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Mara Brent Legal Thriller #4
Mark of Justice
What he did to her…
As Maumee County, Ohio’s top prosecutor, Mara Brent has faced down killers before. But the murder of Haley Chambers is different. The evidence left behind at the crime scene paints a horrifying picture of Haley’s last hours. Her killer took his time. Planned. Hunted. Executed.
No one will believe it…
When local mechanic and family man, Cal Emmons is charged with the crime, the town rallies to his defense. Everyone knows him. Everyone trusts him. His supporters bring their protests right to Mara’s front door. But they don’t know. They haven’t seen what Mara and the police found at his house.
But there is one more victim out there…
The police connect physical evidence in Haley’s murder to a cold case abduction. Only that victim lived. Her harrowing, firsthand account of what she endured haunts Mara and provides a Rosetta Stone for Haley’s murder. But Mara’s star witness never saw her attacker’s face. She has lied to the police before. Is she lying now?
If Mara loses this one…more will die.
To win, Mara must ultimately step inside the mind of a sadistic killer. But this time when evil touches her, it may not let her go.
Mark of Justice is the spine-tingling fourth book in the Mara Brent legal thriller series. If you like strong heroines, page-turning courtroom scenes, and plot twists that will stay with you long after reading, then grab a Robin James novel and settle in for the night!
As Maumee County, Ohio’s top prosecutor, Mara Brent has faced down killers before. But the murder of Haley Chambers is different. The evidence left behind at the crime scene paints a horrifying picture of Haley’s last hours. Her killer took his time. Planned. Hunted. Executed.
No one will believe it…
When local mechanic and family man, Cal Emmons is charged with the crime, the town rallies to his defense. Everyone knows him. Everyone trusts him. His supporters bring their protests right to Mara’s front door. But they don’t know. They haven’t seen what Mara and the police found at his house.
But there is one more victim out there…
The police connect physical evidence in Haley’s murder to a cold case abduction. Only that victim lived. Her harrowing, firsthand account of what she endured haunts Mara and provides a Rosetta Stone for Haley’s murder. But Mara’s star witness never saw her attacker’s face. She has lied to the police before. Is she lying now?
If Mara loses this one…more will die.
To win, Mara must ultimately step inside the mind of a sadistic killer. But this time when evil touches her, it may not let her go.
Mark of Justice is the spine-tingling fourth book in the Mara Brent legal thriller series. If you like strong heroines, page-turning courtroom scenes, and plot twists that will stay with you long after reading, then grab a Robin James novel and settle in for the night!
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2021
1709 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Robin James
24 books438 followersRobin James is an attorney and former law professor. She's worked on a wide range of civil, criminal and family law cases in her twenty-year legal career. She also spent over a decade as supervising attorney for a Michigan legal clinic assisting thousands of people who could not otherwise afford access to justice.
Robin now lives on a lake in southern Michigan with her husband, two children, and one lazy dog. Her favorite, pure Michigan writing spot is stretched out on the back of a pontoon watching the faster boats go by.
Join Robin James's Legal Thriller Newsletter to get updates on her latest releases and author news. http://robinjamesbooks.com/newsletter
Robin now lives on a lake in southern Michigan with her husband, two children, and one lazy dog. Her favorite, pure Michigan writing spot is stretched out on the back of a pontoon watching the faster boats go by.
Join Robin James's Legal Thriller Newsletter to get updates on her latest releases and author news. http://robinjamesbooks.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 29, 2021
Mark of Justice
I’ve read all of Robin James’s novels which were excellent by the way, so of course I had to read this book as well, and course Ms. James didn’t disappoint!
This book was beyond amazing … the crime was just, and I can’t imagine living in a small town and realizing there is a killer mist us
I found that this storyline just sucked me in so completely that I had lost total track of time. I’m going to be completely honest here, I normally don’t read Ms. James’s books this fast, but I had to stay up pretty much all-night to finish this book……… I needed to know what happen in the end
Nothing prepares you for the twists and turns you take emotionally while turning the pages. This was exactly as described...a chilling killer thriller that is written by a master story teller.
September 1, 2021
Mark of Justice
I love this series and the author. This one was a little off for me. I felt like I missed a story with this one, right from the start. But I didn’t. Also, Mara’s character get off. This story was fast paced and a lot happened. I’m not sure I’m looking forward to the next one. I hate when personal dramas interfere with the crime drama I’m reading. But I’ll read it because I like this author and Mara, and the other characters.
I love this series and the author. This one was a little off for me. I felt like I missed a story with this one, right from the start. But I didn’t. Also, Mara’s character get off. This story was fast paced and a lot happened. I’m not sure I’m looking forward to the next one. I hate when personal dramas interfere with the crime drama I’m reading. But I’ll read it because I like this author and Mara, and the other characters.
May 9, 2022
Another great riveting read. Didn’t expect that twist at the end though.
August 28, 2021
Robin James continues to thrill with this new book in the Mara Brent series. A young girl was abducted, brutally tortured, raped then murdered in cold blood and all the evidence points to local mechanic, Cal Emmons, a man respected and trusted by the town. Without DNA linking Emmons unequivocally to the crime, the onus is on Brent to show the physical evidence proves his guilt.
Despite a 'green' & inexperienced defence lawyer, Brent has a fight on her hands to prove guilt. A 'creepy', increasingly over-familiar intern, pressure from her 'ex' to distance their autistic son from the trial and a possible 2nd victim who survived her ordeal all add complications to Brent's case.
This is a slick, gripping thriller: the pace takes off from the first page and never relents until the final, not entirely unexpected, shock. Once again, James is on really good form. I enjoyed this novel immensely, despite the gruesome crimes and look forward very much to the next book. Can't recommend it enough.
Despite a 'green' & inexperienced defence lawyer, Brent has a fight on her hands to prove guilt. A 'creepy', increasingly over-familiar intern, pressure from her 'ex' to distance their autistic son from the trial and a possible 2nd victim who survived her ordeal all add complications to Brent's case.
This is a slick, gripping thriller: the pace takes off from the first page and never relents until the final, not entirely unexpected, shock. Once again, James is on really good form. I enjoyed this novel immensely, despite the gruesome crimes and look forward very much to the next book. Can't recommend it enough.
August 27, 2021
Mara leaves her Mark on Justice❣️
Mark of Justice is book four in the Mara Brent series and it’s chilling🥶 Mara’s expertise is sought when a local girl goes missing and is found murdered days later. This book will chill you but this author knows how to throw you bones and misdirect you so amazingly well, that it’s honestly got me questioning - do they have enough evidence to get a conviction? Do they have the right person for the crime?
But guaranteed with this author is a suspenseful read with so many threads to pull on that she does an amazing job of keeping me glued to the pages and enthralled with every word😍I’m literally counting down to the next Cassie and then Mara book to fill my life with more courtroom drama and yes you guessed it, strong female characters🤩 I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review❤️
Mark of Justice is book four in the Mara Brent series and it’s chilling🥶 Mara’s expertise is sought when a local girl goes missing and is found murdered days later. This book will chill you but this author knows how to throw you bones and misdirect you so amazingly well, that it’s honestly got me questioning - do they have enough evidence to get a conviction? Do they have the right person for the crime?
But guaranteed with this author is a suspenseful read with so many threads to pull on that she does an amazing job of keeping me glued to the pages and enthralled with every word😍I’m literally counting down to the next Cassie and then Mara book to fill my life with more courtroom drama and yes you guessed it, strong female characters🤩 I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review❤️
April 28, 2024
5.0 stars. The twist at the end was a shocker. The bait at the end for sure hooked me into immediately downloading book 5. Excellent fast paced story.
May 31, 2025
Another awesome book in this series! This book grabbed me from page one and just kept me in. Mara and her team are fantastic characters and I love the courtroom scenes. Highly recommended read!
October 15, 2022
I Am Addicted To Mara Brent
This my fourth book and Mara's strength of character has not wavered. Her uncanny ability to put the puzzle pieces together to identify a suspect with such clarity and in-depth knowledge will amaze anyone who reads this book.
This my fourth book and Mara's strength of character has not wavered. Her uncanny ability to put the puzzle pieces together to identify a suspect with such clarity and in-depth knowledge will amaze anyone who reads this book.
February 1, 2024
Good read
This story has twists and turns around every corner. The author told a convoluted, grisly story that almost appeared to have been taken right out of the headline news today. It's baffling who humans can do to each other.
This story has twists and turns around every corner. The author told a convoluted, grisly story that almost appeared to have been taken right out of the headline news today. It's baffling who humans can do to each other.
September 23, 2024
Really, really enjoyed this entire series of seven books by Robin James. One in the middle was a little weak, but I loved the consistency of the five or six characters and how their life developed throughout the seven books. Can’t wait for book number eight.
March 16, 2024
The Mara Brent series is consistently good, each and every one is unputdownable. Don't hesitate download, read and enjoy I certainly did.
September 25, 2021
Hmmm, not too bad an entry to the Mara Brent series, but...still somewhat mediocre compared to books past by this author. It's like it kept reaching for those previously set standards but never quite managing to make it. Despite it having the still-existent strong points of Robin James' writing style and her ability to keep a strong momentum going in her books, I was a tad underwhelmed with this one. There was on odd thing happening to Mara in this book in that she kept circling around a very specific moment of the murder to the point of it getting repetitive. It kinda got old after awhile.
Plot's fine and easy to follow, albeit often repetitive. A girl is brutally murdered and the only suspect is one of the town's own, a beloved neighborly guy that everyone knows and trusts. Thanks to the crime scene found on his property, it's no wonder he is the top suspect. Mara of course does her Mara things, and tries to find a way to prove the case against him, including how to utilize a single witness's help: a woman who had survived a similar crime, but with no viewing of her attacker's face. Her work's cut out for her, of course, especially given the town going against her. Everything flows in a nice pace, but...it was just so meh. I had fun trying to guess the killer, but of course I ended up being wrong. Which is no big thing, but, once the real answer revealed itself, I was like "Oh. Okay."
As I said before, this book was a bit underwhelming when I think of other Robin James books, namely her work in the Cass Leary series. So far, Mara's books haven't been as compelling and addictive as Cass's series and I feel like a big part of that is not being around the folks in Mara's life. She doesn't have many fun interactions with her fellow characters, and the moments she DOES have are short-lived and uncompelling. So subplots that usually act to help carry a story feel flimsier than what I'm accustomed to. Could it be because Mara is a prosecutor instead of a criminal defender? I really don't know. Can't say. All I know is, I adore so many side characters in Cass's books and haven't really found the same feel in Mara's books. And it's gradually chipping away at my love for them.
Anyway, it's not like it was a bad read. I still more or less enjoyed the read and it was easy to finish. I wasn't bored and mad or anything of the sort. I was still into it and was curious to see how it ended. In the end, that ended up being enough. I'm still very much in the game, should another entry come to pass.
Plot's fine and easy to follow, albeit often repetitive. A girl is brutally murdered and the only suspect is one of the town's own, a beloved neighborly guy that everyone knows and trusts. Thanks to the crime scene found on his property, it's no wonder he is the top suspect. Mara of course does her Mara things, and tries to find a way to prove the case against him, including how to utilize a single witness's help: a woman who had survived a similar crime, but with no viewing of her attacker's face. Her work's cut out for her, of course, especially given the town going against her. Everything flows in a nice pace, but...it was just so meh. I had fun trying to guess the killer, but of course I ended up being wrong. Which is no big thing, but, once the real answer revealed itself, I was like "Oh. Okay."
As I said before, this book was a bit underwhelming when I think of other Robin James books, namely her work in the Cass Leary series. So far, Mara's books haven't been as compelling and addictive as Cass's series and I feel like a big part of that is not being around the folks in Mara's life. She doesn't have many fun interactions with her fellow characters, and the moments she DOES have are short-lived and uncompelling. So subplots that usually act to help carry a story feel flimsier than what I'm accustomed to. Could it be because Mara is a prosecutor instead of a criminal defender? I really don't know. Can't say. All I know is, I adore so many side characters in Cass's books and haven't really found the same feel in Mara's books. And it's gradually chipping away at my love for them.
Anyway, it's not like it was a bad read. I still more or less enjoyed the read and it was easy to finish. I wasn't bored and mad or anything of the sort. I was still into it and was curious to see how it ended. In the end, that ended up being enough. I'm still very much in the game, should another entry come to pass.
August 29, 2021
I always look forward to a new book by Robin James. I enjoy the courtroom action.
This is the 4th in the series about Prosecutor, Mara Brent. There has beena girl murdered brutally
and all evidence points to the local mechanic, Cal Emmons. They have the proof, but it is enough to have them find him guilty.
Mara is the prosecutor and she has to deal with a new legal assistant in this one, try to find the facts of this case and help one of the women who was a victim of this same serial killer, but she got away. The only thing is she never saw his face.
Is Cal guilty? Or will Mara be prosecuting an innocent man?
This is the 4th in the series about Prosecutor, Mara Brent. There has beena girl murdered brutally
and all evidence points to the local mechanic, Cal Emmons. They have the proof, but it is enough to have them find him guilty.
Mara is the prosecutor and she has to deal with a new legal assistant in this one, try to find the facts of this case and help one of the women who was a victim of this same serial killer, but she got away. The only thing is she never saw his face.
Is Cal guilty? Or will Mara be prosecuting an innocent man?
September 19, 2021
Mark of Justice by Robin James
As before with all her previous (9-10) books I have read excellent. Although most readers can guess very early who the culprit is, the process by which the prosecutor, Mara Brent, exposes the culprit is systematic, logical, and legally waterproof. The courtroom scenes are interesting and realistic. Interspersed with her family life with a 11-year old son on autism spectrum and balancing her hectic professional life with family demands creates heart wrenching situations. On the whole, excellent read and waiting for the next one, Path of Justice, to read.
As before with all her previous (9-10) books I have read excellent. Although most readers can guess very early who the culprit is, the process by which the prosecutor, Mara Brent, exposes the culprit is systematic, logical, and legally waterproof. The courtroom scenes are interesting and realistic. Interspersed with her family life with a 11-year old son on autism spectrum and balancing her hectic professional life with family demands creates heart wrenching situations. On the whole, excellent read and waiting for the next one, Path of Justice, to read.
October 9, 2024
“Mark of Justice” is Robin James’ 4th installment of her Mara Brent Series. Mara finds herself prosecuting a possible serial killer who on the surface looks the “guy next door.” Her case is complicated by a legal intern who could be a stalker, an ex-husband who is making life difficult as they raise their autistic son, and a key witness who could destroy her case because of her drug use and many brushes with the law. In the end, she finds herself in danger from an unexpected source. Suspense and mystery from start to finish keeps the reader involved.
September 3, 2021
This was a good read, but not as enjoyable for me as the other books in the series. It seemed to drag on in spots and the court scene repeated much that had already been covered earlier in the book.The surprise at the end seemed a little contrived, but it was ok.The lead character, Mara, tries to live a good life, but grief follows her closely. She needs to get more of a life outside of prosecuting murderers.
October 6, 2021
Thrilling to the last page!
Mara has her hands full. A young woman brutally murdered. A defendant with town support. Can she put him away? A new intern with more than writing briefs on his mind. An ex-husband wanting custody of their son, and finally Mara is in a horrible situation when she goes to help the only victim that ever lived at the hands of a serial killer. Read it quick! Could not put it down!
Mara has her hands full. A young woman brutally murdered. A defendant with town support. Can she put him away? A new intern with more than writing briefs on his mind. An ex-husband wanting custody of their son, and finally Mara is in a horrible situation when she goes to help the only victim that ever lived at the hands of a serial killer. Read it quick! Could not put it down!
September 8, 2021
Very Good but left me wanting
This was a great storyline as are just about all Robin James' Mara Brent books...(ready for the BUT!) But, the post trial happenings and story left me a bit confused and disappointed and wanting and expecting more! Just my humble opinion! Still gave it 4 Stars.
This was a great storyline as are just about all Robin James' Mara Brent books...(ready for the BUT!) But, the post trial happenings and story left me a bit confused and disappointed and wanting and expecting more! Just my humble opinion! Still gave it 4 Stars.
January 6, 2025
I started this series after reading the Cass Leary series by the same author. Whereas Cass was a defender, Mara is a prosecutor and the flip side of the coin was a great way to differentiate between the two series. I loved Mara as a character and she was so strong, both professionally and personally, and boy did she need it. Another great series. I'm hoping this one is as long as Cass's.
May 31, 2025
The 4th book in this series about prosecutor Mara Brent, this one was better because it was a bit more complicated and produced even more "I didn't see that one coming" type of surprises! A big bonus is that the books in this series are free on Kindle Unlimited, so I've already downloaded the next book!
July 9, 2025
I really like these books….fast reads with really good characters and some really bad ones too. Robin James writes well. She creates believable scenarios that suck the reader in. Realistic in that trauma does damage to people, the victims, that they can never recover from. Since she is a lawyer herself, she knows about “the burden of proof”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2025
Gruesome possibilities; barely fiction perhaps
How does a town prosecute a suspect when everybody knows one another? How does a prosecutor juggle excellent work with loving parenting? No shortage of sexual harassment and gossip in this story. How does law enforcement nail down evidence and facts only? Interesting.
How does a town prosecute a suspect when everybody knows one another? How does a prosecutor juggle excellent work with loving parenting? No shortage of sexual harassment and gossip in this story. How does law enforcement nail down evidence and facts only? Interesting.
September 13, 2021
Excellent Book
This was very good book, well written as always. As with all of Robin's book I had a hard time putting it down. Can't wait for the next book in the series to come out. I have read all of this series as well as the Cass Leary series. Keep them coming
This was very good book, well written as always. As with all of Robin's book I had a hard time putting it down. Can't wait for the next book in the series to come out. I have read all of this series as well as the Cass Leary series. Keep them coming
October 26, 2021
A real thrilling story.
The author has written a very intriguing and suspenseful story of suspense and deception that leads to a conclusion that is truly a surprise. A story with many twist and suspense that keep you entertained.
The author has written a very intriguing and suspenseful story of suspense and deception that leads to a conclusion that is truly a surprise. A story with many twist and suspense that keep you entertained.
June 29, 2022
Keep focused no matter what you experience
Family is always first. You right with your career to make this happen. Then the one you don't suspect stand you in the heart. Not you son!!
Family is always first. You right with your career to make this happen. Then the one you don't suspect stand you in the heart. Not you son!!
February 5, 2023
Do thankful I stumbled across Robin James
Robin is a great story teller. Each book is full of twists and turns. I find it hard to put the book down. Looking forward to reading the next book.
Robin is a great story teller. Each book is full of twists and turns. I find it hard to put the book down. Looking forward to reading the next book.
August 5, 2023
these books are about justice, something missing these days
Really good telling of the us justice system. That and the effects crime has on its victims. Told really well by someone with huge experience.
Really good telling of the us justice system. That and the effects crime has on its victims. Told really well by someone with huge experience.
November 27, 2023
a good read
Good courtroom drana. But I will not ne reading the rest of the series as Kat, her ex-husband’s sister is in lesbian relationship and that is wiven into the future books.
Good courtroom drana. But I will not ne reading the rest of the series as Kat, her ex-husband’s sister is in lesbian relationship and that is wiven into the future books.
January 21, 2025
Awesome writing!
When you hate what a killer does but the author tells such an intense story, do you still say it's a great read? Because this book is, action packed right to the end!
When you hate what a killer does but the author tells such an intense story, do you still say it's a great read? Because this book is, action packed right to the end!
September 1, 2021
The book
The story was well written, and I enjoyed the way it all played out. The whole thing was plausible, and there were no gaping plot holes
The story was well written, and I enjoyed the way it all played out. The whole thing was plausible, and there were no gaping plot holes
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews