Review: Judgment Calls

I got in some trouble when I referred to this debut novel a ‘A Legal Thriller', a category that its writer disputes, preferring the term ‘Crime-Thriller' (despite her own legal background). Semantics aside, this is a cracking thriller from the daughter ofthe legendary James Lee-Burke. I have to put my hat down to Orion in being the first publishing house to pick Ms. Burke and thrusting her into their ‘New Blood' list.

The story features Samantha Kincaid, deputy district attorney in Oregon's Multnomah County who gets a tricky case, the brutal rape of a 13 year old prostitute and heroin abuser, Kendra Martin who is left for dead by the two assailants. She identifies one of her attackers as Frank Derringer from the mugshots of known sex -offenders. What Samantha hadn't counted on was the tricky lawyer assigned to defend Derringer - Lisa Lopez. What originally appears as a straightforward case, soon becomes tangled up with a previous case (involving a man on death row), a prostitution ring of teenage girls, and the possible link to a serial killer, and who is the second assailant? Samantha's private life also complicates matters as Chick Forbes (a former highschool boy friend) is working the Police Investigation in his capacity as a detective on the major crimes unit. So Kincaid needs to make a judgement call - in both her private and her public life.

The story moves quickly, if occasionally getting trapped in legal-ese talk, it does wrap up the plot threads nicely. A warning - if you are looking for work in a similar style to her famous father, you'll be disappointed as Alafair Burke's style is very much her own.

The book reeks of authenticity and it is no surprise that Alafair Burke was a former district attorney in Portland and now teaches criminal law in New York, and by the page-turning quality of this book; I look forward to her follow-up ‘Missing Justice' which marks the welcome return of Samantha Kincaid. And no, it is not a legal-thriller because the courtroom plays second-fiddle to the action on the streets.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ali Karim - RAM

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.

Book Review: Judgment Calls

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.