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Vernetta Henderson #1
Every Reasonable Doubt
When attorneys Vernetta Henderson and Neddy McClain are tapped to take on the biggest case of their careers, they are less than thrilled about working together. Their strained relationship, however, is the least of their problems. Their socialite client—charged with the brutal murder of her husband—is demanding an immediate dismissal of the case. But a ruthless prosecutor is determined to make sure that doesn't happen. Forced to fight a common enemy, the two women close ranks and, in the process, develop a bond that sees them through the uncertainties of trial, the pain of betrayal and pressures neither could have imagined.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2006
1609 people are currently reading
1613 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Samuels Young
27 books455 followersAward-winning author and attorney Pamela Samuels Young writes mysteries that matter. Dubbed “John Grisham with a sister’s twist” by one reviewer, Pamela’s fast-paced novels tackle important social issues.
Her most recent legal thriller, Failure to Protect, takes on the bullying epidemic and its devastating aftermath. Pamela won the prestigious NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction for her thriller Anybody’s Daughter, which provides a realistic look inside the world of child sex trafficking. Her courtroom drama Abuse of Discretion centers around a troubling teen sexting case. #Anybody’s Daughter and #Abuse of Discretion are young adult editions of the two books. A young adult version of Failure to Protect is forthcoming.
Pamela also writes erotically sassy romantic suspense under the pen name Sassy Sinclair. A natural hair enthusiast, Pamela writes about her own empowering natural hair journey in Kinky Coily: A Natural Hair Resource Guide.
Prior to retiring from the practice of law to write full time, Pamela worked as Managing Counsel for Toyota specializing in labor and employment law. A former journalist, she spent several years as a television news writer and associate producer in Detroit and Los Angeles. Pamela received her bachelor’s degree from USC and also earned graduate degrees from Northwestern University and UC Berkeley School of Law. The Compton native is a frequent speaker on the topics of sex trafficking, bullying, online safety, fiction writing, self-empowerment, and pursuing your passion.
Pamela loves connecting with her fans! To invite her to a speaking engage or a book club meeting via Skype, Facebook Live, FaceTime, Zoom, speakerphone or in person, email her at authorpamelasamuelsyoung@gmail.com. To read excerpts of Pamela’s books, visit her websites at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com and www.sassysinclair.com .
Her most recent legal thriller, Failure to Protect, takes on the bullying epidemic and its devastating aftermath. Pamela won the prestigious NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction for her thriller Anybody’s Daughter, which provides a realistic look inside the world of child sex trafficking. Her courtroom drama Abuse of Discretion centers around a troubling teen sexting case. #Anybody’s Daughter and #Abuse of Discretion are young adult editions of the two books. A young adult version of Failure to Protect is forthcoming.
Pamela also writes erotically sassy romantic suspense under the pen name Sassy Sinclair. A natural hair enthusiast, Pamela writes about her own empowering natural hair journey in Kinky Coily: A Natural Hair Resource Guide.
Prior to retiring from the practice of law to write full time, Pamela worked as Managing Counsel for Toyota specializing in labor and employment law. A former journalist, she spent several years as a television news writer and associate producer in Detroit and Los Angeles. Pamela received her bachelor’s degree from USC and also earned graduate degrees from Northwestern University and UC Berkeley School of Law. The Compton native is a frequent speaker on the topics of sex trafficking, bullying, online safety, fiction writing, self-empowerment, and pursuing your passion.
Pamela loves connecting with her fans! To invite her to a speaking engage or a book club meeting via Skype, Facebook Live, FaceTime, Zoom, speakerphone or in person, email her at authorpamelasamuelsyoung@gmail.com. To read excerpts of Pamela’s books, visit her websites at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com and www.sassysinclair.com .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
October 25, 2014
There are a lot of things about this book I really liked. Good writing, interesting plot, good pace, strong characters; there is a lot to love. I really enjoyed the dynamic of the law that you need in this kind of thriller paired with the social dimensions of race and relationships. Overall, really well done.
So - why only three stars? There are two things about this story that drove me nuts and I just couldn't get over. In many ways, they ruined it for me. It's not stopping me from starting book two, but if book two rubs me the same, I won't be continuing from there.
Now that I've created suspense, here are the two catastrophic issues I had with this novel.
1) Shoddy Investigation: Obviously, a big draw of a legal thriller is an interesting crime and a good investigation, especially when the capabilities of the attorney are so hyped. Seriously though, the details of this crime were SO poorly done. I have no background in any form of investigation and I can poke holes in a ton of this. For example (no spoilers here, no worries). This murder was supposedly committed by a tiny, weak woman and NO ONE asked how it was possible that the man didn't/couldn't defend himself. Excuse me? Then there's the question of blood on the main suspect's clothes - it finally came up at the very end of the book but it was the lamest after-thought ever. She changed clothes and NO ONE noticed? I don't care how similar the dresses were- people at a social charity event know if you went and changed your dress. It's ridiculous, and those were just two obvious things. Maybe I'm off the mark since, like I said, I don't have that background, but it was bothersome.
2) A Whiny Little Prick of a Husband: This is 100% purely personal opinion here so take it with a grain of salt. I loathe Jefferson. Seriously. What an ass! Look, I get it. I love my husband to death and I hate it when he or I get busy at work and cannot see each other. But do I guilt trip him every five seconds that I see him? NO. Does he make me feel terrible when I work late? Absolutely NOT. When one of us has to ramp up and do more we support each other. I recognize when my husband is stressed and working his butt off and I help him through it. Jefferson did the opposite and look, I get to a certain extent the frustration, but the lack of support he provided to his wife was unreal. And the book made it seem like the main character, the wife, was the one at fault. I saw absolutely nothing in the Jefferson character that showed me how he supported her at all. He knew darn well when he married her that she was a lawyer and to sing a new tune just when she's hitting it big is just a dick move. It was infuriating and a very main part of the plot.
So! Unfortunately, despite a lot of really positive things with this novel and author, those glaring pieces of the plot really sucked the enjoyment out of the novel for me. I'm hoping for an improvement moving forward!
So - why only three stars? There are two things about this story that drove me nuts and I just couldn't get over. In many ways, they ruined it for me. It's not stopping me from starting book two, but if book two rubs me the same, I won't be continuing from there.
Now that I've created suspense, here are the two catastrophic issues I had with this novel.
1) Shoddy Investigation: Obviously, a big draw of a legal thriller is an interesting crime and a good investigation, especially when the capabilities of the attorney are so hyped. Seriously though, the details of this crime were SO poorly done. I have no background in any form of investigation and I can poke holes in a ton of this. For example (no spoilers here, no worries). This murder was supposedly committed by a tiny, weak woman and NO ONE asked how it was possible that the man didn't/couldn't defend himself. Excuse me? Then there's the question of blood on the main suspect's clothes - it finally came up at the very end of the book but it was the lamest after-thought ever. She changed clothes and NO ONE noticed? I don't care how similar the dresses were- people at a social charity event know if you went and changed your dress. It's ridiculous, and those were just two obvious things. Maybe I'm off the mark since, like I said, I don't have that background, but it was bothersome.
2) A Whiny Little Prick of a Husband: This is 100% purely personal opinion here so take it with a grain of salt. I loathe Jefferson. Seriously. What an ass! Look, I get it. I love my husband to death and I hate it when he or I get busy at work and cannot see each other. But do I guilt trip him every five seconds that I see him? NO. Does he make me feel terrible when I work late? Absolutely NOT. When one of us has to ramp up and do more we support each other. I recognize when my husband is stressed and working his butt off and I help him through it. Jefferson did the opposite and look, I get to a certain extent the frustration, but the lack of support he provided to his wife was unreal. And the book made it seem like the main character, the wife, was the one at fault. I saw absolutely nothing in the Jefferson character that showed me how he supported her at all. He knew darn well when he married her that she was a lawyer and to sing a new tune just when she's hitting it big is just a dick move. It was infuriating and a very main part of the plot.
So! Unfortunately, despite a lot of really positive things with this novel and author, those glaring pieces of the plot really sucked the enjoyment out of the novel for me. I'm hoping for an improvement moving forward!
October 10, 2019
It's quite refreshing to have a female African-American as the protagonist, in this case defense lawyer Vernetta Henderson, (as well as her colleague, Netty) and to get an inside look at how an African-American professional views life in America.
The client herself is also an A-A female, a rich one, accused of murdering her philandering tycoon husband. This might be a bit of overkill - it would have been more interesting if her client was Caucasian.
Character development was fairly good, and the plot suspenseful. However, perhaps because I am not among the main target audience, I could have done without the domestic situation Vernetta has with her whiny, insecure husband, which derails the pace and even made me cringe at times.
Another criticism is the problem I have accepting that a young civil suit lawyer who just joined a new firm would be assigned to handle a major LA murder case with no criminal trial experience.
The book is much better written and edited than many of the Kindle Unlimited titles - fast paced, always kept my interest, sharp dialogue, and plenty of realistic courtroom details which were superior to many legal thrillers.
The client herself is also an A-A female, a rich one, accused of murdering her philandering tycoon husband. This might be a bit of overkill - it would have been more interesting if her client was Caucasian.
Character development was fairly good, and the plot suspenseful. However, perhaps because I am not among the main target audience, I could have done without the domestic situation Vernetta has with her whiny, insecure husband, which derails the pace and even made me cringe at times.
Another criticism is the problem I have accepting that a young civil suit lawyer who just joined a new firm would be assigned to handle a major LA murder case with no criminal trial experience.
The book is much better written and edited than many of the Kindle Unlimited titles - fast paced, always kept my interest, sharp dialogue, and plenty of realistic courtroom details which were superior to many legal thrillers.
June 5, 2016
I'm on a quest to read books by diverse authors this year because authors of color are underrepresented in my reading history. Got to even things up a bit.
This mystery by Pamela Samuels Young was a lot of fun. It's a courtroom drama following the trial of the main suspect from prep to verdict. The main character was well developed. She was smart, fiery and strong. Her weakness is her blindspot for how her actions affect others. She just isn't a particularly empathetic person. Over the course of the book you see her grow as a person and as an attorney, which is nice. I was pleased that there were a few surprises in there and that not everything> is resolved by the end. That would have been too neat and a bit corny so I'm glad that was avoided. The important parts were wrapped up though so the mystery was satisfying.
Honestly, there were some things in the book that were weak. A few bits of evidence either weren't explained or discussed until the end or were resolved in unsatisfying ways. It seemed to me that there were some obvious additional bits evidence that could have contributed to the suspect's defense by creating reasonable doubt that were never brought up at trial. I felt that there were too many times when the book had me asking questions that it should have resolved for me.
Some of the social dialogue was a bit weak, but the dialogue overall was solid. Having worked in a big firm for the last 4 years I can assure that this is exactly how partners talk, act and think. smh.
There were a couple of editorial errors primarily in the form of missing quotation marks to open a quote and one or two missing words in the book. Something for future editors to note.
Overall, the book moved along at a nice pace and always left me wanting to know what happened next. It's a hard book to put down. Definitely recommend it if you like lawyerly procedurals. Plan to read more Vernetta Henderson books in the future. Recommended.
This mystery by Pamela Samuels Young was a lot of fun. It's a courtroom drama following the trial of the main suspect from prep to verdict. The main character was well developed. She was smart, fiery and strong. Her weakness is her blindspot for how her actions affect others. She just isn't a particularly empathetic person. Over the course of the book you see her grow as a person and as an attorney, which is nice. I was pleased that there were a few surprises in there and that not everything> is resolved by the end. That would have been too neat and a bit corny so I'm glad that was avoided. The important parts were wrapped up though so the mystery was satisfying.
Honestly, there were some things in the book that were weak. A few bits of evidence either weren't explained or discussed until the end or were resolved in unsatisfying ways. It seemed to me that there were some obvious additional bits evidence that could have contributed to the suspect's defense by creating reasonable doubt that were never brought up at trial. I felt that there were too many times when the book had me asking questions that it should have resolved for me.
Some of the social dialogue was a bit weak, but the dialogue overall was solid. Having worked in a big firm for the last 4 years I can assure that this is exactly how partners talk, act and think. smh.
There were a couple of editorial errors primarily in the form of missing quotation marks to open a quote and one or two missing words in the book. Something for future editors to note.
Overall, the book moved along at a nice pace and always left me wanting to know what happened next. It's a hard book to put down. Definitely recommend it if you like lawyerly procedurals. Plan to read more Vernetta Henderson books in the future. Recommended.
July 13, 2020
An enjoyable read that keeps your attention throughout ut the book. Two African American Attorneys are asked to defend an African American female accused of killing her husband. Then one of the attorneys is also accused of killing her ex-husband. The book is much more than a legal thriller as it also deals with the consequences of the conflicts that are created in a marriage when the job comes between a relationship. The story is told with a sense of humor and the characters and dialogue are quite good. It does get a little melodramatic at times but it is worthy of the time.
March 3, 2016
Wow. I haven'd read a good legal thriller since the Client, and this was everything. It was fast paced, always kept my interest and it wasn't so bogged down with legal jargon that it was hard to follow. Vernetta was funny, witty, and strong and I enjoyed her POV. Her husband, Jefferson reminded me so much of the men, including my husband, that I have met in my life. With there views on adoption and the whole machismo that poured out their mouths with every line spoken. It wasn't too much and it was easy to see that yes he was a man, and had male ideas about what a wife was to do for him, but you can also see the weak parts in himself that he could only show his wife. I loved that. He was a such a realist character. I don't think that he was whiny at all.
Special, her home girl, was another character/friend that I felt every women has. That one friend that always says whats on her mind, even when you don't want to hear it, but have to hear it anyway. Vernetta's working relationships with both David and Neddy, especially Neddy, was something to admire. Being the only two African American Women at this law firm, at first you do feel like you have to be enemies (which I think it stupid, and brings up that whole thing about crabs in a barrel, but no one seems to understand, that a barrel isn't the crabs natural habitat but whatever) then being placed on this case made them put all that crap to the side and a great friendship bloomed.
But all in all, enjoyed this book. It was thrilling, but it wasn't as thrilling as I thought it might be. But since this wasn't from a POV of a PI or police officer, I can see why it wasn't THAT thrilling. The conversations were realistic and flowed very well. The characters were easy to see and I def will be reading the rest of this series.
Special, her home girl, was another character/friend that I felt every women has. That one friend that always says whats on her mind, even when you don't want to hear it, but have to hear it anyway. Vernetta's working relationships with both David and Neddy, especially Neddy, was something to admire. Being the only two African American Women at this law firm, at first you do feel like you have to be enemies (which I think it stupid, and brings up that whole thing about crabs in a barrel, but no one seems to understand, that a barrel isn't the crabs natural habitat but whatever) then being placed on this case made them put all that crap to the side and a great friendship bloomed.
But all in all, enjoyed this book. It was thrilling, but it wasn't as thrilling as I thought it might be. But since this wasn't from a POV of a PI or police officer, I can see why it wasn't THAT thrilling. The conversations were realistic and flowed very well. The characters were easy to see and I def will be reading the rest of this series.
February 15, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. The story really flowed well. I enjoyed the behind the scene glimpse of how defense attorneys prepare a case from beginning to end. Especially, when their not sure of their clients innocence. I enjoyed how the pieces of the case unfolded, as if the reader was experiencing it along with the attorneys in the book. This is my second book in the Vernetta Henderson series. I read the eighth book first and liked it so much, I had to read the rest of the books from the beginning. Pamela Samuels Young is now on my list of favorite authors. I love the way the stories in her books flow. The dialogue is so realistic.
I loved the relationship between Vernetta and her husband who owns his own electrician business. But, sometimes her white collar world clashes with his blue collar. The strain on their marriage from her long hours working a case, was very realistic. Her husband was hilarious too. Although, he was definitely hood, the as author did a good job letting his intelligence come through. He was able to hold his own with his wife's coworkers. He knew his worth and wasn't intimidated by snobbish attorney from her firm. Very good read. I'm now reading the second book in the series, In Firm Pursuit.
I loved the relationship between Vernetta and her husband who owns his own electrician business. But, sometimes her white collar world clashes with his blue collar. The strain on their marriage from her long hours working a case, was very realistic. Her husband was hilarious too. Although, he was definitely hood, the as author did a good job letting his intelligence come through. He was able to hold his own with his wife's coworkers. He knew his worth and wasn't intimidated by snobbish attorney from her firm. Very good read. I'm now reading the second book in the series, In Firm Pursuit.
February 4, 2016
I rarely give five stars but this was an excellent read. A mix of suspense, drama and crime. I loved it. Def gonna jump into this series.
April 1, 2024
WOW!!! I'm so glad I read Pamela Samuels Young's book! Vernetta Henderson is such a wonderful character-strong, smart, vulnerable, funny and real. A lawyer with a conscience, this great novel follows her through the highs and lows of her career, some big cases and her marriage, all with fast paced action, lots of twists and turns, humor and a great amount of heart!
May 27, 2019
Author Pamela Samuels Young's biography says that she was a lawyer for a large law firm and then an in-house employment lawyer for a major corporation. As an author, she's a very good story-teller who unfortunately gets most of the legal issues wrong. This is disappointing for me as a lawyer (and an employment lawyer). It's bad when non-lawyers get the legal points wrong, but when lawyers who should know better get them wrong, it's very frustrating. Telling a good story sometimes requires condensing things that happen over long periods into a shorter time frame and sometimes glossing over legal nuances and procedural details, but Ms. Young discusses the nuances and details and gets them wrong. Even the basic premise and law firm situations are just not close to reality. Lawyers should be warned in advance about reading this book.
I picked up this book on a discount sale based on the blurb, which seemed intriguing. To give Ms. Young her due, she sets up an interesting story here with good characters and draws you into the mystery and the suspense of whether the young black attorney/heroine will be able to get her client an acquittal in her trial, where she is accuse of brutally murdering her husband. The story digresses into a sappy emotional drama about Vernetta (the hero) and her husband's marital problems (caused by her long work hours), which becomes a distraction to the main story rather than an interesting peek into the lead character's life and back story. There are other side characters who have two-dimensional existences and who add plot points but few emotional hits.
The story itself starts off implausible and gets both more implausible and more predictable as it goes along. The big surprise reveal at the end is not a surprise and lacks much suspense. I had a hard time from the beginning accepting that a young employment lawyer who just joined a new firm being would handle a major LA murder case with no criminal experience. The author lost me totally when she had the prosecutor delivering her closing argument first in the trial (that is wrong, wrong, wrong) so that her hero could deliver the big closing for the defense at the end of the trial. (The prosecution always closes last, because the state has the burden of proof.) Some of the courtroom sequences here were pretty good, but mostly the author sacrifices reality in order to tell her story in a more exciting way, which may work for non-lawyer readers, but for me I just kept track of all the legal errors, which numbered in the several dozens by the end.
The story got me and drew me in but by the end I was just waiting for it to be over so I could find something better to read. Very disappointing.
I picked up this book on a discount sale based on the blurb, which seemed intriguing. To give Ms. Young her due, she sets up an interesting story here with good characters and draws you into the mystery and the suspense of whether the young black attorney/heroine will be able to get her client an acquittal in her trial, where she is accuse of brutally murdering her husband. The story digresses into a sappy emotional drama about Vernetta (the hero) and her husband's marital problems (caused by her long work hours), which becomes a distraction to the main story rather than an interesting peek into the lead character's life and back story. There are other side characters who have two-dimensional existences and who add plot points but few emotional hits.
The story itself starts off implausible and gets both more implausible and more predictable as it goes along. The big surprise reveal at the end is not a surprise and lacks much suspense. I had a hard time from the beginning accepting that a young employment lawyer who just joined a new firm being would handle a major LA murder case with no criminal experience. The author lost me totally when she had the prosecutor delivering her closing argument first in the trial (that is wrong, wrong, wrong) so that her hero could deliver the big closing for the defense at the end of the trial. (The prosecution always closes last, because the state has the burden of proof.) Some of the courtroom sequences here were pretty good, but mostly the author sacrifices reality in order to tell her story in a more exciting way, which may work for non-lawyer readers, but for me I just kept track of all the legal errors, which numbered in the several dozens by the end.
The story got me and drew me in but by the end I was just waiting for it to be over so I could find something better to read. Very disappointing.
June 6, 2019
Great Legal Mystery
My first thought upon finishing this novel was how annoyed I was that I’d never heard of this series before. It had been a while since I’d read a really good mystery starring a lawyer and this hit a lot of sweet spots for me: court room scenes; twisty case; good balance of personal life with work scenes; great friendship.
Vernetta Henderson is about to get her first criminal case, which would be exciting for her if it weren’t for the fact she’s paired up with a lawyer she can’t stand: Neddy McClain. It also doesn’t help that Vernetta’s husband has decided it is now time to start having kids, and he’s super insistent even though Vernetta keeps saying now isn’t the right time because of her career. And then there’s the issue that Vernetta is certain her new client did kill her husband.
If you’re a fan of procedurals and legal mysteries this was a great start to a series–and there are four more books in the series!
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
My first thought upon finishing this novel was how annoyed I was that I’d never heard of this series before. It had been a while since I’d read a really good mystery starring a lawyer and this hit a lot of sweet spots for me: court room scenes; twisty case; good balance of personal life with work scenes; great friendship.
Vernetta Henderson is about to get her first criminal case, which would be exciting for her if it weren’t for the fact she’s paired up with a lawyer she can’t stand: Neddy McClain. It also doesn’t help that Vernetta’s husband has decided it is now time to start having kids, and he’s super insistent even though Vernetta keeps saying now isn’t the right time because of her career. And then there’s the issue that Vernetta is certain her new client did kill her husband.
If you’re a fan of procedurals and legal mysteries this was a great start to a series–and there are four more books in the series!
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
August 7, 2013
Pamela Samuels Young takes the reader into the courtroom, investigation-interrogation process, as if I am in a Law and Order episode live in reading review. There are several scenes and stories unravel with the characters. Moreover, she is a brilliant writer if you love legal thrillers. This series should be a TV series or movie!
My favorite character is Vernetta, since I can relate to her sincere feelings of marriage, child-bearing, and becoming a partner of the firm that she is fighting so hard for. Her husband Jefferson wants it all--marriage, good sex, and children. Unbelievably, Jefferson wish for children does not happen as planned. I agree with Vernetta, get to the top of your career and have a family later (even it you have to wait until 40--age is just a number). Can this notion of children have a strain on a newly-wed couple?
There are other twists and turns that you want to pick up a copy today! I will support and buy anything this author writes. Pamela is a diamond in the rough--time to make your writing career shine!
Adrienna "Dream Reviewer" Turner
My favorite character is Vernetta, since I can relate to her sincere feelings of marriage, child-bearing, and becoming a partner of the firm that she is fighting so hard for. Her husband Jefferson wants it all--marriage, good sex, and children. Unbelievably, Jefferson wish for children does not happen as planned. I agree with Vernetta, get to the top of your career and have a family later (even it you have to wait until 40--age is just a number). Can this notion of children have a strain on a newly-wed couple?
There are other twists and turns that you want to pick up a copy today! I will support and buy anything this author writes. Pamela is a diamond in the rough--time to make your writing career shine!
Adrienna "Dream Reviewer" Turner
April 4, 2018
Max Montgomery is a serial cheater and one night someone decides to take him out of his misery. His wife Tina, is the number one suspect and hires a prestigious law firm to defend her.
Vernetta Henderson just won the biggest case of her career (alongside someone she really didn't care for), only to be placed on another huge case (alongside someone else she doesn't care for). She should be extremely happy, but there's only her problem…her husband Jefferson wants her to slow down and start a family.
There are so many twists and turns in this 💎💎💎💎💎 read by @authorpsy. If you like legal thrillers, then I highly recommend this one for you.
Vernetta Henderson just won the biggest case of her career (alongside someone she really didn't care for), only to be placed on another huge case (alongside someone else she doesn't care for). She should be extremely happy, but there's only her problem…her husband Jefferson wants her to slow down and start a family.
There are so many twists and turns in this 💎💎💎💎💎 read by @authorpsy. If you like legal thrillers, then I highly recommend this one for you.
April 26, 2016
This book definitely suffered from having too many plot lines. I would love to have read more about the investigation of the murder rather than being distracted by Vernetta's problems with her husband. The story line involving Neddy's husband hovered around the edges of the murder investigation and that plot line wasn't resolved to my satisfaction at the end of the book. I might have given another star if Vernetta's husband hadn't been so whiny, and if her best friend, Special, hadn't been so obnoxious.
February 2, 2018
I thought this was a good introduction to Venetta Henderson & the series. Although she specialized in Employment Law, she was unexpectedly placed on a criminal case with a fellow attorney. The storyline held my interest as she learned the ropes while attempting to deal with other situations going on in her life as well as in her co-worker's. Good read as I plan on completing the series
August 18, 2018
Another great book by Pamela Samuels Young.
After winning a big profiled case, Vernetta wants nothing more then to spend time with her husband Jefferson. But when a Max Montgomery is found dead in a hotel room and his wife becomes prime suspect, Vernetta is once again being launched into a high profile case only this time she has to work with Neddy, the only other African American woman at her law firm and a pain in Vernetta's ass. Vernetta hasn't a clue what to do in criminal court, but if she wants to make partner at her law firm, she'll do any and everything to achieve it. But the case began to take a turn when Vernetta suspects her client just might be guilty. Vernetta fights an inner battle with doing the right thing or doing her job and what's even worse, the job is causing a separation between Vernetta and her husband who is tired of their marriage coming second to her job. As the stakes build up, trust issues are threatened, relationships are ruined, and another murder occurs with the suspect being someone very close to Vernetta. Can Vernetta win the case and keep her marriage in tact, or will she lose both?
I liked Vernetta character. She was a go getter who didn't take anyone's crap including her boss. And though, at first I did like her husband Jefferson, I began to find him very pushy when it came to wanting to start a family and even worse I hated how he treated Vernetta when the "real" problem arose. The case and the killer was predictable, but this was an enjoyable prediction. There were parts of the story that caused me to smile and some to frown. Pamela Samuels Young took one could have been a boring crime mystery and made it into something every woman and even men could relate to.
After winning a big profiled case, Vernetta wants nothing more then to spend time with her husband Jefferson. But when a Max Montgomery is found dead in a hotel room and his wife becomes prime suspect, Vernetta is once again being launched into a high profile case only this time she has to work with Neddy, the only other African American woman at her law firm and a pain in Vernetta's ass. Vernetta hasn't a clue what to do in criminal court, but if she wants to make partner at her law firm, she'll do any and everything to achieve it. But the case began to take a turn when Vernetta suspects her client just might be guilty. Vernetta fights an inner battle with doing the right thing or doing her job and what's even worse, the job is causing a separation between Vernetta and her husband who is tired of their marriage coming second to her job. As the stakes build up, trust issues are threatened, relationships are ruined, and another murder occurs with the suspect being someone very close to Vernetta. Can Vernetta win the case and keep her marriage in tact, or will she lose both?
I liked Vernetta character. She was a go getter who didn't take anyone's crap including her boss. And though, at first I did like her husband Jefferson, I began to find him very pushy when it came to wanting to start a family and even worse I hated how he treated Vernetta when the "real" problem arose. The case and the killer was predictable, but this was an enjoyable prediction. There were parts of the story that caused me to smile and some to frown. Pamela Samuels Young took one could have been a boring crime mystery and made it into something every woman and even men could relate to.
August 19, 2020
Wow, this was a huge disappointment in so many ways. The pace of the story to build to the actual investigation was dreadfully slow and overall lacking.
I read/listened to this book in AUDIO. The narrator was a male who did all voices. No voice distinction between male and the main two female characters, and barely between any character at all. OMG - terrible. It was freaky when the lawyer’s husband was talking with his wife about having a baby, and they sounded like the same person! I might have stretched this to 1.5 stars for some humorous parts (chapter 7), but the narrative absolutely removed any doubt of that. Sorry - rounded down to 1 star.
I read/listened to this book in AUDIO. The narrator was a male who did all voices. No voice distinction between male and the main two female characters, and barely between any character at all. OMG - terrible. It was freaky when the lawyer’s husband was talking with his wife about having a baby, and they sounded like the same person! I might have stretched this to 1.5 stars for some humorous parts (chapter 7), but the narrative absolutely removed any doubt of that. Sorry - rounded down to 1 star.
April 28, 2019
I'd already read and rather liked another book by this author Buying Time. While that one dealt with legal aspects of viatical settlements (hence the title), this one centered on a the timeworn plot of a woman accused of murdering her cheating (and very wealthy) husband. It's a strange world where a murder 1 criminal case seems prosaic compared to the maneuverings of insurance companies, but what can I say? The "dramatic" did-she-or-didn't-she murder trial scenario has been done so often that ANY outcome/verdict would be déjà-vu a hundred times over.
On top of that, this novel is too heavily dosed with romance and domestic drama for my tastes. I get that digging into that pile of plot fodder would be logical for the defendant's story, but we are treated to all the details of the tangled love lives of both lawyers working the case. Too much, too often.
On a more positive note, the author has a great ear for dialogue!
On top of that, this novel is too heavily dosed with romance and domestic drama for my tastes. I get that digging into that pile of plot fodder would be logical for the defendant's story, but we are treated to all the details of the tangled love lives of both lawyers working the case. Too much, too often.
On a more positive note, the author has a great ear for dialogue!
November 15, 2017
Great read
July 30, 2019
Good read. Enjoyed growing relationship between the two lawyers.
January 28, 2022
I'm looking forward to continuing this series.
September 10, 2024
An exciting, well-written courtroom thriller with equally exciting, well-written characters!
October 25, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It was a real page turner!! Some of the dialogue was a bit dated lol but still an excellent read!
August 6, 2016
(4.25 stars actually)
Employment attorney and new associate Vernetta Henderson has just won a huge, high-profile discrimination suit on behalf of the legal firm she works for when another high profile, career defining case is dangled in front of her. The new case has socialite Tina Montgomery accused of murdering her philandering husband. Vernetta has a few issues with accepting this assignment. 1) She's just completed high profile case that took a lot of her personal time and had her working with a contentious co-counsel; 2) Criminal law isn't her forte and it would have her working with another contentious co-counsel on a case that would monopolize her personal time and; 3) Her new husband is ready to do more than just talk about starting a family.
Vernetta and her co-counsel Neddy McClain, who were not bosom buddies to begin with, was an conflict that needed to be resolved without affecting their joint case. The way both Vernetta and Neddy slowly gave to each other smoothly added depth to both of their characters. The twists and turns that unfolded in both Vernetta and Needy's complex private lives during the life of their major case had its own drama that was teased out and woven well into the progress of Tina's murder trial. Neddy's growth throughout the read made her a more accessible as the story progressed. While I enjoyed the secondary characters, they felt a bit thin for my taste. However since this is an origin story they may be fleshed out in the next installment. While much is made of Vernetta being African-American it only has a minor effect on the story. That effect is handled efficiently by presenting common conceptions & misconceptions with relation to the case and the characters before relating how & why they should be non-issues without condemnation. While I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the pages flew by and how well the story flowed and even how much I liked the author's style, I was disappointed in the rushed wrap of the story. After spending so much time adding red herrings, the amount of coincidences and items falling into place were too neat.
Having never read or heard of this author, I had no expectations. This read had been in my TBR pile for quite some time and while I was sorry it took so long for me to get to it, I was glad I finally did take the time to read it.
More reviews can be found at http://www.ireadthatbook.com/
Employment attorney and new associate Vernetta Henderson has just won a huge, high-profile discrimination suit on behalf of the legal firm she works for when another high profile, career defining case is dangled in front of her. The new case has socialite Tina Montgomery accused of murdering her philandering husband. Vernetta has a few issues with accepting this assignment. 1) She's just completed high profile case that took a lot of her personal time and had her working with a contentious co-counsel; 2) Criminal law isn't her forte and it would have her working with another contentious co-counsel on a case that would monopolize her personal time and; 3) Her new husband is ready to do more than just talk about starting a family.
Vernetta and her co-counsel Neddy McClain, who were not bosom buddies to begin with, was an conflict that needed to be resolved without affecting their joint case. The way both Vernetta and Neddy slowly gave to each other smoothly added depth to both of their characters. The twists and turns that unfolded in both Vernetta and Needy's complex private lives during the life of their major case had its own drama that was teased out and woven well into the progress of Tina's murder trial. Neddy's growth throughout the read made her a more accessible as the story progressed. While I enjoyed the secondary characters, they felt a bit thin for my taste. However since this is an origin story they may be fleshed out in the next installment. While much is made of Vernetta being African-American it only has a minor effect on the story. That effect is handled efficiently by presenting common conceptions & misconceptions with relation to the case and the characters before relating how & why they should be non-issues without condemnation. While I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the pages flew by and how well the story flowed and even how much I liked the author's style, I was disappointed in the rushed wrap of the story. After spending so much time adding red herrings, the amount of coincidences and items falling into place were too neat.
Having never read or heard of this author, I had no expectations. This read had been in my TBR pile for quite some time and while I was sorry it took so long for me to get to it, I was glad I finally did take the time to read it.
More reviews can be found at http://www.ireadthatbook.com/
January 2, 2009
Guilty or Not Guilty?
Vernetta Henderson yearns to break through the cycle and become the first African-American partner at one of L.A.'s top notch firms. After years of being an employment attorney, Vernetta soon becomes part of the "dream team," a three star African-American cast featuring herself, Neddy McClain, a hard nose criminal defense attorney and Tina Montgomery, a prime and proper housewife accused of the murder of her philandering husband. As the case goes from cold to hot, Vernetta contemplates whether her failing marriage is worth the pressures of defending someone who may not be so innocent.
Neddy has all the makings of getting Tina acquitted of the murder charges. After defending some of the toughest criminals working at the Public Defender's Office, this should be a piece of cake. Not one to care if someone is guilty or not guilty; Neddy has found herself in a compromising situation that may lead her sitting next to Tina fighting for her innocence.
Pamela Samuels-Young does a good job at giving us the "inside scoop" of the dynamics of climbing that corporate ladder; not only at work but home. She delivers a solid debut which will have you waiting for the next time court is in session.
Reviewed by: LaDonna
Vernetta Henderson yearns to break through the cycle and become the first African-American partner at one of L.A.'s top notch firms. After years of being an employment attorney, Vernetta soon becomes part of the "dream team," a three star African-American cast featuring herself, Neddy McClain, a hard nose criminal defense attorney and Tina Montgomery, a prime and proper housewife accused of the murder of her philandering husband. As the case goes from cold to hot, Vernetta contemplates whether her failing marriage is worth the pressures of defending someone who may not be so innocent.
Neddy has all the makings of getting Tina acquitted of the murder charges. After defending some of the toughest criminals working at the Public Defender's Office, this should be a piece of cake. Not one to care if someone is guilty or not guilty; Neddy has found herself in a compromising situation that may lead her sitting next to Tina fighting for her innocence.
Pamela Samuels-Young does a good job at giving us the "inside scoop" of the dynamics of climbing that corporate ladder; not only at work but home. She delivers a solid debut which will have you waiting for the next time court is in session.
Reviewed by: LaDonna
March 23, 2012
Every Reasonable Doubt is a well written, compelling story of a Black female attorney who is struggling to balance her ambition and her personal life. Along the way she must deal with ambivalence about starting a family before making partner in her firm, rivalry within the firm where she works, issues of morality as she defends a client she believes is guilty of killing her husband and a devastated husband who learns he is not the man he thinks himself to be. The characters are well developed and believable. The central character's best friend will have you laughing at her very real streetwise personality and way of speaking. I like a book that makes me think about what I would do in similar situations. If you like murder mysteries, a little romance, strong women friendships, courtroom time and a surprise ending. You won't regret this one.
August 5, 2016
GOOD mystery suspense...and Vernetta and Special are too funny...lol
March 3, 2017
I thought for sure that Special had something going in with Jefferson. I kept waiting for it, and waiting for it. Guess I was wrong.
January 3, 2022
I wanted to like this more than I did.
My problem here was that way more time was spent on Vernetta's personal life (her marital issues) than unfolding the actual case. I feel like "thriller" is a misnomer for this book. There wasn't anything particularly thrilling about it... I didn't feel a sense of risk or suspense, more just fatigue emanating from the two Black women lawyers at the centre of the story. That's probably mimetic! But didn't keep me on the edge of my seat.
I'm queer, and white; heteronormativity confuses me, and I'm pretty ignorant about relationship norms in Black communities (which are probably different in some ways than for white folks). Taking that context into account, I found Vernetta's relationship with her husband extremely unappealing and not even slightly romantic. They keep things from each other, they don't communicate, he says sexist (and in one case something pretty racist) things and she ends up brushing them off because he tickles her ear and she likes it or whatever. He knew she was a lawyer when he married her. Lawyers work a lot. All lawyers. And yet he's just constantly complaining about how she doesn't make him dinner or sex him up enough. They apparently got married without really discussing a timeline for having kids. And her best friend Special's constant refrain is that she needs to give more blow jobs and 'prioritize her man over work' if she doesn't want to lose him. Really!? Is this how people live? Where's the communication? It was so obnoxious, and sad. Combined with the fact that the central case didn't have a super strong pull either, these character dynamics totally killed this read for me.
The one dynamic I did like was the relationship between Vernetta and Neddy, as it evolves from animosity to solidarity and friendship. I thought that was a strength.
My problem here was that way more time was spent on Vernetta's personal life (her marital issues) than unfolding the actual case. I feel like "thriller" is a misnomer for this book. There wasn't anything particularly thrilling about it... I didn't feel a sense of risk or suspense, more just fatigue emanating from the two Black women lawyers at the centre of the story. That's probably mimetic! But didn't keep me on the edge of my seat.
I'm queer, and white; heteronormativity confuses me, and I'm pretty ignorant about relationship norms in Black communities (which are probably different in some ways than for white folks). Taking that context into account, I found Vernetta's relationship with her husband extremely unappealing and not even slightly romantic. They keep things from each other, they don't communicate, he says sexist (and in one case something pretty racist) things and she ends up brushing them off because he tickles her ear and she likes it or whatever. He knew she was a lawyer when he married her. Lawyers work a lot. All lawyers. And yet he's just constantly complaining about how she doesn't make him dinner or sex him up enough. They apparently got married without really discussing a timeline for having kids. And her best friend Special's constant refrain is that she needs to give more blow jobs and 'prioritize her man over work' if she doesn't want to lose him. Really!? Is this how people live? Where's the communication? It was so obnoxious, and sad. Combined with the fact that the central case didn't have a super strong pull either, these character dynamics totally killed this read for me.
The one dynamic I did like was the relationship between Vernetta and Neddy, as it evolves from animosity to solidarity and friendship. I thought that was a strength.
September 7, 2025
Every Reasonable Doubt is the first book in the Vernetta Henderson series by Pamela Samuels Young. Vernetta Henderson comes off a victory in a case which yielded the biggest verdicts of her career. While looking forward to some downtime, Vernetta is quickly partnered with Neddy McClain to take on the defense for the biggest murder case of their careers. The two women aren’t thrilled to be working together; however, they must put aside their strained relationship for the case. Their client, socialite Tina Montgomery, is charged with the brutal murder of her husband, Max Montgomery, a high profile businessman. As Vernetta prepares for trial, she feels the pressures from all areas of her life: home, career, and public opinion. What she doesn’t count on is the new bond formed with Neddy. Can they prove Tina’s innocence beyond every reasonable doubt?
Every Reasonable Doubt is my first book by Pamela Samuels Young and it starts off running. The opening prologue readers witness the brutal murder and it leads into a fast paced whodunnit. I liked Vernetta from the start and the initial conflict with Neddy was tense. I liked Neddy as well. Her no nonsense attitude makes her a great character. The suspense was good. I was constantly questioning if Tina really did kill her husband or not. There were plenty of suspects to cast doubt on the case. I liked that there was enough legalese to inform readers about the process without bogging down the story. Overall, I enjoyed this story and look forward to more cases with Vernetta Henderson. If you enjoy legal suspenseful thrillers, I highly recommend Every Reasonable Doubt.
Every Reasonable Doubt is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
Every Reasonable Doubt is my first book by Pamela Samuels Young and it starts off running. The opening prologue readers witness the brutal murder and it leads into a fast paced whodunnit. I liked Vernetta from the start and the initial conflict with Neddy was tense. I liked Neddy as well. Her no nonsense attitude makes her a great character. The suspense was good. I was constantly questioning if Tina really did kill her husband or not. There were plenty of suspects to cast doubt on the case. I liked that there was enough legalese to inform readers about the process without bogging down the story. Overall, I enjoyed this story and look forward to more cases with Vernetta Henderson. If you enjoy legal suspenseful thrillers, I highly recommend Every Reasonable Doubt.
Every Reasonable Doubt is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
December 17, 2021
Got this book (Every Reasonable Doubt) quite awhile ago and promptly forgot about it. Since it's the first of a series, I'm way behind, so I dug in. As legal cases are always fascinating to me and it was an author I have not read before, it was an easy read.
Max Montgomery, wealthy investment banker and adulterer, has been murdered. Outward appearances seem like his longtime marriage to Tina is perfect.
Attorney Vernetta Henderson works in LA at the prestigious firm O’Reilly & Finney. She practices mundane noncriminal cases but, has aspirations of becoming partner. Not only is she female, she's also one of only two black women at the firm. The other is the sour and uppity Neddy McMcCain. Her investigator is a former Detective, Danny Smith.
The spouse is always the police primary suspect, so Tina is charged with the murder of her husband. The prosecutor will be Julie Killabrew. She's not the most likable character either. She likes to win and is not fond of her oponents.
Vernetta's married to Jefferson. His patience with her lengthy office hours is wearing thin. Their happy marriage is in jeopardy. There was a good mix of personal character development and the actual legal murder case. The characters were interesting and realistic.
The attorneys struggle with personal opinions of the client's guilt or innocence and their obligation to represent her under the law. It was thought provoking and an interesting legal delima. There were some surprising revelations and outcomes, kept me guessing. I plan to read more of this series.
Max Montgomery, wealthy investment banker and adulterer, has been murdered. Outward appearances seem like his longtime marriage to Tina is perfect.
Attorney Vernetta Henderson works in LA at the prestigious firm O’Reilly & Finney. She practices mundane noncriminal cases but, has aspirations of becoming partner. Not only is she female, she's also one of only two black women at the firm. The other is the sour and uppity Neddy McMcCain. Her investigator is a former Detective, Danny Smith.
The spouse is always the police primary suspect, so Tina is charged with the murder of her husband. The prosecutor will be Julie Killabrew. She's not the most likable character either. She likes to win and is not fond of her oponents.
Vernetta's married to Jefferson. His patience with her lengthy office hours is wearing thin. Their happy marriage is in jeopardy. There was a good mix of personal character development and the actual legal murder case. The characters were interesting and realistic.
The attorneys struggle with personal opinions of the client's guilt or innocence and their obligation to represent her under the law. It was thought provoking and an interesting legal delima. There were some surprising revelations and outcomes, kept me guessing. I plan to read more of this series.
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