Kidnapped by a Client: An Attorney's Fight for Justice at Any Cost

by Sharon R. Muse

“He promised to kill me when he got out. I believed him. If I wanted justice, I had to fight both him and the courts...maybe kill him first. If I didn’t do something, I was going to die.”

This is not a manufactured dialogue from a thriller but the words of attorney Sharon Muse. They came after she survived an attempted kidnapping, rape, and murder at the hands of Larry Morrison, a former client. On April 7, 2006, Muse miraculously escaped from the sociopathic Morrison, only to find that the threat to her life was just beginning. Ineptitude in the justice system threatened to release Morrison and allow him the opportunity to finish the job, which he adamantly pledged to do. Muse would have to fight at every step to ensure her safety.

Muse would act as her own advocate, investigator, legal counsel, and bodyguard in the years following the event. Kidnapped by a Client covers the brutal kidnapping, two trials, two appeals, procedural errors galore, one Supreme Court reversal, and even Muse’s intricate plan to murder Morrison before he could get to her. Muse would not ultimately execute that plan, and she would emerge victorious in the legal battle thanks to her faith and her own determination and legal acumen. But her safety is not ensured: Morrison is up for parole in 2026. Muse regularly monitors his status.

Muse recounts her stranger-than-fiction story in Kidnapped by a Client.  Muse analyzes the failures of the legal system, the mistakes she made, the steps she took to protect herself, and how she has coped with trauma. Readers will find not only a compelling narrative, but also insight into how to protect oneself and ensure one’s own safety and well-being.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Ebooks, Legal, Crime, Biography Memoir

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2019

About the author

Sharon R. Muse, JD is the commonwealth attorney for Kentucky's 14th Judicial District. She has a BA in Psychology from the University of Kentucky, a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Louisville, specialized training in the legal field, and extensive training in effects of trauma on the brain. She works with experts in self-protection, trauma, and grief counseling. Muse teaches classes and speaks to groups about self-protection and assists victims as they navigate the legal system.

(source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most exciting, scary, and tension filled true crime books I’ve read. You really feel for Sharon Muse as the beginning of the story unfolds and you follow along with her. Things just get more intense and frightening as it continues and she finds herself kidnapped by someone she once represented who was convicted. And he wants revenge his own way now that he’s made her drive out to this creepy abandoned farm. This part of the book is riveting, but there is much more to this story, so check it out. I highly recommend this one. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, authors Sharon R. Muse, JD & Holly Lorincz, and the publisher.

Review first published on my WordPress blog viewed here:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 80 or so pages of this book is an accurate and stomach wrenching minute to minute telling of Sharon Muse's ordeal and its hourly aftermath of that day. This book has two titles in different forms and I think this second one is better. More exact. It's about a kidnapping and the 6 years of trials and ordeals of afterwards. Not counting the ongoing and forevermore daily stretching to assume a "safety" for herself.

The other title (Pursuing is the first word) conveys the experience she endured "fighting" the cops, courts, criminal justice mazes and negligence for providing and locating evidence. But it truly is about kidnapping foremost. And what any professional or working person needs to fear and live with when an insane or incensed individual seeks short and long term revenge. Sometimes for an issue or not; at times for issues or cause/effects only in the deranged mind of the perpetrator. Also at times, when you aren't even the person or the ethnicity or whatever descriptive they "nail" for you to be the target.

If you are a lawyer or love to read court procedure and testimony then the book will be a 5 star for you. It's in a different font/ print and that particular form made it hard for me to read at these lengths that it took.

If you are, like me, a past, far past, recent, or somewhere in between victim of assault (especially stranger assault as I have been)- then some of the aspects of "afterwards" will strike your heart like an arrow. Because mental and physical torment little ends when the "day" is over.

Our criminal justice system has gone from one extreme to the other. At this particular juncture it is IMMENSELY toward the defense of criminal actors and almost NEVER on the side of the victims. And no more so than in planned (Sharon's abductor had an entire scenario formed to reverse onus if disturbed) assaults, kidnappings, rapes, murders. Yes even in murders. Victims there get lambasted in 100 ways even when they are dead. I've heard it too.

If you are Christian, you will probably understand Sharon's copy about her emotional and physical and cognitive state much better than if you have no religious belief or one which doesn't have strong habits of prayer and structures for traditional types of worship. Because she puts much of her belief system too into this book.

This happened in 2006 and I am appalled at the lack of policing that was NOT done for the car, perp's clothing, other physical or weapon forensics evidence. But believe me, if you aren't dead, fought for your own life and overall was successful at it- I guess they must think that's your "own" reward? As if the perp or perps doing it again and again and again, while endlessly ruining others' lives eternally is just insignificant "get used to it" fodder.

Put me down with Sharon. Anyone who does these kinds of deeds and is a manipulator of others to such injuring degrees should NEVER be given a chance for parole. This is not about forgiveness or being merciless at all- either direction. As she details throughout this book- it is so they DO NOT recommit. You (general public) are not beginning to "hear" of the numbers of parolees who ruin more and more and more lives. Particularly within the last five years with "prison reform"- it has been horrendous for the multiplying "did it again" victims. No more so than in the urban environments of the USA cities of 50 to 100 year length Democratic Party "leadership". And this isn't even gun injury/death stats. More multiples of recommit for assaults, assault with robbery, rapes, carjackings, kidnapping etc.

Sharon is a lawyer. I can't imagine how hard it was to live those 5 or 6 years of trials. And the important minutia that was kept from her re judges and the judicial system meshes! How much more we "non-lawyers" must fail to be included within?

Hopefully you will never know.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

I once had a history teacher who taught me a very valuable lesson -- Don't believe everything you read.

This book, which is being hyped as a "true" story, presents a highly sensationalized account of a kidnapping case that occurred in Kentucky. The author, Sharon Muse, is a lawyer as well as the crime victim. Weaving fact and fiction without distinguishing between the two, Muse's book very loosely follows the 2006 crime, the investigation, and the 2011 trial. "Kidnapped by a Client" is not a true story, and the reader should be wary of Ms. Muse's very questionable narrative.

If you attended the 2011 trial (as I did), it will be apparent that Ms. Muse is misleading her readers in two very broad ways. First, she portrays the Defendant as being far worse than the facts warrant. She describes a crime that has its origins less in fact and more in her imagination. Second, she cynically misrepresents the actions of the prosecutors in an attempt to make them appear inept, not an easy task when we consider that the prosecutors sent the bad guy to prison for Life. In taking such liberties with the truth, Ms. Muse, who is promoting herself as some sort of evangelical superlawyer who was "betrayed" by the criminal justice system, fatally damages her own credibility.

Let's look at some of Ms. Muse's dubious claims.

Ms. Muse, who had agreed to give the Defendant a ride, maintains that the Defendant later threatened her as she bolted from her car. This is the exact threat (as related by Ms. Muse in her book) -- "I will kill you. It doesn't matter if you get away. I'm going to kill you. It may be tomorrow, it may be next year, but I will kill you." (See p. 26)

It sounds terrifying, but there is a problem. Ms. Muse testified at length about the incident, but she did not tell the jury about this alleged "threat". Not on direct examination, and not on cross examination. If you read carefully you'll see that the assistant prosecutor didn't even mention this alleged "threat" in his well-reasoned closing argument. (See pp. 232-238) It's hard to fathom, but it appears that this "threat" is recent fabrication that has been grafted onto the story. It looks like Ms. Muse, who dedicates her book first to God, is not being honest with her readers.

I sat through the entire trial in 2011, and the first I learned of this threat was when I read Ms. Muse's book in 2020.

Let's next consider the items that Ms. Muse contends were inside the Defendant's green duffle bag -- a hammer, rope, and duct tape. It sounds like the Defendant had something very wicked in mind, like he was going to tie up Ms. Muse and torture her. But guess what? Ms. Muse didn't tell the jury about these sinister items. So it looks like we're dealing with another fabrication.

The reader will note that Ms. Muse doesn't include a transcript of her recorded statement to the State Police Trooper, nor does she provide her subsequent written statements to law enforcement. In addition, she omits large and significant parts of her trial testimony. Why is this? To anyone who sat through the trial the answer will be clear. By omitting her prior statements, Ms. Muse is able to concoct a false narrative, a false narrative about a brutal crime that, though loosely based on a true story, didn't really happen. She does this, of course, to elicit sympathy and to enhance the marketability of her "incredible true story".

Presenting a false narrative is bad enough, but Ms. Muse takes it one step further in that she criticizes the authorities for not acting in accordance with her false narrative. Why does she do this? -- To make herself look savvy and superintelligent at the expense of law enforcement. I found this aspect of "Kidnapped by a Client" to be downright abhorrent, though it does give us some insight into Ms. Muse's true character.

Ms. Muse would have us believe that the crime happened on a backwoods country lane, but it didn't. It happened immediately off (and in full sight of) Russell Cave Road, a major thoroughfare connecting Lexington to Cynthiana. Considering the fact that access to the barn off the main road was blocked by a locked gate (and the fact that the Defendant had no known connection to the property), I find it highly unlikely that the Defendant, who was intoxicated, ever planned to take Ms. Muse back behind it.

Ms. Muse, nevertheless, contends that the Defendant had a diabolical plan to rape and murder her behind the barn.

But then Ms. Muse says a lot of things.

The reader should note that neither the police nor the grand jury charged the Defendant with attempted rape or attempted murder. Ms. Muse's hysterical protestations to the contrary, evidence for these offenses was lacking. Perhaps Muse should blame herself, for according to her own account she didn't even report the alleged murder "threat" discussed above. (See p. 55)

Muse makes it appear as if she was brutally beaten by the Defendant. She tells her readers that she received many injuries -- hair and skin ripped from her skull, back badly bruised, deep cuts, bloody scratches on her chest, bruises and scrapes covering the right side of her body, etc...

The reader will note that Ms. Muse doesn't include her hospital records or pictures of her "injuries".

Ms. Muse has good reason, for the hospital records tell a different story. That is, her "injuries", to the extent we can call them "injuries", were negligible -- an abrasion on her neck and three scratch marks on her right upper chest, well above her breast. Furthermore, she didn't have blood pouring down her chest, and the hospital records don't mention the large chunks of hair and skin that she claims were ripped from her skull. (See p. 26) Her right wrist and knee were bruised. But the bruising (which was possibly self-inflicted in regard to the right knee) is described in the hospital records as being "mild".

In my opinion, Ms. Muse's "injuries" are consistent with the Defendant trying to pull Ms. Muse back into the car as she was getting out. I'm not sure what he was up to, but he didn't brutally beat her.

Ms. Muse maintains that it was "close to four o'clock in the morning" when she received her released papers. (See p. 68) Wow, did the doctors work on her all night long? Well they didn't, for the hospital records note that Ms. Muse was discharged at 2350 (or 1150 pm). Ms. Muse, it seems, has added four hours to her hospital stay for dramatic effect.

Let's now turn to Ms. Muse's complaints against the prosecutors. Ms. Muse seems to really hate the prosecutors, almost as much as she hates the Defendant. Without explanation she contemptuously refers to them as "good ol' boys". Her hatred of the prosecutors, though, is irrational, and her complaints against them border on fantasy. There might be more to the story, but, when we consider the fact that the prosecutors won her case at trial, it's hard to escape the conclusion that there is something really off with Ms. Muse.

It's interesting that Ms. Muse repeatedly refers to the prosecutors by their first names. This, of course, suggests a degree of familiarity and a close working relationship, thereby undercutting her contention that the prosecutors excluded her from the process (or failed to prepare her for taking the witness stand).

I could address each of Ms. Muse's complaints against the prosecutors, but, lest I turn this review into a full-length book, I'll focus on the biggest one, a detailed examination of which reveals that Ms. Muse has no qualms about falsifying the facts of the case in order to discredit the prosecutors.

Ms. Muse doesn't mince her words. She alleges that the prosecutors offered no evidence of the sexual abuse charge (See pp. 284-285) The sexual abuse charge pertains to the Defendant allegedly having put his hand on Ms. Muse's breast during the struggle in the car. This is a grave accusation for Ms. Muse to make. But is it true?

It's not.

If you watch the video of the trial, you'll see that Sharon Muse herself testified about the sexual abuse charge on direct examination. (See Trial Video, Prosecution Witness Sharon Muse, 2/21/2011 at 1:48:30 -- "(H)e grabs my breast and he digs into it.")

So why didn't the jury convict the Defendant of sexual abuse? The answer is readily apparent. Ms. Muse didn't have scratch marks on her breast.

The truth, though, doesn't stop Ms. Muse. Revealing herself as a complete fraud, she ups the ante and indignantly claims that the assistant prosecutor didn't even mention the sexual abuse charge during his closing argument. (See p. 285) That sounds pretty damning, but if you flip back to page 238 you'll see that the assistant prosecutor specifically asked for a conviction on the charge of sexual abuse. Read it for yourself. It's quite remarkable. Within the space of 47 pages, Ms. Muse, who boasts of her legal acumen, contradicts herself and makes it clear that her criticism of the assistant prosecutor is more than just unfounded. It is malicious. Ms. Muse knows the truth yet chooses to deceive her readers.

So what do we call an author who dedicates her book to God yet lies throughout? What do we call a crime victim who unjustly maligns the prosecutors who won her case at trial?

As I said, I could address each of Ms. Muse's complaints against the prosecutors, but it would take more space than Goodreads permits. Suffice it to say that Sharon Muse appears to be a fundamentally dishonest person and her readers should not accept anything she writes at face value.

So what's going on with Ms. Muse? In 2018, due in large part to her willingness to mislead the public about her "incredible true story", she was elected as Commonwealth's Attorney for Kentucky's 14th Judicial Circuit. No doubt she wants to profit as much as possible from the matter, so what does she do? She puts it all in the form of a book, a rather shrewd attempt to elicit sympathy in order to further her career. But don't be fooled. Ms. Muse wasn't the victim of the horrific crime she describes. The horrific crime she describes never occurred. Furthermore, Ms. Muse wasn't "betrayed" by the criminal justice system. Far from it -- law enforcement arrested the bad guy at the scene and he has been locked up ever since. That's what we call a job well done.

As far as Ms. Muse's self-described "legal acumen", I suggest the reader do a Google search of her name. A prosecutor herself for the last five years, Ms. Muse has demonstrated gross incompetence. From 2019 thru 2021, she routinely mishandled hundreds of cases in front of the grand jury (wasting thousand of taxpayers dollars and necessitating the dismissal of over one hundred felony Indictments). In addition, she has been doling out very lenient plea deals. She recently offered a mere ten years in a brutal murder case, a case in which the defendant was eligible for the death penalty (Woodford County - Vicki Brautigan). The judge was appalled and he refused to go along with Ms. Muse's sweetheart "deal". The courtroom then burst into applause.

If you'd like to see how Sharon Muse handled a kidnapping case with facts far worse (and evidence far better) than her own, then do a Google search of the name "Brice Gross". If you do, you'll be astonished by Ms. Muse's hypocrisy.

On a final note, it's worth pointing out that Ms. Muse is recently married to the former trial judge, Rob Johnson. We know that Ms. Muse had had her eye on Johnson for some time, for her book makes passing reference to her romantic interest in him. This, in itself, is rather uninteresting, but, as Ms. Muse is marketing her book to the evangelical community, I think it's fair to point out that Johnson was married with five children at the time of the 2011 trial. This, of course, is not mentioned in "Kidnapped by a Client", nor is the fact that Ms. Muse herself was "married" at the time of the 2011 trial.

Now what does the Bible say about coveting another's spouse?

Having been appointed to Kentucky's Court of Appeals in 2017, Rob Johnson was voted out of office in 2018. Finding himself without a job, he went to work for Ms. Muse as an assistant prosecutor in 2019. Shortly thereafter Johnson and his wife of 20+ years divorced. He then married Ms. Muse, Ms. Muse's 2009 "marriage" having been annulled in 2014. In 2022, Johnson attempted to regain his old seat as a circuit court judge, but, his once solid reputation being thoroughly wrecked by his relationship with Ms. Muse, he was rejected by the voters at the ballot box.

Ms. Muse's relationship with the trial judge is significant for two reasons. First, it explain why Ms. Muse doesn't criticize him. If the truth be told, it was Rob Johnson who, using the incorrect legal language, botched the Defendant's open guilty plea in 2007 and thereby set the stage for the 2011 trial. But for Johnson's inexcusable mistake, the case would have been favorably resolved in 2007 and Ms. Muse would never have become a career "victim" of the system. Ms. Muse, though, glosses over the entire incident in her book and does her best to keep Johnson's embarrassing (and costly) gaffe out of the public eye. Second, it explains why Rob Johnson has given this book a five-star review on another site and has appeared on the radio with Ms. Muse promoting her book. He works for Sharon Muse and he's not about to bite the hand that feeds him.

Such are my thoughts on "Kidnapped by a Client". I don't know for certain if the Defendant kidnapped Ms. Muse. I do know, though, that Ms. Muse has been advancing her career by making gross misrepresentations about the case, and that makes me question what really happened that day.

I do not recommend this book because it's not a true story. It reads like cheap fiction (which it is).

[Esme · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seriously bogged down in the middle. I found the author to be rather hysterical and self righteous especially since she was an attorney who knows or should have known how this stuff works. The reader knows from the book summary that Morrison was convicted and won't be eligible for parole until 2026, so that undercuts any dramatic tension. Also I keep thinking, it's 20 years, a lot happens in 20 years, people get old, enfeebled, and die. Also her references to God got annoying. He allows this to happen to you, but he's there in the aftermath? Her protestations mirror Morrison's jailhouse conversion. Also in the election results at the very end of the book they misspelled "attorney." I was just irritated and ready to fling this book across the room. Had to force myself to finish it.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this book! I usually devour True Crime books, but this one just fell short. I started it on Monday, and decide today, I just couldn't finish it. I am not even 1/2 way through. I feel as if I'm sitting in a classroom being lectured to. It's not anywhere near the category of an Ann Rule or John Douglas book. It's told by the victim, Sharon Muse. I'm sorry for what she went through, but I just can't finish it. Maybe if she had written it differently, I could have finished it, but she didn't and I have to many other books I want to read.

Thanks Netgalley for the book.

[Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 48%

This was one of those memoirs that hooks the reader by claiming to be about some sensational incident (e.g. kidnapped by a client) but is REALLY about the writer’s uninteresting life. I stuck it out to about the halfway mark but realized it was just more of the same. The only interesting chapters were the first ones detailing the kidnapping and even those were a bit on the vanilla side. I appreciate the author had a traumatic experience and believe for her it was incredibly scary but it’s one of those experiences that just doesn’t translate very well into a book.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

UGH. I managed to suffer through 50% of this book before I DNF. So disappointing that I wasted like three days on this and like 200 pages and it won’t even count toward my reading goal. That’s how boring this book was, I couldn’t make myself suffer through another 200 pages.

[Nemo Nemo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author’s Bio

The authors of this monograph are Sharon R. Muse and Holly Lorincz. In order to respect the authors privacy, and out of an abundance of caution I will avoid revealing any details beyond their names.

Who is the Target Audience?

As a true crime book this has a broad readership appeal. Those who follow true crimes and punishment would also find this real-life account of Muse and her victimization to be revealing on a number of levels.

Synopsis

Kidnapped by a Client is a first person account of a horrifying tale of a true-life crime perpetrated against Sharon Muse, a Kentucky attorney at law in 2006. Sharon Muse was abducted, raped, and stalked by a psychopath. In this tome she shares a vivid stark and brutal story, detailing her highs and lows, her ups and downs in the US Judicial System. A judicial system where she struggles to overcome the inherent but necessary bias towards the rights of alleged offenders in preference to the victims of crimes. The partiality towards the perpetrator leaves the victim as a mere source of physical evidence rather than a living, breathing human being. This prejudice often leaving the victims feeling objectified and frustrated by the lack of compassion and understanding.

From Muse’s kidnapping, to her experiences in court she describes the woeful treatment metered out to her by the United States Judicial System. She reveals that even to an experienced lawyer, how seemingly insurmountable some aspects of the law appear to be.

Despite the trials of life that she was exposed to, Muse found great solace and strength in Jesus Christ.

Muse’s story is as horrifying as it is compelling and immersive. Her odyssey leaves the reader with some disturbing truths and some alarming facts about crime and punishment in the 21st Century.

Her description of panicked apprehension about being held hostage to the lack of compassion or empathy from the authorities to her plight, leaves the reader with a bitter taste. Although this crime occurred in 2006, many of the experiences described could be had by other women today. Perhaps the most galling thing about the handling of her case is the avoidable mistakes made by the police, the collectors of evidentiary materials, and the prosecution.

Conclusion

In conclusion; Sharon Muse was abducted, raped, and stalked. She fought her case until she won. She persevered through a combination of a thirst for justice, her determination to see her perpetrator punished, and the desire to ameliorate her trauma, guilt, and shame. Ultimately, the victim triumphs not just over the flagitious criminal but over the inept unfeeling justice system itself. In a manner of speaking, she is twice the person the perpetrator could ever wish to be.

If you didn’t read the chapter: THREAT ASSESSMENT: RED FLAGS please do. If you are a vulnerable woman the wealth of information there could help you in a potentially dangerous situation.

Acknowledgment

My sincere thanks go to: NetGalley, and the Publisher, Skyhorse for affording me the opportunity to review of Kidnapped by a Client.

[January Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okay True Crime book. It could use one more round of editing. The most interesting part was the injustices done to her. Not one of my favorites due to the writing style.

[Nancy Hudson · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book has a lot of good information at the end, I can’t recommend it. This was one of the most poorly organized true crime books I have read. I understand the author, the victim of the crime, has every right to present her story as she sees fit but it just didn’t do her any justice. I am not downplaying what happened to her whatsoever and I am sure she lived in terror for years. The police and prosecutors of the two counties in KY where this happened and where she works sound totally incompetent and uncaring. Did they have something against her? It almost seemed that way. I am glad she was able to take over as Commonwealth’s Attorney for those counties later and start cleaning it up. That would make for an interesting read.

The progression of the book was clumsy and at times she came off as rather unpleasant and unprofessional and while religion is huge in Ms. Muse’s life I really didn’t need to hear about it every couple pages. She was just fortunate to have a very good judge and being able to be a strong advocate for herself as an attorney surely helped. I imagine there are many minority women in that area who haven’t been so lucky. As an atheist that just didn’t fly for me but if it helps her cope then good for her. There were contradictions in the text and the back and forth with the trial transcripts got very boring very quickly. Lots of repetition.

I think if you have been victimized in the past this book may speak to you but I would have preferred a more typical straight up narrative. If a true crime author took on this case I am sure it would have been more interesting and complete. One voice is still only one voice. Other facts and viewpoints are left completely unexamined. I for one would have liked to have heard more about the apparent incompetence and corruption of the Commonwealth’s office. Why did they refuse to collect evidence, apparently lie, and do virtually nothing to help this woman until she forced their hand? Did she have all the facts correct? Her criticisms of the trial prosecutors seemed ridiculous at times. We don’t really know what was presented and what wasn’t. She seemed to pick and choose what she thought was relevant. I often just didn’t get it. Read the summary and move on and if you are really interested just go to her website and other sources listed at the end of the book for helpful resources.

[Kara Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book. A riveting retelling of the authors story of survival, faith, and the persistent pursuit of justice. Highly recommended.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually love true crime books, this one was one of the best I have read. I could feel her panic myself throughout the book. I also felt such outrage for what happened to this woman. Well written. I definitely recommend this book to anyone.

[teleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not going to go on record and say this was one of the best true crime books written, it's not even one of my favorites, but I was interested in the story Muse was telling. The writing had a way of hooking me in, and although I put it down for a few hours at a time, I was always able to fall back in with ease. There was never a problem of remembering what happened, so I will applaud both authors on that.

I will say that it felt slightly repetitive in some places, but that's to be expected when quoting actual documents throughout the book. So it wasn't that big of a deal. I am glad that Muse didn't give her attacker any more attention by writing his real name, as we live in a society where criminals get talked about and the victims get lost between headlines, so with each story where the killer is given a pen name and isn't living luxury off all the people wanting to talk to them in prison, the better.

The only thing I, disliked?? (I wouldn't say it was a dislike, it was more of an eh, I'm not a big fan of this), about this book was the amount of God-talk, however, the author is clearly a believer in a man upstairs and if that helps with her recovery I'm not going to bash her for it. It wasn't pages upon pages so I was able to deal with it.

I do find it a little odd how the book ending on the author running for some American politic campaign in 2016, but the book wasn't published until April of this year. I would have loved more of an update a few years after everything had calmed down slightly. But unfortunately, that didn't happen. We were given a small little half-assed epilogue that I felt didn't really do much for the overall feel to the end of the book. But after so much of her life being talked about in this book, maybe she wanted to hold back a bit, what do I know?



I received this book from NetGalley.

[JV · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I have ever read. The author couldn't separate her feelings from the narrative and as she droned on about her victim status it clouded any potential objectivity the book may have had. I have never encountered such monotony and redundant sensationalism in a book before.
The good news is I bought it used for $2.

[Leslievb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it’s easy to follow I guess...

I read a lot of true crime books and this one was written in a way that I actually did enjoy. I was very caught up in the story up until a certain point, somewhere around the actual trial it became harder to enjoy. That is a challenge all crime books probably have to overcome, writing about a trial in a way that keeps the reader interested. Sometimes even if the facts are interesting they can be written about in a boring way. The story aside, I also started to feel like I didn't really like Ms. Muse's personality much. Maybe it was just the way the story was written but it's hard to continue a read when I start finding I don't really like the main character. As it happened I actually didn't finish the entire book, maybe one day I'll go back and finish it but, just for now, I'm done.

[MeWriter · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a huge true-crime fan I thought this book would be right up my alley. This is very different from Ann Rule or M. William Phelps. It is told by the victim of a horrendous crime. Most of the book is taken up with an education on the law and listings of filings. It was dense and at time it felt like a lecture. While I wholeheartedly empathize and support Sharon Muse, this is not what I was expecting.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

1. I think true crime books should have photos. This one did not.
2. I did not finish reading this book as I found the author annoying. Because of this I did not feel as much empathy for her as her trauma warranted.

[Venessa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't stand all the Jesus speak but I cannot imagine being in her shoes. I see injustices every day. It breaks my heart that repeat offenders seem to get away with more than they should.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

I once had a history teacher who taught me a very valuable lesson -- Don't believe everything you read.

This book, which is being hyped as a "true" story, presents a highly sensationalized account of a kidnapping case that occurred in Kentucky. The author, Sharon Muse, is a lawyer as well as the crime victim. Weaving fact and fiction without distinguishing between the two, Muse's book very loosely follows the 2006 crime, the investigation, and the 2011 trial. "Kidnapped by a Client" is not a true story, and the reader should be wary of Ms. Muse's very questionable narrative.

If you attended the 2011 trial (as I did), it will be apparent that Ms. Muse is misleading her readers in two very broad ways. First, she portrays the Defendant as being far worse than the facts warrant. She describes a crime that has its origins less in fact and more in her imagination. Second, she cynically misrepresents the actions of the prosecutors in an attempt to make them appear inept, not an easy task when we consider that the prosecutors sent the bad guy to prison for Life. In taking such liberties with the truth, Ms. Muse, who is promoting herself as some sort of evangelical superlawyer who was "betrayed" by the criminal justice system, fatally damages her own credibility.

Let's look at some of Ms. Muse's dubious claims.

Ms. Muse, who had agreed to give the Defendant a ride, maintains that the Defendant later threatened her as she bolted from her car. This is the exact threat (as related by Ms. Muse in her book) -- "I will kill you. It doesn't matter if you get away. I'm going to kill you. It may be tomorrow, it may be next year, but I will kill you." (See p. 26)

It sounds terrifying, but there is a problem. Ms. Muse testified at length about the incident, but she did not tell the jury about this alleged "threat". Not on direct examination, and not on cross examination. If you read carefully you'll see that the assistant prosecutor didn't even mention this alleged "threat" in his well-reasoned closing argument. (See pp. 232-238) It's hard to fathom, but it appears that this "threat" is recent fabrication that has been grafted onto the story. It looks like Ms. Muse, who dedicates her book first to God, is not being honest with her readers.

I sat through the entire trial in 2011, and the first I learned of this threat was when I read Ms. Muse's book in 2020.

Let's next consider the items that Ms. Muse contends were inside the Defendant's green duffle bag -- a hammer, rope, and duct tape. It sounds like the Defendant had something very wicked in mind, like he was going to tie up Ms. Muse and torture her. But guess what? Ms. Muse didn't tell the jury about these sinister items. So it looks like we're dealing with another fabrication.

The reader will note that Ms. Muse doesn't include a transcript of her recorded statement to the State Police Trooper, nor does she provide her subsequent written statements to law enforcement. In addition, she omits large and significant parts of her trial testimony. Why is this? To anyone who sat through the trial the answer will be clear. By omitting her prior statements, Ms. Muse is able to concoct a false narrative, a false narrative about a brutal crime that, though loosely based on a true story, didn't really happen. She does this, of course, to elicit sympathy and to enhance the marketability of her "incredible true story".

Presenting a false narrative is bad enough, but Ms. Muse takes it one step further in that she criticizes the authorities for not acting in accordance with her false narrative. Why does she do this? -- To make herself look savvy and superintelligent at the expense of law enforcement. I found this aspect of "Kidnapped by a Client" to be downright abhorrent, though it does give us some insight into Ms. Muse's true character.

Ms. Muse would have us believe that the crime happened on a backwoods country lane, but it didn't. It happened immediately off (and in full sight of) Russell Cave Road, a major thoroughfare connecting Lexington to Cynthiana. Considering the fact that access to the barn off the main road was blocked by a locked gate (and the fact that the Defendant had no known connection to the property), I find it highly unlikely that the Defendant, who was intoxicated, ever planned to take Ms. Muse back behind it.

Ms. Muse, nevertheless, contends that the Defendant had a diabolical plan to rape and murder her behind the barn.

But then Ms. Muse says a lot of things.

The reader should note that neither the police nor the grand jury charged the Defendant with attempted rape or attempted murder. Ms. Muse's hysterical protestations to the contrary, evidence for these offenses was lacking. Perhaps Muse should blame herself, for according to her own account she didn't even report the alleged murder "threat" discussed above. (See p. 55)

Muse makes it appear as if she was brutally beaten by the Defendant. She tells her readers that she received many injuries -- hair and skin ripped from her skull, back badly bruised, deep cuts, bloody scratches on her chest, bruises and scrapes covering the right side of her body, etc...

The reader will note that Ms. Muse doesn't include her hospital records or pictures of her "injuries".

Ms. Muse has good reason, for the hospital records tell a different story. That is, her "injuries", to the extent we can call them "injuries", were negligible -- an abrasion on her neck and three scratch marks on her right upper chest, well above her breast. Furthermore, she didn't have blood pouring down her chest, and the hospital records don't mention the large chunks of hair and skin that she claims were ripped from her skull. (See p. 26) Her right wrist and knee were bruised. But the bruising (which was possibly self-inflicted in regard to the right knee) is described in the hospital records as being "mild".

In my opinion, Ms. Muse's "injuries" are consistent with the Defendant trying to pull Ms. Muse back into the car as she was getting out. I'm not sure what he was up to, but he didn't brutally beat her.

Ms. Muse maintains that it was "close to four o'clock in the morning" when she received her released papers. (See p. 68) Wow, did the doctors work on her all night long? Well they didn't, for the hospital records note that Ms. Muse was discharged at 2350 (or 1150 pm). Ms. Muse, it seems, has added four hours to her hospital stay for dramatic effect.

Let's now turn to Ms. Muse's complaints against the prosecutors. Ms. Muse seems to really hate the prosecutors, almost as much as she hates the Defendant. Without explanation she contemptuously refers to them as "good ol' boys". Her hatred of the prosecutors, though, is irrational, and her complaints against them border on fantasy. There might be more to the story, but, when we consider the fact that the prosecutors won her case at trial, it's hard to escape the conclusion that there is something really off with Ms. Muse.

It's interesting that Ms. Muse repeatedly refers to the prosecutors by their first names. This, of course, suggests a degree of familiarity and a close working relationship, thereby undercutting her contention that the prosecutors excluded her from the process (or failed to prepare her for taking the witness stand).

I could address each of Ms. Muse's complaints against the prosecutors, but, lest I turn this review into a full-length book, I'll focus on the biggest one, a detailed examination of which reveals that Ms. Muse has no qualms about falsifying the facts of the case in order to discredit the prosecutors.

Ms. Muse doesn't mince her words. She alleges that the prosecutors offered no evidence of the sexual abuse charge (See pp. 284-285) The sexual abuse charge pertains to the Defendant allegedly having put his hand on Ms. Muse's breast during the struggle in the car. This is a grave accusation for Ms. Muse to make. But is it true?

It's not.

If you watch the video of the trial, you'll see that Sharon Muse herself testified about the sexual abuse charge on direct examination. (See Trial Video, Prosecution Witness Sharon Muse, 2/21/2011 at 1:48:30 -- "(H)e grabs my breast and he digs into it.")

So why didn't the jury convict the Defendant of sexual abuse? The answer is readily apparent. Ms. Muse didn't have scratch marks on her breast.

The truth, though, doesn't stop Ms. Muse. Revealing herself as a complete fraud, she ups the ante and indignantly claims that the assistant prosecutor didn't even mention the sexual abuse charge during his closing argument. (See p. 285) That sounds pretty damning, but if you flip back to page 238 you'll see that the assistant prosecutor specifically asked for a conviction on the charge of sexual abuse. Read it for yourself. It's quite remarkable. Within the space of 47 pages, Ms. Muse, who boasts of her legal acumen, contradicts herself and makes it clear that her criticism of the assistant prosecutor is more than just unfounded. It is malicious. Ms. Muse knows the truth yet chooses to deceive her readers.

So what do we call an author who dedicates her book to God yet lies throughout? What do we call a crime victim who unjustly maligns the prosecutors who won her case at trial?

As I said, I could address each of Ms. Muse's complaints against the prosecutors, but it would take more space than Goodreads permits. Suffice it to say that Sharon Muse appears to be a fundamentally dishonest person and her readers should not accept anything she writes at face value.

So what's going on with Ms. Muse? In 2018, due in large part to her willingness to mislead the public about her "incredible true story", she was elected as Commonwealth's Attorney for Kentucky's 14th Judicial Circuit. No doubt she wants to profit as much as possible from the matter, so what does she do? She puts it all in the form of a book, a rather shrewd attempt to elicit sympathy in order to further her career. But don't be fooled. Ms. Muse wasn't the victim of the horrific crime she describes. Furthermore, she wasn't "betrayed" by the criminal justice system. Far from it -- law enforcement arrested the bad guy at the scene and he has been locked up ever since. That's what we call a job well done.

As far as Ms. Muse's self-described "legal acumen", I suggest the reader do a Google search of her name. A prosecutor herself for the last five years, Ms. Muse has demonstrated gross incompetence. She has mishandled hundreds of cases in front of the grand jury (wasting thousand of taxpayers dollars and leading to the dismissal of scores of Indictments). In addition, she has been doling out very lenient plea deals. She recently offered a mere ten years in a brutal murder case, a case in which the defendant was eligible for the death penalty (Woodford County - Vicki Brautigan). The judge was appalled and he refused to go along with Ms. Muse's "deal". The courtroom then burst into applause.

On a final note, it's worth pointing out that Ms. Muse is recently married to the former trial judge, Rob Johnson. Johnson was married with five children at the time of the 2011 trial, but that doesn't stop Ms. Muse, who touts her "Christian" values, from making her long-term romantic interest in him a passing topic in her book.

Now what does the Bible say about coveting another's spouse?

Rob Johnson was voted out of office in 2018. The following year he went to work for Ms. Muse. Shortly thereafter he and his wife divorced. He then married his boss, Sharon Muse. In 2022, Johnson attempted to regain his seat as a circuit court judge, but, his once solid reputation having been wrecked by his relationship with Ms. Muse, he was rejected by the voters at the ballot box.

Ms. Muse's relationship with the trial judge is significant for two reasons. First, it explain why Ms. Muse doesn't criticize him. If the truth be told, it was Rob Johnson who, using the incorrect legal language, botched the Defendant's open guilty plea in 2007 and thereby set the stage for the 2011 trial. But for Johnson's embarrassing mistake, the case would have been favorably resolved in 2007 and Ms. Muse would never have become a career "victim" of the system. This is a well-known fact among the legal community in the 14th Judicial Circuit. Nevertheless, Ms. Muse goes to great pains to gloss over it in her book and thereby cover up the mistake of her lover and employee. Second, it explains why Rob Johnson has given this book a five-star review on another site and has appeared on the radio with Ms. Muse promoting her book. He works for Sharon Muse and he's not about to bite the hand that feeds him.

Such are my thoughts on "Kidnapped by a Client". I don't know for certain if the Defendant kidnapped Ms. Muse. I do know, though, that Ms. Muse has been advancing her career by making gross misrepresentations about the case, and that makes me question what really happened that day.

I do not recommend this book because it's not a true story. It reads like cheap fiction (which it is).

[Ace · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a poorly written book. I note the following.

1. The author, Sharon Muse, tells us next to nothing about her prior professional relationship with the Defendant. What kind of case did she represent him on? How many times did she go to court with him? What was the precise outcome? The author answers none of these questions.

I am left with the feeling that the author is hiding something from us.

2. The author tells us next to nothing about her background in criminal law. Had she ever had a criminal trial? Judging from the fact that she didn't know the prosecutors beforehand, I suspect that she had had very limited experience in the practice of criminal law. If you practice criminal law, you generally know the prosecutors in your circuit.

3. If you don't practice criminal law, you're really not in a position to criticize those who do.

A few of Sharon Muse's criticisms really ring hollow. She's angry that the Defendant wasn't charged with attempted murder, but by her own account she didn't report the murder threat to the authorities. Had she reported this, I'm certain he would have been charged accordingly.

She accuses the prosecutors of not presenting evidence of the sexual abuse charge or of even mentioning it during their closing argument. This is really odd, because Sharon Muse quotes the prosecutor's closing argument at length and he clearly asks for a conviction on the sexual abuse charge.

And if the prosecutor is asking for a conviction on the sexual abuse charge, that means that the judge made a finding that sufficient evidence of sexual abuse had been presented to support a conviction.

Likewise, she's angry that the Defendant wasn't charged with attempted rape. From what I gather he held a knife to her throat and told her to undress. That sounds bad. But weren't they still in the car? How is he going to rape her in the front seat of a car? Sounds questionable to me.

Though the author implies that the prosecutors were indifferent to her case, we have to remember that the prosecutors had the absolute authority to dismiss the case or to lower the charges and plead it out. But they didn't do this. They took what was an old case to trial and won.

3. The author really should have interviewed the prosecutors and defense attorneys.

Ms. Muse makes a lot of the fact that the State Trooper testified to her blood test results, and she seems to have no inkling as to why the Defense didn't object to this. I suspect the following -- the lab results were uncontested and the lab technician might have been unavailable, or living far away. In that circumstance, it wouldn't have been unreasonable for the Defense to agree to let the State Trooper testify as to technician's results.

This is probably what happened, but we don't know because the author didn't bother to interview the key players. She just assumes that everyone is incompetent.

Similar situation with the medical records. Ms. Muse blasts the prosecutors for not showing her the medical records which document that an ambulance took her to the hospital. She acts like the prosecutors nearly lost the case because of this. But didn't the prosecutors introduce the medical records into evidence? If so, the prosecutors got this information to the jury and Ms. Muse's criticism of them is without merit.

4. The prosecutors have since claimed that the author's book doesn't completely align with the evidence in the case, especially in regard to Ms. Muse's "injuries". It looks like Ms. Muse might be exaggerating her story a bit.

5. In 2018, Ms. Muse was elected as the top prosecutor in the circuit. This is mentioned near the end of the book. Good for her. But there's more to the story. Her six-year term was plagued with scandals and allegations of incompetence, and in 2024 she lost her bid for reelection. Indeed, she was defeated in the Republican Primary and didn't even move on to the general election, something that rarely happens to an incumbent.

What do we make of this? The author failed as a prosecutor and lost the trust of the voters.

In theory, "Kidnapped by a Client" could have been a good book. But in light of the issues mentioned above, it's not.

[Emilio III · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how when you have a conversation with someone, and later as you reflect on what was said, you often think of all the things you should have said but didn't? There is a lot of that in this book. That's not a criticism. It's an observation.

In telling her story, the author dissected her case in minute detail. In the process, she uncovered numerous things that she should have or would have done differently. The same is true with her encounters with the police, investigators, and the prosecutor. They should have done a better job collecting evidence; they should have taken photographs; they should have documented the crime scene better.

The author is also a lawyer. In recounting her kidnapping and sexual assault, she sometimes had the presence of mind to do things on her own to aid in any future criminal proceeding. Such as making sure the police took down the contact information of witnesses and having a drug test to counter statements made by her attacker.

If there is a lesson to learn from the author's story, it is that no one is going to care more about your case than you. While it would be nice to think that everyone you encounter in the criminal justice system is professional and attentive to every detail, the truth is that more often than not, you are just one more victim in a sea of victims. Police make mistakes. Investigators overlook important clues. Prosecutors don't always ask the right questions. It doesn't always go down as it does on Law and Order.

The author tells of one instance where a clerical error could have resulted in her attacker being freed from prison ten years early. It is only through her persistence in following up with authorities that she was able to prevent the mistake.

My one criticism deals with the way the author decided to handle depositions and trial transcripts. Her choice was to reprint them exactly as they appeared. It would have been better to treat them as part of the narrative: The prosector turned toward the jurors; he fidgeted in his seat before answering, the judge asked the witness to speak louder, etc. It would have required more work, but the result would have made for more interesting reading (and listening). I listened to a good portion of the book. It was more than a little annoying when the narrator reverted to using Q and A when reading transcripts.

This book gives a realistic look at a criminal case from the crime, through the investigation, to the subsequent plea deals, trials, and appeals.

[JJ Veritas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a good book if the author were not so melodramatic. As it is, though, the author, Sharon Muse, comes across as being hysterical and self-centered. I also get the feeling that she has really embellished the story.

I can sum up the book pretty quickly. Muse, a lawyer, takes the Defendant for a ride in her car and he later attempts to rape and kill her. The Defendant is evil, the police are indifferent, and the prosecutors are incompetent. But she, the great Sharon Muse, is brilliant and leads the trial to a successful conclusion by her faith in God and strength of character. She goes on to win the election for top prosecutor in 2018 and aspires to give victims a voice, a voice she wasn't given.

As I said, this could have been a good book if the author weren't such a drama queen. Apparently the voters of her district weren't impressed with her either, for she lost her bid for reelection in 2024 and appears to have faded into obscurity.

So I give the book two stars. The basic idea is good -- a victim tells of her experience with the criminal justice system. But the execution is miserable.

[Stan Crump · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Muse is a lawyer with experience and knowledge in the courtroom. However, she is excluded from the process as the state prosecuter and law enforcement officials make blunder after blunder in preserving evidence and building and presenting her kidnapping case. Her accused kidnapper has very carefully planned this kindapping and at times is extremely cleaver in dealing with his situations at the scene and in preparing his defense. However, he is totally unpredictable throughout the story.
For me this book has been a riveting cliff-hanger. I'm not much of a reader and had trouble finding time in my busy schedule to read this book. However, every day I couldn't help but pick it back up and I finished it in a week. I had trouble putting this book down.
I'd recommend this book to anyone that likes a good legal story or enjoys suspense. This book has both and is presented very well in a flow that keeps you coming back for more.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I read was title "kidnapped by a Client" it appears that this book is the same a Pursuing Justice. True story of an Attorney who was kidnapped, the client wormed his way into her car, directed her to turn here and there until he arrived at an abandoned farm house. Meanwhile, she was hit many time, had her head bashed into the steering wheel, knife held to her throat, he even used the knife to open her blouse and bra.

The worst of this story is her knowledge of case evidence that she know must be taken and isn't, her fears after the event. How thankful she is to the people who helped her, and herlife later.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll never forget this scene in the courtroom. The prosecutor and the defense attorney had been called up to speak to the judge, and the bailiff had stepped out of the courtroom through a side door. Sharon was sitting on the witness stand, and Hank was about 8 feet away. No one was standing in between them or paying attention that she had been left unprotected. She put her head down and cried. It seemed to summarize the whole 6-year ordeal.

Sharon’s experience with an apathetic prosecutor can happen to anyone anywhere in America. It does happen, only most of us don’t know what’s suppose to happen next and we put our trust in the system of plea bargains and sloppy legal work.

This book unfolds the story of a horrific day, but continues as an indictment of our legal system when it comes to violence against women. It’s a case study of what Sharon calls “the criminal’s justice system.”

Full disclosure, I became friends with Sharon about 5 months before this attack. I cried while reading her attack, as I do every time I listen to her 911 call, and I watched what happened in the courtroom.

“Jack” - if you had put as much time prosecuting the case as you have in reviewing the book and commenting on the 5-star reviews, Hank wouldn’t be up for parole in 6 years. (The prosecution didn’t get him a life sentence, his persistent felonies earned him that; but what is a life sentence when he’s eligible for parole?) It’s time for you to stop harassing 5-star reviewers. Either have the courage to put your name to your accusations and write your own book from the perspective of the prosecutor’s office or move on for your own sake. This can’t be mentally healthy for you.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find it hard to be surprised anymore. It seems it’s all been written already. But this page-turner had more twists than a twizzler. I bought it because it was a real story about a thrilling topic. But it became one of my favorite reads because of how it made me look at the legal system in a completely new light. Moreover, it connected with me in a deeper way where my empathy made me fight getting emotional many times.

As a father to a daughter, it beckoned back to A Time to Kill. After you read it, the only question that remains: what will you do for victims going forward?

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2-1/2 star ⭐️ The title caught my eye at a book sale and it was only $2 so I snatched it up. I wanted to like this more but it was boring. The author was very repetitive and whiny. I was sympathetic about her kidnapping and the authorities totally screwed up the evidence. I actually had to skip a lot of the trial transcripts. I also recently read that the author kept changing her story over the years and the defendant is trying to get the charges dropped because he and his attorneys said she embellished the incident. Google it! He’s definitely guilty so who knows how that will turn out?

[MarylineD · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love true crime and don't get to read many.
This wasn't bad, but I felt disappointed.
This was of course very sad and heartbreaking and insightful about what's broken in the law and justice system. But too much about religion at times... and the writing style not my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Erynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frustrating read. Frustrating due to the incompetence described at the handling of a very serious case. Ms. Muse was able to bring me along with her frustrations and fear if this man were to be free.

I hope Ms. Muse has been able to make the changes she wanted to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I hope, also, that, in five and a half years, she is able to retain her peace of mind and the Defendant does not make parole.

[Ocenius P. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm generally distrustful of autobiographical works in which the author goes on at length about how great he or she is.

Judging the work as a Christian, I was put off by the fact that the author, who repeatedly expresses her supposed faith, refers to the bad guy as a "redneck" and to the prosecutors as "good ol' boys." She also writes of her disgust at resting her head on the bench where other people had had their "butts".

She lacks the humility of the Christian.