A criminal court judge is found hanging from a tree.
A young employee of the district attorney's office goes missing.
In this third book of the best selling Joe Dillard series, Dillard finds himself in the middle of two volatile mysteries. The primary suspect in the judge's murder is Dillard's son's best friend, and Dillard's wife may have destroyed evidence. Meanwhile, the missing girl turns out to be a mystery far deeper than anyone imagined...
"Pratt's richly developed characters are vivid and believable." - "Publisher's Weekly."
"It's Scott Turow and Grisham..." - Ken Bruen.
"Pratt knows what he's doing and it shows." - Alafair Burke.
Scott Pratt is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Bestselling Author whose books have sold more than five million copies. He was born in South Haven, Michigan, and grew up in Jonesborough, Tennessee. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from East Tennessee State University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee. He lived in Johnson City, Tennessee until his tragic, untimely passing in November of 2018.
This page is maintained by his family. We're finishing up all of the projects he was working on when he passed away. If you'd like to stay up to date on that progress, or if you'd just like to say hello, you can visit us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/19664...
This is book three in the Joe Dillard Series. I have read the first two books of the series and thoroughly enjoyed them. It seems I am rather slow in getting back to reading the series. Pratt is an excellent storyteller and his setting the location of the story in Tennessee is most interesting.
The book is well written. Character development is excellent and the plot is interesting. There was only a small amount of courtroom action in this story. Mr. Pratt’s law background makes the story realistic. Hope I can read book four in the series fairly soon.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seven hours and five minutes. Time Campbell does a great job narrating the story. Campbell is an Australian actor and voice-over artist. He was won an Earphone Award for audiobook narration.
This is the third book I've read in the author's series featuring Tennessee lawyer Joe Dillard, and I continue to be amazed at how much I'm enjoying them. This is the best so far, IMHO - I didn't want to put it down (just ask my husband, who was forced to eat an extra-late dinner one day when I had just a few chapters left to read).
Dillard has moved from a defense attorney to the prosecutor's office, but from both sides now he's had to deal with the same hard-nosed, unfair and vindictive criminal court judge. When that judge's body turns up charred and hanging from a tree, Dillard isn't exactly crying, but then he finds himself at the center of the investigation. The son of his son's best friend, it turns out, is the prime suspect (the judge, it seems, had done his daddy wrong). Worse, the young college student has, in a panic, given critical evidence to Dillard's wife, who in turn destroyed it - thus committing a potentially criminal act that puts Dillard square in the middle of an ethics dilemma.
A second story line follows a young girl who loses her entire family - then most of another - and a third focuses on the sudden disappearance of a young woman who recently joined the district attorney's office. There's even a fourth as Dillard struggles with his unsuccessful defense of a client who was convicted and has just been executed - a client Dillard continues to believe was innocent.
All these situations are brought to closure by the end, of course; some happily, others not so much, depending on who you're rooting for. And, a big change at the end makes me eager to read the next installment (not that I wasn't already). Bring it on!
Out of the three Joe Dillard novels I have read so far this is by far the best one. Pratt does a great job of bringing together a few storylines so that they all make sense by the end of the book.
I have no complaints about this one at all. Seeing Dillard grow both personally and professionally has been one of the highlights of this series; although, the crimes and trials are also very interesting.
Another quick read by Pratt. I find his books to be incredibly fast-paced and captivating. This series is perfect for your summer reading list. I can't wait to read the fourth book!
I like reading novels about criminal law. Scott Pratts’ Injustice For All shows courtroom drama and injustice. Poignant story about two lawyers who are friends and the hardships they bear. Plenty of excitement holds your interest from the very beginning, I recommend this novel and started reading the first of Joe Dillard series.
Wow! Just a great story. I was tempted to give this one a 5, but held back a little. I only have a couple minor complaints with the story. First is the un-tagged back-and-forth time sequences with Katie/Hannah. If only there had been some hint in the chapter headings or something to clue you in instead of having to re-read sections in the text body to figure out that he had jumped back a decade or two. That was a bit grating. I also felt that all the plot threads got tied up maybe a little too neatly in the end, however I have to give the author credit for weaving all those threads into such a fascinating story. I also wish there were more courtroom scenes. I had the same issue with the previous book, so I'm getting the idea that that is the way the series is going to go, unfortunately.
Otherwise a really wonderful story full of soul. This one is not as gothic as the prior, but nonetheless just as intense. I happen to have had a friend through work who moved to Johnson City. He loves it there. Hopefully this story is not too much of an indictment on the good citizens of that town.
You get a good glimpse of Joe and that he is really a good guy, certainly not perfect and a bit on the violet side, but still a really wonderful person, one you enjoy reading about. This one is entitled "INjustice for All," and it certainly works through that theme. It is a dark story that becomes a rather harsh, but all-too-accurate accounting of how unfair and perhaps arbitrary our justice system is...albeit perhaps as good as Man is able to provide.
Congratulations to Scott Pratt on a really great ride.
A very enjoyable book. I guess it exposes a few of the drawbacks of the American legal system. I've always wondered how impartial/fair elected officials like DAs or sheriffs can be. Obviously most are all above board but the potential is there.
This has potential to be a good story, a real page turner that suffered from multiple shifts in time sequences and characters.
Joe Dillard is a former defense attorney turned prosecutor. When his friend commits suicide because of some ill treatment by a local judge, everything begins to unravel as the friend's son is sought for the murder and Dillard's boss asks him to file charges that Dillard considers unethical. Oh yes, he's also haunted by the execution of an innocent client. And, oh yes, his wife has breast cancer, but his son is a great baseball player who, of course, gets good grades. Corrupt sherriffs, but a really good one, too.
Lots of problems with this book: a facile ending, too many side-trips, shifting POV's, tense changes, too predictable, etc. And yet the story pulled me along. Probably be a great, if somewhat frustrating, airplane book. Think this review is disjointed? Read the book.
And I swear that animal on the cover looks like a sealion.
The third book in the Joe Dillard series and fast becoming a favorite series in the legal genre. Joe’s a good lawyer, a good husband and a good father. I like his normalcy and his sense of integrity. After more than a decade working as a criminal defense lawyer, he’s now working as an assistant D.A. in Washington county, Tennessee, under District Attorney, Lee Mooney, who since the last book Joe has his doubts about. Joe can’t proof it, but there’s something shady and fraudulent about the D.A., and when the victim/witness counselor, Hannah Mills disappears, Joe instinctively feels that Mooney has something to do with it. The Hannah Mills disappearance is only one of the plots of this book. When the despicable and perverted judge Green is found burnt and hanging from a tree, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation jump the gun by immediately pointing the finger at young college-going Tommy Miller, whose father committed suicide in Judge Green’s courtroom because Green totally ruined Ray Miller’s professional and personal life. I for one am I astounded over the power these judges exert. It’s unbelievable what they get away with. Their behavior should be impeccable, fair and just. Judge Green was a snake, who has been abusing his powers for decades, and it appeared he was a sexual deviant to boot. This was an absolute thrilling read. Such endearing characters. My heart ached and I had such sorrow learning what Hannah Mills had gone through since the age of 12. In the end the good guys win, but at what cost? Like Joe says at the end, justice is as fleeting as life itself.
My absolute favorite so far!! Oh my lord this book had me on a roller coaster. Lots of twists and turns and holy shit moments. I still freaking adore Joe. Just love him and I'm in love with this series. Excellent audibles too.
Scott Pratt has created a great main character in Joe Dillard. I recommend to anyone who like courtroom dramas where they are trying to solve the case as the case is being tried.
We’re reading in order the Joe Dillard series of fellow Tennessean, lawyer-turned-author, the late Scott Pratt, namely “Injustice For All”, the third of his nine-book set. We awarded the first (“An Innocent Client”) three stars for a decent debut outing; the second (“In Good Faith”) four stars; and this third, one of our rare five-star ratings – what a trend line!
To us, this book had it all, from two compelling mystery plots we could hardly put down; great characterization, including Joe’s wife’s difficult battle with breast cancer, we presume a mirror to Scott’s real life situation; and a number of events tidied up at book end that really pleased us as readers. Even if one considers the wrap a tad reminiscent of Hollywood, it indeed made us feel a little better about the undoubtedly imperfect application of our legal system to get things right.
In case there was any doubt, we now really look forward to the remainder of this set – and highly commend this particular novel to anyone who enjoys legal/crime thrillers!
I have just devoured the first three JOE DILLARD books in one sitting. After I finish this review I plan on doing the same with the next four fantastic books and hope many more will publish soon. The depth of character , details of the law and place descriptions , make these some of the BEST LEGAL THRILLERS I HAVE READ IN YEARS. These stories are not of them formula variety but are ORIGINAL , EXCITING, CAN'T PUT DOWN BOOKS that make you become friends with the characters , and eagerly await the outcomes of trials and more. I highly recommend you read these and dare you to put one down before reading it through to the end. Lots of coffee and a comfy chair, hope you don't have to work tomorrow.
Joe Dillard must have run over a family of black cats or drive his car into a mirror factory: it's not possible to have such bad luck. But despite this incredible accumulation of tiles and dramatic events in Joe's life, this third part of his adventures is at the level of the first two: very pleasant to read, very rhythmic, always with good characters and a gripping story. I regret a little that the main character is more spectator than actor of the events, but it's often the case in thrillers. But I'm not choosy, it's a good thriller. With a little more subtlety and plausibility it could have been a very, very good book.
Actually a 4.5 rating. Excellent book - I seem to never be able to put Pratt’s books down. Some mystery and the multiple sorry lines keep me engaged throughout. I’m looking forward to the next one in this series!
La lettura che propongo oggi è Ingiustizia totale di Scott Pratt: un legal thriller dal ritmo incalzante dedicato agli appassionati delle avventure, controversie e fatti criminosi che si sviluppano intorno alle aule dei tribunali. Qui di seguito una sintesi della trama che ho elaborato per voi. Joe Dillard è un assistente procuratore. Dopo molti anni in cui ha esercitato come difensore penalista assieme al suo amico Ray Miller è passato all’accusa, mentre Ray è rimasto in quello che lui definisce il lato oscuro. Entrambi non imbrogliano, non mentono, non usano trucchi e soprattutto disprezzano gli abusi di potere, soprattutto quelli da parte dei giudici. Joe si porta sulle spalle il peso di un passato tormentato da frammenti di violenza e orrore la cui origine risale al momento nel quale inerme e ragazzino, assiste allo stupro della sorella da parte dello zio adolescente. L’uomo è inoltre perseguitato dalle immagini di quando si è arruolato nell’esercito per cercare una sorta di vicinanza deviata con il padre ucciso in Vietnam: le cose che ha visto laggiù sono entrate nel suo subconscio e riemergono a casaccio quasi sempre mentre dorme. La sua vita subisce un ulteriore violento scossone quando il suo amico Ray, viene accusato di oltraggio alla corte dal giudice Green, un omuncolo di bassa moralità e scarso intelletto, e a causa di questo perde tutto: la sua licenza di avvocato, il sostentamento, la reputazione, la casa. Sentitosi perseguitato e senza speranza, Ray compie un gesto drammatico: punta una pistola contro il giudice Green e fa fuoco mancandolo per un pelo. Successivamente rivolge l’arma su di sé e un secondo boato rimbomba tra le mura creando panico e sconcerto. L’immagine del suicidio di Ray s’imprime indelebilmente nella mente di Joe e si aggiunge alla lunga lista di fantasmi che si destano di notte dal suo inconscio per infestare i suoi sogni e farlo gridare dal terrore. Quando il cadavere del giudice Green viene ritrovato appeso ad un albero semi-carbonizzato, tutti i sospetti sembrano ricondurre a una vendetta da parte del figlio di Ray, Tommy… Sulla trama non dirò una parola in più, lascio tutto il bello degli accadimenti successivi, agli eventuali lettori del libro.
Ingiustizia totale di Scott Pratt è prima di tutto una storia di avidità, tradimenti e omicidi, ma soprattutto spinge alla riflessione su certi argomenti spinosi che riguardano la giustizia americana, quali per esempio, gli abusi di potere da parte di alcuni giudici, che talvolta approfittano della loro posizione, cedendo ad idiosincrasie personali e indulgendo in sentimenti poco nobili quali la gelosia verso i colleghi di grado più alto. Inoltre rappresenta un’attenta considerazione sulla pena di morte che vige ancora in alcuni Stati. L’autore, attraverso il protagonista si sofferma delicatamente a valutarne l’effettiva utilità: Joe, riferisce di nutrire sentimenti contrastanti a riguardo: filosoficamente e intellettualmente non riesce a concepire come una nazione civilizzata e moderna, che proibisce alla gente di ammazzarsi a vicenda, poi sia la prima ad ammazzare i suoi cittadini… però nel momento in cui si cala nei panni di chi ha subito una efferata violenza, ammette senza remore che vorrebbe che il criminale soffrisse. Drammatico, ma molto interessante per le dinamiche ambivalenti su descritte è il capitolo 3, dove il protagonista si trova appunto nell’area visitatori del braccio della morte del penitenziario di Riverbend, a Nashville. Il romanzo si evolve per la maggior parte del tempo al di fuori del tribunale, ma come suggerisce il titolo nasce e si sviluppa intorno ad una serie di ingiustizie e tradimenti. La storia è ricca di personaggi, avvenimenti, azione e colpi di scena. Lo stile ricorda vagamente Grisham che adoro, ma se ne differenzia per la semplicità e l’immediatezza con cui si rivolge al lettore e per la minore attenzione verso i tecnicismi legali. Il finale è appropriato, anche se privo dell’effetto wow! Grazie a tutti dell'attenzione, la vostra Lettrice Assorta www.ilviziodileggereblog.wordpress.com
This Joe Dillard mystery thriller from author Scott Pratt was easily far better than the first two books in his series. "Injustice For All", is a captivating tale of greed, betrayal, misuse of power, and murder. The book is told inside two different time periods throughout, until at the conclusion both story lines come together with an incredible shocker. Joe is still working for the shady D.A. Lee Mooney some three years past when book two in series finished up, ("In Good Faith"). Mooney has somewhat fell into the bottle, and is spending most of his time holed up in his office drunk. Mooney orders Joe to drop a case against a career criminal, drug dealer, and murderer due to a lack of evidence. Except Joe has a solid case in his own mind and expects to see it through. Unfortunately Joe's good friend Ray Miller, a capable defense attorney has a melt down in court because Judge Green hates Miller with a passion. Green and Miller have tangled for many years, with the corrupt judge making Ray's days in court miserable. Green has Miller arrested for contempt, suspends his law licence, and reports Miller to the Board Of Professional Responsibility to end Ray's career. What a mess for Joe. Between working for Mooney, Ray's melt down, and wife still battling breast cancer things are intense to the max. Meanwhile, in Michigan several years before, young Katie Dean sees her drunken mess of a father shot gun and kill her mother, and two siblings, while also badly wounding Katie. Katie is sent to live with her mother's sister Aunt Mary down in Tennessee. Aunt Mary is her only living relative. Aunt Mary lives with housekeeper Lottie and adopted child Luke. However, Luke is battling cerebral palsy and having a very difficult childhood. Katie comes to love being in the forest, and hones her knowledge of nature very quickly. After several years when Katie is now 17, she stumbles on a huge patch of Marijuana being grown by some Mexican gangsters. The patch is worth millions in street value. Katie reports this to the DEA. Now the DEA needs to protect Katie from any retaliation as they destroy the patch, and make several arrests. But sure enough the bad guys get the 411 on Katie, and firebomb Aunt Mary's house killing Luke along with Aunt Mary. Katie is placed into witness protection and sent westward for a new life. Returning back to the other story thread, Ray has to come to court on his contempt charge. Ray again explodes on Judge Green, and produces a hand gun taking several shots at the judge before turning the gun on himself committing suicide. Before the local town can even recover from such a wild incident...... Judge Green is found burnt to death and hanging by a tree. Author Scott Pratt does an excellent job weaving these two story lines along before it is inevitable somewhere they must meet up. Instead of just one mystery to pick apart there are several, plus the question of finding the thread that will somehow connect the plot as a whole. A very intense yarn at times, it was incredibly hard to put down anywhere throughout the book. I was enjoying this book so much I read the some 350 odd pages in pretty much two sittings. The complex, damaged, and emotional characters help drive the suspense with each twist of the plot. All the way though the book I kept wondering how the death of judge would become relevant as each piece of plot fell into place. I was truly shocked with the clever, and masterful ending author Scott Pratt created. Pratt seems to get a little better as a story teller with each Joe Dillard book. I have several more to read. I'm excited about jumping into fourth book in the series. Five stars out of a possible five stars. Pick up on this mystery thriller series. I highly recommend Joe Dillard series for some very enjoyable reading.
Joe Dillard is such a likable character, I forget sometimes that he doesn't truly exist, or does he? To think of an honest lawyer, one would think that isn't possible, but Dillard is about as straight-laced as an attorney could possibly go.
This story was mentally draining due to the multitude of scenarios that unfolded. His longtime friend, Ray Miller, who is also an attorney, had trouble keeping his emotions in check, especially when it came to dealing with Judge Green. But Judge Green had several demons in his closet, that at the time, Ray was unaware of. Judge Green punishes Ray by holding him in contempt of court for something he wasn't guilty of. As a result of that action factored in with taking Ray to the State Bar for his "unprofessional misconduct," Ray soon found himself out a job, while Joe had to sit by and watch this unfold before his very eyes.
A terrible tragedy ensued, which no one saw coming. When it was said and done, two families were left with the aftermath. And what better time for the Judge himself to wind up murdered. The timing couldn't have been better. Who wanted Judge Green dead? Oooh the list goes on and on, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigators had set their sights on one suspect--someone very close to Joe Dillard. Joe is no longer a defense criminal attorney, but an assistant prosecutor. Talk about dilemma!
If all that wasn't bad enough, the very office where he works is corrupt beyond belief. And he's being forced to cut loose a very dangerous drug dealer with the order coming directly from his boss. All the evidence points to this drug dealer, and yet, his boss doesn't feel there's enough. Why was his boss on this guy's side?
As the story unfolds, there are more murders to happen and when you learn what the connection is, it will leave the reader happy but bittersweet. This was an amazing story. Joe Dillard survives to serve Lady Justice one more time. I can't wait to start Book 4 in the series. Great legal thriller! Scott Pratt has the legal drama down pat!
Scott Pratt's writing style reminds me of Grisham and Sandford. I enjoy the thrill of the stories, the amazing friendships and family connections, and the crazy evilness of both good and bad guys.
In this book, his best friend, Ray Miller, is royally picked on by Judge Green to the point of financial ruin because Ray can't stand him and he isn't afraid of him. Because of Green's revenge, Ray has to declare bankruptcy, loses his ability to practice law, his house, and cars (including his child's, Tommy); and he can no longer help pay for his son to continue at Duke U where Tommy has a partial baseball scholarship. Ray becomes a destitute, desperate, and emotional man all due to Judge Green's hateful, vengeful, and egomaniacal behavior toward Ray.
Dillard's wife is still fighting the aftereffects of breast cancer treatment. His sister, Sarah, is pregnant and the baby's daddy, who is a biker with the worst reputation for violence in Tennessee, is her new live in boyfriend.
There are several other subplots woven in to the main plot that makes this book hard to put down. I highly recommend this book, as well as the whole series.
You know about how when you care for someone, what hurts them hurts you too?
Scott Pratt artfully managed to make me like his protagonist Joe Dillard in Book 1 of this series and begin to love him a little in Book 2. Now, in Book 3, Pratt had me aching with Dillard's own pain and angry resolve to keep mustering enough will and energy to fight the never ending battle of good against evil.
Poor Joe...in mid-life he still wakes screaming from nightmares about past violence, he sees fresh horrors committed against innocents all the time in his work, he can't trust the judicial system or his own government as far as he can throw them, he endures constant fear of losing his beloved wife to the breast cancer that's stalked and scarred her these past few years, he's lost dear friends to unjust fates, he's narrowly escaped would-be killers half a dozen times already...how long can one good man's psyche sustain such a barrage? I worry for him. I am sad for him.
Scott Pratt, you've got me concerned about where this series is headed. What raging sociopaths will you pit against our stalwart hero in Book 4? Whoever they are, Joe Dillard will face them with me by his side on every page -- no matter how much it hurts!
Love Pratt's Joe Dillard Series and this may be his best yet! Making my way from 1-6. Tim Campbell is an excellent performer for audio book. Review to follow-catching up this week!
I am torn between if this is a four star or a five star novel: it is as suspenseful, perhaps even a bit more so, than the first two in the series but, without giving anything away, I did NOT like the story about one of the characters, who endures tragedy after tragedy after tragedy. Really good writers like Pratt can make you think you know their character creations, and that is a problem sometimes when the author then decides to heap so much misery on one of them. Additionally, Pratt needs to give some clue when he is shifting between the present time in a novel, and events from twenty years earlier. He did not handle the shifting well. The story, however, about the horrific murder of a judge, is very good, and as I said, the story is very suspenseful. So may be it is a 4 and 3/4 star story and so I shall round up to five stars. Love Pratt's stories and am looking forward to #4!!
Another great read. Love the Dillard's. I've now read up to book 6, I believe. I cannot put this series down. Seeing the family grow and go through hardships that we all have first-hand knowledge of, yet still doing your absolute best for the people you represent, is fabulous. Love the legal aspect and the investigation side. I've found this the perfect balance of both. Joe is an amazing character, and his morals are his finest quality. So sad to read that this author has now passed, but what a great legacy to leave behind. I almost feel as if I know the author through his characters.
I am SO glad I've discovered Scott Pratt. I've long been a fan of John Grisham and thought I'd never find another legal thriller author that I enjoyed as much. I'm on the fifth of the Joe Dillard series and every one just gets better than the last. I'll be so sorry to end this series, but I'm looking forward to many more Scott Pratt books!!!
I enjoyed this book - it moved along at a good pace and had enough court action and legal content to count as a legal thriller. A cruel judge destroys the career of a lawyer and is found burned and hanged and a colleague of Dillard in the DA office goes missing. I will definitely read the next in the series.
I liked this one better than #2. Joe Dillard has a better handle on his anger, even though circumstances are just as horrific for some the characters. A corrupt judge is murdered, as well as an innocent young woman, who has already cheated death twice. The drug business is truly terrifying and not many people are trustworthy as you would hope.
I’m starting to really enjoy this series. Joe Dillard is an ordinary guy and a likable one at that. I’m embarrassed I didn’t figure it out but enjoyed the entire book. On to the next book in the series.
Again another good story. I am liking Joe Dillard more and more. He's human and a good man who tries really hard to do the right thing whenever he could. The way he loves his wife is also another great quality.