my seat. It was a quick novel to read, the characters were well developed, the plot was well-thought-out and everything was given proper time and space to grow naturally. Nothing was hurried and the author never tried to wrap up something. Every twist and turn of the story was necessary and it all tied together in the end. The author did a wonderful job at not only writing an amazing mystery novel but doing it justice. Reading Rattlesnake & Son was an amazing, very entertaining experience.

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Drink to Every Beast

Joel Burcat

2019 Honorable Mention
352 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

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Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Author Joel Burcat’s credentials reassured me that Drink to Every Beast, with its plot centered on the illegal disposal of dangerous chemicals, wouldn’t be a flight of fictional fantasy...and it wasn’t. Not only is it a captivating legal thriller, but it’s also a rather delightful look into the romantic side of human relations, and Burcat handles both his main plot and the romantic subplot with admirable skill. From the word go, Burcat rivets us with his very frightening depiction of two happy teens diving into toxic river waters and the horrific consequences. The main plot is up and running in no time as members of the department of environmental protection search not only for the toxic waste dumpers but for the boreholes into which they are dumping. Of course, ultimately it’s all about lack of conscience and greed, a theme that carries over in different forms into other minor subplots involving politicians, crooked lawyers, and cops on the take...and it makes for exciting, eye-opening reading.

Giving readers a break from the mounting thriller tension is the protagonist’s unplanned involvement with two beautiful women at the same time. Mike is a nice Jewish guy, not as confident in dealing with affairs of the heart as he is with environmental issues. Lacking the courage to tell either woman about the other, he goes back and forth between the two, fully aware of the complications should each find out about the other. When they do, the fallout is almost as deadly as that toxic waste. Apart from giving readers a captivating primary plot, Burcat’s strength lies in the realness of his characters. Unless we’re made of granite, we can relate to Mike’s ambivalence about the two women in his life, and even more to how these two women, Patty and Sherry, cope with Mike’s bungling. It’s all so very human and credible. With excellent handling of dialogue, description, characterization, and plot, Drink to Every Beast is quite a feast and a wonderful debut novel.

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Betrayal in Blue

The Zachary Blake Betrayal Series Book 3
Mark M. Bello

2019 Bronze Medal
263 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - Legal

2019     Bronze Medal
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Reviewed by Jane Finch for Readers' Favorite

Betrayal in Blue: Zachary Blake Betrayal Series (Book 3) by Mark M. Bello follows the fortunes of Jack Dylan and his team as they try to foil a deadly plot to release Sarin upon the unsuspecting town of Dearborn, where the perpetrators seek to take their revenge for a past defeat by the lawmakers of Dearborn. When the FBI becomes involved and messes up big time, Jack takes matters into his own hands in his quest to bring the main perpetrator to justice. By doing so, Jack finds himself in trouble with the law and has to call on his friend Zachary Blake to defend him in a tense courtroom drama.

Mark M. Bello has crafted an exciting mixture of a crime and legal thriller which takes the reader on an exciting journey through the investigation, the chase, the deception, and then the legal trial, so just when the reader thinks the story is done, more is to come. In a well-written story with strong characters that endear themselves to the reader, Jack Dylan and Zachary Blake are on a quest to right a wrong that should never have happened. The title, Betrayal in Blue, perfectly portrays this novel, with an enticing cover that is sure to attract readers of both crime and legal thrillers. This is book 3 in the Zachary Blake Betrayal Series, but for those who have not read the earlier books, this works as a stand-alone book. The reader soon becomes familiar with the main characters, and it was a nice surprise to have the story followed by the courtroom scenario. Nicely done.
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