What do you think?
Rate this book
Warrick Thompson Files #1
Dark Moon
Legendary criminal defense attorney, Sarah Knight, has spent all of her forty-six years hiding the unspeakable secrets of her past. Now, newly arrived in San Diego from New York, she is appointed to represent Alexa Reed, a former U.S. Supreme Court clerk and the daughter-in-law of Supreme Court Justice Coleman Reed. Alexa is arrested for the murders of her ex-husband, attorney Michael Reed, and La Jolla psychologist, Ronald Brigman. During bitter divorce proceedings, Brigman has declared Alexa’s reports of Michael’s domestic abuse false, has diagnosed her with borderline personality disorder, and has given Meggie and Sam, ages six and five, to their abusive father.
All the evidence points to Alexa. Her gun was the murder weapon and her cell phone places her at the scene of the murders. Sarah is warned that doing anything more than the minimum for her client will be professional suicide. Coleman Reed wants Alexa sentenced to death without delay. But Sarah and her investigator, ex-FBI agent Jim Mitchell, refuse to be intimidated even after attempts on Sarah and Alexa’s lives. They discover Michael Reed’s taste for high-priced call girls and his entanglement in an extensive pattern of criminal financial dealings. But when Coleman manipulates the trial judge to exclude Sarah’s star witness on the eve of trial, she must risk discovery of her own terrible secret to save Alexa’s life.
All the evidence points to Alexa. Her gun was the murder weapon and her cell phone places her at the scene of the murders. Sarah is warned that doing anything more than the minimum for her client will be professional suicide. Coleman Reed wants Alexa sentenced to death without delay. But Sarah and her investigator, ex-FBI agent Jim Mitchell, refuse to be intimidated even after attempts on Sarah and Alexa’s lives. They discover Michael Reed’s taste for high-priced call girls and his entanglement in an extensive pattern of criminal financial dealings. But when Coleman manipulates the trial judge to exclude Sarah’s star witness on the eve of trial, she must risk discovery of her own terrible secret to save Alexa’s life.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
1339 people are currently reading
2235 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Hawkins
12 books112 followersI was born in the South where everyone is a storyteller. I wrote my first story at age 11 and my first novel at age 13. I have been writing ever since. I have worked as a writing teacher, an editor, and as an attorney. In addition to writing I love music. I have played clarinet since I was almost too small to hold the instrument. Now that my three children are grown, I spend a lot of time with my Golden Retrievers, Melody and Rhythm.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
May 5, 2017
Not even remotely believable
Even the cute Q & A about domestic violence at the end isn't credible. The whole book screams layman's bias.
It's as if the author took every perverted twist from 2000 DV cases, threw in an entire huge city's criminal AND family courts, AND an entire state's bar association, AND all mental health evaluators for the courts .... to do what exactly?? Oh, that's right: to punish one woman for supposedly murdering her husband, the psychopath son of a psychotic US SUPREME COURT JUSTICE who wants revenge!! OMG. It's nuts!
Can we say overkill?
Someone has it in for San Diego family courts and I think it's this writer.
Even the cute Q & A about domestic violence at the end isn't credible. The whole book screams layman's bias.
It's as if the author took every perverted twist from 2000 DV cases, threw in an entire huge city's criminal AND family courts, AND an entire state's bar association, AND all mental health evaluators for the courts .... to do what exactly?? Oh, that's right: to punish one woman for supposedly murdering her husband, the psychopath son of a psychotic US SUPREME COURT JUSTICE who wants revenge!! OMG. It's nuts!
Can we say overkill?
Someone has it in for San Diego family courts and I think it's this writer.
January 31, 2020
This book was completely preposterous. I don't have a problem with immersing myself in fantasy, but this book is allegedly a legal thriller. I suppose if this book was represented as a straight romantic suspense book, some of its sins could be forgiven. But if you're going to position a novel as a legal thriller it should bear some passing relationship with reality. It doesn't even come close. In part, and in no particular order, my inner voice kept up a constant dialogue with this book.
--As if 21st Century California family law was the same as Alabama’s in the mid-1950s.
--As if the reader needs to be reminded that the three primary characters have sad dark eyes, kind brown eyes, and lovely blue eyes every single time those characters are mentioned.
--As if the entire San Diego legal community—both civil and criminal attorneys, medico-legal professionals, police and prosecutors, judges—is either completely corrupt or helpless in the face of pressure from one person, however powerful that person might be.
--As if that same powerful person could dictate to the State Bar of California and every judge working on California appellate courts.
--As if all of the corrupt and complicit members of the San Diego justice system, assuming that such universal corruption was even possible, would be so blatant in their corruption, talking about it openly.
--As if when the fix is in on a case, there wouldn't be at least a slight effort to avoid gross reversible error.
--As if the reader wouldn’t notice that that criminal defense attorney is working out of her home in the first chapter of the book, but has both an office and a receptionist/law clerk two chapters later with no suggestion that either is a recent development.
--As if a prominent criminal defense attorney would be hit on in a bar by someone who just happens to be a former FBI agent, now working as a private investigator, and would hire that person as her investigator for a capital murder case without any effort to check out his background.
--As if a corrupt judge would even consider a motion filed by the criminal defense attorney that wasn't provided to the prosecution with notice and then would hear her argument in an ex parte meeting in his chambers.
--As if nobody will notice that the prosecution case began on the “first Tuesday of 2014,” proceeds to the second day of its case on the “second Wednesday of 2014,” continues on the second Friday of 2014,” and then moves to the fifth day of its case on the “second Monday of 2014” because reversing time is no more preposterous than the rest of this book.
--As if that allegedly tough criminal defense attorney, when threatened both physically and professionally by virtually everyone, including that all-powerful omniscient guy who apparently controls everything in San Diego, wouldn’t start recording his phone calls.
--As if that former FBI agent working as the sole investigator on a capital murder case wouldn’t record his witness interviews.
--As if it’s believable that all of the characters on the side of justice are handsome or beautiful while every evil character is a troll or a gnome (except, of course, Mr. All-Powerful Evil Guy who is dangerously handsome).
--As if the final chapter (about which I'll avoid spoilers, not that this dreck deserves that much respect) resolves or explains any of the above and doesn't, in fact, generate even more raised eyebrows and eyerolls.
I should have kicked this book to the curb at about the 25% mark, but I kept reading it for two reasons: first, for the hilarity of seeing if it could get even more ridiculous and second, to see if perhaps it would suddenly become something warranting the overblown and unwarranted ratings that suckered me into reading it (knowing that there was little to no chance that would happen).
This so-called "legal" thriller reads as if the author neither knows nor cares about accuracy. That's made even more offensive by looking at her biography and discovering that she was, at some point, an attorney. That means she should know better. Or maybe she was just assuming that any lawyer would know better than to read this.
So that brings me to a couple of more "as ifs":
--As if I'll trust ratings over my instincts again any time soon.
--As if there's any chance that I will ever read anything in this series or by this author, barring a strong recommendation by a personal friend, and maybe not even then.
--As if 21st Century California family law was the same as Alabama’s in the mid-1950s.
--As if the reader needs to be reminded that the three primary characters have sad dark eyes, kind brown eyes, and lovely blue eyes every single time those characters are mentioned.
--As if the entire San Diego legal community—both civil and criminal attorneys, medico-legal professionals, police and prosecutors, judges—is either completely corrupt or helpless in the face of pressure from one person, however powerful that person might be.
--As if that same powerful person could dictate to the State Bar of California and every judge working on California appellate courts.
--As if all of the corrupt and complicit members of the San Diego justice system, assuming that such universal corruption was even possible, would be so blatant in their corruption, talking about it openly.
--As if when the fix is in on a case, there wouldn't be at least a slight effort to avoid gross reversible error.
--As if the reader wouldn’t notice that that criminal defense attorney is working out of her home in the first chapter of the book, but has both an office and a receptionist/law clerk two chapters later with no suggestion that either is a recent development.
--As if a prominent criminal defense attorney would be hit on in a bar by someone who just happens to be a former FBI agent, now working as a private investigator, and would hire that person as her investigator for a capital murder case without any effort to check out his background.
--As if a corrupt judge would even consider a motion filed by the criminal defense attorney that wasn't provided to the prosecution with notice and then would hear her argument in an ex parte meeting in his chambers.
--As if nobody will notice that the prosecution case began on the “first Tuesday of 2014,” proceeds to the second day of its case on the “second Wednesday of 2014,” continues on the second Friday of 2014,” and then moves to the fifth day of its case on the “second Monday of 2014” because reversing time is no more preposterous than the rest of this book.
--As if that allegedly tough criminal defense attorney, when threatened both physically and professionally by virtually everyone, including that all-powerful omniscient guy who apparently controls everything in San Diego, wouldn’t start recording his phone calls.
--As if that former FBI agent working as the sole investigator on a capital murder case wouldn’t record his witness interviews.
--As if it’s believable that all of the characters on the side of justice are handsome or beautiful while every evil character is a troll or a gnome (except, of course, Mr. All-Powerful Evil Guy who is dangerously handsome).
--As if the final chapter (about which I'll avoid spoilers, not that this dreck deserves that much respect) resolves or explains any of the above and doesn't, in fact, generate even more raised eyebrows and eyerolls.
I should have kicked this book to the curb at about the 25% mark, but I kept reading it for two reasons: first, for the hilarity of seeing if it could get even more ridiculous and second, to see if perhaps it would suddenly become something warranting the overblown and unwarranted ratings that suckered me into reading it (knowing that there was little to no chance that would happen).
This so-called "legal" thriller reads as if the author neither knows nor cares about accuracy. That's made even more offensive by looking at her biography and discovering that she was, at some point, an attorney. That means she should know better. Or maybe she was just assuming that any lawyer would know better than to read this.
So that brings me to a couple of more "as ifs":
--As if I'll trust ratings over my instincts again any time soon.
--As if there's any chance that I will ever read anything in this series or by this author, barring a strong recommendation by a personal friend, and maybe not even then.
June 1, 2017
I couldn't stop reading this even to sleep. Top notch attorney Sarah Knight now lives in San Diego having moved from New York. She says it is to avoid cold winters but it is obvious that there is much more to it than that. I admit- I don't much like Sarah. She is a drunk a good bit of the time and has sexual affairs with married men then lies to and threatens their wives when caught. So she is, to me, a slutty drunk. She is assigned a case to defend Alexa Reed, a top attorney until she made the mistake of dumping a nice guy to marry the rich psychopathic Michael Reed whose own mother wished him dead for his violent sociopathic tendencies. Michael is the son of a crooked and equally abusive Supreme Court justice Coleman Reed.
Alexa had two kids by Michael- 6 year old Meggie and 4 year old Sam. When Alexa got tired of his cheating and physical abuse and sought to divorce him, Michael had crooked judges (thanks to pressure from his dad) put Alexa out of the house and hired a crooked psychologist Ronald Brigman to work with the judges to take the kids from Alexa.
Now Alexa is on trial for first degree murder since it was her gun that killed both Michael and Ronald. The case is assigned to Sarah with instructions from everyone (including that Supreme Court justice) to pretend to put on a good case but to lose or face loss of work or death. This makes her more eager to have Alexa found innocent. She gets help from a sweet FBI agent who she tries to keep at bay emotionally. Can they battle what seems like impossible odds- all while both Alexa and Sarah are targets for killers?
Alexa had two kids by Michael- 6 year old Meggie and 4 year old Sam. When Alexa got tired of his cheating and physical abuse and sought to divorce him, Michael had crooked judges (thanks to pressure from his dad) put Alexa out of the house and hired a crooked psychologist Ronald Brigman to work with the judges to take the kids from Alexa.
Now Alexa is on trial for first degree murder since it was her gun that killed both Michael and Ronald. The case is assigned to Sarah with instructions from everyone (including that Supreme Court justice) to pretend to put on a good case but to lose or face loss of work or death. This makes her more eager to have Alexa found innocent. She gets help from a sweet FBI agent who she tries to keep at bay emotionally. Can they battle what seems like impossible odds- all while both Alexa and Sarah are targets for killers?
April 1, 2016
Just okay.
Legal thriller, all the characters are very smart, beautiful, curvy or handsome. Wear beautiful designer clothes, cook and drink too much. Women are abused by their husbands and loose their children. Corrupt police, judge, lawyers and even corrupt Supreme court judge.
Legal thriller, all the characters are very smart, beautiful, curvy or handsome. Wear beautiful designer clothes, cook and drink too much. Women are abused by their husbands and loose their children. Corrupt police, judge, lawyers and even corrupt Supreme court judge.
February 21, 2017
A haunted and scar-faced beauty is searching for redemption when she is handed a lawyer's most challenging murder case. The reader gets no hint until the end why the beautiful lawyer needs to free her client to gain the redemption.
I prefer Scott Pratt's books , but this author does pull a reader in quickly.
Her short chapters keep the pages flowing with great plot hints.
The romance is touching without any X rated scenes which can be refreshing these days.
Don't read the last chapter first! It's worth the wait.
I prefer Scott Pratt's books , but this author does pull a reader in quickly.
Her short chapters keep the pages flowing with great plot hints.
The romance is touching without any X rated scenes which can be refreshing these days.
Don't read the last chapter first! It's worth the wait.
February 12, 2022
Absolute rubbish
January 20, 2019
It was a bit of a page turner but too farfetched to be given more than 3 stars. Often a bit too 'cheesy American' however I raced through it in a week so must have still enjoyed it!
May 12, 2017
Ridiculous Conclusion(s) Tacked Onto A Series of "Reality-Challenged" Situations
On the positive side, the writing style was fairly engaging - the 3 main "good guy" characters were likeable, invoking the reader's interest in wanting a "happy ending for all". And the book did deliver such (a) resolution, with several "surprise punches". However, in arriving "there", the reader is asked to "buy into" what become a few (several) too many "reality stretches". At first, caught up in the storyline, you don't really notice the absurdities. When the almost catatonically mute woman on trial for the murder of her ex-husband and a psychiatrist not only suddenly regains her communication skills after being purposely overdosed with a drug intended to kill her by the psychiatrist's partner, but is also released "on bail" (contrary to state law) because of the state-enabled attempted murder, you're glad - since you feel she's not quilty. How she recovers so fasr (after being administered last rites) is just one of those amazing facts of life. What is not so amazing, though, is that other than being fired, the psychiatrist doesn't seem to be held accountable. This is probably because (as you'll learn time and again) virtually all of the San Diego law enforcement/legal community is under the malignant control and subject to the bidding of a US Supreme Court Justice, who happens to be the father of the dead husband, and the role model for the son's own abusive behavior. Accordingly, obstructionist court rulings, evidence tampering, death threats, and at least two murder attempts become almost routine among the challenges the defense attorney faces in trying to obtain justice for her client. (With regard to the attempted murders, I should note it is not really clear if these attempts were orchestrated by the "Supreme Judge" or by the married man who the defense lawyer was trying to cut out of her life, even after he gave his wife some half a million dollars to look the other way so that he could continue the affair.) I am not sure exactly "where" I was in the book when I reached the conclusion that the storyline was asking too much of me - to accept and enjoy the unfolding events, rather than question and doubt- but at some point, I realized I would read through to the ending only to see how much more irritating the story could get - and without giving too much away, I have to say the ending reached an even lower level of implausability than I could have anticipated, seemingly re-inventing the background of one of the major characters in a manner inconsistent with previously stated facts.
On the positive side, the writing style was fairly engaging - the 3 main "good guy" characters were likeable, invoking the reader's interest in wanting a "happy ending for all". And the book did deliver such (a) resolution, with several "surprise punches". However, in arriving "there", the reader is asked to "buy into" what become a few (several) too many "reality stretches". At first, caught up in the storyline, you don't really notice the absurdities. When the almost catatonically mute woman on trial for the murder of her ex-husband and a psychiatrist not only suddenly regains her communication skills after being purposely overdosed with a drug intended to kill her by the psychiatrist's partner, but is also released "on bail" (contrary to state law) because of the state-enabled attempted murder, you're glad - since you feel she's not quilty. How she recovers so fasr (after being administered last rites) is just one of those amazing facts of life. What is not so amazing, though, is that other than being fired, the psychiatrist doesn't seem to be held accountable. This is probably because (as you'll learn time and again) virtually all of the San Diego law enforcement/legal community is under the malignant control and subject to the bidding of a US Supreme Court Justice, who happens to be the father of the dead husband, and the role model for the son's own abusive behavior. Accordingly, obstructionist court rulings, evidence tampering, death threats, and at least two murder attempts become almost routine among the challenges the defense attorney faces in trying to obtain justice for her client. (With regard to the attempted murders, I should note it is not really clear if these attempts were orchestrated by the "Supreme Judge" or by the married man who the defense lawyer was trying to cut out of her life, even after he gave his wife some half a million dollars to look the other way so that he could continue the affair.) I am not sure exactly "where" I was in the book when I reached the conclusion that the storyline was asking too much of me - to accept and enjoy the unfolding events, rather than question and doubt- but at some point, I realized I would read through to the ending only to see how much more irritating the story could get - and without giving too much away, I have to say the ending reached an even lower level of implausability than I could have anticipated, seemingly re-inventing the background of one of the major characters in a manner inconsistent with previously stated facts.
June 29, 2017
Oh my! I wasn't even half way through the first chapter before I began to think "What a stilted conversation this is!" The author seemed to be trying to use "conversation" between two strangers to fill us in on everything under the sun! We have the main characters' whole back story in a nutshell and the major plot line all wrapped up in a bow! Then the strangers move forward as work partners like they know each other so well and she has to keep herself from falling for him to the point where she continues to sleep with a married man. It all felt so staged and phony. Am I supposed to feel she's a woman of character because she refuses to sleep in the bed that her lover shares with his wife? There are many things wrong with this story. You know a book is not for you when you keep checking to see how much longer before it's over. I would have given up on it altogether if not for wanting to be able to count it for my reading challenge. But the twist towards the end was unexpected, which I like even though I had some issues with it, too.
August 2, 2016
Great legal thriller
Loved this book and couldn't read it fast enough. Loved the surprise ending, didn't see it coming.
When Sarah Knight moves from New York to San Diego to start her legal career again, she is assigned to a case to defend Alexa
Reed, the daughter-in-law, of a Supreme Court judge, she is met with corruption of the legal system from day one. Alexa is accused of killing her husband, the son of the judge. Everyone is trying to convince Sarah to leave the case alone. Lucky for her she meets a ex FBI agent, Jim Mitchell, who is an investigator now. She hires him to help her with the case.
This is non stop action, with
great courtroom drama, and even a little love mixed in. Please don't miss this one if you like a great book that keeps you turning pages.
Loved this book and couldn't read it fast enough. Loved the surprise ending, didn't see it coming.
When Sarah Knight moves from New York to San Diego to start her legal career again, she is assigned to a case to defend Alexa
Reed, the daughter-in-law, of a Supreme Court judge, she is met with corruption of the legal system from day one. Alexa is accused of killing her husband, the son of the judge. Everyone is trying to convince Sarah to leave the case alone. Lucky for her she meets a ex FBI agent, Jim Mitchell, who is an investigator now. She hires him to help her with the case.
This is non stop action, with
great courtroom drama, and even a little love mixed in. Please don't miss this one if you like a great book that keeps you turning pages.
August 31, 2016
Good, but a bit beyond belief
It had enough intensity and intrigue to be interesting. The unbelievable aspects were that the almost entire legal system in a city the size of San Diego was completely dominated by one man, even a Supreme Court judge in Washington D.C., not some one just across the near by border
It had enough intensity and intrigue to be interesting. The unbelievable aspects were that the almost entire legal system in a city the size of San Diego was completely dominated by one man, even a Supreme Court judge in Washington D.C., not some one just across the near by border
December 4, 2017
I'm afraid I couldn't get past 60 pages. That virtually every lawyer, doctor and judge in San Diego is flagrantly bias just does not seem credible, and kind of boring.
November 30, 2017
Since the days of Perry Mason, the most popular type of legal thriller has been the "seemingly hopeless case" variety in which the attorney for a criminal defendant tries to win a case in which all the cards are stacked against the client. Deborah Hawkins' Dark Moon follows that formula, both in the plotting and in the writing. Plotwise, attorney Sarah Knight's client seems certain to be convicted of the murders of her ex-husband and a psychologist. And, in terms of writing, author Hawkins' book seems doomed to collapse under a ton of convoluted, illogical plotting and characterizations out of a very sappy melodrama. I won't reveal whether Knight can get her client off the hook, but I can reveal that the author saves the book in the last couple of chapters with a completely audacious trick ending that caught me completely by surprise.
In Dark Moon, Knight’s client, Alexa Reed, is a San Diego attorney whose marriage to Michael Reed, the son of a United States Supreme Court justice, was a nightmare of abuse suffered at the hands of a diabolical bully who was so skilled at covering his tracks that Knight can’t find a shred of evidence to back up her client’s claims of abuse. To make matters worse, Michael’s father, along with seemingly the entire legal establishment of San Diego, are trying to railroad Alexa, who has been severely emotionally traumatized at the beginning of the book, into a guilty plea. The only person on Knight’s side for most of the book is her investigator, Jim Mitchell.
Alexa’s saga of abuse takes up a good half of Dark Moon, and it eventually proves to be too much of a powerful thing. At first, the description of what happens to her, dished out in carefully measured bits and pieces by the author through a series of flashbacks, is shocking, but it eventually crosses the line into over-the-top sappy melodramatics. The books suffers from some other examples of overwriting as well, such as when Jim Mitchell repeatedly proves to be too good to be true, so much so that two different call girls are willing to toss away all their professionalism for a possible genuine date with him.
If the writing in Dark Moon can be sappy at times, the legal background is also questionable. The author is an attorney herself, but makes a couple of outright blunders, such as referring to judges of the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal as “justices.” They aren’t. And her dialogue in the courtroom tends to be a bit bookish. But when she finally gets to the trial itself, the book comes to life. The courtroom dramatics are quite well done.
But the author saves the best for last, literally, with a spectacular, and rather unpredictable, end to the trial, followed by a completely unpredictable and out of left field final twist that caught me completely by surprise. Often, beginning authors telegraph plot twists far in advance, and Hawkins doesn’t exactly hide the clues, but, instead, had me prepared to criticize some of the plotting as nonsensical until I realized just how it fit into the final reveals.
Dark Moon is by no means an attempt at realism, but, rather, an updated Perry Mason with distinctly feminist sensibilities and a too healthy dose of melodramatics. But it gets credit for a terrific ending and, more important, an outrageous twist that the author is able to disguise nearly perfectly. That ending, along with the way the author handles the trial itself, makes Dark Moon a solid four star effort in my book.
In Dark Moon, Knight’s client, Alexa Reed, is a San Diego attorney whose marriage to Michael Reed, the son of a United States Supreme Court justice, was a nightmare of abuse suffered at the hands of a diabolical bully who was so skilled at covering his tracks that Knight can’t find a shred of evidence to back up her client’s claims of abuse. To make matters worse, Michael’s father, along with seemingly the entire legal establishment of San Diego, are trying to railroad Alexa, who has been severely emotionally traumatized at the beginning of the book, into a guilty plea. The only person on Knight’s side for most of the book is her investigator, Jim Mitchell.
Alexa’s saga of abuse takes up a good half of Dark Moon, and it eventually proves to be too much of a powerful thing. At first, the description of what happens to her, dished out in carefully measured bits and pieces by the author through a series of flashbacks, is shocking, but it eventually crosses the line into over-the-top sappy melodramatics. The books suffers from some other examples of overwriting as well, such as when Jim Mitchell repeatedly proves to be too good to be true, so much so that two different call girls are willing to toss away all their professionalism for a possible genuine date with him.
If the writing in Dark Moon can be sappy at times, the legal background is also questionable. The author is an attorney herself, but makes a couple of outright blunders, such as referring to judges of the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal as “justices.” They aren’t. And her dialogue in the courtroom tends to be a bit bookish. But when she finally gets to the trial itself, the book comes to life. The courtroom dramatics are quite well done.
But the author saves the best for last, literally, with a spectacular, and rather unpredictable, end to the trial, followed by a completely unpredictable and out of left field final twist that caught me completely by surprise. Often, beginning authors telegraph plot twists far in advance, and Hawkins doesn’t exactly hide the clues, but, instead, had me prepared to criticize some of the plotting as nonsensical until I realized just how it fit into the final reveals.
Dark Moon is by no means an attempt at realism, but, rather, an updated Perry Mason with distinctly feminist sensibilities and a too healthy dose of melodramatics. But it gets credit for a terrific ending and, more important, an outrageous twist that the author is able to disguise nearly perfectly. That ending, along with the way the author handles the trial itself, makes Dark Moon a solid four star effort in my book.
March 11, 2022
Problems that this book has:
1. I don't think 40 year old high power lawyers/former FBI business professionals, one of which is divorced, spend every first thought in EVERY conversation thinking about how cute the other person is and how much they want them. Especially when someone's life is on the line. Endless jealousies over perceived rivals are repetitive and pathetic. This poor attempt at will they/won't they romance just reads as juvenile and the worst sort of insta love.
2. Literally every judge (Supreme Court and otherwise), prosecutor, psychiatrist and expert witness comes right out and says that they are going to break the law and risk their positions as well as jail in order to persecute this this woman. First, I don't think everyone can be corrupt. More importantly, I don't think everyone is stupid enough to come out and just say it. Lastly, there's no way this would be tried here and not relocated to another jurisdiction or escalated to federal court. At every turn, the legal aspects of the book read as soap opera plots and are completely unrealistic. No one person controls this much of state and federal judicial decisions from the micro to the macro, no way.
3. The book does not explain how/why this highly educated, modern American woman would fail to come up with any plan to escape this abusive man, would fail in fact to even try. She was warned away and had ample opportunity to get out before it was too late. The book does not take the time to address any of this or to build the characters enough to make it three-dimensional. This makes the defendant highly unsympathetic (which makes the perfunctory retelling of her abusive relationship a chore to get through).
4. I'm halfway through this book and three different people have threatened this defense attorney's life - at this point it stopped being an effective tension builder and started being ridiculous. Same with all the attempted murders after after which she discharges herself against medical advice or just doesn't go to the hospital at all even though she's been shot.
5. These are some of the worst written children I've ever seen in a book. There is no way that any five and six year olds, no matter how smart, are going to be able to so coherently communicate about prostitutes and recognize a specific gun. This is absurd.
6. The ending is stupid and virtually comes out of nowhere.
This reads like a bargain bin John Grisham. It's an incredibly fast, easy read but it's especially brainless.
1. I don't think 40 year old high power lawyers/former FBI business professionals, one of which is divorced, spend every first thought in EVERY conversation thinking about how cute the other person is and how much they want them. Especially when someone's life is on the line. Endless jealousies over perceived rivals are repetitive and pathetic. This poor attempt at will they/won't they romance just reads as juvenile and the worst sort of insta love.
2. Literally every judge (Supreme Court and otherwise), prosecutor, psychiatrist and expert witness comes right out and says that they are going to break the law and risk their positions as well as jail in order to persecute this this woman. First, I don't think everyone can be corrupt. More importantly, I don't think everyone is stupid enough to come out and just say it. Lastly, there's no way this would be tried here and not relocated to another jurisdiction or escalated to federal court. At every turn, the legal aspects of the book read as soap opera plots and are completely unrealistic. No one person controls this much of state and federal judicial decisions from the micro to the macro, no way.
3. The book does not explain how/why this highly educated, modern American woman would fail to come up with any plan to escape this abusive man, would fail in fact to even try. She was warned away and had ample opportunity to get out before it was too late. The book does not take the time to address any of this or to build the characters enough to make it three-dimensional. This makes the defendant highly unsympathetic (which makes the perfunctory retelling of her abusive relationship a chore to get through).
4. I'm halfway through this book and three different people have threatened this defense attorney's life - at this point it stopped being an effective tension builder and started being ridiculous. Same with all the attempted murders after after which she discharges herself against medical advice or just doesn't go to the hospital at all even though she's been shot.
5. These are some of the worst written children I've ever seen in a book. There is no way that any five and six year olds, no matter how smart, are going to be able to so coherently communicate about prostitutes and recognize a specific gun. This is absurd.
6. The ending is stupid and virtually comes out of nowhere.
This reads like a bargain bin John Grisham. It's an incredibly fast, easy read but it's especially brainless.
March 1, 2019
3.8
Dark Moon’s crime and trial plots were entertaining and while the investigation didn’t give much excitement the feeling of injustice and hopelessness were looming large enough to make me stomped my foot at every turn. . I like the first 2 parts of the book most but when the romance started to get a feel of triangel and kind of effected their work in the last 30% of the book...it was a “meh”. Seriously,
Dark Moon would do better than 4 stars, imop, without the cheesy romance. It exasperated me to no end to see every female gone swoony with one good looking, kind heart guy in the book. Man, you are during trial for death penalty for christ sake. As for characters; Sarah was smart, cool and tough and I like her even though her mysterious past seemed to too dragging for effect it was interesting. Jim,on the other hand, was passionate, kind and chivalrious but damn don’t lose your focus on pretty faces. The legal part was good; witty and intense. So far Dark Moon was not bad, it’s a good entertaining read but it’s my fault for overexpectation.
Dark Moon’s crime and trial plots were entertaining and while the investigation didn’t give much excitement the feeling of injustice and hopelessness were looming large enough to make me stomped my foot at every turn. . I like the first 2 parts of the book most but when the romance started to get a feel of triangel and kind of effected their work in the last 30% of the book...it was a “meh”. Seriously,
Dark Moon would do better than 4 stars, imop, without the cheesy romance. It exasperated me to no end to see every female gone swoony with one good looking, kind heart guy in the book. Man, you are during trial for death penalty for christ sake. As for characters; Sarah was smart, cool and tough and I like her even though her mysterious past seemed to too dragging for effect it was interesting. Jim,on the other hand, was passionate, kind and chivalrious but damn don’t lose your focus on pretty faces. The legal part was good; witty and intense. So far Dark Moon was not bad, it’s a good entertaining read but it’s my fault for overexpectation.
May 21, 2018
Remarks about bartender
I enjoyed this book, and will read more. Having said that, I was a bartender in fine dining for years. It's hard work and we are professionals. To have the bartender shifting from foot to foot was bad enough, but saying he scurried away to earn his tip, was offensive, made it sound like bartenders are rodents. Hope this is not repeated in her future books.
I enjoyed this book, and will read more. Having said that, I was a bartender in fine dining for years. It's hard work and we are professionals. To have the bartender shifting from foot to foot was bad enough, but saying he scurried away to earn his tip, was offensive, made it sound like bartenders are rodents. Hope this is not repeated in her future books.
July 12, 2017
My rating is more accurately a 3.5. This is a quick read and a true page-turner. I enjoy legal thrillers and this was one worth reading. I thought the characters were fairly well-developed and while the plot seemed to have separate themes all converge at the end-it was interesting to explore our judicial system and the effects of domestic violence in society. I'd recommend it
November 16, 2017
It was readable, but I got really annoyed at all the love bits. Too many emotional turmoils going on. It got confusing as to whether it was a murder mystery, court room drama or a romantic novel sometimes. I think the writer should have stuck with one genre and not tried to fit so much into the one.
January 1, 2018
I don't read a lot of courtroom type books, because I don't follow a lot of the laws they have to work with. But, Deborah Hawkins spelled things out pretty well, and I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it as well as I did.
The judge, DA, and Supreme Court Justice Coleman Reed make Sarah jump through a lot of hoops. But she is one determined lady.
Another big recommendation for this one.
The judge, DA, and Supreme Court Justice Coleman Reed make Sarah jump through a lot of hoops. But she is one determined lady.
Another big recommendation for this one.
January 28, 2018
WOW
This is the second book I've read by Ms Hawkins, and I couldn't wait to start. The first one ( Mirror, Mirror) was a masterpiece, and Dark Moon did not disappoint. Great characters, brilliant plot, and what an ending (no spoiler alerts from me, ever)! You'll be thrilled (pun intended) to read this book, and then rush to find others. Brava, Ms Hawkins!!!
This is the second book I've read by Ms Hawkins, and I couldn't wait to start. The first one ( Mirror, Mirror) was a masterpiece, and Dark Moon did not disappoint. Great characters, brilliant plot, and what an ending (no spoiler alerts from me, ever)! You'll be thrilled (pun intended) to read this book, and then rush to find others. Brava, Ms Hawkins!!!
April 14, 2018
Enjoyable
Dark Moon is an intriguing story that kept me wanting to continue reading. The characters were interesting and it brings up the question of corruption in systems that should be protecting individual, especially children. There were enough twists and surprises to make it thrill ok ng.
Dark Moon is an intriguing story that kept me wanting to continue reading. The characters were interesting and it brings up the question of corruption in systems that should be protecting individual, especially children. There were enough twists and surprises to make it thrill ok ng.
September 22, 2018
Definitely a good read but....
A good book, well written, good legal courtroom drama and keeps the readers interest till the last page. I would have given it 4 stars but for the unnecessary element of a love triangle and petty feeling of jealousy making it seem at times like a cheap romantic novel.
A good book, well written, good legal courtroom drama and keeps the readers interest till the last page. I would have given it 4 stars but for the unnecessary element of a love triangle and petty feeling of jealousy making it seem at times like a cheap romantic novel.
May 3, 2019
An unpredictable page turner
The inner workings of law as well as the emotions of people fighting for justice and forgiveness drive this story. Empathy is generated as the reader walks with the characters as they fight circumstances no one wants to ever encounter. The ending is not predictable yet is very satisfying. I look forward to more books from this author.
The inner workings of law as well as the emotions of people fighting for justice and forgiveness drive this story. Empathy is generated as the reader walks with the characters as they fight circumstances no one wants to ever encounter. The ending is not predictable yet is very satisfying. I look forward to more books from this author.
April 12, 2020
This was an ok read but very frustrating. Jim
was constantly trying to get the women to eat. A bit obsessive. Everyone’s romantic feelings were scattered and tiresome to read. The inability to do more legal actions was frustrating to read and not believable. If courts are really able to be this bought off, we are all in trouble.
was constantly trying to get the women to eat. A bit obsessive. Everyone’s romantic feelings were scattered and tiresome to read. The inability to do more legal actions was frustrating to read and not believable. If courts are really able to be this bought off, we are all in trouble.
July 20, 2020
not the sort of book i usually read or like, but i enjoyed it. well written (a little bit corny in the inner dialogues of Jim) but handled domestic abuse issues in a thoughtful manner. i live in san diego and hated that the local judicial system gets a bit trashed... but, well it needed a venue for the story, i guess. all in all, a quick and satisfying read.
April 14, 2021
Romance/Soap Opera worthy
This is a lean Court drama, but it is long on teen romance. Too bad, since the setting is quite beautiful. The author did not develop the characters, especially her client. I never felt as if these people stepped outside or even lived anywhere near San Diego. The plot was exposed early on in the story.
I gave it 3* because it is PG.
This is a lean Court drama, but it is long on teen romance. Too bad, since the setting is quite beautiful. The author did not develop the characters, especially her client. I never felt as if these people stepped outside or even lived anywhere near San Diego. The plot was exposed early on in the story.
I gave it 3* because it is PG.
August 10, 2023
final Justice
This intelligent legal thriller neatly juggles multiple storylines among very smart characters. Everyone is holding back secrets and has everything to lose by coming clean. The main villain is unrepentantly cruel and manipulative. The plot is suspenseful with some vicious twists. Over all, a dark look at our legal system.
This intelligent legal thriller neatly juggles multiple storylines among very smart characters. Everyone is holding back secrets and has everything to lose by coming clean. The main villain is unrepentantly cruel and manipulative. The plot is suspenseful with some vicious twists. Over all, a dark look at our legal system.
September 13, 2023
Really great start but
I was really enjoying the book then started getting tired of what’s supposed to be sexual tension between various characters. Unfortunately the ending was a huge letdown after building up so nicely. I would add a couple more stars if the last few chapters were improved and kind of plausible.
I was really enjoying the book then started getting tired of what’s supposed to be sexual tension between various characters. Unfortunately the ending was a huge letdown after building up so nicely. I would add a couple more stars if the last few chapters were improved and kind of plausible.
January 28, 2017
A real thrilling read surprising twists and turns that keep you from putting the book down.
This was a real page turner and I would .like to read more by this author....what other books has she written?
This was a real page turner and I would .like to read more by this author....what other books has she written?
February 1, 2017
As much a story of Domestic Violence
The abuse which takes place within an intimate relationship, I believe, is the most violent and vile of all the mistreatment of human beings. Read DARK MOON and see what I mean.
The abuse which takes place within an intimate relationship, I believe, is the most violent and vile of all the mistreatment of human beings. Read DARK MOON and see what I mean.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews