This is the
first legal thriller I’ve read by Freya Atwood, and I found her style
captivating. The story revolves around a deranged killer, a determined lawyer
fighting to save her client from prison, and a key witness who lives off the
grid. 

Meet Sam
Spencer, a lawyer who has recently inherited her father’s law firm after his
passing. Longing to return to her early days of tackling criminal cases, Sam
comes across an intriguing newspaper article titled Reluctant Murderer.
It details the Golden Lake killer case, where Angie Rose, a 25-year-old woman,
was discovered dead on the lake’s shore. Though her left wrist was cut open,
her actual cause of death was a broken neck. 

The prime
suspect, Mark Mason, has a violent past and is alleged to have confessed.
However, his brother Brett insists that someone else committed the crime.
Brett’s certainty comes from a witness, Eve Bryant, who places another
individual at the scene. But Eve is threatened with a chilling note, warning
her to leave town and avoid testifying to protect her family. When she fails to
appear in court, Sam tracks her down at her parents’ home and convinces her to
testify, offering her safety in return. After Eve’s testimony, Sam receives an
ominous letter containing a list of locations and a warning to keep her phone
on—because another murder is imminent. 

Overall, this
was a fast-paced and engaging read. I appreciated the legal intricacies woven
into the storyline, as well as the realistic characters and dialogue. Although
the book ends on a cliffhanger, setting the stage for part two in the series,
I’m completely hooked and eager to uncover the killer’s identity. Sam’s
relentless pursuit of justice and her dedication to her client’s defense were
especially compelling. A strong start to the series—two thumbs up!

Rating: 4 stars

Some of my favorite lines:

Other people would sit and wait for results, but I prefer heading
out and making things happen. The waiting would kill me. I need to be a part of
the action.

That’s why I’m meeting Josh at the gas station not far from the
cabin, so that we could go check it out together.

     “You would’ve made a good cop,” Josh says as we search the cabin.

     “Me? What makes you say that?” I ask.

     “You have a good eye for leads or places that can hold leads,” he
replies.

I shake my head. “I hate guns and combat. So, no thank you. What
do you see?”

     “She made a dash for it all right. Seems like it might have been
sudden, although it doesn’t look like she was taken. She went out on her own.
The question is, what triggered her exit?” Josh poses.

Originally Published on https://vocalexpressions.blogspot.com

Deliah Lawrence Attorney, Author, Blogger, Workshop Facilitator

Deliah Lawrence is a Maryland-based attorney and award-winning author of two romantic suspense novels (Gotta Let It Go and Gotta Get It Back) set in Baltimore. She’s also a blogger and workshop facilitator who writes poetry and short stories.

When Deliah isn’t writing, you can find her reading a book, indulging in her addiction to investigation discovery shows; or painting her yet-to-be exhibited oil artworks of landscapes, portraits or whatever else comes to her creative mind. Constantly on the go, she is also a member of the Black Writers’ Guild of Maryland and Sisters in Crime.