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Reasonable Suspicion: A Legal Thriller
When a seemingly routine case spirals into a murder trial, Sam Johnstone must decide which battles to fight—and who he can trust to fight by his side.
Defense attorney Sam Johnstone agrees to represent Cyan Dymond, a young exotic dancer arrested for drug possession, expecting a grim but straightforward case. But Cyan’s story is far from ordinary. Caught in a brutal cycle of abuse and control by her manipulative boyfriend, her life is unraveling with no clear way out.
Then her boyfriend is found dead—and Cyan is charged with his murder.
The shocking development throws Sam and his new associate, retired Judge Preston Daniels, into uncharted territory. Their once manageable defense case is now bringing them face to face with Cyan’s dark past and dangerous present.
As the trial approaches, Sam finds himself battling on all fronts. Judge Daniels’ increasingly erratic behavior raises doubts about his reliability, while the reappearance of an old flame threatens to distract Sam at a critical moment.
With loyalties shifting, small-town politics complicating the case, and the truth slipping further from reach, Sam must uncover the real story behind the murder—before it’s too late.
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author James Chandler comes the eighth book in the Sam Johnstone legal thriller series. Perfect for fans of John Grisham, James Patterson, and C.J. Box.
Defense attorney Sam Johnstone agrees to represent Cyan Dymond, a young exotic dancer arrested for drug possession, expecting a grim but straightforward case. But Cyan’s story is far from ordinary. Caught in a brutal cycle of abuse and control by her manipulative boyfriend, her life is unraveling with no clear way out.
Then her boyfriend is found dead—and Cyan is charged with his murder.
The shocking development throws Sam and his new associate, retired Judge Preston Daniels, into uncharted territory. Their once manageable defense case is now bringing them face to face with Cyan’s dark past and dangerous present.
As the trial approaches, Sam finds himself battling on all fronts. Judge Daniels’ increasingly erratic behavior raises doubts about his reliability, while the reappearance of an old flame threatens to distract Sam at a critical moment.
With loyalties shifting, small-town politics complicating the case, and the truth slipping further from reach, Sam must uncover the real story behind the murder—before it’s too late.
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author James Chandler comes the eighth book in the Sam Johnstone legal thriller series. Perfect for fans of John Grisham, James Patterson, and C.J. Box.
356 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 27, 2026
Great Series
I have followed this series from the first book and I am sad to think this might be the end of Sam Johnston as a practicing attorney.
Reasonable Suspicion didn’t let me down. We all knew what Sam’s friend and mentor did when he went to Cyan Damond’s trailer in the morning of April 17th. Why didn’t Sam know? It’s a world of drug use and abuse (physical and mental). Was it wrong for Chan and Preston to use Sam in the way they did? Yes but they created a plausible story. Cyan is painted as the victim but in the end we see her true colors. What a great actress. I will say the last five or six chapters seemed a little rushed. Maybe not that many but the ones after Sam found Pres and the case was dismissed. I didn’t like Cyan’s explanation of what happened at all. After 70+ chapters, I felt as if I deserved a clearer explanation of what happened. Maybe if we had been able to read the relevant parts of the affidavit Preston left. One other thing, if Sam Johnston returns, it would be nice to see him win a case instead of having something happen where the charges against his client are dropped. Sam has great thinking and reasoning abilities and I like seeing things come to him during trial that turn everything in his client’s favor.
I have followed this series from the first book and I am sad to think this might be the end of Sam Johnston as a practicing attorney.
Reasonable Suspicion didn’t let me down. We all knew what Sam’s friend and mentor did when he went to Cyan Damond’s trailer in the morning of April 17th. Why didn’t Sam know? It’s a world of drug use and abuse (physical and mental). Was it wrong for Chan and Preston to use Sam in the way they did? Yes but they created a plausible story. Cyan is painted as the victim but in the end we see her true colors. What a great actress. I will say the last five or six chapters seemed a little rushed. Maybe not that many but the ones after Sam found Pres and the case was dismissed. I didn’t like Cyan’s explanation of what happened at all. After 70+ chapters, I felt as if I deserved a clearer explanation of what happened. Maybe if we had been able to read the relevant parts of the affidavit Preston left. One other thing, if Sam Johnston returns, it would be nice to see him win a case instead of having something happen where the charges against his client are dropped. Sam has great thinking and reasoning abilities and I like seeing things come to him during trial that turn everything in his client’s favor.
April 26, 2026
On many levels this is a solid entry in this series. Familiar characters are present, as well as the legal/courtroom dynamics that are a hallmark of the series. But honestly I felt it was just kind of flat - that everything just skimmed the surface, lacking the depth and tension of previous books in the series. Don’t get me wrong, this book tells a good story, but as a reader of the series from the beginning, it was lacking the ‘something’ that previous books had. 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
June 20, 2026
This is my first non-5-star read by James Chandler. I'm kind of mad at him at the moment. The book was well-written. I loved the courtroom scenes. Great story, but I don't feel like we ever got around to the actual resolution. Sure, it had an ending to the murder trial, but I couldn't ever like the defendant. And honestly? That's fine. Chandler is great at writing morally grey characters and the defendants that Sam Johnstone represents aren't always going to be likable, but goodness. This one was borderline annoying. I would like to have had a straight answer. AND... While the ending was probably as it should have been (mostly... kind of...) there was one part that I absolutely don't like.
I don't know. Can't give this one 5-stars because the storyline and the crap Sam had to deal with was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
That said, Chandler is still a must-buy author for me. The audiobook came out yesterday and I've already listened to it, so it's not like his books ever collect metaphorical dust because I snarf them right up!
Narration this time was good, but not great. New voice artist and he did a good job, but there were times in the recording when his voice dropped really low while reading Sam Johnstone's lines that made it hard to make out what he was saying. Otherwise, the different voices were all good.
I received an email from the author who said he's not sure if this series is going to keep going and the story definitely left it open. I hope he does because I like the MC. He's smart yet gritty. I love these books. Severn River Publishing sure puts out some terrific stories!
I don't know. Can't give this one 5-stars because the storyline and the crap Sam had to deal with was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
That said, Chandler is still a must-buy author for me. The audiobook came out yesterday and I've already listened to it, so it's not like his books ever collect metaphorical dust because I snarf them right up!
Narration this time was good, but not great. New voice artist and he did a good job, but there were times in the recording when his voice dropped really low while reading Sam Johnstone's lines that made it hard to make out what he was saying. Otherwise, the different voices were all good.
I received an email from the author who said he's not sure if this series is going to keep going and the story definitely left it open. I hope he does because I like the MC. He's smart yet gritty. I love these books. Severn River Publishing sure puts out some terrific stories!
July 19, 2026
This reminded me a little of the Andy Carpenter series. Of course minus the dogs and a little more serious but there was something there.
A little bit of a setup, some research and a trial. And a surprising ending for the trial.
I was a little torn because not only did I not like the defendant, but I also didn’t really like one of the other characters. I’m new to the series so I’m not sure if that person was new or a regular.
But I loved the strategy and courtroom drama. I’m a fan when the case starts at the beginning of the action and develops into a trial. We get what happened, the steps and research to plan a defense and the trial and shifts in strategy as it plays out. I liked the chess Sam played as he met the prosecutors challenge.
🎧🎧 I liked Bradford Hastings as narrator for the audiobook. His voice gave Sam character as I listened. He easily had voices for the other characters and I was easily able to follow the story.
A little bit of a setup, some research and a trial. And a surprising ending for the trial.
I was a little torn because not only did I not like the defendant, but I also didn’t really like one of the other characters. I’m new to the series so I’m not sure if that person was new or a regular.
But I loved the strategy and courtroom drama. I’m a fan when the case starts at the beginning of the action and develops into a trial. We get what happened, the steps and research to plan a defense and the trial and shifts in strategy as it plays out. I liked the chess Sam played as he met the prosecutors challenge.
🎧🎧 I liked Bradford Hastings as narrator for the audiobook. His voice gave Sam character as I listened. He easily had voices for the other characters and I was easily able to follow the story.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Reasonable Suspicion is a disappointing entry in the Sam Johnstone series by James Chandler. While the premise has potential, the execution falls short.
The story follows Sam Johnstone as he defends Cyan Diamond, but the narrative lacks urgency and excitement. Even the introduction of a murder fails to build real tension. The pacing feels slow, and the plot struggles to stay engaging.
Although the characters have depth, their personal struggles do not translate into a compelling story. The involvement of retired Judge Daniels adds little impact. The primary drawback is the ending, which feels rushed and unsatisfying.
Compared to previous books in the series, this installment lacks energy and direction. Readers expecting a gripping legal thriller may find it underwhelming. Overall, the book does not live up to the author’s usual standard.
The story follows Sam Johnstone as he defends Cyan Diamond, but the narrative lacks urgency and excitement. Even the introduction of a murder fails to build real tension. The pacing feels slow, and the plot struggles to stay engaging.
Although the characters have depth, their personal struggles do not translate into a compelling story. The involvement of retired Judge Daniels adds little impact. The primary drawback is the ending, which feels rushed and unsatisfying.
Compared to previous books in the series, this installment lacks energy and direction. Readers expecting a gripping legal thriller may find it underwhelming. Overall, the book does not live up to the author’s usual standard.
May 21, 2026
“Reasonable Suspicion” is James Chandler’s eighth installment of his “Sam Johnstone Legal Thrillers.” Sam is a war vet with a prosthetic leg, a problem with alcoholism, an ongoing battle with PTSD, and great skills as a defense attorney in the small Wyoming town of Custer. He finds himself defending an abused woman who has been accused of poisoning her live-in boyfriend. As he struggles to cast doubt on a seemingly airtight case by the prosecution, he also finds himself concerned about his retired judge mentor who is acting strangely. Chandler’s characters are believable, his story reads quickly, and his courtroom scenes are filled with twists and turns that make reading this series enjoyable. This is probably not his best book in the series, but I still enjoyed it to the very end. This is one of those books that is best read after reading the other seven first. (434 pages)
May 3, 2026
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This story begins with the introduction of Cyan, club dancer and Sam's client as well as Kaycee, an individual who had control over Kaycee and who Cyan was charged with murdering him. Cyan first came to Sam's attention because she was caught with drugs by a police officer. Sam was appointed by the court to handle the case.
Read along and discover why Cyan was charged with the murder and how he along with Daniels came to be her lawyers. Discover what evidence the prosecutor had and what sort of defense Sam put on. Learn what secret Daniels was keeping from Sam and how it came up in the court trial and what the final impact was.
The story will keep your interest and is worth the read.
This story begins with the introduction of Cyan, club dancer and Sam's client as well as Kaycee, an individual who had control over Kaycee and who Cyan was charged with murdering him. Cyan first came to Sam's attention because she was caught with drugs by a police officer. Sam was appointed by the court to handle the case.
Read along and discover why Cyan was charged with the murder and how he along with Daniels came to be her lawyers. Discover what evidence the prosecutor had and what sort of defense Sam put on. Learn what secret Daniels was keeping from Sam and how it came up in the court trial and what the final impact was.
The story will keep your interest and is worth the read.
June 2, 2026
This is not a thriller. It is whatever you call the opposite. Perhaps, a borer. I don't really know why I finished it. Chapter after chapter of endless repetition. How many times do we have to listen to Cathy Schmidt take a witness through a series of endless questions which do almost nothing to advance the plot How many times does Press Daniels cough or say "i have stuff to do." Is Sam Johnstone a complete idiot that he doesn't know what is going on? Anyway I am just glad that I will never read another word of this author.
July 14, 2026
I gave the book a 5 star rating which may have been a little too generous. Of all the Sam Johnstone books this was probably my least favorite. The story line was good although not up to the usual by James Chandler. The court room scenes are always a bit boring to me, and it appeared to just eat up words. The interaction between Sam, Judge Danials and Cyan was good. Sad to think that this is potentially the last of the Sam Johnstone series as they have all been good reads. Maybe Sam will show up in another small town and develop a new cast of characters.
April 8, 2026
I Am Sadden That This Is The Final Installment In The Sam Johnstone Series However I Am Relieved To See That This Conflicted Honorable Character Goes Out With As Rousing Bang! After Finally Conquering Is Alcoholism And PTSD Sam Is Called Upon To Defend A Dancer Named Diamond Who Goes In For Possession And Ends Up on Trial For Murder His Client Says She’s Innocent But A lot Arrows Are Pointing To Her Sam Has To Find The Truth About Her And His Friend The Judge But Will He Do It In Time?
June 24, 2026
Are we going to see Sam Johnstone ever again?
In this series involving Attorney Sam Johnstone I found the characters in these books to be well described with their faults and idiosyncrasies. What I enjoyed more than the story line of each trial were Sam's fly fishing trips to any number of streams. My father who has passed gave me and my two brother's the gift of fly fishing. What a joy... Thank you for a reminder of those memories Mr. Chandler.
In this series involving Attorney Sam Johnstone I found the characters in these books to be well described with their faults and idiosyncrasies. What I enjoyed more than the story line of each trial were Sam's fly fishing trips to any number of streams. My father who has passed gave me and my two brother's the gift of fly fishing. What a joy... Thank you for a reminder of those memories Mr. Chandler.
July 22, 2026
I won this in a giveaway.
This is the first book of the series that I read. It fills you in organically, without obvious exposition.
The story occupies time, like a real court case, but in this installment you don’t feel rushed by the missing time. These are just the important pieces. And in the storyline, you don’t want to see the end.
Good, but ultimately didn’t connect with the characters.
This is the first book of the series that I read. It fills you in organically, without obvious exposition.
The story occupies time, like a real court case, but in this installment you don’t feel rushed by the missing time. These are just the important pieces. And in the storyline, you don’t want to see the end.
Good, but ultimately didn’t connect with the characters.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow! What a rollercoaster of a read! Many twists and turns, delightfully complex characters, and brilliant construction. Highly recommended! I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.
April 21, 2026
Ifound myself enjoying this book, it had twists and turns to the end
Cynd had a defense attorney Sam Johnson. He was representing her for drugs,
then murder charges when her abuse boyfriend turns up murdered.
Sam was uncleared as to how when her past kept getting in the way,
I enjoyed this latest book and recommend it.
Cynd had a defense attorney Sam Johnson. He was representing her for drugs,
then murder charges when her abuse boyfriend turns up murdered.
Sam was uncleared as to how when her past kept getting in the way,
I enjoyed this latest book and recommend it.
April 26, 2026
Surprise compromises and self serving decisions
Each book contains predictable details of court procedures and elements of law in a jury trial. In this story, more than one person manipulates rules, roles, and relationships. Doing so tests the very foundations of a civil community. How much personal challenge can each character survive? What ways of escape emerge?
Each book contains predictable details of court procedures and elements of law in a jury trial. In this story, more than one person manipulates rules, roles, and relationships. Doing so tests the very foundations of a civil community. How much personal challenge can each character survive? What ways of escape emerge?
April 27, 2026
Really a great story
This story, as are the others with Sam Johnstone, is complex and full of twists you won't see coming. I'm sad for this series to end, the characters have a place in my heart. Atty Johnstone is a brilliant lawyer, skills and.compassion combined to argue his best case. The scenarios are creative in this small town setting. Books to go back to someday.
This story, as are the others with Sam Johnstone, is complex and full of twists you won't see coming. I'm sad for this series to end, the characters have a place in my heart. Atty Johnstone is a brilliant lawyer, skills and.compassion combined to argue his best case. The scenarios are creative in this small town setting. Books to go back to someday.
April 26, 2026
Wow! Pulled me in from the first chapter and I didn’t want to stop until the end. Cyan is a character that creates a feeling of empathy and protectiveness, and seems to make obvious bad choices when finally fed up. Secrets kept until the end kept me guessing.
May 10, 2026
Fantastic Series
Mr. Chandler is an excellent writer. Took a week but I read all 8 books and was pleased with all of them. Each book was unique while there were several interesting characters. Story telling at its best!
Mr. Chandler is an excellent writer. Took a week but I read all 8 books and was pleased with all of them. Each book was unique while there were several interesting characters. Story telling at its best!
May 19, 2026
What a great, interesting and fun series
I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that he never stops writing. His books are some of the best Entertainment I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that he never stops writing. His books are some of the best Entertainment I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
June 1, 2026
Another great read
I love this series and each book is a page turner. This book was like a finale to Sam and his career but hoping he comes back full force!! Great writing great story and definitely my favorite of the series.
I love this series and each book is a page turner. This book was like a finale to Sam and his career but hoping he comes back full force!! Great writing great story and definitely my favorite of the series.
June 3, 2026
I’ve read and enjoyed books by Chandler. Unfortunately this gloomy novel was disappointing. It’s wordy, contains too many boring details and is extremely repetitious. I couldn’t connect or empathize with any of the characters, including Sam.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Another great Sam Johnstone story from Mr. Chandler!
May 19, 2026
Very dark but well written
May 21, 2026
3.5 rounded up to4 stars. I enjoyed reading this courtroom drama but pretty much had it all figured out long before the story caught up.
June 4, 2026
It's not what you think or is it
This book was every bit a compelling as the first 6 in the series. It was, once again, hard to put down. I am eagerly awaiting book number 8.
This book was every bit a compelling as the first 6 in the series. It was, once again, hard to put down. I am eagerly awaiting book number 8.
June 26, 2026
Such a good book! It holds your attention from page one until the end. I hope there are more to come.
July 12, 2026
Another GREAT book. I’m a huge fan of the character Sam Johnstone. As a reader you want believable characters. I’ve read all 8 books and loved them all. I hope the story continues.
July 23, 2026
Great end to series.
July 31, 2026
Fun Read
Interesting story with a twist at the end. It’s time to take this character to a new level. No more story lines in this small Wyoming town.
Interesting story with a twist at the end. It’s time to take this character to a new level. No more story lines in this small Wyoming town.
August 6, 2026
Not quite “thrilling” enough for me from a legal thriller standpoint. It was a little slow and predictable but ended well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews