Fruit of a Poisonous Tree

Spider Green #1

by Norm Harris

*** No longer in print- see second edition***

Every now and again, a unique story comes our way, a story unlike any we may have read before. Such a story is “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree,” author Norm Harris’ first critically acclaimed murder mystery/thriller. The story’s focal point is Faydra “Spider” Green, a dedicated Navy JAG lawyer who has lived her life in the shadows of a great and powerful man, former President of the United States William Green. Green cannot heal the wound in his relationship with his daughter. His former power and influence are a curse for Faydra and cause her to wonder if any of her accomplishments were her own doing.
"A great read with a stunning finish... A good and recommended read." Advocate, Narayan. -- Picturing Justice, The On-Line Journal of Law & Popular Culture, published by the Faculty of Law, University of San Francisco.

Faydra, a lawyer by trade, is both anxious and excited as she undertakes her first homicide investigation—the brutal murder of a Navy SEAL. She reasons that a successful investigation will provide her the opportunity to validate her sense of self-worth. Thanks to her remarkable deductive abilities. Faydra soon realizes that the accused man, a Special Ops Marine war hero, may be innocent and that the Navy is using her as a pawn in a complex cover-up.
“A sharp, crackling military thriller..., Norm Harris,’ ‘Fruit of the Poisonous Tree ‘offers a labyrinth of military cover-ups, surprise twists, and insider techno knowledge. Good, exciting, inventive read.” Wendell Wellman, actor, producer, and screenwriter for Clint Eastwood’s Firefox and Producer of Top Hat, Sail Away, and House in the Canyon.

Meanwhile, a seasoned Navy Sea Captain, Egan Fletcher, whose wife had died eight years earlier, struggles to balance his Navy career with raising a son. When the Navy purposefully pairs Faydra and him in a meeting, the two Navy officers embark on an adrenaline-pumping adventure. It’s a top-secret mission impossible that will take them halfway around the world in an attempt to avert a catastrophic act of terrorism, a biological war.

“Norm Harris' book grabs the reader with its first sentence and holds the reader throughout with its fast-paced action. Dialogue is always the hardest to write, but Harris has captured the art and with his writing keeps the reader turning pages, his ability to heighten the intrigue keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat throughout the story. Strongly recommend the book…” CAPT David E. Meadows, US Navy, author of numerous (15) military thrillers such as Sixth Fleet, Seawolf, and Tomcat.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of Washington State’s Puget Sound and the mystique of East Asia, Fadra’s story revolves around a female Navy lawyer who appears to be as pure as the driven snow—yet, driven by an insatiable need to complete any assignment, no matter how dangerous. Along the way she transforms into a symbol of hope, perseverance, and a woman’s ability to overcome life-threatening events.
”Norm Harris makes you feel like you've enlisted in the Navy and skipped boot camp. This story is complex and well crafted, and you'll immediately invest your emotions in these vivid characters. The dialogue is some of the freshest I've encountered in some time…. As a reader, and as a novelist myself, and now as a fan, my hat goes off to this guy. A wonderful debut.” Larry Brooks, critically acclaimed author of psychological thrillers (including Darkness Bound, Pressure Points, Serpents Dance and others), in addition to his work as a freelance writer and writing instructor.
Should you enjoy intrigue, twists, and high-octane adrenaline. If that's the case, you will appreciate Faydra "Spider" Green, the intrepid female sleuth and unpretentious hero, in this taut, fast-paced adventure.
Coming soon. Arid Sea: A Spider Green Mystery Story, to be released Fall 2021.

292 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2001

About the author

Norm Harris' first novel debuted on an Amazon bestseller list in 2002. It was a one-and-done, but now he's back with a plan to publish the Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series from the first mystery/thriller of days gone by.
Except for time spent in military service, he is a second-generation Seattleite (that's what they call those who dwell in the shadow of Mt. Rainier), with his legal beagle son, K-K, and five giant tropical fish. Norm's stories spring from his memories of people who he has met and places and the places he has visited as he traveled the world. Diversity, inclusion, and equality are foremost in each story. "Fay is an admirable, tough, brilliant protagonist." said one reviewer. Said another, "Lt Commander Faydra Green from the JAG Corps is a “take no prisoners” protagonist..."
Watch for his four upcoming first quarter 2022 novels, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree", "Arid Sea", "Deception Pass", and "The Girl Who Knew Death" in what he hopes to be an award-winning mystery thriller series. And in late 2022 his fifth book in the series "Rain and Wind and Fire".
Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed the stories please consider leaving a review!

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in the shadow of her father plagues Faydra as she investigates her first homicide case. Being the daughter of former President William Green is not as easy as it may seem. His power and influence dogs Navy JAG lawyer Faydra ‘Spider’ Green at every turn and she ponders if her achievements are her own or his. She’s thrilled to be investigating her first murder case but the man accused is not the killer. Instead, there’s a huge cover-up going on. What to do? Will Faydra play along or leak the cover-up? Meanwhile, when Faydra is teamed up with a navy captain on a top-secret mission, she places herself in harm’s way, but she doesn’t pull any punches. Determined to complete her mission at any cost, she defied logic and throws herself into dangerous situations. Will she succeed where men have failed? They don’t call her Spider for kicks…

Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is an addictive, heart-pounding, legal/military/spy thriller I couldn’t put down. This is book one in the series and boy, does it deliver! There are certain characters who make or break a thriller series and Faydra makes this series unputdownable. From the beginning, I connected with Faydra. She’s a flawed character who kicks butt on all levels but it’s her insecurities that make me love her even more. No one relates to a perfect character. The action scenes are high-octane and well described. The legal/military/spy vernacular is accurate and lays the groundwork for an authentic storyline. There’s a lot going on in Fruit of the Poisonous Tree but Norm Harris writes with purpose and clarity. I thoroughly enjoyed Fruit of the Poisonous Tree and I can recommend it to any reader looking for an edgy thriller. Fans of James Patterson will love Fruit of the Poisonous Tree. Brilliant from start to finish, I can’t wait to read the next installment in this series. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it. My thoughts are all my own.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[KerryO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lt. Commander Faydra Green from the JAG Corps is the a “take no prisoners” protagonist of this book. This story holds the reader’s interest from the first sentence to the very end – a roller coaster of a story. This is a 5-star thrilling read! I received a free copy from Net Galley and the opinions expressed are my own.

[T.P. Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced and intense, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Fay is an admirable, tough, brilliant protagonist. The story is packed with tension and twists. I could not put it down. The Seattle setting is so vivid I felt like I was there. The military aspects were very authentic. Loved this novel and can’t wait to read more by Mr. Harris.

[Ally Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is intriguing, captivating, and kept this reader engaged from page one!!

This book quickly starts off with the arrest of Marine Master Sergeant Simon Linn for the brutal murder of Navy SEAL Paul Charma. While the Seattle Police Department arrive in the middle of the night at Sergeant Linn’s apartment and take him into custody, Linn seems quite confused and half-asleep, but politely cooperates. Navy Captain Vern Towsley quickly receives word about Linn’s arrest and promptly orders Lieutenant Commander Faydra Green to go fetch Sergeant Linn from the Seattle Police Department and to take custody of the decorated Marine. Faydra Green, the daughter of a former U.S. President and a highly skilled and dedicated Navy JAG Lawyer, follows her orders and has Sergeant Linn released into her custody. Fay quickly hits it off with Simon as they go over the events on the ferry ride back to the base. While Fay seems apt to believe in Simon’s innocence she continues to conduct a preliminary investigation into the ordeal as she was instructed to do. With more and more evidence confirming that the war hero is actually innocent and that there is way more to this story Fay keeps on the case to find the killer and expose an even bigger plot that she refuses to back down from.

This book is full of exciting, thrilling, and suspenseful scenes that are sure to completely captivate the reader and keep them on the edge of their seat!!

This book has quite a few tricky story lines that will keep even the best mystery crime solvers on their toes as they discover an even bigger, complex plot that is sure to blow them away!!

I think one of my favorite things about this book, besides the intriguing plots of course, was the author’s ability to describe details so uniquely and vividly. For example, “The glass in the frame exploded, spraying shards across the bare hardwood.” (Harris 1). “She savored the sound of vendors spraying mists of water on fresh produce and hearing the catch-of-the-day tossed onto large beds of ice.” (Harris 36). The author’s detailed writing made scenes so easy to picture, I have no doubt I was picturing exactly what he had imagined when he wrote those words.

I truly appreciated the author’s well-researched and knowledgeable legal military writing style that felt authentic and accurate.

While I really did enjoy reading this book there were a couple digs I did have a problem with. First off, while I liked the main character, Fay, I found her (and her assistant petty officer Pearce) overt usage of Southern twang a bit annoying. Every sentence with “y’all,” felt tiresome. I understand Southern writing and I have several friends from the South, and yes, they do say, “y’all,” quite often, but it’s not after almost every sentence. It just felt a bit overused and really detracted from the character’s sophistication. Plus, as the daughter of the former President of the United States, I just expected her to be a bit more polished and well-spoken. Secondly, I felt there were a few technical errors. For instance, the original cause of death for Navy SEAL Charma was drowning?! He was stabbed in the neck severing his carotid artery. So, I’m not sure how the cause would be drowning?! Wouldn’t it be exsanguination?? Complete blood loss, even if he choked on his own blood, I don’t think the official cause would be listed as drowning. My health degree only gets me so far, but this still seemed strange to me. Also, some of the military terms felt oddly used as they were more technically worded than commonly worded. Such as, I know the official term is Ka-Bar Knife, but I have only referred to hearing them as a K bar from actual military soldiers and via TV shows and other books. And the term “mild cold virus,” seemed awkwardly worded as it was used multiple times to describe Fay, when a simple "cold," or "virus," or "bug," would do. Of course, these are just minor catches that I picked up on and noted.

Also, I want to point out that the beginning of the book is a bit character heavy as many characters and their titles are quickly introduced. While this seemed a bit overwhelming at times it did seem necessary for these characters to be swiftly integrated into the story at that point.

This book is Book One of Five in the "Spider Green Mystery Book Series." This book can be read as a standalone, but it already showcases an intriguing start to a promising new book series. I am looking forward to reviewing Book Two, “Arid Sea,” later this summer.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it!! I think all mystery, suspense, thriller book readers, and legal military book fans will like this book too!! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations**

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is the first book in the Spider Green Series it was not the first book by Norm Harris or the first book in the series that I read. Arid Sea book two was the first book in this series that I read. The second book was the third book, Deception Pass, and the last was the fourth book, The Girl Who Knew Death.

I fell in love with the Spider Green series with Arid Sea. Each book is unique in its way. Each story gets better and better. Like the rest of the series Fruit of the Poisonous Tree starts with a blast and never lets up. It kept me in suspense and on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last.

The descriptions were so well written that I had no problem picturing it all in my head as if I was right there. I could see and hear everything that happened. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree was a thrilling and intense read.

It started with Faydra “Spider” Green, a dedicated Navy JAG lawyer investigating her first homicide investigation, the brutal murder of a Navy SEAL. The further Faydra gets into her investigation the more she begins to think that this man may not be the person who committed the murder.

Is the man innocent? Or is the evidence pointing in the wrong direction? The further Faydra's investigation gets the more it begins to open up other connections, connections that could turn out to be deadly if they are not dealt with properly.

I would recommend Fruit of the Poisonous Tree to anyone who likes fast-paced, intense thrillers. Grab your copy of Fruit of the Poisonous Tree today!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is the first book I have read written by Norm Harris. I most certainly was not disappointed.

Having to follow a legend and live up to the expectations of those around you is a tough role to fill. Faydra Green does that, but it is not an easy road to get there. Norm Harris has written an excellent thriller and, in the process, created a great character. Lt. Commander Faydra Green is the daughter of a former President. She’s a lady that’s tough, wants to make her own way, and is at times as scared as the rest of us. I loved her.

There’s plenty of intrigue here. What one might call the perfect spy thriller. But I think Norm Harris has created a story that isn’t your everyday spy thriller. While it pretty well takes you on a roller coaster ride of thrills, underneath there really is a story of people and their strengths and their fears. It made it much more of a joy to read.

Fruit of the poisonous Tree is Book 1 of a series titled “Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series”. To date it looks as if there are 4 books in the series. After reading this one, I’m hoping he’s working on Book 5.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot going on in this book – the action is quite riveting. What starts off as a simple murder investigation soon becomes much much more.

The storyline was complicated, and quite quickly led to multi-layers of issues for the characters. There were some inconsistencies with the characters and there were instances when they were talking where the dialogue didn’t ring true, which took me out of the story several times. However, even with those, the adventure element of the story drove me on.

I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other. And, I loved how the title was explained in the book… I had wondered about that.

All in all, an interesting debut and start to what seems will be an interesting series about Faydra and her investigations.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing mystery, with plenty of heart-racing moments. The book opened with an arrest for murder and kept up a nice pace throughout the book. I loved Faydra from the moment we meet her. There were enough twists that you can never really be sure who committed the crime until the big reveal. I loved guessing and following along with the investigation, and enjoyed all the characters. Perfect for mystery lovers, and anyone who enjoyed watching JAG when it was still running on TV.