Book Review: THE FORSAKEN, by Ace Atkins

Ace Atkins
THE FORSAKEN (Quinn Colson #4)
G.P. Putnam's Sons, July 2015
416 pages
Crime / Suspense / Thriller

I thing the latest installment in the Quinn Colson saga, THE FORSAKEN, was by far the most gripping, and emotional.

After a brutal shoot out that left the sheriff of a border county dead, both Sheriff Quinn Colson, and his Deputy Lillie, are in hot water. The DA is talking about a Grand Jury, and a possible indictment, confident the shooting was less than justified.

Additionally, Diana Tully has come forward, and needs Colson's help. Nearly thirty years ago she was raped, shot, left for dead . . . and her friend was murdered. The murderer was never officially caught.

Officially.

The town rallied against the violent crime. They had a baseline description of the suspect. Male, black. Seemed like all they needed. The town covered up the hanging, and burning of a body, but assured the families justice had been served. The problem is, after the town murdered the man they though responsible for the henious crimes, Diana saw the rapist/murderer again.

Could the town have lynched the wrong man?

Colson's digging for truth unearths unwanted answers about his own past. He learns far more about his father than perhaps he ever wanted, or was ever ready to know.

A tight, compelling read. THE FORSAKEN was about as intense as a book can be. I couldn't find out what happens next fast enough. If you enjoy Lee Child's Jack Reacher books, or Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire tales . . . You. Will. Love. Ace Atkins!

Phillip Tomasso,
Author of the Severed Empire Saga,
and The Vaccination Trilogy

Book Review: A CASE OF REDEMPTION, by Adam Mitzner

Adam Mitzner
A CASE OF REDEMPTION
Gallery Books, 2013
336 pages
Legal Thriller

When I finished reading Adam Mitzner's A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, I thought I'd never read a better, more well-written legal thriller by the author. Figured he'd peaked with his debut. And then I read A CASE OF REDEMPTION, and I am not sad to say --not sad at all-- I was wrong. If you are me, and love courtroom dramas, legal thrillers that hinge on the law, and lawyers, and judges, and conspiracies, and witnesses, and juries . . . Give Adam Mitzner a shot!

In A CASE OF REDEMPTION we meet Dan Sorensen. He was once a pretty high-powered attorney, well-positioned in a infamous law firm. A rising star. When tragedy strikes, Sorensen's life is shattered. The millions of shards are nearly impossible to fit back together. Unable to adapt, move forward, Sorensen leaves the firm, quits practicing law, and instead decides wallowing in his pain and loss is the best bet.

That is until everything changes. Nina is a girl he met at a party. Although he was intoxicated, he can't recall most of the encounter. Apparently he'd promised to hear her out on a legal matter. She's a third year associate at a small firm --a firm she'd just walked out on. She has a case. An up-and-coming rap star is behind bars. He has been charged with murdering a famous pop singer.

The prosecution has no evidence linking the rapper to the crime, other than the two had been romantically involved.

Meeting with his new client, Sorensen realizes two very important things. The rapper, Legally Dead, is innocent, and that maybe, just maybe Nina is the one responsible for saving his life before he hit rock-bottom.

The two, Sorensen and Nina, work day and night on the case, determined to get to the heart of the matter. Unfortunately, the more they seek out the truth, the more lies they uncover. Time is running out. The trial begins soon, and they have little by way evidence to prove Legally Dead did not kill the world-loved popstar!

I hate, hate comparing one author to another. I did it when I reviewed Mitzner's A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, because it was his debut. I said it was as good as when Grisham and Turrow released their first novels (A TIME TO KILL, and PRESUMED INNOCENT). And I stand by that. This time, though, I want to point out that Mitzner is clearly his own writer. A talented storyteller, Mitzner creates characters that readers will care about. More than once I was brought to tears. A CASE OF REDEMPTION is one of those tug-at-the-heartstrings stories. It got to me.

I love the courtroom stuff. The Objections, both sustained and overruled. Discovery is intense. What will they find? What's been left out? Who is hiding what? Mitzner makes me feel as if I am a paralegal working the case beside Sorensen and Nina the entire time! It's like watching a movie. Loved it!

Phillip Tomasso
Author of the Severed Empire Series,
and The Vaccination Trilogy