Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "legal-thriller"

The Defence by Steve Cavanagh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An intense, gripping legal thriller by Steve Cavanagh, introducing the character of Eddie Flynn, reluctant lawyer and reformed conman.

Accosted by members of the Russian Mafia, Eddie is forced, under threat of his daughter’s life, to take on the case of mob boss Olek Volchek, who is on trial for murder. But it’s not an acquittal they seek – they wish Eddie to plant a bomb to dispose of the key witness in the trial, who is currently in witness protection and known to the public only as Witness X. Volchek knows who betrayed him, but is unable to access him until he arrives in court. Left with little choice, his daughter kidnapped and her life hanging in the balance, Eddie smuggles the bomb past security into the courthouse.

As he familiarises himself with the case, determined to save his daughter’s life and avoid taking the life of Witness X if possible, Eddie believes he may have a chance of winning Volchek’s case. He knows even that won’t guarantee his daughter’s life and comes up with a daring plan to ensure her safety, having to thwart not only his captors, but the FBI agents with a keen interest in the case and now in him.

Eddie Flynn is an endearing, relatable character – he reminded me of John Grisham’s Mitch McDeere (featured in ‘The Firm’), with a dash of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher thrown in. You could easily imagine Tom Cruise playing him in a film adaptation. Delving into his backstory throughout the novel, we learn how he turned his back on his criminal past to become a defence attorney, before also turning his back on the law after losing his family, now forced to return to both careers against his will. This isn’t a straightforward or typical legal thriller, as much as Flynn isn’t a straightforward or typical lawyer.

Seizing you from its opening scene, ‘The Defence’ barrels relentlessly through to its conclusion. A superb debut novel; a high-stakes legal thriller packed with courtroom dramatics, gangland villains, breath-taking action and edge-of-your seat suspense. I cannot wait to read more from Steve Cavanagh and Eddie Flynn.



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The Plea by Steve Cavanagh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Con artist turned lawyer Eddie Flynn returns in another high-stakes legal thriller by Steve Cavanagh.

Following the events of 'The Defence', Eddie has set up his own practice. Still separated from his family, he is recovering from his alcoholism and is slowly putting his life back together. But he finds himself accosted in his own office and offered an ultimatum - either he con his way into representing a man accused of murder and persuade him to plead guilty to the crime or his wife will face charges for her unknowing involvement in the crimes of the law firm she works for.

Eddie reluctantly agrees, but he soon faces a moral dilemma. He believes the accused is innocent. Eddie believes that the legal system should achieve justice, that the guilty should be punished and the innocent not be imprisoned for crimes they have not committed. He becomes determined to find a way to simultaneously see his client exonerated, avoid charges being brought unjustly against his wife, and assist in bringing down the corrupt law firm - a challenge that may come with greater sacrifices than he imagined.

Narrated from Eddie's perspective, the plot is driven by his quest for justice and his emotional peril. This is cinematic storytelling - like a legal action blockbuster on the page, full of action and sleight-of-hand twists. It's the courtroom scenes that shine the most, brimming with drama and building suspense as Eddie plays a long con in cross-examination of multiple prosecution witnesses to ultimately build the defence. The twists build to an action-packed finale.

A gripping and enjoyable novel; I am very much looking forward to reading the third in the series, 'The Liar'.



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Echo Burning by Lee Child

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jack Reacher returns in another gripping thriller, the lawless drifter finding himself caught in a tangled web of prejudice, corruption and violence.

Under the heat of the Texas sun, a boy and two men watch a house, tracking and recording the movements of its occupants. Meanwhile, a team of professional assassins - a woman and two men – are beginning a mission. Alone and adrift, Jack Reacher chooses to avoid a confrontation with an angry Texas cop with whom he had an altercation in a bar the previous evening. Thumbing for a lift, he is surprised when a young woman pulls over. But Carmen Greer has an ulterior motive and Reacher is exactly the sort of person she’s been looking for. Her abusive husband is due to be released from prison. Terrified at the prospect of his release and desperate for a new life with their young daughter, she has a proposal – she wants Reacher to kill her husband.

But Reacher is not a cold-blooded assassin. Yet he is sympathetic to her plight and agrees to do what he can to help, claiming to her husband’s family that he is simply looking for work on the ranch. Only he soon realises that his agreement to warn off an abusive bully only scratches the surface of what lies rotten and decaying under the intense heat and the situation is about to become far more complicated.

Fast-paced and action-packed with a character-driven heart, ‘Echo Burning’ is a fantastic entry in the Reacher series, which goes from strength to strength. I particularly liked the relationship Reacher developed with Carmen’s young daughter, Ellie; while the determined and hard-working young lawyer, Alice, is a refreshing female character in a genre that is often male-dominated. In fact, the whole concept of ‘Echo Burning’ – exploring spousal abuse and racial prejudice, and featuring several strong female characters – makes the novel stand out from the crowd.

Aside from references to Reacher’s girlfriend Jodie (who featured in the two previous novels, ‘Tripwire’ and ‘The Visitor’), this is very much a standalone entry in the series and can easily be read independently or out-of-sequence. Jack Reacher is such a brilliant character to go on a journey with – a tough loner driven by a strong moral code, never afraid to question authority and the perceived ‘normal’ in the pursuit of justice. Reacher’s situation allows for different formulas to be explored in each novel – ‘Echo Burning’ is part action thriller, part domestic thriller, with a touch of social legal drama.

Building to a storming finale, ‘Echo Burning’ delivers another untangled mystery, merciless retribution and crumbling of injustice, with Reacher walking out into the heat once again adrift, doubtless on his way to get caught up in his next adventure.



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The Case of the Careless Kitten: A Perry Mason Mystery by Erle Stanley Gardner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thrilling legal mystery featuring defence attorney Perry Mason, from the Golden Age of crime fiction.

Helen Kendall finds herself thrown into turmoil when she receives a mysterious phone call, the caller claiming to be her believed-dead Uncle Franklin. The caller implores her to consult Perry Mason, and so bring him with her to meet him. Her new kitten narrowly survives a poisoning attempt, while her aunt Matilda continues to disapprove of her fiancé, Jerry. Helen consults the famous lawyer as requested, but the arranged meeting leads to the discovery of a man shot in his car, plunging Perry Mason into another murder case.

The mystery deepens when Aunt Matilda also narrowly survives an attempted poisoning and there is a further shooting at their home. Mason’s unconventional methods are brought under intense scrutiny, leading him and his team into their own legal peril. Meanwhile, a certain careless kitten may provide the key to unlocking the whole affair and unravelling this murderous scheme.

Gardner's Perry Mason series was an incredible success - he wrote a total of eighty-five novels featuring the attorney crusading for justice. Mystery series that originated in the Golden Age often follow their own formula – and the Perry Mason series is no exception to this. Mason’s clients are often innocent, with Mason having to both solve the mystery and exonerate his client, going up against the police and District Attorney as they present their case for his client’s guilt. Both the familiar formula and returning characters make such mystery series a comfort and pleasure to revisit time and time again. The lightning-paced courtroom scenes are pure brilliance, a highlight of this series, with Mason often succeeding in triggering revelations through cross-examination of witnesses and sometimes theatrical displays, much to the chagrin of the Court.

The novels were originally adapted for six feature films between 1934 and 1937, but it was the later TV series that ran from 1957 to 1966 that cemented Mason’s presence on the screen. Starring Raymond Burr as Perry Mason, it would later return for a series of TV movies in 1985, which continued for the next ten years, culminating in four films following Burr’s death. It was the repeats of these TV movies on Saturday afternoons that I enjoyed as a child which first introduced me to Perry Mason and ignited my love for legal thrillers and courtroom drama. The character has recently made a return to the small screen with the 2020 series, which presents an origin story for the character.

For fans old and new alike, ‘The Case of the Careless Kitten' is a classic mystery, superbly plotted and full of intriguing clues and suspense - yet another case that only Perry Mason can solve.



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Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A sharp blend of domestic and legal thriller, with a dash of dangerous eroticism.

Barrister Alison is set to defend her first murder case, her instructing solicitor’s client a woman accused of the brutal murder of her husband. There is no question she committed the act, but Alison is determined to put together a legal defence that may mitigate for a lesser charge.

Yet her brief isn’t the only challenge she has to contend with. Her ongoing affair with solicitor Patrick adds a layer of complication to their professional relationship, one that is as potentially dangerous as it is obsessive; while, at home, Alison’s marriage to husband Carl is slowly deteriorating.

Alison struggles to carry the guilt that comes with her career, her affair and her marital problems, fearing the impact they may have on her daughter. Juggling so many stresses inevitably leads Alison’s life to begin spiralling out of control and, with it, beginning to crack at the seams. Yet it is through these cracks that the truth may finally bleed.

Harriet Tyce’s debut novel is a fast-paced, twisted journey into the lives behind the masks of domestic and professional relationships. Its exploration of themes of domestic abuse and sexual violence is both sensitive and vitally important. Alison may not always be the most sympathetic of characters, but this is part of the strength in the telling of this story and also a realistic development of her character in the context of the plot. Alison’s men, Carl and Patrick, display increasingly concerning behaviour, though, with Alison’s narration, Tyce very cleverly has you questioning both reliability and responsibility throughout. The most endearing and sympathetic character, for me, was Alison and Carl’s young daughter, Matilda, as Tyce also explores how the decisions and behaviour of the adults can ultimately impact on a child.

While I anticipated several of the twists, there is a killer of a twist that clicks into place just before Alison’s realisation and is beautifully done, building to a final climatic moment that deserves a gasp. The thread of moral, as well as legal, justice runs throughout, and, in the end, the reader can decide if either has truly been done.

Gripping from beginning to end, ‘Blood Orange’ is a superb thriller by Harriet Tyce; I will absolutely be devouring more of her work in the future.



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Sycamore Row by John Grisham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A powerful sequel to the classic legal thriller ‘A Time to Kill’.

Seth Hubbard, terminally ill, hangs himself from a sycamore tree on his expansive property. His suicide triggers his carefully planned final wishes – a hasty funeral and the terms of his recently written last will, which disinherits his greedy, white family and leaves his fortune to his black housekeeper, Lettie Lang.

Jake Brigance has been appointed attorney for the estate as part of the decedent's final wishes. Though they never met, he claims Jake is the only lawyer he can trust, based on his reputation for fighting for justice against the tide of societal discrimination and corruption, and charges him to defend his final will and testament at all costs.

But Seth’s family refuse to accept the validity of the will and contest it. Once again, Clanton becomes the epicentre of a legal battle that is as much about race as it is about the law, vultures circling and flocking to claim a piece of the fortune.

John Grisham’s debut novel ‘A Time to Kill’ remains one of his most powerful novels, a modern classic of legal and crime fiction, and a fable about prejudice and moral justice. Many years later, Grisham has returned to the central character of Jake Brigance in ‘Sycamore Row’ – an immersive and captivating legal thriller; this time the central case a civil, rather than criminal, trial. The novel’s themes of racial prejudice, the shades of grey in which the law and morality may differ, and a fight for justice are deftly handled and superbly laced through its gripping, fast-paced plot. Building to an intense and dramatic climax, the case hinges on a dark family secret that may just unlock Seth’s motivations for his final actions.

Brimming with an array of well-drawn characters, with many returning from its predecessor, the novel demonstrates how a dark chapter in human history continues to leak into our modern society – its powerful and moving message timely and crucial. Through the setting of a small town, we see prejudice and attitudes that are mirrored all around the globe; in many ways as potent today as it ever has been in the past.

While ‘Sycamore Row’ can be enjoyed as a self-contained story, it references many of the events of ‘A Time to Kill’ – so I would highly recommend starting with the first novel (or alternatively watching the brilliant, and mostly faithful, film adaptation). Jake and his family make for endearing characters and the overarching themes shared by both novels make this a superlative series – one that continues in Grisham’s recent novel, ‘A Time for Mercy’.

Packed with legal wrangling and courtroom drama, fraught with poignant and tragic moments, ‘Sycamore Row’ is an emotive and enthralling thriller and a worthy successor to a masterpiece.



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A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping thriller which explores how the law and justice may sometimes be at odds.

Josie and her children anxiously await her partner’s return home, hoping to avoid the usual escalation into violence that follows his drinking. But their hopes are in vain. Erupting into a frenzied rage, he beats Josie unconscious. Her children believe she is dead. Fearful for their lives, young Drew Gamble takes the man’s own gun and shoots him dead.

Jake Brigance is reluctant to take the case. The dead man was a police officer, well liked and respected in the community, which is demanding justice be done. Defending his killer could be career suicide and he is currently busy with a potentially lucrative civil case.

But as Jake gets to know his new client and his family and learns more about their circumstances, he becomes determined to save him from death row. Nevertheless, a man is dead and the law is very clear. If Jake is to build a successful defence, he must pose a question to the jury and hope to provide them with its answer – it is possible that homicide can ever be justified?

‘A Time for Mercy’ is the third novel featuring Jake Brigance, following 1989’s ‘A Time to Kill’ and 2013’s ‘Sycamore Row’, taking place in the fictional town of Clanton, Ford County, in 1990, just five years after the Hailey trial. Like the first in the series, the novel centres around a criminal trial which causes much unrest and divided opinion in this traditional American county.

Much like the ‘victims’ in the first novel, the murdered man is a vile example of humanity and the world is doubtless better off without him, but his behaviour in his role as a police officer and as part of the wider community differs to how he behaves at home and while under the influence of alcohol. However, someone’s behaviour behind closed doors if often far more indicative of their true nature than the persona they present to the wider world – though this is something that many, unfortunately, cannot appreciate. While I would never advocate vigilantism, when circumstances arise which result in harm to a violent and abusive individual it may appear ludicrous to seek to punish their attacker – particularly in a country that still uses capital punishment. Is that ironic, or simply hypocrisy?

Exploring themes of domestic abuse and violence, how society views victims of abuse and members of law enforcement, and a plethora of ethical and moral dilemmas, while racial prejudice remains ever present, the novel poses many questions which remain timely to this day. We follow Jake as he builds his case and forms a bond with this broken and damaged family, forming a picture of their tragic circumstances, building to the climatic courtroom scenes.

The Brigance family’s personal life is interspersed with the legal case; I love Jake’s relationship with Carla and Hanna. Portia makes a return from the previous novel, working as Jake’s paralegal and about to embark on her studies at law school. Other characters also return from the previous two novels – making this as much a personal drama as a legal one, and the continuing story of the town and community of Clanton, with an emotional core and a moral conscience.

Thought-provoking and suspenseful, ‘A Time for Mercy’ is an engrossing legal thriller and a fantastic addition to the series. I hope we will get to return to Clanton for another of Jake’s cases in the future.



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The Liar by Steve Cavanagh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Eddie Flynn returns for another gripping high-stakes case.

Eddie’s services are sought by Leonard Howell, whose daughter has been kidnapped and a ransom demanded for her return. Giving in to the kidnappers’ demands will land Howell in legal trouble and he wishes to be well-prepared.

But nothing could prepare any of them for the shocking revelations to come that reveal the true depth of the kidnappers’ malicious plot.

On trial for the murder of his daughter, Howell has little left to live for. Eddie is desperate to achieve justice for both his client and his daughter. But the kidnappers’ scheme is far from over.

The third in Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series, ‘The Liar’ plunges immediately into mystery and danger before we catch up with Eddie late one night in his office, on the cusp of being drawn into two new legal wrangles. Combining the suspense of legal drama with action and the labyrinthine narrative of a psychological thriller, with multiple emotional punches throughout, the plot hurtles from one twist to the next in a breathless race against time to save lives and see justice done.

Eddie continues to be an endearing, flawed and fascinating character, the story once again told from his perspective, his history and skills as a con man proving to be as crucial as his legal skills and knowledge. Eddie’s family also make brief appearances, while we delve deeper into his relationship with his mentor Judge Harry Ford, whose past comes back to haunt him through this case. Both the action sequences and the courtroom scenes are brilliantly realised, pushing the narrative onwards and keeping the high pace balanced, while multiple key characters feature throughout the ever-evolving plot as the truth is revealed layer by layer.

Once again, Steve Cavanagh has delivered a riveting thriller that you just don’t want to put down, culminating in a satisfying and emotional conclusion – one that is both thrilling and reflective. Next in the series is ‘Thirteen’, which promises to be yet another enthralling case.



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Trial and Retribution by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The novelisation of the classic police procedural legal thriller.

Five-year-old Julie Harris never gets home for her dinner. As the hours go by, fears mount that she has been abducted.

DI Pat North is leading the police search for the little girl. When the worst happens and her body is discovered, a murder investigation is launched, headed by Detective Superintendent Mike Walker.

Walker and North soon apprehend their prime suspect, continuing to build the evidence against him. As the case nears trial, there are still questions left unanswered. Can the verdict ever bring justice for Julie?

'Trial and Retribution' is the first in the police procedural series by Lynda La Plante, novelised from the intense and emotive first season of the TV series of the same name. Introducing us to Mike Walker, Pat North and the team, we delve deep into their first investigation, following the abduction and murder of a little girl.

'Trial and Retribution' was first broadcast in 1997. Starring David Hayman as Det. Supt. Walker and Kate Buffery as DI North, it has often been labelled as La Plante's follow-up to her highly acclaimed 'Prime Suspect'. It ultimately ran for twelve seasons - comprising fourteen of La Plante's trademark feature-length mini-series and the final two seasons featuring traditionally shorter two-part episodes. High in quality across its writing, casting and direction, pioneering in its use of split-screen technology to convey multiple perspectives and the multi-faceted nature of criminal investigation, the series garnered critical acclaim and huge popularity - it was and remains a landmark crime drama.

The series' signature is that we follow the case from beginning to end - starting with the crime itself and its discovery, seen from multiple perspectives through victims and witnesses, following the ensuing police investigation, with particular attention to detail with both forensic science and police procedure as the officers follow and gather evidence, culminating in the trial as the evidence is presented, examined and assessed. As such, this is a combination of both police procedural and legal thriller – with this depth into the full criminal justice process within a single narrative still a relative rarity.

Every character is impeccably developed, following each of their entwined stories through the evidence and a compelling psychological depth. The effect of such a devastating crime is explored with empathy and respect - for the victim's family, the community, and the investigators. Walker, on page and screen, is a riveting character - an old school detective, incredibly driven, committed and passionate about his work. Between Lynda and actor David Hayman, they developed a powerhouse character in Mike Walker, so perfectly realised on the page as much as the screen and the driving force of the narrative, going on to lead the series throughout its duration.

Exploring difficult themes of child abduction, sexual assault and murder, as well as domestic violence, this is a dark and intense thriller. Despite the heaviness of its subject matter, it’s a fully immersive and fascinating novel - relentless and gripping from the first page, as the scene is set for this horrific crime, through to its tense conclusion as the verdict is read and we are left to decide if justice has been served.

My personal experience with the series began with 'Trial and Retribution VI' on screen. It was then through the series of six novelisations, beginning with II, that I first experienced the preceding five stories, before a DVD release of I-IV finally arrived in 2004, followed by V-VIII in 2005. Now the series is making a return to print (and audio), I couldn't resist revisiting them. Alongside 'Widows', this series introduced and cemented me as a lifelong fan of Lynda's work. Needless to say, I loved this story as much revisiting it again as I did when I first both read and watched it!

Tragic and captivating, ‘Trial and Retribution’ is an enthralling police thriller, marking the beginning of a masterpiece series.



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The Appeal by Janice Hallett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thrilling and captivating modern-age whodunit.

Amateur theatre group The Fairway Players gather to prepare for their next performance, amongst them both longtime members and some new, unfamiliar faces.

In the wake of the devastating diagnosis of their director and leading lady's granddaughter's brain tumour, a fundraiser is launched in the hope to raise funds to pay for treatment currently only available in the US.

But beneath the surface of the play and fundraiser, tensions are bubbling and personal agendas are being drawn. One of the players is soon to meet their end in the most brutal of ways…

'The Appeal' is the debut novel by Janice Hallett, a riveting murder mystery narrated through a dossier of emails, text messages, transcripts, notes and letters. This modern epistolary style is immediately immersive, hooking you from the outset and keeping you reading on. Cleverly written and intricately plotted, the plot navigates multiple twists and turns as we uncover the events leading up to murder.

We quickly gain an insight into each of the characters, building an image of their personalities from their messages alone. No doubt we all recognise some of them from our social and work lives - some interactions will make you laugh out loud, while you cannot help but roll your eyes at how tiresome some may appear; and you also feel for the emotive and tragic circumstances dealt to some of the characters, in particular the devastating illness suffered by young Poppy Hayward. But, be warned, all is not as it seems and some characters hide far darker depths beneath the veneer of what they reveal about themselves.

The appeal of the title is twofold - both referring to the fundraiser and in the legal sense. Robert Tanner, QC, believes his client has been wrongly convicted. Enlisting his two proteges Femi and Charlotte, he requests they read through the dossier without any additional context, an exercise to determine if they reach the same conclusions from review of this evidence as he has. Along with Femi and Charlotte, we sift through the evidence, all the clues and red herrings laid out for analysis. As with all the best mysteries, we have everything we need to solve this mystery ourselves, while keeping us on the edge of our seats all the way through to the final email.

Thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, ‘The Appeal’ is a superb debut mystery novel; I shall certainly be reading all of Hallett's other books very soon. Excitingly, a sequel to this debut will be released later this year – a novella, 'The Christmas Appeal'.



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