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Travis Knight #1
Defending Evil
Have you ever wondered how a trial lawyer can sleep at night after helping a client he/she knows is guilty, beat the legal system? I have. Have you ever wondered how an attorney would feel if that same recently acquitted client kills a second time? Again, I have, and these very questions prompted me to write a dark mystery/thriller about just such an attorney…I call it DEDENDING EVIL.
Travis Knight is an extraordinary Criminal Defense Attorney winning high profile cases in Atlanta. One of his recently acquitted clients kills again, which has Travis and his wife Julie, questioning what he does for a living. Travis is shaken to his core, but being a consummate lawyer, he is able to move past his feelings of guilt; Julie isn’t.
In a bizarre twist, a mysterious vigilante begins executing Travis’ clients after he wins them an acquittal. This righteous vigilante decides that the clients Travis is helping to put back into society are guilty, and don't deserve to live--the vigilante delivers ultimate justice.
The police only half-heartedly search for the vigilante-off the record, they are glad someone is cleaning-up after the hot-shot attorney.
The vigilante's attention turns to the source, and sends Travis an ultimatum--stop defending guilty clients or he will be the next to be executed. Risking his life, and his marriage, Travis refuses to be intimidated, and continues to defend clients accused of murder.
This story chronicles the labyrinth of high-speed twists and turns of a deadly cat-and-mouse game…a game that can end with only one winner.
Buckle-up and enjoy the ride!
Best Regards,
Charles Shea - Author of DEFENDING EVIL
Travis Knight is an extraordinary Criminal Defense Attorney winning high profile cases in Atlanta. One of his recently acquitted clients kills again, which has Travis and his wife Julie, questioning what he does for a living. Travis is shaken to his core, but being a consummate lawyer, he is able to move past his feelings of guilt; Julie isn’t.
In a bizarre twist, a mysterious vigilante begins executing Travis’ clients after he wins them an acquittal. This righteous vigilante decides that the clients Travis is helping to put back into society are guilty, and don't deserve to live--the vigilante delivers ultimate justice.
The police only half-heartedly search for the vigilante-off the record, they are glad someone is cleaning-up after the hot-shot attorney.
The vigilante's attention turns to the source, and sends Travis an ultimatum--stop defending guilty clients or he will be the next to be executed. Risking his life, and his marriage, Travis refuses to be intimidated, and continues to defend clients accused of murder.
This story chronicles the labyrinth of high-speed twists and turns of a deadly cat-and-mouse game…a game that can end with only one winner.
Buckle-up and enjoy the ride!
Best Regards,
Charles Shea - Author of DEFENDING EVIL
- GenresMystery
Nook
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 21, 2011
Initial impressions
Out of all the indie books I'd seen on Amazon recently, this one stuck out to me the most. Working in law, Im a sucker for a good lawyer/crime fiction book and I decided to get this as it sounded a little different to the usual stuff out there. A lawyers clients being killed off as soon as acquitted, vigilante justice? Great stuff!
The book pulled me in straight away, it was written fairly well and the story initially was fresh, original and enjoyable to read...however various repetitions of the trial process (which took place and were explained in great details about 3 x) became boring and some of the scenes like near the end where the twist comes out became downright unbelievable and just plain silly.
Plot + Characterisation
Plot- Lawyer Travis knight is a hit with freeing murder suspects from court, and somebody out there doesn't appear to like this very much. All of the people that Travis helps set free, have admitted guilt. Several days after being freed, these people are then killed by a supposed vigilante seeking a very different form of justice. Who or what is committing these atrocities and how will the book resolve?
The plot was good, it was somewhat different from most typical crime/thrillers out there but it did seem to become rather repetitive and boring in the end although still good overall, it made the book what could have been a potentially 4 star book, a 3 star.
Characters- Travis, the protaganist of the book is hard to describe aside from to say that although for the most part he comes across as a likeable character, his need to free people he knows are guilty into society definitely raises some questions as to his moral substance and therefore perhaps not a likeable character at all. None of the other characters are worth passing mention on because they appear so briefly aside from Travis's wife Julie who is an extremely annoying character who appears to just whine, whinge and slam doors throughout the majority of the book. Although you sympathise and understand why she can't understand Travis's actions, she still comes across very juvenile and annoying.
Writing
The writing wasn't literary brilliance, in fact some of it was extremely juvenile but overall it turned the pages so it can't have been too bad at all.
Overall
Good book but too long and too repetitive, could have been better if shortened, I loved the twist in the book though I thought it was fantastic and may consider reading more of this indie authors work in the future.
Out of all the indie books I'd seen on Amazon recently, this one stuck out to me the most. Working in law, Im a sucker for a good lawyer/crime fiction book and I decided to get this as it sounded a little different to the usual stuff out there. A lawyers clients being killed off as soon as acquitted, vigilante justice? Great stuff!
The book pulled me in straight away, it was written fairly well and the story initially was fresh, original and enjoyable to read...however various repetitions of the trial process (which took place and were explained in great details about 3 x) became boring and some of the scenes like near the end where the twist comes out became downright unbelievable and just plain silly.
Plot + Characterisation
Plot- Lawyer Travis knight is a hit with freeing murder suspects from court, and somebody out there doesn't appear to like this very much. All of the people that Travis helps set free, have admitted guilt. Several days after being freed, these people are then killed by a supposed vigilante seeking a very different form of justice. Who or what is committing these atrocities and how will the book resolve?
The plot was good, it was somewhat different from most typical crime/thrillers out there but it did seem to become rather repetitive and boring in the end although still good overall, it made the book what could have been a potentially 4 star book, a 3 star.
Characters- Travis, the protaganist of the book is hard to describe aside from to say that although for the most part he comes across as a likeable character, his need to free people he knows are guilty into society definitely raises some questions as to his moral substance and therefore perhaps not a likeable character at all. None of the other characters are worth passing mention on because they appear so briefly aside from Travis's wife Julie who is an extremely annoying character who appears to just whine, whinge and slam doors throughout the majority of the book. Although you sympathise and understand why she can't understand Travis's actions, she still comes across very juvenile and annoying.
Writing
The writing wasn't literary brilliance, in fact some of it was extremely juvenile but overall it turned the pages so it can't have been too bad at all.
Overall
Good book but too long and too repetitive, could have been better if shortened, I loved the twist in the book though I thought it was fantastic and may consider reading more of this indie authors work in the future.
March 18, 2018
Is it possible to give a book zero stars?
I read this book because I've had it on my Kindle forever. I have a number of these books on my Kindle that I got cheap when I first got my unit and my goal is to get through them. I wish I could say this was a free book but I did pay 79 cents for it.
The writing was horrible as were the characters. The author should have at least re-read what he had typed before publishing this. How can you misspell murderer at least a dozen times. It seemed Mr. Shea did not know the difference between murder and murderer. Lots of other misspellings and grammatical errors which were so annoying. Rehashing events near the end using a different point of view did not work. Graphic description of the characters morning routine was totally unnecessary.
This book was just terrible.
I read this book because I've had it on my Kindle forever. I have a number of these books on my Kindle that I got cheap when I first got my unit and my goal is to get through them. I wish I could say this was a free book but I did pay 79 cents for it.
The writing was horrible as were the characters. The author should have at least re-read what he had typed before publishing this. How can you misspell murderer at least a dozen times. It seemed Mr. Shea did not know the difference between murder and murderer. Lots of other misspellings and grammatical errors which were so annoying. Rehashing events near the end using a different point of view did not work. Graphic description of the characters morning routine was totally unnecessary.
This book was just terrible.
March 27, 2015
Kindle book purcahse
Overall
Overall very different. Raises a number of issues re justice and the US system. A dark book in some ways. Some extremely good twists. Overall very good. A little drawnout but a great book and twists in the plot.
Author
Have you ever wondered how a trial lawyer can sleep at night after helping a client he/she knows is guilty, beat the legal system? I have. Have you ever wondered how an attorney would feel if that same recently acquitted client kills a second time? Again, I have, and these very questions prompted me to write a dark legal/mystery/thriller about just such an attorney - I call it DEFENDING EVIL.
JM - this subject of the adversarial justice system is of immediate interest for myself personally, at this time April, 2015.
Ideally both defence and prosecution should be able to sleep at night, if both sides can present all available evidence clearly, logically, fairly and that a sensible judging body (currently a jury) weighted the evidence appropriately and impartially. In the book an innonent girl, who looks like she murdered her boyfriend, is found not guilty because of a technicality of a date on a warrant is used to discard the evidence of her supposedly unreported stolen gun found in her flat. Technicalities like this not allowed. That is an injustice.
Travis Knight knows the baseball player did, in reality, murder in cold blood his wife because she committed adultery and he knows the business tycoon murdered his partner/ boss.
He later is the one is the vigilante (calling himself archangel) who murders the third defendant who is found not guilty. First two defendants are murdered and the third defendant is murdered as well but set to look like a suicide.
Not sure how close police procedures and court practices match reality or perceived reality.
But Travis Knight's homicidal actions are interesting and he gets away with it. His wife knows about them. He gives up defending murderers. In reading the book I wanted the first two defendants to be found guilty. The third one was found innocent, when Travis thought she was a slam dunk and would be found guilty.
Travis Knight is an extraordinary Criminal Defense Attorney winning high profile cases in Atlanta. One of his recently acquitted clients kills again, which has Travis and his wife Julie, questioning what he does for a living. Travis is shaken to his core, but being a consummate lawyer, he is able to move past his feelings of guilt; Julie isn’t.
The police only half-heartedly search for the vigilante-off the record, they are glad someone is cleaning-up after the hot-shot attorney.
The vigilante's attention turns to the source, and sends Travis an ultimatum--stop defending guilty clients or he will be the next to be executed. Risking his life, and his marriage, Travis refuses to be intimidated, and continues to defend clients accused of murder. Does not way where I think the emails came from but maybe Julia as she knew about the second email and the policeman had not told her.
Additional cop in green nissan following Travis because he thought he was having an affair with his wife who worked as a legal secretary at the firm. It turned out to be his partner.
Overall
Overall very different. Raises a number of issues re justice and the US system. A dark book in some ways. Some extremely good twists. Overall very good. A little drawnout but a great book and twists in the plot.
Author
Have you ever wondered how a trial lawyer can sleep at night after helping a client he/she knows is guilty, beat the legal system? I have. Have you ever wondered how an attorney would feel if that same recently acquitted client kills a second time? Again, I have, and these very questions prompted me to write a dark legal/mystery/thriller about just such an attorney - I call it DEFENDING EVIL.
JM - this subject of the adversarial justice system is of immediate interest for myself personally, at this time April, 2015.
Ideally both defence and prosecution should be able to sleep at night, if both sides can present all available evidence clearly, logically, fairly and that a sensible judging body (currently a jury) weighted the evidence appropriately and impartially. In the book an innonent girl, who looks like she murdered her boyfriend, is found not guilty because of a technicality of a date on a warrant is used to discard the evidence of her supposedly unreported stolen gun found in her flat. Technicalities like this not allowed. That is an injustice.
Travis Knight knows the baseball player did, in reality, murder in cold blood his wife because she committed adultery and he knows the business tycoon murdered his partner/ boss.
He later is the one is the vigilante (calling himself archangel) who murders the third defendant who is found not guilty. First two defendants are murdered and the third defendant is murdered as well but set to look like a suicide.
Not sure how close police procedures and court practices match reality or perceived reality.
But Travis Knight's homicidal actions are interesting and he gets away with it. His wife knows about them. He gives up defending murderers. In reading the book I wanted the first two defendants to be found guilty. The third one was found innocent, when Travis thought she was a slam dunk and would be found guilty.
Travis Knight is an extraordinary Criminal Defense Attorney winning high profile cases in Atlanta. One of his recently acquitted clients kills again, which has Travis and his wife Julie, questioning what he does for a living. Travis is shaken to his core, but being a consummate lawyer, he is able to move past his feelings of guilt; Julie isn’t.
The police only half-heartedly search for the vigilante-off the record, they are glad someone is cleaning-up after the hot-shot attorney.
The vigilante's attention turns to the source, and sends Travis an ultimatum--stop defending guilty clients or he will be the next to be executed. Risking his life, and his marriage, Travis refuses to be intimidated, and continues to defend clients accused of murder. Does not way where I think the emails came from but maybe Julia as she knew about the second email and the policeman had not told her.
Additional cop in green nissan following Travis because he thought he was having an affair with his wife who worked as a legal secretary at the firm. It turned out to be his partner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2016
Travis is a criminal defense lawyer. Travis is good at what he does. One of his clients was found not guilty and then murdered again. His wife doesn't like what he does for a living, but Travis loves the rush he gets. Travis and his partner continue to defend criminals, but when one of them is murdered the police think a vigilante is out to get their clients and possibly the lawyers themselves.
This was just okay for me. I kind of figured where it would go but that isn't why it just okay. The story flowed well but I didn't care for the outcome. Not going to read the next one.
This was just okay for me. I kind of figured where it would go but that isn't why it just okay. The story flowed well but I didn't care for the outcome. Not going to read the next one.
February 28, 2013
Up until I read this book I had never heard of the author, but thanks to Defending Evil I shall be keeping my eye out for anything else that he has written. The narrative evolves at a steady pace, and the characters are well crafted. The court room scenes were not overly cluttered with too much legal detail. The only downside that I found was that the ending appeared to be a bit in comparison to the rest of the book. I wonder if those in the legal profession do suffer from this dilemma, and if so how do they come to terms with their conscience
August 2, 2013
This book really takes you for a ride! Despite a few grammatical errors the book reads well. The ending left me in shock, the characters are believable, like people you know, but you may not want to. I have not yet read his other books but they are definitely on my to do list. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys crime or law fiction.
August 26, 2015
I was hungry for a crime novel and I did well in selecting Charles Shea. This story was quite unusual the protagonist/antagonist which is he? I guess it is all in how you see life. It was weird to me because I liked him from the beginning and I did not end up with any harsh feelings towards him in spite of what I learned of him in the end. That is a sign of really great writing to me.
August 15, 2014
Great beginning terrific plot but became repetitive and slightly boring and the twist was sign posted in neon lights about half way through. Great potential though and I would keep reading this author but needs to keep up the excellent opening momentum
May 17, 2011
A legal thriller. The story was good but the telling of it was mediocre.
April 11, 2015
I don't often give books all
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews