The Whole Truth

by James Scott Bell

At the age of five, Steve Conroy saw his seven-year-old brother kidnapped from the very bedroom they shared. Now thirty years old with a failing law practice, Steve's last chance to overcome his past just might come from a convicted criminal. But can Steve get the truth he needs from this con man?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

349 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2008

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

[Lulu Bruns]

I thought I'd never finish this book. I can't believe I read it all.

[Kasey]

I absolutly LOVE James Scott Bell's writing!!! He has a way of endearing you to the characters and making the story up-close and personal. His style is fresh and origanal. (I hope it can use some of his technics in some of my writing.) Bell's plot was always exciting and I had a hard time putting the book down at night. I won't say how many times I was asked the reason for my blurry eyes!!! lol
The legal system has always been confusing to me, so I loved getting a little education while reading a great novel. I would completly and totally recomend this book to you!!! Be prepared for blurry eyes!!! lol :D

[Janett Wawrzyniak]

Lawyer Steve Conroy held a secret in his past. As a child he didn't tell about his older brothers abduction, from a bedroom they both shared. Years later recovering from family past and the bad cards he was dealt in life, he became a lawyer. Steve works in hope for his last chance at success. Now in his path is is an underworld current of corruption. We feel for Steve when he rises from the ashes. James Scott Bell has made another contribution with this wining reality novel. I own a copy of this book. I highly recommend it.

[Floyd]

One of my favourite writers.

[C.J. Darlington]

Back in 2002, when young Elizabeth Smart was kidnaped out of her own bedroom window, the whole country felt the Utah family's pain. We could only imagine the guilt, anguish and complete helplessness her parents felt. But there was someone else I remember empathizing with even more: Elizabeth's younger sister, Mary Katherine. She'd been in the room when it happened. She'd waited to tell. What kind of guilt had SHE felt?

In James Scott Bell's latest legal thriller The Whole Truth we find out exactly what she could have felt. As a tender five-year-old boy, Steve Conroy watched his older brother Robert be abducted from the bedroom they shared. And just like Mary Katherine, Steve didn't tell. How could he? The man threatened to kill them both if he did. There was no way for Steve to know those first three hours are the most crucial in abduction cases. But unlike the Smart case where Elizabeth was returned to her family, Robert never came home.

Now thirty and a struggling lawyer, Steve Conroy has tried to get on with this life. But his Dad never did forgive him and eventually committed suicide. His mother died a few years later, and Steve's experiences in the foster care system certainly didn't help him heal. It was no surprise he eventually turned to drugs to rid himself of the guilt.

Those days are over, and Steve's determined to better himself and live life clean and sober. Except things never seem to go right for him. His wife's filed for divorce, and he can barely afford the rent of his shabby law office. Paying clients are few and far between.

Then a law student named Sienna shows up on his office doorstep. Not only does she skillfully ward off his landlord's demands and buy him more time, but she fields a call from a prisoner named Johnny LaSalle who wants Steve to represent him. For ten thousand dollars. It's an offer Steve isn't about to refuse. Only Johnny turns out to be far more than he expected. How does the man know so many intimate things about him? Is he just an expert con, or could Johnny LaSalle really be his long-lost, dead brother?

James Scott Bell takes this intriguing what-if concept and weaves it into yet another page-turning, redemptive thriller. Chapter after chapter we're perplexed and confused right alongside Steve. We feel for him each time he's kicked to the dirt. We root for the guy when he slowly rises from the ashes. We gasp when a twist hits Steve, and us, between the eyes.

Bell's novels have taken a darker turn these days, but The Whole Truth returns him to his roots. There's more light here than in No Legal Grounds, something I welcome. Sienna's open faith gives Steve, and the reader, much to ponder. The most interesting exchanges spiritually come as Steve is challenged by a religious cult leader who spouts Scripture left and right, yet manages to twist each verse to further his own desires. Even someone like Steve who's avoided God and religion recognizes the deception. It's an eye-opening perspective to see how innocent people can so easily be swept up in a man's charisma.

The Whole Truth is a worthy tome in the Bell catalogue, cementing its place on our shelves right alongside John Grisham and Randy Singer.

[Amy Leigh]

Steve is a lawyer who is struggling to rebuild his career in the aftermath of an addiction problem. His marriage is broken, he has no family, and he's not sure what he wants in the future. But when his new client Johnny claims to be Steve's brother, who was supposedly kidnapped and killed when Steve was a child, he has to investigate.

That investigation leads him to a cultish compound run by the man who raised Johnny. Steve must decide where his allegiance lies and how far he will go to protect his long-lost brother.

The book is full of dramatic twists and turns, but I didn't find the story very plausible. Also, the ending doesn't really reveal what happened to Johnny or what he did that caused him to give Steve the Mountain Dew can. Also, I strongly disliked Sienna. What a hypocrite.

[Becky]

I am so glad I found James Scott Bell and his books. This is just the second I've read by this author, but I've finally found an author that packs a punch while being Christian!!! Praise God :)

This book focuses on Steve Conroy, who as an adult finds himself as a lawyer. During his childhood, Steve saw his brother being kidnapped when he was about 3 years old. Conroy has dealt with the guilt of doing "nothing" while his brother was being taken. A couple years after, a fire in a town a few hours away, a small boy is identified as Robert, Steve's older brother.

Fastforward about 25 years and Steve finds out that Robert is indeed alive and well and going under the name Johnny LaSell. He has done some hard time and is now out of jail, living with his "family" in a religious cult. Steve is asked to represent the cult on legal grounds, takes the over considering how much they are paying, and soon learns to regret the decision.

What a great story! EVERYTHING was great. I loved Bell's use of sarcasm in this book throughout the dialogue. Sounds like me! Give this a try, you won't go away disappointed.

[Jill Bratcher]

Attorney and law teacher Jim Bell's protagonists are usually lawyers. In this one, lawyer Steve Conroy, who, at age 5, had witnessed the kidnapping of his brother from their shared bedroom now meets a man claiming to be that brother. Conroy has had his share of troubles - a father who suicided, a mother who died a few years later, surviving the foster care system and drugs - and brings a level of skepticism to this revelation by the other man. He also needs the money a fat retainer from his supposed brother's charismatic cult leader would provide.

Bringing light into the story - and Conroy's life - is law student Sienna who shows up to help Conroy with his virtually non-existent case load. Conroy would rather date the attractive young woman.

Bell throws more curves than a major league baseball player in all his books, and this one does not disappoint.

[Tabitha Driver]

How is the protagonist a better person or in a better situation by the end of the book? He's back in the same city after moving away; he's still lost his brother; he's still low on money and work; he hasn't even made a friend --well, maybe Rahab.

I like my protagonists to be good guys. I don't mind the down-on-his-luck lawyer trying to turn his life around ...but representing a racist cult just makes me feel icky the whole time. Plus, his assistant made it clear she wasn't interested in him, and he just kept at it. There were only about two court scenes and neither was a success for the protagonist --which is what I was hoping for in reading a legal thriller.

The book was good --just not my type.

[Amy]

This was a pretty suspensful book about a Los Angeles lawyer whose younger brother was kidnapped when they were both kids. The main character is still haunted by this incident years later and it seems to shape his destructive choices. Then, one day, he is surprised and shocked to get a call from jail from a guy that claims to be his older brother that was kidnapped all those years ago. The ensuing drama is a good page turner, but not brilliant literature. Overall, a good afternoon read.

[Libby]

Very well written, if you are familiar with David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series this reminded me of it with the sarcastic humor this story that will keep you up past 3 am listening to or reading!. Written from a Christian World view without being "Preachy".

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[Shannon]

this was my first James Scott Bell and it won't be my last. the main character Steve was to have a sense of humor but it fell flat most of the time, just didn't work. the story was interesting, too much Bible for me. story execution was a little shaky and weak but still giving it 4 stars bc it was well thought out. maybe it's only a 3.5 star story but I will read another James Scott Bell.

[Dan]

A quicker read than my last two which was just what I needed to kick off the Saucon Church summer reading program.

This was basicly a Law & Order episode with some Christian supporting characters. I enjoyed the plot twists and there was always something in the story that had me wondering if what the main character was thinking was correct or not.

[Liz]

This was the first book I have read by this author. I must admit I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped. It is the story of a lawyer whose older brother has been kidnapped many years ago and is presumed dead. He now reappears as a member of a cult and reconnects with his brother.

[Wendy Hall]

This book was an interesting read, somewhat suspenseful, and engaging. I hate to think about people who use religion to control and abuse the message of Christianity, but it was a decent book none-the-less.

[Staff Favorites]

Steve's brother was kidnapped from their bedroom when he was five years old. Thirty years later, as an attorney, he represents a notorious criminal and discovers information that will blow his world apart.

[Denise]

This was an excellent book! Very suspenseful. I was never quite sure until the end how it would all work out. Great story about how sometimes reunions don't go like we want and how Christianity can be turned into something negative.

[Cynthia]

I give this booke 2.5/ 3 stars. It was easy for me to get into but I just wasn't that impressed with the writting and plot. I thought the author could have done a better job developing the story.

[Melanie]

Excellent author. So far this has been my favorite of his, looking forward to reading more.

[John]

I have enjoyed all of James Scott Bell's books. The Whole Truth had an interesting plot and likable characters. Kept me turning pages and didn't disappoint in the end.

[Trish Boese]

3* Interesting enough. The main character is flawed and real. (Maybe too real? He doesn't give us much to strive for.)

[Joan]

I was hooked from page 1!

[Ron Estrada]

Really enjoyed this book. The whole cult thing gave it a lovely spookiness. Bell never dissappoints.

[Laura]

I have always enjoyed the suspense of legal dramas and on that front this book did not disappoint.

[Scott]

My first James Scott Bell Book, but it won't be my last. Would give it 4.5 stars if I could.

[Carol]

An interesting read. I like to try and find writers that I can add to my list. Bell will not be one of them.

[Dawn Kadyszewski]

kindle

[Paula]

This was pretty good--not his best. A young boy is kidnapped and killed. Many years later he reappears very much alive.

[Elaine Smith]

Good to very good

[Nancy Bryant]

3 1/2 stars