The Deposit Slip

by Todd M. Johnson

When Jared Neaton grew tired of the shady ethics of his big law firm and left to go out on his own, he never expected the wheels to fly off so quickly. One big case collapsing on him has pushed him to the brink and it's all he can do to scrape by. He can't risk another bad loss.
Erin Larson is running out of options. In the wake of her father's death, she found a slim piece of paper--a deposit slip--with an unbelievable amount on it. Ten million dollars. Only the bank claims it has no record of the deposit and stonewalls her attempts to find out more. This lawsuit, her last chance, has brought only intimidation and threats. Now she needs to convince Jared to take a risk, to help her because the money is real. And both need to watch their backs as digging deeper unleashes something far more dangerous than just threats.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Christian, Contemporary, Thriller

368 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2012

About the author

Todd M. Johnson has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years. Todd's passion for writing blends well with his legal career, and his novels are drawn closely from his personal experiences as a trial lawyer.

A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, Todd taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and has served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong.

The Deposit Slip, Johnson's first novel, debuted in 2012. His second novel, Critical Reaction, was released in October 2013.

A third novel, Fatal Trust, is set in Todd's hometown of Minneapolis, and released in early summer 2017.

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a friend who is an aspiring writer. He bemoans the fact that unless a book is filled with foul language or graphic sex or some other objectionable material, then it is impossible to get published. Here is proof that he is wrong.

This was a good read and I'm a bit surprised that it is a first novel. I didn't think it read like one. And how refreshing to find it so absorbing without the seemingly requisite foul language, graphic sex or other objectionable material.

I started it last night, got to page 40 before I absolutely had to turn out the light. Picked it up again this morning on the treadmill and then read straight through this afternoon until I finished the book. And not once did my attention flag or wander. I enjoyed the way most of the characters seemed to have a moral foundation - that isn't always the case these days.

I look forward to read the next installment from Mr. Johnson.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW,CRAZY,INTENSE! I don't know if it was just me, because injustice/corruption is a really hot button for me, but I could only read a few chapters at a time, because it would make me feel like my blood pressure was going up! So it took me a while to get through this book, but no way could I give up on it. It was just too gripping, and I had to see it to the end!

A really amazing read and highly recommended.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great legal thriller. I enjoyed it.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good legal thriller debut. I found a later novel to be stronger but this was good too. The broken relationship between father and son was a nice addition to the story.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Deposit Slip
by Todd M. Johnson

Jared Neaton's law firm is about to go under when he is offered potentially career changing case. A case that could take care of all his financial problems. Seven months ago Erin Larson found a deposit slip in her late father's papers - a deposit slip worth more than $10,000,000.00. But the bank refuses to acknowledge the authenticity of the deposit slip or the bank account.

But Jared has a week to decide if he will take the case or it will be dismissed. Taking this case though will take Jared back to his hometown of Ashley, Minnesota and back to the shame of his youth.
When the opposing law firm accuses him of unethical practices before he even decides to take the case, Jared is pushed into taking the case. But Ashley is against Erin thinking she is just out for money, leaving the town in ruin.

But the stakes are higher than Jared or Erin realized and someone is determined to keep them from the truth. But just how far will some one go to stop them?

How can more than $10,000,000 just disappear with no record except a hidden deposit slip? But more importantly where did the missing funds come from in the first place? As Jared struggles to see this case through to the end he has to find a way to put the past behind him.

The Deposit Slip is proof that the "love of money is the root of evil." If you love Randy Singers legal thriller you should give The Deposit Slip a try. Johnson writes exciting action scenes and well developed characters. I hope to be able to revisit these characters in future works!

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Deposit Slip" - written by Todd M Johnson and published in 2012 by Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group. Jared is a struggling attorney, trying to make it on his own, and recovering from an expensive trial that did not end in his client's favor. Another risky case is offered to him and he agonizes, but in the end takes it on. Of course it involves a deposit slip, the money in question has disappeared from bank records. Jared doesn't have a good business head and things get worse by the minute - "He'd deal with it, he told himself; as soon as he had things under control." Which never really happens. I missed having a sense of what Jared looked like, that's an important part for me of any story. His frantic approach, the convenient characters that help him, and his relationships, especially with his father, all made for a somewhat tedious read. Not bad, but not great either.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third legal suspense I've read in about a month, and I'm getting a much better picture of how lawsuits work. I'd hope I'd never get involved in a case like this one, though--how do you prove something exists when the proof was wiped out years ago? Of course, any time people are involved, no cover-up can be completely guaranteed.

I enjoyed watching Jared and his crew do the impossible, and while I knew it had to work out in the end, it looked oh-so-grim for a while. It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat! A great legal suspense!

[LLona Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a good legal mystery, courtroom drama, and the kind of background and drama that made Grisham famous, you'll find this one too good to put down. The premise is not new -- the young lawyer striking out on his own, underfunded and understaffed, taking on the established 'big firm' with a case he shouldn't be able to win, has been done by the big names. What makes it work again here is the interesting twists and excellent character development. A great read!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a fan of legal thrillers, this might be the book for you. I enjoyed the legal aspects of it, but I never fully connected with the protagonist, nor did I like the fact that secondary characters uncovered the most critical pieces of the case.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprise! How often does one just grab a book while browsing in the library and it turns out to be an excellent read? I have never been a fan of lawyer/court room dramas. But this has very little action in the court room. It is far from boring. Very interesting story line, characters and some exciting twists and turns that made it one that I had to rush to the finishing climax.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this debut novel from Todd M. Johnson and can confidently say it’s my favourite debut novel of the year, so far!

Now, to be fair, I love legal thrillers, so that fact alone gives this book a significant advantage. However, not only is this book a legal thriller....it’s a well-written legal thriller! The writing is taut and the pacing spot-on, and it did not at all feel like I was reading a debut novel. The story captured my interest from the first chapter, and didn't let go as it delved into the fascinating case of the $10,000,000 deposit slip, the origin of the money, and the ongoing efforts taken to quash any attempts to uncover the truth. Jared is a nicely developed character, realistically portrayed and unique enough to hold my interest. I was greatly appreciative of the fact that the author did not even try and touch the typical lawyer-turned-drinking-bum stereotype that so many legal thrillers seem to feature, but instead created a character in Jared that, while human and flawed, I still felt I could root for. I also enjoyed the story arc involving Jared's assistant, Jessie, and the subtle romance developing between them, as well as Jared's struggle to forgive his father for what happened in the past. All of the story lines tie up nicely in the satisfying conclusion, while leaving me wanting to know more about Jared and Jessie and what's in store for them.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good legal thriller...and anyone who just loves a good book. Well done Todd! I can't wait to see what the future holds for Jared! 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

[Melissa Ammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I enjoy about being a reader is discovering new authors. Mr. Johnson is a new author to me, a lawyer by profession, and took a relatively dull subject and turned it into a story. The whole premise is based on Erin Larson having to go through her late father’s safety deposit box after his unfortunate accident and finding a deposit slip from Ashley State Bank in a staggering amount. Curious to her as she had no idea her father had this much money … we are talking ten million plus. Of course, upon finding this deposit slip and taking it to the bank, they claimed to know nothing and that the slip was a fake. Enter Jared … he only happened upon this case because his mentor from Paisley, the law firm Jared started at where he met Clay who had also moved on from Paisley, referred it to him. Jared, having just come off a big case he lost, was quite hesitant … but there is the ever-present lure of money, yet it became more to him than that. Of course, his assistant, Jessie, was none too happy with him and almost threw her hands up and abandoned him altogether.

There are a lot of backstories contained within these pages. The relationship between Jared and his father that they were both forced to deal with. The relationship between Jessie and Jared (I suspect there will be more of these two in coming books). The lawyers at Paisley thinking Jared didn’t stand a chance and would give up … being that Jared had no money and they were a big law firm, Whittier and Stanford. Mrs. Huddleston. Joe Creedy. The Legion Hall and its members. All of these characters combined bring this story together, each of them playing their own roles to help Jared in this case. Definitely a different sort of read for me, but overall entertaining.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this through in one evening, couldn't put it down. Pacing was good, though no seat-gripping action until near the end (that's good--too much suspense too early is too much for me). I'm satisfied with the ending, left me wanting to read a sequel that was lightly hinted at, if it exists.

I especially loved the helpfulness of the librarian (since I'm married to one) and the private detectives added good bit of intrigue to the story...if I had one complaint I'd almost have liked to hear more from their sides, but that's probably a distraction best left out, even if I'd find it interesting.

[Seema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but emminently forgettable book, like a good airport book. It was entertaining and had enough action to keep meturning pages until i finished it. Some of the plot seemed somewhat contrived - like would an ordinary lawyer really hire a hit man to take out a potential threat? But otherwise pretty decent first effort.

[Linda Yezak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Christian author Todd M. Johnson, this legal thriller is on my list of top faves. Great story of legal maneuvering, assassination attempts, and missing millions. Johnson's debut is definitely a terrific read.

[Una Tiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting plot with characters who were over thought in parts and shallow in others. There was one plot stretch that simply did not work for me and a few spots where the pace slowed to a crawl. The author has some lovely phrasing.

[Carol McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book--and it surprised me that this is a debut novel. Todd M. Johnson writes a wonderful legal suspense, and if you like John Grisham, you'll like this.

[Deb Gebhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debut novel for author Johnson...a legal thriller that falls somewhere in the middle as far as story energy and suspense.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Deposit Slip was exciting, well written and thought out. There were just the right amount of characters foe me and my interest never lagged. The main character, Jared Neaton had left a big firm and now he was referred a case by his mentor. He was in a financial lull after a previous case had fizzled out. He met with his mentor over the referral and was reluctant to take it on as the defendent was represented by the firm he had left and had bad feelings about. It was a contingency case so that would help only if he won it and there was no money upfront. Also, the previous attorney was leaving and there was a minumum of time to prepare before the next court appearance. The evidence was an old deposit slip without much detail on it found in the lockbox of Erin Larsen's deceased father. Erin did not have any information about the slip. her father had told her nothing about the deposit slip for over ten million dollars.

Jared Neaton left Minneapolis to meet Erin Larsen in the town that he had groen up in Ashly. Minnesota. He was estranged from his father and was not wanting to mend fences with him. There is very little information to start and it was a big gamble with not much time to decide whether he even wanted to take on the case. But Jared was a trial attorney who was meticulous in his research and filled with determinattion that literally wore his body out. There is a secondary story about his relationship with his father which revealed much to him later on. I liked his careful research and intelligence and the interplay with the other characters who were on his side.

I really enjoyed this legal thriller and would love to read more from this author. Also, I enjoyed learning the difference between trial attorneys and litigation attorneys. I highly recommend this book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this legal thriller because I use to work in a law office. Of course, we never had such a case but I enjoy delving into the details and uncovering the truth. Jared sure went out on a limb to take Erin's case. He almost lost Jessie in the process. Things got tense when the girls were being attacked and then Jared went over to the cabin to confront the attorney only to find that he has a gun pointed to his head. Never, ever have I run into a scene in a book where someone has a gun and another person is able to walk away. But Jared was lucky. Thanks to Jessie finding the other deposit slip with the same account number and Cory coming back to testify, things worked out well for them without even having to go to trial. Loved the part the librarian played. My heat went out to Jared's dad for being the ground's keeper where the whole town could see him after what he did (stole the money). He stayed in town and paid his dues and let no one run him out of town. Tender moment when Jared realizes what his dad has gone through and is going through. Just loved all the drama in this book.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jared's law practice is struggling after a "breakthrough" case is lost. He gets a referral for a case from his law mentor Clay that Clay can't take because of a non compete contract with the big practice both left. Paisley Law is representing the bank from Jared's hometown of Ashley, Minnesota in a lawsuit brought by Erin Larson. Erin found a deposit slip in her recently deceased father's deposit box in a neighboring town showing a deposit of just over $10 million dollars. Erin has no idea where it came from, only that Ashley Bank says the deposit never happened and the account number doesn't exist. Where did the money come from and where is it hiding? Paisley is applying pressure to stop lawyers from representing her. There is a smear campaign, a planted mole, and an investigator following Erin and then Jared. There is something very dirty going on and Jared takes huge risks in more than one way to take the case. This is a great mystery and I highly recommend it.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of John Grisham and a few other authors of legal thrillers. Now I need to add Todd M. Johnson to the list. It's hard to believe this was his first novel, as it was engrossing, suspenseful, and well-written, with a good story line that kept me always wanting to read "just one more chapter"! The main characters were believable and complex, not just 2-dimensional stereotypes. The "good guys" faced moral dilemmas and struggles, which helped to make them realistic. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author, and hope that he will be writing more books of this quality. I also appreciate that there was very little (if any) bad language and none of the characters were jumping into bed with one another. It was a nice change from authors who seem to think that bad language and sexual escapades are requirements for every novel. Thank you Mr. Johnson!

[Johnnie Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, it was a fairly good novel with some aspects that added to the story and others that didn't. The first half of the book was a bit mundane, there were father-son and father-daughter issues, which were somewhat resolved by the end. However, the pace picked up in the last 125 pages, making the story more engaging and the ending was well-executed with a few surprises.

The final pages were a bit preachy, but many readers are praising the author for being a Christian. It seems that some readers don't have much hope for most authors and must think they are heathens or on their way to heathenship. It's interesting how people label others and judge them based on those labels. I wonder what name tag they would assign to me—both an interesting and a scary question to ponder.

A good first novel.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I'm going to have a hard time reviewing this book. Yes, it was interesting and kept me reading, but there were also times I felt tantalized by the personal lives of the characters, only for the story to return to the legal side and drop the promise entirely.
While the book was clean, I'm not sure why it is listed as a Christian novel. There is a pastor as a minor character, but faith plays no role in the entire story.
If you like legal books, this would be a great one. Personally, it fell a little short for me.

[Cathy Bickerstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut

This was an excellent legal thriller. The plot was original, although there were overtones of David ( a lone attorney ) going against Goliath ( a huge firm with lots of resources ).
I kept rooting for him even when it looked hopeless for many different reasons.
He grew as a person along the way reconciling with his father. However, another relationship was left hanging.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time of reading this book was even better than the first!

I love Todd Johnson's riding in the way he develops the characters in the courtroom drama, all without adding all the foul words to make his point. The only problem is at the end of reading his books you feel like you've lost a friend. I can't wait to read his new book when it comes out soon.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an excellent story. I gave it only 3 stars because it needs to be "tightened up", by perhaps 80 pages. There were too many distracting details and it was hard sometimes to follow the characters. I do plan to see if Todd M. Johnson has written other books. He certainly has a gift and much promise.

[Craig Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow Start but Great Ending!

This book starts slower than Johnson's other books but still has the same great character development. The subtle twists and wondering how this would resolve kept me reading as the pace built to the end. A definitely well written tale and worth the read.

[Lawrence Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first experience with. This author and I hope it won't be the last . It was riveting and very hard to put down. I truly enjoy ed I it and recommend it to. Anyone who is into this genre. If you're looking for a great ride and lots of surprises then you'll love this one

.




So be sure not to miss it and do yourself a favor and get it and savor it Great stuff

[Caryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRILLIANT! Johnson has crafted a twisty mystery. I was immediately immersed into the drama. This novel is well written and nicely paced. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Recommend to readers who enjoy clean mysteries.

I borrowed a copy from KU. I've expressed my honest view.