Presumed Guilty

by James Scott Bell

Murder, betrayal, and a trial that feeds a media frenzy.Can one woman stand against the forces that threaten to tear her family apart? Pastor Ron Hamilton’s star is rising. His 8,000-strong church is thriving. His good looks and charisma make him an exceptional speaker on family values. And his book on pornography in the church has become an unexpected bestseller. Everything is perfect. Until a young woman’s body is discovered in a seedy motel room. The woman is a porn star. And all the evidence in the murder points to one Ron.With the noose tightening around her husband’s neck, Dallas Hamilton faces a believe the seemingly irrefutable facts―or the voice of her heart. The press has already reached its verdict, and the public echoes it. But Dallas is determined to do whatever it takes to find the truth.And then a dark secret from Dallas's past threatens to take them all down. As the clock ticks toward Ron's conviction and imprisonment, and an underworld of evil encircles her, Dallas must gather all her trust in God to discover what really happened in that motel room . . . even if it means losing faith in her husband forever.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Adult

316 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2006

About the author

Jim is a former trial lawyer who now writes and speaks full time. He is the bestselling author of Try Dying, No Legal Grounds, Presumed Guilty, Glimpses of Paradise, Breach of Promise and several other thrillers. He is a winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Inspirational Fiction, and was a fiction columnist for Writers Digest magazine. He has written two books in the Writers' Digest series, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure and Revision & Self-Editing.

Jim has taught writing at Pepperdine University and numerous writers conferences. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver.

Series:
* Shannon Saga (with Tracie Peterson)
* The Trials of Kit Shannon
* Ty Buchanan

Reviews

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

What a crazy story! Such twists and turns! This was a definite page-turner, not to mention rather edgy for Christian fiction...but it's definitely worth reading, unless the themes hit too close to home for you.

[C.J. Darlington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine you're the wife of a pastor, an 8,000-member-congregation-best-selling-author kind of pastor. You're happy. Fulfilled. Making a difference at the shelter for abused women, which you started. Lately your husband has seemed a little distant, but he would never cheat on you. You trust him completely. Until the red police lights flash outside your window...

Dallas Hamilton's world turns upside-down when her husband Ron is arrested for murdering a porn star in a seedy motel room. Dallas desperately wants to believe her husband is innocent. The whole thing's a huge misunderstanding. Or even a smear campaign. After all, Ron's best-selling book tackled pornography in the church, and it was he who teamed up with a local councilman in a fight to wipe out pornography in Los Angeles. Plenty of people are eager to see Ron fall. But as time unfolds, and each visit with Ron's lawyer brings more bad news, Dallas' faith in her husband dwindles.

Her family troubles aren't limited to her husband either. Jared, her twenty-four-year-old son, has recently returned from the Iraqi war and is struggling with his own demons. Dallas yearns to reach him. Yet facing her own past and her husband's future is becoming more than she can handle. But Dallas isn't letting her family go down without a fight.

Whenever I pick up a James Scott Bell novel I expect a thrilling ride - one with twists, turns, and surprises. Presumed Guilty fits the bill. There's a reason why Library Journal calls Jim a "master of legal suspense". His writing is crisp and sharp, and he never fails to create rich characters who could be us. This should come as no surprise from the man who also penned the acclaimed writing how-to book Plot & Structure. I especially enjoyed how seemingly unrelated events at the beginning of the story all organically came together in the end.

Nimbly weaving the multiple storylines (Jared and Ron each get some face time of their own), Bell has crafted yet another relevant page-turner in Presumed Guilty. Pornography is a sensitive subject for many, but Jim tackles the issue with grace. He's not afraid to touch on the porn industry's underbelly, but he never stoops into gratuitous territory.

A bold blend of legal thriller and socially pertinent fiction, Presumed Guilty will keep you flipping leaves well past your bedtime.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually I like Bell's books - you can tell that he is a lawyer and he gets the little details right. This book, however, left me confused. What exactly was the author trying to do? At times it was a murder mystery, the story of a pastor gone bad, a sermon against the evils of pornography and the first-hand glance at a woman who thought she knew her husband but had the rug pulled out from under her.

Plot aside, I also found character development to be shallow. The oldest child, Cara, never became real to the reader. She seemed to take everything in stride and was two-dimensional. The other child, Jared, was almost too over-the-top and his supposedly deep-seated problems that developed while serving in Iraq were resolved too quickly and painlessly.

Having never been married, I guess I can't really comment on the easy reconciliation between husband and wife after atrocious betrayals but as a trained marriage and family therapist I don't think it was realistic. Give this book a pass.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have ever read from James Scott Bell. When I first started reading, I was a little put off by the California church and the lack of separation in their church services and their members. Is this typical of a California church? As I got into it, it became more interesting as the story went. Even though this book dealt with the sin of pornography, there wasn't any foul language used. I do recommend this book, just hang in there till the end of the story when God starts intervening into the story.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The woman who loved me with a solid, dependable love came to see me today. And I could hardly look at her."

Mega-church pastor Ron Hamilton's star has tumbled into an unfathomable abyss following his arrest for the murder of a young porn star, Melinda Perry. Incredibly ironic, since Ron and his wife Dallas are known through-out the Los Angeles area for fighting hard against the multi-million dollar industry. The evidence against Ron is overwhelming, but Dallas Hamilton is determined to find the truth. Admitting that her husband made an error in judgment, she cannot bring herself to believe that he is a murderer, insisting instead that someone set Ron up.

As Ron's future grows dim , the dark tentacles of evil grow stronger, threatening to strangle the very life out of Dallas and her grown son, Jared. This legal thriller seems to always have a surprise or two around every bend, making "Presumed Guilty" a very satisfying read.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not quite in the same league as Robert Whitlow, James Scott Bell shows promise in the realm of compelling, well-written Christian fiction.

Dallas Hamilton's seemingly perfect world is shattered when her minister husband is arrested for the murder of an adult film star. Her husband was working with a local politician to combat the world of adult entertaiment. In the course of the investigation, secrets are revealed, including that her husband slept with the victim and had a previous affair. A hard drive full of pornography doesn't help his case and soon a media circus has erupted.

Meanwhile, Dallas' family is also falling apart in other ways. Her son is home from Iraq and appears to suffer from some kind of post combat stress issues. He can't hold down a job and has anger issues with his father. He lashes out at everyone and denies God. Dallas slowly tries to chip away at what's wrong and what happened during his time in combat to change her son.

Bell's story works well enough when it confines itself to the dealings of the legal system and the dilemma may men face in fighting the temptation of adult entertainment. The reflections by Dallas' husband, Ron, in prison on how he's gone down the path to ruin he's followed are compelling, though it doesn't fully explain a decision he makes halfway through the story.

Which is part of my problem with the story. There are a lot of twists and turns, including a vast conspiracy at the center of the story that bogs down the novel's final half. For every believable twist and turn, there was another one that left me scratching my head. And while Dallas, Ron and the son feel like authentic chracters, there are still other characters in the story who come off as too one-note and serve only as ways to advance the plot. And the journey taken by the son, while interesting, is one that is a bit predictable in the end.

[Donald Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Scott Bell is one of the most talented Christian writers I've encountered. Having had the opportunity to share supper at his table at a writer's conference, I got a good chance to discover how funny the guy is. This book does not display that though. This is a serious story with serious implications. Donald Maass in his industry standard "how to" book, Writing the Breakout Novel boldly suggests that the higher the stakes in the story, the higher the interest level. The stakes are high in this novel. A pastor's wife find herself caught in the middle of a deviled egg sandwich. Her husband, a crusader against pornography, finds himself in jail for the murder of a lovely adult movie star. Meanwhile her son, who has deserted the faith of his youth, aided by trauma suffered while serving in the army, is on a downward spiral toward suicide. Though Bell's sense of humor might not be evident here, his experience as a lawyer is certainly a big factor here as Dallas Hamilton and her family have to deal with police, lawyers, and judges. Dallas is a heroine that will etch herself into your heart and memory bank. A good read from a great author.

[Sarah Boyette · Rating 1 out of 5]

No words can describe how terrible this book is. It's as if the author thought of a thin plot line and then filled a bag with list of all societal ills, shook it up, and sprinkled them in the plot. Murder? Check. Domestic Violence? Check. Infidelity? Check. Pornography? Check. Hypocritical religious leaders? Check.

Oh, and he threw in several satanic references. Apparently any war in the Mideast is literally a war with Satan (he explains the etymology of this) and many guys in jail aren't responsible because they are possessed with demons.

Terrible, terrible book. I pray the author sees the error of his ways and either retires or takes this out of publication.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first James Scott Bell novel that I have read. It was alright and I will probably give another of his a try. There was just an awful lot going on in this story....a ton of connections that did not seem realistic.

[Krista · Rating 1 out of 5]

BORING and not very well-written.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose to read Presumed Guilty based on recommendations I received about this author's work. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. The book had very good intentions and a portion of the plot had potential: a pastor of a large church is arrested for the murder of an adult film actress and his wife works to prove his innocence. I felt this had a lot of potential, but the book never fully developed the plot nor did it develop most of the characters. Much of the plot felt forced to me and at times just completely unbelievable. Characters were brought in quickly to explain or resolve portions of the plot, like the wife of the assistant pastor who appears in one scene only to tie up part of the plot. Much of the dialogue also felt forced and unnatural to me.
Some of the legal aspects of the book were interesting, however.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the tale of a successful pastor, his wife and their two grown children. I didn’t realize when I got the book that this was Christian fiction so was a bit surprised when it took a strange bent in my opinion. Beyond that, the wayward son got all the attention and the poor “good sister” remains a character that isn’t at all fleshed out - like a cardboard cutout of a family member. And the father doesn’t seem to have many redeeming characteristics. Concentration is on the mom and son - their disappointment in life and sadness.

[Marianne Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Dallas, the main character was very likable and I wanted her to be ok. For everything to somehow work out. I was a bit surprised by some of the actions of a few characters. There was also one I didn't much like, Dallas's son, Jared. He turned out ok. Recommended for anyone, especially those that like Christian and Inspirational fiction.

[Milla Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this twisty, turny thriller. James Scott Bell is one of my gold standard teachers of writing craft, and this book demonstrates that he is a master of story structure, pacing, and page-turning plot. And it's an unashamedly Christian story, too!

Excuse me while I search out and binge read his entire backlist...

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book in an audiobook version. That was a mistake. The narrator did a poor job, and the book lost its effect. I recommend reading the book yourself. I think it was a very good story, but the drama didn't translate through the narration.

[WhenInRoma · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF’ed after it victim-blamed and fundamentally misunderstood intimate partner violence (IPV). Like the author overall, but he should treat the subject with more sensitivity. Two stars because the prose was good.

[Jjean · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time to read James Scott Bell - Christian murder mystery - many characters some from the past- twist & turns - family issues - found it interesting to the very end, at times was not really sure how or who would be in the end!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. So many twist and turns.

[Lorraine Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book

[Leigh Lindahl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Barely started the book before I quit. Sex seemed to be the focus of the book with a plot written around it. I’m very done with women as objects.

[Rosanne Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great page turner.

[Mary Ann]

April 2020

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why bother to read a book, when the plot is obvious in the first couple of chapters?

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, although it was not my favorite. A wife who does not believe he husband is guilty and sets out to prove it. She keeps believing even as more evidence is found. There are many twists and turns.

[Debbie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read, hard to put down. A little biazzare in places, but good.

[Kim N' · Rating 3 out of 5]

This an older book - it is really a 2.5.

[Carolyn Bowman]

Twists and turns at the end.

[Barb Ratcliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pastor accused of being sexually promiscuous.

[Linda W. Magowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read; James Scott Bell is an excellent author.

[Michele Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fast read but just an okay book. Nothing that would scream, "Read Me!"