BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT

5 stars out of 5

Last year, I read the author's Her Deadly Game, which featured attorney and grown-up chess prodigy Keera Duggan. At the time, I hoped she was destined for a series but wasn't sure - and by golly, here she is again. This second installment is better than the first.

Living in the shadow of her hot-shot attorney father, Patsy, Keera has a place in his Seattle law firm along with a couple of sisters. Three year ago, her father successfully defended health-care entrepreneur Jenna Bernstein when she was charged with the murder of a potential whistle-blower. Now, Jenna's former company partner and lover has been murdered as well, and the evidence points to Jenna as the killer (if you haven't already guessed, the resemblance to a similar real-life incident that topped the national news in the United States is inescapable). Because of the earlier success, Jenna and her parents again turn to Patsy's firm to defend her.

Patsy, though, is fighting his own battles with the bottle and not actively participating in the firm's business. That leaves the defense job to Keera, but there's a hitch: Keera is well acquainted with Jenna from childhood, and let's just say Jenna is far, far from an upstanding, honest and trustworthy individual (the term sociopath is a more appropriate description). If Keera takes the case, she knows she cannot trust anything that Jenna says or does.

The story follows the investigation and trial as well as plenty of backstories about Keera, Jenna and Patsy - those who love courtroom action (like me) should be happy. It's a treat to read from start to finish, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, October 2024); 365 pp.