She’s your average twelve-year old, except there’s something about her that’s unthinkable, and quite frankly, unexplainable.

When a lone little girl is abandoned outside FBI headquarters, agent Abby Kane’s investigation points to a human trafficking ring—and something even worse…

For a tense, disturbing thrill-ride, pick up Suitcase Girl. Book one in the Suitcase Girl Trilogy.

Even a Diamond can be shattered…

After the owner of a security company is murdered, his sharp-edged wife goes on the run. Forced to abandon everything she holds dear - her home, her friends, her job in special ops - she builds a new life for herself in England. As Ashlyn Hale, she meets Luke, a handsome local who makes her realise just how lonely she is.

Yet, even in the sleepy village of Lower Foxford, the dark side of life dogs Diamond’s trail when the unthinkable strikes. Forced out of hiding, she races against time to save those she cares about. But is it too little, too late?

**WARNING**
If you want sweetness and light and all things bright,
Diamond’s not the girl for you.
She’s got sass, she’s got snark, and she’s moody and dark,
As she does what a girl’s got to do.

Diamond isn’t polite. She’s got a filthy mouth to go with her dirty mind, and she doesn’t hold back. If you like your books a little milder, you may prefer the clean version of Pitch Black (no on-the-page dirty bits and no swearing) available through my author page.

Please be aware that although one story arc is concluded in this book, Diamond’s full story is told over books 1-3 in the Blackwood Security series.

HE DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS--AND THEN THE BODIES STARTED PILING UP... The Dirty Lowdown wrote: "Mick James has nailed it. The all too dark side of our legal industry, and the type of character we're all too afraid to admit exists!" It looks like disbarred attorney Bobby Custer has won the lottery. After serving four years of a seven-year sentence, he gets an offer he can’t refuse – from the feds. They just want him to keep an eye out for shady goings-on at one of the most prestigious law firms in the city. And suddenly he’s out – out of jail, but also totally cast out of his old life: shunned by family and friends, living in a bare studio apartment, working the hallways and back alleys of the legal game and finding plenty of shady goings-on to keep an eye on.

He did all the right things -- went to law school, got a job in a good law firm -- right up until the conviction for “a minor dalliance with a trust fund”. You could almost feel for the guy – a young man tempted by the high life could make a mistake he regrets and end up losing everything. And a guy who’ll help you hide a body could just be a good friend. But as the bodies start piling up, you have to wonder if there’s something about Bobby that’s just not … right.

Chilling and action-packed, Corridor Man exposes a dark, violent undercurrent just beneath the surface of “perfectly legal and above-board”.

A combination of Breaking Bad and House of Cards, Corridor Man is a sinister, disturbing thriller that's bound to keep you awake at night.

The FIRST book in the Corridor Man series.

"Don't think you're untouchable…you or your son." Then a dial tone..

Shrewd, hardened New York homicide detective Jasmine (“Jazz") Steele’s just come back from a grisly crime scene involving the body of a brutally-beaten young girl, the second she's investigated this week. That was horrendous, but with these eight words, ending ominously in “your son,” Jazz’s immediate fear is for her vulnerable nephew, Chase, who’s already been through hell in his seven short years. In Kimberly Amato’s hard-boiled yet deeply emotional police procedural, no one is spared tough breaks and turbulent anguish. A lesser cop than Jazz would barely be able to cope.

A year ago, a gruesome car accident claimed the lives of her only brother and his wife, making her the de facto mother of 7-year-old Chase. The sudden household change ended in the loss of her life partner and still best friend, chic police psychologist Frankie, not to mention the dashing of Jazz's lifelong dreams of becoming a successful mystery novelist. Now every day is a battle against Chase’s demons—and her own.

Quick reconnaissance reveals the call wasn't a clever joke courtesy of Hadley, Frankie's droll actress roommate, nor was it Victor, the wry police department coroner who happens to be Jazz's confidante. Further detective work shows the caller wanted Jazz to find him—along with the fresh dead body he left for her in a Harlem warehouse.

With a shadow on Chase and the aid of Frankie's grace-under-fire, not to mention Victor's brandy-fueled heart-to-hearts, Jazz--who has more 'tude than even the toughest investigator, male or female--navigates the cruel streets of New York City while struggling to keep custody of the only family she has left, doggedly in search of the elusive, psychopathic murderer who seems to be summarily killing off women who look suspiciously like someone close to Jazz... and she's not willing to lose yet another person she loves.

Fans of the exciting new wave of hard-boiled women sleuths created by writers like Megan Abbott, Laura Lippmann, Lisa Lutz, and Vicki Hendricks will be attracted to the author’s take-no-prisoners style, and her unflinching attention to harrowing detail.

Yet lovers of traditional mysteries will appreciate the web of fierce loyalty tempered with fearful caution that links Jazz’s tiny but hardy support system—Victor, Frankie, and Hadley, not to mention Chase himself. Somehow or other, Amato manages to mix all the excitement of an action thriller with the swirling emotions of a mainstream psychological novel.

Those with a weakness for badass female cops like Mary Shannon of In Plain Sight and Olivia Benson of Law & Order SVU will revel in Jasmine Steele's gritty determination laced with compassion. Readers of lesbian mysteries will be reminded of  Sandra Scoppettone’s Lauren Laurano and Laurie R. King’s Kate Martinelli.

And it's also a great read for fans of resilient heroines of psychological thrillers like Liz Keen of The Blacklist and Carrie Mathison of Homeland, who will love Jasmine Steele's fearlessness, tinged with the very real emotional roller coaster of love turned to grief.

"(Amato) makes Detective Steele a winning female character, and... introduces comic relief at just the right moments. This is very fine writing by a lady who knows the idiom!"

-- Grady Harp, San Francisco Review of Books

EDITOR'S NOTE: AN EARLIER EDITION OF THIS BOOK WAS ENTITLED STEELE RESOLVE. THIS IS A NEW EDITION, GUARANTEED ERROR-FREE! AND WE DO MEAN GUARANTEED--YOUR MONEY BACK IF YOU DISAGREE

“Thriller writing at its best. Thriller enthusiasts who relish the precise execution of an international thriller, but who seek the psychological depth and believability of a protagonist who simultaneously fields professional and personal life challenges, will find this a gripping story that's hard to put down.”
--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Any Means Necessary)

“One of the best thrillers I have read this year. The plot is intelligent and will keep you hooked from the beginning. The author did a superb job creating a set of characters who are fully developed and very much enjoyable. I can hardly wait for the sequel.”
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Any Means Necessary)

When nuclear waste is stolen by jihadists in the middle of the night from an unguarded New York City hospital, the police, in a frantic race against time, call in the FBI. Luke Stone, head of an elite, secretive, department within the FBI, is the only man they can turn to. Luke realizes right away that the terrorists’ aim is to create a dirty bomb, that they seek a high-value target, and that they will hit it within 48 hours.

A cat and mouse chase follows, pitting the world’s most savvy government agents versus its most sophisticated terrorists. As Agent Stone peels back layer after layer, he soon realizes he is up against a vast conspiracy, and that the target is even more high value than he could have imagined—leading all the way to the President of the United States.

With Luke framed for the crime, his team threatened and his own family in danger, the stakes could not be higher. But as a former special forces commando, Luke has been in tough positions before, and he will not give up until he finds a way to stop them—using any means necessary.

Twist follows twist as one man finds himself up against an army of obstacles and conspiracies, pushing even the limits of what he can handle, and culminating in a shocking climax.

A political thriller with heart-pounding action, dramatic international settings, and non-stop suspense, ANY MEANS NECESSARY marks the debut of an explosive new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.

Book #2 in the Luke Stone series is also now available!

Kate Jones is on the run with a backpack full of money, intent on finding her way back to the United States from Mexico. Unfortunately, a ruthless drug lord named Salazar is just as intent on finding her, retrieving his stolen money, and making her pay for ever having left him. Is there anyone she can trust?

 “KEEP YOUR HEAD ON YOUR SHOULDERS,” the lawyer counseled his client… the axe murderer. “The literary equivalent of a film noir –fast, tough, tense, and darkly funny” -Los Angeles Times Book Review

Along with a deeper descent into New Orleans’ menacing underworld, this NINTH installment in Tony Dunbar’s humorous, hard-boiled Tubby Dubonnet mystery series brings new restaurants to try, a new assortment of colorful characters, beguiling courtroom scenes, and – yes! steamy shower sex.

Ex-con Angelo Spooner is trying to start a legit business, but he just can’t catch a break. Just as his healing Holy Water, “Angelo’s Elixir” is about to go upscale, the sticky strands of the Big Sleazy’s tangled web of crime and corruption reach out to ensnare him. What’s a law-abiding parolee to do? He can’t get caught with a gun, but maybe that axe in his shed could help him extricate himself.  But when low-level creep Frenchy Dufour’s henchman turns up nearly beheaded, Angelo’s fate rests in the capable hands of laid-back lawyer Tubby Dubonnet.

Tubby’s been trying hard to lay low, too. As those closest to him are targeted by frightening attacks, he suspects his dealings with the clandestine society of Cuban exiles who’ve plagued him lately are far from over. Tubby would love to have nothing further to do with “that crazy band of geriatric lunatics”. But the old Cuban revolutionaries have taught their sons well. Now their grandchildren, heirs to a substantial cache of weapons and money, burn with a dangerous zeal to prove themselves.

Meanwhile … a man’s got to eat! The epicurean counselor does his best thinking when he’s well-fed. Our good luck! –as we vicariously sample our way across New Orleans’ culinary panorama on the hunt for an axe murderer. But sleuth does not live by bread alone—even in a Tony Dunbar legal thriller. Ignoring his own advice to his client to “keep your head on your shoulders”, Tubby’s lost his to the lovely Peggy O’Flarity. It’s about time Tubby had some steamy sex – and maybe a little happiness? But fortune teller Sister Soulace has her doubts.

“Dunbar catches the rich, dark spirit of New Orleans better than anyone.” 
                                                           --Publishers Weekly 

A detective who turns into a tiger. A pawn shop owner who can see how you'll die. The criminals never had a chance.

If you enjoyed Sookie Stackhouse and True Blood, you’ll love Tess Callahan and the Tiger’s Eye mysteries. Tess and sexy shapeshifter Jack solve mysteries with supernatural flair, and the laughs fly as fast as the clues.” — New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn.

5 Stars: I laughed so hard I almost peed a little. (Amazon reviewer)

5 Stars: I fell out of bed laughing… (Amazon reviewer)

5 STARS: Fans of Charlaine Harris and Janet Evanovich will enjoy Dead Eye. Alyssa Day has done it again! She’s written a story that’s so much fun to read that you don’t want to put it down. (Reader review)

For Jack Shepherd, tiger shape-shifter and former soldier, life is heading for a dead end. Dead End, Florida, to be exact. When he learns that he inherited a combination pawn shop/private investigation agency from his favorite uncle, Jack’s first job is to solve his uncle’s murder. Because sometimes it takes a tiger’s eye to see the truth.

Tess Callahan, who owns half a pawn shop in the strangest town in Florida, didn't expect Jack to show up and be so very enticing. And exciting. And annoyingly over-protective. But when yet another dead body shows up on her doorstep, it's time to take action. And if she has to team up with a sexy tiger shape-shifter to do it, well, that's just a bonus.

Welcome to Dead End, Florida, where Bigfoot keeps a winter home. And welcome to the Tiger's Eye Mysteries!

This novel is a paranormal mystery with magic, shape shifters, humor, vampires, a taxidermied alligator, witches, gunshots, bad singing, Crazy Hormonal Town, terrible parking, the FBI, swamp commandos, tigers, special agents, flirting, belly laughs, comedy, humor, and a pawn shop.

WARNING: Dangerous book!! Beware of I laughed so hard I almost peed a little* and I fell out of bed laughing.*
* 5 STAR reader reviews

The worldwide phenomenon from the bestselling author of The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and A Column of Fire

His code name was “The Needle.” He was a German aristocrat of extraordinary intelligence—a master spy with a legacy of violence in his blood, and the object of the most desperate manhunt in history. . . . 
 
But his fate lay in the hands of a young and vulnerable English woman, whose loyalty, if swayed, would assure his freedom—and win the war for the Nazis. . . . 

A UFO cult tries to steal the Shroud of Turin in a preposterous scheme to gain eternal life.

Amari Johnston is a feisty private investigator fresh out of college. In 1988, she made the national news after debunking the carbon dating performed on the Shroud of Turin. Her boyfriend, Dr. Kevin Brenner, is a brilliant young physicist with his own theories as to why the carbon dating is wrong. One year later, they find themselves in a dangerous situation, one that could land them in the headlines again—and the obituary section as well.

A devout Christian named Ernesto Galliano shares Amari and Kevin’s passion for proving the Shroud is the authentic burial cloth of Christ. As sole heir to his father’s vast fortune, Ernesto is determined to use his inheritance for good. He hires Amari and Kevin to join his own personal A-Team, an organization he formed to right the world’s wrongs, one mission at a time. At first reluctant to join this team, Amari’s father, veteran homicide detective, Pete Johnston, finally agrees to take the job so he can protect his daughter from harm.

Amari’s bizarre first mission comes after a UFO cult attempts to steal not only the Shroud of Turin but also the Sudarium of Oviedo. However, in a surprising twist of fate, she and Kevin find themselves captured by the very cult they pursue. Desperate to save Kevin and his daughter, Pete unravels clues previously discovered by Amari in a frantic attempt to rescue them before they fall victim to the cult leader’s suicidal vision.

Although this novel is Volume 2 in the Amari Johnston series, it can easily be read as a standalone title.

A STORM, AN ILLICIT LOVE AFFAIR, AND MOONSHINE… (actually, two illicit love affairs)“Miss Marple meets Eudora Welty (with a trace of Erskine Caldwell)” -Kirkus

“With the kind of realism that stems from William Faulkner, the author skillfully portrays her inbred, suspicious, nasty people ... Hurricane Season ends up an orthodox murder mystery, but it is more than that. [Thompson] has attempted a microcosm of America, carefully dissecting out a single cell under a very strong lens." -The New York Times

The 1950s fairly leap off the page in this classic cozy mystery set in northern Florida in the Eisenhower era, complete with Johnny Ray on the jukebox and a Womanless Wedding—this one interrupted by an explosion at a moonshine still. Lily Trulock, owner of Trulock’s Grocery & Marine Supply, leads a pretty quiet life until a stranger comes to town. The new guy’s not what he appears, but then, some of St. Elmo’s residents aren’t either.

Before she can say, “down the hatch,” Lily’s at the center of a vicious murder and a no-holds-barred bootlegging war—and a nasty storm’s on the way. This is a vibrant, atmospheric, powerful novel—as filled with energy, mystery, and motion as a hurricane.

Hurricane Season is as much a richly-detailed, spot-on historical as a mystery, widely praised by masters of the genre and reviewers alike for its pitch-perfect period feel and fine, spare writing. 

"A remarkable, compelling first novel ... a storm of a story." -The Washington Post

"This is a remarkable book which deserves readers from far beyond the ranks of mystery fans." -The San Francisco Chronicle/Examiner

P.D. JAMES said: “(Michaela Thompson) knows how to create that sense of place, which is so important to any novel but particularly to crime fiction; her characters are believable men and women in a real world, her mystery is credible, and in Lily Trulock she has created a middle-aged heroine who is both original and sympathetic.”

JOHN D. MACDONALD said: “I enjoyed the book. It has real people in a real place, factors which seem to be ever more rare these days—even though it is the only way to create a real suspension of disbelief.”

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Lieutenant Eve Dallas must hunt down the deadly snipers terrorizing Manhattan in this fast-paced In Death thriller from J. D. Robb.
 
The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice-skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be.

Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD but never one like this. A review of the security videos reveals that the victims were killed with a tactical laser rifle fired by a sniper, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the list of locations where the shooter could have set up seems endless, the number of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer.

Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two—one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil...

New York Times bestselling romance author Jude Deveraux makes her debut in the world of mystery with a story of old secrets, deadly grudges and an improbable group of friends who are determined to uncover the truth regardless of the consequences…

Sara Medlar is a household name in romance, with millions of books sold. But lately, retirement has been boring her and she’s found herself back in her hometown of Lachlan, Florida, remodeling the grand old mansion she’d admired as a child. It’s much too big for her alone, but she’d die before letting anyone in town know that.

Then Sara’s niece Kate is offered a job in Lachlan—a start in what could be a very successful career in real estate. She accepts immediately, but with so little saved up, she’ll have to approach her estranged yet incredibly famous aunt for a place to stay while she gets herself settled. But when she arrives at Sara’s home, she finds she’s not the only long-term houseguest. Jackson Wyatt already has his own room, and though it’s impossible to deny his good looks and charm—he’s clearly got her aunt wrapped around his finger—she’s also never met anyone who irritates her quite like Jack does.

However, when two skeletons are accidentally uncovered in the quiet town, this unlikely trio is suddenly thrust together by a common goal: to solve a mystery everyone else seems eager to keep under wraps. United by a sense of justice and the desire to right old wrongs, Sara, Kate and Jack will have to dig into Lachlan’s murky past to unravel the small town’s dark secrets and work to bring the awful truth to light.

"One of Deaver's most diabolical villains." - New York Times Book Review

"Deaver is the most creative, skilled, and intriguing thriller writer in the world." - Daily Telegraph

The first time somebody tried to kill him was an accident. 

The second time was deliberate. 

Now Paul Mulchrone finds himself on the run with nobody to turn to except a nurse who has read one-too-many crime novels and a renegade copper with a penchant for violence. Together they must solve one of the most notorious crimes in Irish history . . . 

. . . or else they’ll be history. 

A Man With One of Those Faces is the first book in Caimh McDonnell's Dublin Trilogy, which melds fast-paced action with a distinctly Irish acerbic wit. 

Praise for A Man With One of Those Faces: 

"One of the funniest crime books you could read." The Express

"A brilliant comedic thriller." The Irish Post 

"It's just crying out to be made into a movie. The writing is whip-smart and funny." Books Ireland Magazine 

"I was hooked by the end of the first page. Clever writing. Funny plot. Good characters." The Sun-Gazette

"Humorous crime at its finest. Droll, witty and highly entertaining. The writing is skilled and captivating." ***** Audiothing 

"A masterclass... The prose and narrative is spot on. The characters inhabiting this hilarious, yet gripping story are just wonderful." ***** Strange Alliances 

"A riotous read. Flipping easily between humour and terror so that I spent most of the book sat on the edge of my seat while chuckling." **** Cleopatra Loves Books 

"Original, innovative, intelligent and laugh out loud funny." Maureen Carter, author of the Bev Morriss books 

"If you like stories by Colin Bateman, Carl Hiaasen, Tim Dorsey and Janet Evanovich then you'll enjoy A Man With One of Those Faces." **** The View from the Blue House

Medical lab janitor Cletus Busters is caught red-handed in a restricted area with the frozen head of Dr. Whitney Valentine, one of the lab's most prestigious researchers. Busters won't say much, except that he's innocent. But given his conspicuous record and past as a voodoo guru, all signs point to life in prison.

Calling Tubby Dubonnet!

With the trial less than a week away, Busters' lawyer has made exactly two motions - heading to the bar for several rounds of Wild Turkey and begging Tubby for help. Meanwhile, Tubby's taken on a new client - a female boxer with an abusive boyfriend - and also has to referee the romantic entanglements of his ex-wife and three teenage daughters.

But as Buster's trial proceeds, and the jury savors the startling evidence (alongside Dunbar's succulent descriptions of Crescent City cuisine), the danger mounts. Revealing the murderer could prove to be Tubby's biggest triumph – or his last case ever.

'A great book, truly hard to put down. Fast paced, brilliantly plotted and desperately sad at times - all hallmarks of a bestseller' Lesley Pearse on The Girl in the Letter

'I was gripped by The Girl in the Letter. The story is compelling, twisty, heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. A novel that stays with you' Sophie Kinsella

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Kathryn Hughes, this gripping novel of long-buried secrets will stay with you for ever.

A heartbreaking letter. A girl locked away. A mystery to be solved.

1956. When Ivy Jenkins falls pregnant she is sent in disgrace to St Margaret's, a dark, brooding house for unmarried mothers. Her baby is adopted against her will. Ivy will never leave.

Present day. Samantha Harper is a journalist desperate for a break. When she stumbles on a letter from the past, the contents shock and move her. The letter is from a young mother, begging to be rescued from St Margaret's. Before it is too late.
Sam is pulled into the tragic story and discovers a spate of unexplained deaths surrounding the woman and her child. With St Margaret's set for demolition, Sam has only hours to piece together a sixty-year-old mystery before the truth, which lies disturbingly close to home, is lost for ever...

Read her letter. Remember her story...

'What a heartfelt emotional story, made even more so because it's based on a shocking truth. I raced through it, involved, moved and gripped' Fanny Blake

"Dawson's suspenseful story builds momentum like an ocean wave. Readers are advised to dive right in."
-- Publishers Weekly

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN ON A PI'S VACATION?

A dead body on the beach, most likely.

In this riveting fourth mystery in the Jeri Howard Private Investigator Series, Janet Dawson takes readers on a road trip down the California coast to Monterey,where Jeri is looking to catch a respite from the PI life to relax and visit family. Easier said than done. From the first moment of her arrival in the quiet seaside town, nothing is as it seems.

First, some maniac is mutilating brown pelicans on Monterey Bay. Jeri's cousin, Donna, who works for the Department of Fish and Game, wants Jeri all over the case. And another one too--something even more sinister that went down only miles from Monterey. And Jeri's other cousin, Bobby, is the prime suspect.

A local fisherman and erratic alcoholic, Bobby is getting into deep water. His girlfriend went missing after the couple had an altercation at a bar up the coast. When a woman's body washes ashore, it seems to the local cops that Bobby’s involved in both cases.

Suddenly Monterey Bay's picturesque waters have become a dark and overpowering force for the vacationing detective and her family. The whole town’s awash in secrets, but answers are in as short supply as healthy pelicans. The only thing Jeri knows for sure? Don't ever turn your back on the ocean.

“Mother/daughter feuds, family solidarity, an ecological mystery: Dawson blends these familiar ingredients with a chef’s élan.” --Kirkus Reviews

Fans of hard-boiled women sleuths like Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite, and T.R. Ragan’s Jessie Cole will fall in love with the Jeri Howard series.

A millionaire dies...

'One can see by his face that he was stabbed in the back' said Poirot.

But the strangest feature of the case was where they found the body - in an open grave!

Hercule Poirot had answered an appeal for help - but he was too late!

MURDER - bizarre and baffling - had come to the Villa Genevieve...

"A shot in the dark, right in the gut, that’s what Carstens is good at. The Key to Justice is full of twists and turns as the Twin Cities live in terror of a violent stalker. Carstens aims to be realistic about the law and its enforcers, and he hits it right ... The plot is as full of surprises as a Minneapolis Jucy Lucy and ultimately just as satisfying." -Tony Dunbar, Anthony- and Edgar-nominated author of the Tubby Dubonnet legal thriller series.

THE CASE OF A LIFETIME WALKS IN THE DOOR...

Financially embarrassed, getting a divorce, living in a shabby apartment, and distinctly short of clients, Marc Kadella’s beginning to question why he ever went into the law when a friend brings him the case all Minneapolis is watching—defending an accused serial killer. If he wins, it could turn his life around—if he blows it, he better go into sales.

Dennis Carstens weaves a gritty, street-wise narrative in this action-packed legal thriller, sure to please fans of courtroom drama and classic noir. You can almost see the guys in this one sporting fedoras, and the babes would stop traffic even without the cleavage Carstens makes their standard attire. But there’s a contemporary angle sure to please fans of both sexes--the toughest guy in the story is gorgeous investigator Maddy Rivers.

Carstens seems to relish getting her into increasingly brutal fights, some with laughs—like the time she roughs up a couple of rogue cops and takes away their guns. And when this author gets into an action scene, the prose flexes its muscles like a prison weightlifter.

Kadella and Rivers’ job is to find the evidence that will exonerate Kadella’s client Carl Fornich, a convicted sex offender recently out of prison. But the prosecution's evidence is stacked a mile high—the murder weapon found at his house, an eyewitness, a semen sample, and blood from two victims. To top it off, the cops really want to nail this guy—one cop in particular.

Carstens realistic take on the law as a nuts-and-bolts, often rickety way to make a living blends nicely with his worldly-wise portrayal of backroom deals, crooked cops, and judges and politicians who connive and collude right on up to the governor’s mansion.

It's a classic David-and Goliath setup, and the author’s got some pretty fancy twists in store as Kadella unravels a complicated plot to set his client up, and Maddy battles demons that just keep coming at her. Fans of John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, and of course the most beloved lawyer sleuth of all time, Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason, will gobble up this one and go back for the rest of the series.