J. F. Freedman

I can't remember how this got on my ToBeReadNext pile, but wow. I don't remember ever reading anything by this guy but that will change. This is a far better than average legal thriller. It's a big fat book and the story takes some major, fascinating twists and turns. Will Alexander is a lawyer at the end of his rope - drink and sex are ruining him. His partners kick him out of the firm. His only case is defending four mean, nasty bikers in a murder case. They say they are innocent and they show more looks like they were born guilty. But, this story isn't at all straight forward. It's a great ride. Off now to find out what else Freedman has done! show less

I loved this book from the first page. J. F Freedman writes with a clean, straightforward style that grabbed my attention and didn't let go. Though the book is much more than a legal drama, the interaction in the courtroom was believable and realistic. However, it's the characters and their relationships that made this book special. When Luke Garrison decides to return to Santa Barbara, his old stomping ground, he has no idea what in store for him. Still, he'd rather lay his life on the line show more to defend a man wrongly accused of murdering a fourteen-year-old girl than walk away in defeat. While he grapples with the trial of the century, he also faces and conquers demons of his own. Though the plot is was not that hard to predict, there are many surprises along the way. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. show less

Not bad at all. Haven't read a thriller in a long time, but now remember why they are called page turners.

A young black man, after a failed attempt at armed robbery is now being tried for a series of murders. The best evidence the prosecution has is a prison snitch. The public defender assigned is a highly successful corporate lawyer who wanted to try his hand at criminal defense doing pro bono work.

Even though you, the reader, know the truth behind the confession, it is so frustrating show more waiting for everything to come to light. Or will it even come to light? An entertaining read. show less

The daughter of a well known TV station owner is taken from her bedroom in the middle of the night while she has two other girls with her for a sleep-over. One of the girls awakens as Emma is being carried out of the bedroom, but it isn't until the next morning that everyone realizes that Emma has disappeared. A local search does not reveal Emma's whereabouts, and it isn't until days later that her body is found, dumped by a mountain stream. An arrest is eventually made, and Luke Garrison, a show more once very well known and respected prosecutor agrees to defend the man charged with killing Emma. After Garrison successfully prosecutes and secures a conviction in a former case that leads to the execution of an innocent man, Garrison stepped down as prosecutor and left town to live in obscurity trying to deal with his guilt over the faulty verdict. He is drawn back into the defense of a man who is a friend of Emma's family but swears he did not kill her. The accused is the anchor for the TV network owned by Emma's father.

This is a tightly crafted novel of suspense that starts off quickly and never let's up until the surprising finish. I have found all the books I've read by Freedman over the years to be written with this same level of tension, excellent character development, and twists and turns I didn't see coming. The character of Luke Garrison is especially well done; he is a man tortured by his having sent an innocent man to be executed and desperately wanting to right that wrong, if he can, with this involved, complicated, and murky defense. I did not know until the very end when it was revealed who did murder Emma, and I was very well entertained on the path to finding out who did it. I highly recommend J F Freedman's books to anyone.who enjoys reading well written plots with characters that are interesting, complicated, clever, and realistically drawn. show less