Scott Pratt (1957-2018) was a journalist and lawyer
who moved to writing legal thrillers and mysteries. He has two series, one with
Billy Beckett, a sports agent. Readers who miss Myron Bolitar would likely
enjoy these books. The other features Joe Dillard, a lawyer in east Tennessee,
whose adventures are based on some of Pratt’s experiences as a practicing
attorney.
The first Joe Dillard book is An Innocent Client
(Onyx Books, 2008). Set in Jonesborough, Tennessee, criminal defense lawyer Joe
Dillard is celebrating his 40th birthday by seeing Johnny Wayne
Neal, one of his clients, sentenced to life without parole. Dillard considers
the man more than fortunate to escape the death penalty. He paid two other
despicable men to brutally murder his wife in front of his 3-year-old son in
order to cash in on several life insurance policies. Neal is quite justifiably despised
by everyone in the criminal justice system, and Dillard comes in for some that
hate by extension. Dillard is burned out on the practice of law and the kind of
low-lifes he represents. He plans to change careers in a year as soon as his
children are out of school. In the meantime he wants one client that he knows
is innocent, just one.
Dillard gets his chance much quicker than he
expected. As he leaves the courthouse, finally shed of Neal, he hears about a
body in the local Budget Inn. The victim told the motel staff he was an
evangelist attending a local revival. The initial outrage over the murder of a
preacher rapidly fades when it’s learned he was at a local strip joint the
night he died, where he spent the money he’d collected from the church
congregation just a few hours previously. His harassment of the staff at the
club was blatant; after multiple interviews of witnesses and collection of some
circumstantial evidence, the waitress he’d pestered was arrested for the
murder.
The owner of the club retains Dillard to defend the
girl, who is so young and naïve Dillard doesn’t see how she could have
committed such a violent act. He goes all out to obtain a verdict of not guilty
while he copes with his failing mother and his drug-addled sister fresh out of
prison.
Great characters, original plot, realistic dialogue.
Recommended.
Publisher's Weekly Starred Review, Mystery Readers International
finalist for "Best Debut Mystery," and Macavity Award Nominee for Best First Mystery Novel.
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File Size: 463 KB
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Print Length: 395 pages
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Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
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Publisher: Phoenix Flying LLC (December
13, 2013)
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Publication Date: December 13, 2013
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Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
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Language: English
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ASIN: B009WQ9YMS
Aubrey Hamilton ©2020
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It
projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
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