More Legal Thrillers & Courtroom Dramas

When the Devil Whistles, by Rick Acker. Abingdon, 2010.
Professional whistleblower Allie Whitman and her lawyer, Connor Norman have worked on numerous cases recovering millions from corrupt companies. But on her latest case, the corporation discovers she's a plant and threatens to expose her unless she takes down their competition by any means, even if she has to plant false evidence.

Circle of Lies, by Douglas Alan. Forge, 2010.
Ex-cop and defense attorney John Delaney takes on more than he bargains for when he agrees to represent a childhood friend accused of murdering his law partner.

The Mourning Sexton, by Michael Baron. Doubleday, 2005.
David Hirsch was managing partner of a prestigious St. Louis law firm until he was convicted of embezzlement and sent to federal prison. Now he is struggling to revive his career and takes on a product liability case for an elderly man at his synagogue. What he learns is that the man's daughter did not die not as the result of tire or airbag defects, but from something far more sinister.

Unnatural Causes, by Janet Bettle. T. Dunne, 2000.
London solicitor Geri Lander consistently irritates her partners with her willingness to take on seemingly hopeless causes such as that of widow Joanna Pascoe, who is determined to discover the truth behind her husband's death from food poisoning. Geri finds the authorities curiously unwilling to help, and when more people are die, she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy.

In the Forest of Harm, by Sallie Bissell. Bantam, 2001.
Half-Cherokee Mary Crow is one of Atlanta's hottest young Assistant ADAs. When she joins law school buddies Alexandra and Joan for a weekend of hiking and camping in Nantahala National Forest, they are stalked by a crazed mountain man as well as the brother of a murderer Mary put away, bent on revenge. Followed by: A Darker Justice (2002), Call the Devil by his Oldest Name (2004), and Legacy of Masks (2005).

Judgment Calls, by Alafair Burke. Holt, 2003.
Deputy DA Samantha Kinkaid's seemingly open-and-shut case involving a brutal attack upon a young teen proves to be far more complicated and sinister. Followed by: Missing Justice (2004) and Close Case (2005).

Indefensible, by Pamela Callow. Mira, 2011.
When her boss, high-profile lawyer Randall Barrett, is accused of murdering his wife, Kate Lange, who has limited criminal law experience, takes on the seemingly impossible task of defending a man who everyone - including his family - believes is guilty.

Dread Champion, by Brandilyn Collins. Zondervan, 2002.
Psychic juror Chelsea Adams begins to believe that that Darren Walk did not kill his wife as claimed.

Absolute Certainty, by Rose Connors. Scribner, 2002.
Barnstable County Ass't DA Martha Nickerson's case against a man who allegedly killed a college student is so strong that even the man's dedicated Public Defender, Harry Madigan, is not surprised when he is convicted. But when Martha comes to believe that there has been a miscarriage of justice, she is prevented from reopening the case. Followed by Temporary Sanity (2003), Maximum Security (2004), False Testimony (2005).

The Best Defense, by Ellis Cose. HarperCollins, 1998.
When a savvy black attorney defends a white man accused of murdering an Hispanic co-worker, it threatens to make her a pariah in the black community.

The Trials of Nikki Hill, by Christopher Darden & Dick Lochte. Warner, 1999.
An ambitious prosecutor is handed a high-profile, supposedly air-tight case against a black man accused of murdering a TV personality. Followed by: L. A. Justice (2002).

The Last Defense, by Christopher Darden & Dick Lochte. NAL, 2002.
Having won an acquittal for an obviously guilty drug dealer by discrediting the testimony of a cop with a reputation of being a racist, hot-shot criminal defense attorney, Mercer Early, is subsequently forced to defend the cop when the freed suspect is murdered. Followed by: Lawless (2004).

The Trials of Zion, by Alan M. Dershowitz. Grand Central, 2010.
Emma Ringel, a young Jewish-American lawyer joins the defense team of an accused Palestinian terrorist who may be innocent, but who wants to be convicted and die a martyr. When Emma is kidnapped by her client's brother, who is prepared to kill her unless her father, a celebrated attorney successfully defends the accused man in an Israeli court. By the same author: The Advocate's Devil (1994); Just Revenge (1999).

Uncommon Justice, by Terry Devane. GPPS, 2001.
Finding that she is not cut out the corporate sector, no matter how well it pays, Mairead O'Clare hooks up with Sheldon Gold, who runs a one-man operation. Her first case is a doozy: defend a homeless man arrested for clubbing another bum to death. Guided by Gold and assisted by a former Boston cop turned p.i., Mairead learns the ropes and finds a true outlet for her quest for truth and justice. Followed by: Juror Number Eleven (2002) and A Stain Upon the Robe (2003).

The Hidden Man, by David Ellis. GPPS, 2009.
Hired by an anonymous client to defend a man charged with the vigilante murder of an alleged child molester, attorney Jason Kolarich is astonished to learn that the suspect is his estranged childhood best friend.

Brigham's Day, by John Gates. Walker, 2000.
While assisting in the defense of a young man accused of murder in Kanab, Utah, Brigham Bybee, an attorney with a troubled past, comes to realize that both he and his client are being set up. Followed by: Sister Wife (2001).

The Color of Law, by Mark Gimenez. Doubleday, 2005.
Young legal eagle A. Scott Fenney rakes in the big bucks as a corporate lawyer, but he gets more than he bargained for when he is appointed by a prominent judge to defend heroin-addicted prostitute Shawanda Jones, accused of murdering the wastrel son of a Texas senator with his eye on the White House.

Motion to Kill, by Joel Goldman. Pinnacle, 2002.
Shortly after joining a prestigious Kansas City law firm, Lou Mason learns that the firm is under investigation by the Feds. When a senior partner is murdered, he becomes a suspect until his own life is threatened. Followed by: The Last Witness (2003), Cold Truth (2004), & Deadlocked (2005).

False Convictions, by Tim Green. Grand Central, 2010.
Superstar lawyer Casey Jordan is offered an astronomical sum to take on Dwayne Hubbard's 20-year-old murder conviction and finds herself facing an ongoing cover-up involving legal, medical, and law-enforcement organizations. Sequel to: Above the Law (2009).

A Just Determination, by John G. Hemry. Berkley, 2003.
A sort of JAG-meets-Star Trek tale. Ensign Paul Sinclair defends the captain of a military spacecraft who ordered the destruction of a civilian research vessel be believed was about to attack. Followed by: Burden of Proof (2004), Rule of Evidence (2005) & Against All Enemies (2006).

Plea of Insanity, by Jilliane Hoffman. Vanguard, 2009.
Young and ambitious prosecutor Julia Valencianot gets the case of a successful Miami surgeon who has slaughtered his entire family.

Man Out of Time, by Michael Hogan. Delta, 2003.
A young lawyer is shocked to learn that the renowned law firm with which he has been hired conducts business in a manner that is cut-throat to say the least.

Among Thieves, by David Hosp. Grand Central, 2010.
When members of the Boston's criminal underground begin to turn up dead, attorney Scott Finn, who was once associated with that very underground, becomes involved in trying to solve the 20-year-old mystery surrounding the large-scale art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Sequel to Innocence (2007).

Marine One, by John W. Huston. St. Martin's, 2009.
After the president is killed when his helicopter crashes on its way to a mysterious meeting in Camp David during a thunderstorm, Marine Corps reserve pilot and trial attorney Mike Nolan is hired by the manufacturer to investigate whether the cause of the crash was mechanical or diabolical. Followed by: Falcon Seven (2010).

Presumption of Guilt, by Lelia Kelly. Pinnacle, 1998.
After successfully defending a corporate client's son against a highly publicized rape case, Laura Chastain agrees to take on another high-profile case of a police officer accused of killing a suspected child molester while in custody. Followed by: False Witness (2000) and Officer of the Court (2001).

Shadow of Doubt, by Jonnie Jacobs. Kensington, 1996.
Kalie O'Brien re-opens a case thought closed when the brutal murder of a friend chillingly resembles the MO of the "Bayside Strangler"--a man already executed for the previous crimes. Followed by: Evidence of Guilt (1997), Motion to Dismiss (1999), Witness for the Defense (2001), Cold Justice (2002), Intent to Harm (2003), The Next Victim (2007).

Good Counsel, by Tim Junkin. Algonquin, 2001.
Having begun his career as a champion of the indigent, lawyer Jack Stanton trades both his integrity and his idealism for the big bucks medical malpractice brings him. After he lies under oath his career is left in shambles, until a young woman's plight leads him to act one more time on behalf of an underdog and perhaps redeem his honor.

Final Justice, by Nancy Kopp. Onyx, 2002.
Ann Monroe is targeted by a hate group when she takes the case of a student assaulted for his beliefs. By the same author: Absent Witness (1998); Blind Trust (2003).

The Diamond Conspiracy, by Nicholas M. Kublicki. Sourcebooks, 2002.
Working on a small anti-trust case in Arkansas, Justice Department attorney Patrick Carlton uncovers a conspiracy of global proportions.

Blindside, by Jim R. Lane. Bridge Works, 2002.
A brief affair from the past comes back to haunt retired naval intelligence officer, Neal Olsen, when the woman publishes a "novel" detailing the affair and suggesting that he disclosed military secrets.

Law of Attraction, by Allison Leotta. S&S, 2010.
Assistant U.S. attorney Anna Curtis is dismayed when the battered girlfriend of ex-con D'marco Davis recants her testimony in court. The woman is later murdered and D'Marco is charged once again, presenting Anna with an interesting dilemma: two men--her former Harvard Law classmate who is defending the case & a Washington, DC homicide detective vying for her affections.

Black Water Rising, by Attica Locke. HarCol, 2009.
Having escaped his troubled past, African-American lawyer Jay Porter saves a white women from drowning and is propelled into a murder investigation that could cost him his practice, his family, and even his life.

Conflict of Interest, by Terry Lewis. Pineapple, 2003.
Tallahassee criminal attorney Ted Stevens copes not only with his personal problems but with his appointment as defender of a man accused of murdering his lover...with whom Stevens also had an affair. Followed by: Privileged Information (2003).

Most Wanted, by Michelle Martinez. Morrow, 2005.
Melanie Vargas is a hardworking, rising NYC federal prosecutor who takes on a high-profile case involving the brutal murder of a former prosecutor, while dealing with the discovery of her husband's infidelity. Followed by: Finishing School (2006), Cover-Up (2007) & Notorious (2008).

Deeper Waters, by Mary Morgan. T. Dunne, 2002.
Still grieving over the death of his wife, Noah Richards seeks solace on a small island community near Seattle only to find himself involved in the murder of a Native American activist. By the same author: Willful Neglect (1997).

Blind Man's Alley, by Justin Peacock. Doubleday, 2010.
Defending a real estate developer from lawsuits stemming from an on-site accident, lawyer Duncan Riley finds the task complicated by both his client's enamored daughter and suspected Mafia ties. By the same author: A Cure for Night (2008).

Plain Truth, by Jodi Picoult. Pocket, 2000.
Ellie Hathaway, a high-profile Philadelphia lawyer, visits Amish country in the hopes of finding some meaning to her life. There she becomes involved in the defense of an unmarried Amish girl charged with the murder of her baby. By the same author: Nineteen Minutes (2007).

The Secret Hour, by Luanne Rice. Bantam, 2003.
Widowed attorney John O'Rourke sees his second chance at happiness threatened when he agrees to defend an accused serial killer in a high-profile case.

In the Shadow of the Law, by Kermit Roosevelt. FSG, 2005.
The attorneys of Morgan Siler, one of Washington, D.C.'s most powerful K Street law firms, are assigned to two controversial cases, a pro bono death penalty case in Virginia and a class action lawsuit against a Texas chemical plant following an on-site explosion that killed dozens of workers.

Old City Hall, by Robert Rotenberg. FSG, 2009.
Even though a leading Canadian radio show host has confessed to his wife's murder, his defense attorney struggles to make sense of clues in this "open and shut" case that do not add up.

The Blue Orchard, by Jackson Taylor. S&S, 2010.
Poor Irish immigrant Vera Krone beats the odds and becomes a nurse only to be arrested for assisting a black doctor perform illegal abortions. Based on a true story.

The Tenth Case, by Joseph Teller. Mira, 2008.
Manhattan criminal defense attorney Harrison J. Walker (aka "Jaywalker") gets himself suspended for three years for conduct unbecoming an officer of the court, but is allowed to complete 10 of his current cases. Forced to choose among his clients, Jaywalker retains a case that tests his abilities—and his acquittal record. Followed by: Depraved Indifference (2009) & Overkill (2010).

Exit Strategies, by Catherine Todd. Morrow, 2002.
Recent law school graduate Becky Pratt is dismayed to learn her new job at a health corporation is run by by her old enemy from college.

The Trial, by Robert Whitlow. Word, 2001.
A despondent lawyer on the verge of suicide reluctantly agrees to defend the accused killer of the heiress of the most powerful man in town, a man he has come up against before with devastating results. By the same author: The Sacrifice (2002); Mountain Top (2006).

Created and maintained by Lynne M. Kennedy.

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