Justice Bites: A Legal Thriller

by James Chandler, Laura Snider

Washed-up, small-town lawyer Marko Bauer already has enough on his plate. And with his latest case, he may have bitten off more than he can chew.

Defending Allee Smith's cousin on what appear to be run-of-the-mill drug charges, Marko quickly discovers that the case is just the tip of the iceberg in their town's murky waters. The eye of the storm? The Yellow Lark restaurant, an eatery with more secrets than specials on the menu.

Allee, fresh out of the clink and trying to stitch her life back together, turns out to be the ultimate wingwoman. Dragged into the fray, she and Marko discover a thumb drive crammed with the kind of secrets that make people disappear.

They're playing with fire, and it's about to get hot.

In a town where truth is a commodity and the price of justice is steep, Marko and Allee are caught in a desperate race against time. Unraveling the town's secrets could be their path to redemption—or the road to disaster.

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author James Chandler and seasoned attorney Laura Snider comes Justice Bites. Perfect for fans of John Grisham and Michael Connelly.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Legal Thriller

377 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2025

About the author

Note: There other authors with this name.

James^^Chandler

James Chandler spent his formative years in the western United States. When he wasn't catching fish or footballs, he was roaming centerfield and trying to hit the breaking pitch. After a mediocre college baseball career, he exchanged jersey No. 7 for camouflage issued by the United States Army, which he wore around the globe and with great pride for twenty years before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel of Air Defense Artillery. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Eastern Oregon University and a Master's degree from Marshall University. He earned his Juris Doctor by attending night school at the George Mason University School of Law while assigned to the Pentagon, and practiced law in Wyoming for twelve years before his appointment to the bench. When he isn't working or writing, he'll likely have a fly rod, shotgun or rifle in hand. He and his wife are blessed with two wonderful adult daughters and one grandson. He is a recipient of the Western Horizon Award. He loves to hear from readers and can be reached at james@james-chandler.com.

Reviews

[myreadingescapism · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oops.. I realized I forgot to leave a review.

Legal thrillers FTW 🫠

[Ann Magee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read books by each of these authors. I knew I would enjoy this one with both of them together. The characters and the story were interesting. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Severn River has released a legal thriller collaboration between two authors who individually have written their own entertaining legal thrillers. The authors have paired two very unlikely partners (an alcoholic attorney and a felon). This partnership goes through some growing pains but ultimately works. Allee is tough, is working hard to never go back to prison, is smarter than people give her credit for and pushes Marko do his best for his clients. Marko is an attorney who is on the brink of losing his law license if he doesn’t get his alcoholism under control. I found the book a bit slow at times, but ultimately it’s well worth the read. I’m interested to see where the authors take the series going forward.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justice Bites by James Chandler and Laura Snider is a highly recommended, gritty, legal thriller and the first novel in a new series.

Small-town lawyer Marko Bauer is an alcoholic who is consistently late so it is inevitable that he is late when meeting his new client, Nick, who is accompanied by his older cousin Allee Smith. Allee is newly released from prison where she was serving time on drug charges and needs to find a job. When she learns at the courthouse that the Yellow Lark Restaurant will hire ex-cons, she applies and encourages Nate to do the same. After working there for several weeks she knows that she needs to find something else.

Allee learns that Marko has been picked up for DWI, and will lose his drivers license so she visits him in the jail and proposes he hire her as a driver. He hires her and he also has her meet with a client he was just assigned. This begins a new beneficial partnership where they help each other and disclose a whole lot of small town corruption.

This is a fast paced legal thriller with two very flawed but intelligent protagonists who are up against a corrupt controlling family in a small Iowa town. The plot can be predictable at times but the discoveries along the way will hold your attention. You will also have to set some disbelief aside that no one ever saw or exposed the corruption as small towns are know for their gossip. It is an entertaining plot and Justice Bites will hold your attention throughout.

This seems to be the start of a new series and it will be interesting to see where it goes. The ending indicates a promising future partnership. Thanks to Severn River for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/0...

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through "Severn River Publishing" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with Marko being late for a preliminary hearing where he is representing Nate, cousin of Allee, because of his drinking. Before the hearing is held, Jaxson winds up committing suicide by jumping over the rail and falls several feet down to his death. While doing this, he throws something near Allee which she picks up.

The story then shifts to what is going at "The Yellow Lark", a restaurant run by a high respective family, the Prices, who employ a lot of ex-convicts. As a result, both Allee and Nate wind up working there as a condition of their parole. Jaxson was also employed there before he committed suicide. Enter Whitney, Jaxson's cousin, who started looking into why he committed suicide.

Eventually Marko's drinking catches up with him when he was arrested for OWI. This resulted in him losing his license. Allee wanted to quit the restaurant and convinced Marko to hire her as his driver. Allee also started investigating Marko's current case, Whitney's charge of conspiracy to murder.

Follow along and watch how Allee treats Marko, how well she performs investigating, what she picked up that played a role in Whitney's case and how it all ended.

The story is well done and will keep you guessing right till the end. Don't miss it!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and extremely detailed. The main characters are extremely flawed and have quite a few personal hurdles to overcome. Allee is my favorite character here – she is gritty, tenacious, and determined to turn her life around. Marko is in his own personal downward spiral so the two of them together make quite a pair. The story takes a while to build up the basics of the case, small town dichotomy, and setting the foundations for the main characters. I listened to the audio, and it was well read, easy to keep track of everything, and perfect for a long drive. It wrapped up quickly at the end, but it felt sufficient for now. I am looking forward to seeing more of what happens in future novels with a couple of the secondary characters as well. With the current lawfare going on, this shows the darker side of law being used as a weapon. Only two of the characters introduced are portrayed as truly good, decent people (not the main ones, but Allee claws her way up and works hard to stay on the right side of the law this go round), but they all work well together and the story touches on how easy it is to let bad people get away with things while others look the other way or do not dig deep enough.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recent parolee Allee, her cousin Nate, and Nate's lawyer Marko witness the stunning suicide of a man, Jaxson, in a rural Iowa courthouse. When Marko's poor choices put him in a precarious position, Allee takes the opportunity to move from former client to his employee to get herself out of a bad work situation at The Yellow Lark restaurant. Whitney believes there is more to her brother's suicide, but her investigation comes to a screeching halt when she's arrested. With Nate now tangled in The Yellow Lark restaurant, a family-run establishment that hires parolees/people on probation where Jaxson also worked before his death, Allee is determined to discover the truth. The main characters are flawed humans with addiction at the forefront of their lives, but judging the good from the bad on appearance isn't so simple. This is the first of a new series and I look forward to the next entry! I received an ARC from the publisher, Severn River.

[Ganesh Subramanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my introduction to James Chandler, my first book. Marko, an alcoholic lawyer, is late as usual for a court hearing of Nate, who has been caught in possession of drugs. Coincidentally, his cousin, Allee, had been represented by Marko five years back on a similar charge, found guilty, served a term and is now out on parole. They are a witness to a suicide in the courthouse. The story starts here and is interwoven expertly around the lives of Marko, Alle and Nate and unravelling a huge scam that goes under the guise of reforming those on parole. In the process, it also solves the mysterious suicide that the novel starts with. A wonderful yarn keeps you engrossed and is a must-read for everyone who loves reading a good thriller.
Thank you ‎for providing this book for review via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.

[Clifton Rankin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading James Chandler’s “Sam Johnstone” books, so I thought that I would give his “Smith and Bauer Series” a try, therefore, I picked up “Justice Bites.” I began the book thinking, “these characters are unlikeable,” and almost put it down, but, then, about 125 pages in, things changed. I got caught up in his story, found myself rooting for the protagonists, and I found myself saying, “I have time to read another chapter,” etc. In the end, I enjoyed it, although the plot may have been a bit far-fetched (not any worse than Jane Eyre). Chandler writes well, understands addiction, and the legal system well; and brought the story around to give the reader closure. I remember feeling the same way at the beginning of his “Sam Johnstone” books, and I have read and enjoyed all seven of them. I will give book two a try. (377 pages)

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small town lawyer Marko Bauer wants more challenging cases but when he finally gets one his drinking catches up with him. Former client Allee Smith, whose cousin is Marko's current client, needs a job and gets him to hire her to drive and investigate for him. Something is not right in their part of Iowa and Marko's clients are right in the middle of events that are hiding dangerous secrets. I enjoyed the two main characters, Marko and Allee, and the small town Iowa legal details. The author does a good job of building the tension as events come to a head but the "secrets" seemed like they wouldn't have really been hidden all that well and I found the final conflict both starting and ending abruptly. I received a free digital ARC of this novel from the publisher.

[Kinley Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written and quite enjoyable. I will say, I found it semi unrealistic that nobody in the entirety of its town noticed how all the addicts we’re becoming increasingly more depressed, and no one filed a complaint that no income was being made after their family member being gone for days at a time. I liked the tense but still humorous at times, relationship between Marko and Allee. I felt like James & Laura did a good job of building the tension as events began to surface but the ‘secrets’ felt like, realistically, they wouldn't have really been hidden very well unless nobody in the restaurant had anyone that cared for them; I also found the final conflict both starting and ending abruptly.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justice Bites is a dark legal thriller that besides really nasty crimes deals (and describes) alcohol and drug addiction. A small town will be torn apart when a teacher is indicted for a conspiracy to murder her husband and the most unusual duo (a lawyer and an ex-con) will pair up to discover the truth. What they did not expect was to unravel an even nastier crime that will make the foundations of family values be questioned and behavior seen as a façade. The book has a very good plot, it's well-written, and chapter after chapter keeps the reader entertained and hooked to learn the end. Highly recommended!
I thank the authors, their publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Kali Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐ 0 🌶️ 4 🎧

It took me a second to get into this one, but once I did, I was hooked. I not only loved the main thriller storyline, but the character arcs were fantastic. I started out really disliking Marko and in the end I wanted to be besties with him. I can't wait to see what he, Allee and Whitney do as this series continues.

The audio was great. I would have loved to see dual narration, but Tim Campbell did a wonderful job with these characters and I very much enjoyed my listen.

And a big thank you to Audio Sorceress for the free copy!

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story took a while to get going. The first 40% kind of plodded along with characters that were difficult to like. Then the story picked up nicely when Allee became Marko's "investigator". You then had a character (Allee) that you could relate to and like. The deposition was good and the ability of Allee to solve the case was interesting. Then the story fell apart at the end with the ridiculous side story about Adam and Nate. So. It started as a three star. Moved to a four. And finished with a two. I'd consider reading another of their series but not in the near future.

[Scarlette Verjinschi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Justice Bites

This book has excellent new ideas, a very promising premise and good character development. All of that keeps you reading.
About midway through, though, it loses its edge, and turns into something else..... The narrative is less fluid, one needs significant suspension of belief, the legal background is sketchy and the action becomes sketchy too, with unconventional characters. I am sorry about that, I may read the next one, but if it is just as weak, I'll stick to James's books only.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure I wanted to read this story. I have thoroughly enjoyed stories from Mr. Chandler and Ms. Snider in the past but the characters in the story are not the reason I read stories. But I kept reading to see if it got better. It did! As we learned more about the characters in this story, the story pulled me in. I enjoyed it completely and look forward to reading the next story in this series.

[John E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, gritty and engrossing

The main characters are intriguing, an alcoholic defense lawyer and a strong recovering drug addict just out of jail. The biggest drawback is that the are very few likeable people in the story. Some of the mystery elements are easy to figure out, with the general apathy (with good reason) of everyone toward everyone creating a story that shows the darkness in the justice system.

[Tim Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book of the year

This debut novel by the partnership of James Chandler and Laura Snider is brilliant. Two flawed central characters who are forced into a reluctant partnership, mysterious disappearances and a suicide all connected to a local powerful family, this keeps you hooked from the very beginning. The pace never flags, and the climax is as nerve wracking as any I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended.

[Greville Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love his Sam Johnstone series but this is a bit more hard boiled with a couple of gritty protagonists who are sometimes not that easy to like or empathise with.

Perhaps they will grow on me as the series - and hopefully there will be more books featuring them - develops.

The plot was clever and complex and the writing taut and tense.

A good start indeed.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

JUSTICE BITES is the first in a new legal thriller series. Starring two people facing multiple challenges who are stronger together, supporting each other and doing their best for their clients. The authors have joined skills to build a community and a cast of characters that make an excellent story. An outstanding start to a series with potential.

[Bob Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justice Bites-Another Good One

Chandler and Snider team up for the first time. I am a Chandler reader but after this one, I will have to read all of Snider’s as well. This one gives us more legal actions/terms with straight-forward descriptions and a plot that from multiple addicts’ point of view lending truthfulness yet again to the story. Well-done and I can’t wait for Book 2!

[Diane Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

justice bites

I bought this book because I like James Chandler’s other books. If it wasn’t for that fact, I would have given up in the first part of this book. I had trouble connecting with the main characters but I’m glad I persevered. Turned out to be a very good book and I am looking forward to the next one.

[kathleen Mattiace · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story. It sheds a lot of info about alcoholism in the "working " person. Now his management will come in the next book.
I also like Allie and her trying to get on with a new life. I like how she invented her new job.

I look forward to reading book #2 to find out how Marco and Allie make out in the new twists in their lives.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing is as it seems

An unlikely duo pair up to fight for a client and find the ugly truth. This is a fantastic first book in a new series. Extremely hard to put down. The characters are well written. The storyline is fast moving with a lot of twists and turns. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book.

[Hope Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow moving at first, and I didn't much like Marco, but the story was interesting
and kept getting better and better. Allee had strength and resolve to succeed and
was just what Marco needed. I was rooting for him by the end of the book, and
I am looking forward to reading this series and watching them grow.

[Mark Lukas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

I like legal thrillers and there aren't a lot of them. In this one, a somewhat unlikely pair learn to work together, to solve mysterious deaths. I won't write anymore because I don't like spoiling plot surprises for other readers. I do think I'll read the next book in the series, so that is some indication of my level of enjoyment.

[Brent Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved James Chandler's realistic dialogue and his general way of presenting a story that exists in the real world. it differs from so many movies and books out there. I love his flawed characters who actually add more to the story. this gave me high expectations for this book, but they were met and exceeded. I will certainly be reading the sequels.

[SUSAN SKOGLUND · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating

Though pretty far- fetched this was a great suspenseful mystery with lots going on! Creepy, thrilling, addresses addiction, friendship & justice! You’ll find out at the end the meaning of its title😂😂

[Nathan (Nate) South · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing

Great book for the first 75%. Then the ending felt like a made-for-TV movie. Too contrived and too predictable. I expected better having read several books by James Chandler. I hope the next one is an improvement.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book. I like all his books. I look forward to the Sam Johnstone series. I ordered the next one in this series and I’m following both authors now. So I have some reading to do. Keep on writing
Thank you