The Victim - Explosive Legal Thriller Presented by Eric Matheny

 She sipped her latte and fell into her chair. She waggled her mouse and her laptop screen came to life. She opened iTunes on her toolbar at the bottom of the screen and clicked on a previously saved playlist at random--Crazy on You" by Heart. Nancy Wilson's frantic acoustic lead-in poured out of the computer speakers.

She logged onto Facebook and searched for her page. Funny how small the world had become. They had four friends in common.
Curls of steam rose from her mug. She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, furtively chewing her lip as she explored the familiar page.
There were no privacy settings on the page so she was able to access the photo albums without restriction.
Charlotte is growing so quickly; what is she? Nine months already? That smile, my God, she looks just like her father. Typical mom. Any and all pictures taken during the last nine months were of the kid. A couple hundred at least. Images of the preceding nine months boasted an array of growing belly shots. It seemed that was the trend on Facebook these days. But it made sense. The generation that had popularized social media was growing up. Drunken twenty-something snapshots that paid homage to being young and free of responsibility gave way to wedding and baby photos.
Charlotte. What a cutie. A serious baby, she had her father's pensive stare, his green eyes that could emit a laser's focus.
She had the soft features of her mother, full cheek, wide nose. Pouty lips pursed like a rose ready to bloom. Wisps of sandy blonde hair capped her head. The child was the center of their universe. Crawling on a plush rug amid a spread of toys. Seated in a high chair with pureed sweet potatoes on her face and in her hair. At Disney World, cradled in her father's arms as he and her mother posed with Minnie Mouse.
Poor Gina. That baby weight never really came off, relegated to concealment beneath baggy sweatshirts. Her eyes were worn, dog-tired. Framed by black puffy circles like a mask of sleeplessness.
He was still handsome, although showing the signs of wear and tear that began to surface when a man hit his thirties. A thickening of the waistline, a few grays in his brown hair.
Daniella felt a closeness to him, as if she had watched him grow.
Ironic, it seemed, considering they had never met.
Not yet, at least...
The waiting was finally over.
He was settled. His life, at least on the surface, appeared complete. He had real responsibility now. He had people who loved him and he loved them in return.
Finally. he had something to lose...


The Victim

By Eric Matheny

Reading this book was agonizing--agonizingly suspenseful! The title for one thing caught me as I tried to figure out--who was The Victim! In fact, it may be impossible to figure it out by the end of the book...it changes! It was only when I got almost half way into the book and some things were revealed that I began to sink in to the story... No kidding, the suspense, as they say, was killing me! LOL

The book opens in 2003, when a terrible vehicular accident with a RV, driven by a man who was drunk, crashed and plowed into the back of a car, actually almost on top of it. Getting out, the man saw that there were two people in the car that are not moving. Thinking they are dead and wanting to cover himself, he set both vehicles on fire...

Movement to 2014 takes place next and readers go back and forth in history for a short time. We meet the main character, an attorney working in the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami Florida...

He's renting space from a well-established lawyer and picking up cases from him, working to build his reputation.

Anton Mackey is happily married with a new small child. His only problem at the time is that Gina, his wife, is suffering from depression after the birth. Although she is in counseling, there has not been a return to the closeness between the couple. This was compounded by an accident with the baby, when she was left in the car, while her mother was in the house and had been so tired, she fell asleep... It was only when Anton had come home that he'd found the baby. Gina couldn't seem to forgive herself...

Anton is a defense attorney and readers watch as he moves "slowly" on his cases to delay actions as much as possible--is this man ethical, we begin to wonder or is this the real pace with cases? Readers have the opportunity to learn about multiple cases as Anton handles pieces for various clients. The thing is--there are clues from right at the very beginning that will slip by you, only to come back and haunt you--wasn't that name mentioned earlier? What was he into?  It's convoluted as law itself is...so don't worry about it, just enjoy!

This becomes especially visible when the criminals he's defending are not satisfied with the pace at which he's working. Like the son of a rich man who's been spoiled all his life and does not want to spend time in jail, and who is his new client for a domestic disturbance case for which he's just been hired. 

You can stop this
at anytime...
~~~

Daniella Avery, the battered wife has come to hire him to defend her husband who is now in jail, indicating that she wants to ensure that he at least gets a fair trial. Anton begins the usual procedures, but this doesn't satisfy the husband who has been imprisoned...and wants out on bond immediately...which he probably won't get due to the severity of the case... But while that is going on, Daniella contacted Anton and invited him over... At first, Anton points out that even though she has paid for his services, he is her

"Things are different these
days," she said, sauntering
away from the door, her
buttocks jouncing in
rhythm with her step. She
disappeared into her
bedroom. "You can't get
away with anything
anymore..."
~~~

husband's lawyer and would not be discussing his case with her...but it soon becomes clear that is not the reason for her asking him over... And with little coaxing, Anton succumbs to her charms, as they say...thinking about how long it has been since Gina and he were intimate.

And that's when the real trouble begins... (By the way, it seemed to me that only Charlize Theron could play the role of Daniella...) And the blackmail starts...

Now you may think I've added spoilers to my review, but that just isn't the case... This book is so intricately folded with twists and turns that I've barely given a taste of what's happening!

The book gets into gang activities, juvenile policing,
freeing innocent victims, murder, betrayal, and more, all of which are wrapped up tight as a surprise that will leave you surprisingly speechless when you read that next chapter!

The emphasis on how the continuous posting to Facebook adds on a dimension of danger that criminals use for tracking individuals is quite realistic and true to life. In fact, the whole story brings together a series of "every-day" events that would not surprise anybody...until you see how they've been carved into the story, with their concurrent results!

This is one legal thriller you won't want to miss if you enjoy the legal world.  The ending is not surprising after all that happens. But, for me, I'm curious enough to consider what at least one sequel would be with Anton Mackey as the main character once again. Let me know what you think! This one is highly recommended, even with a page count nearing 500!


GABixlerReviews 

Hey, I just added this scene because I liked it...LOL

Don't know how we got from Adele to The Boz...

Gina carried the pot to the sink and poured the pasta and water into a strainer. A cloud of steam rose and hissed. "You didn't comment on the music. I'm surprised." He listened. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" played on her iPhone, mounted to a dock by the toaster. "I thought you hate this song."

"Never said I hated it. She's a talented singer; don't get  me wrong. It's just 'Gimme Shelter' with different lyrics.

Gina rolled her eyes. "It is not. It's original and I like it and your taste in music is older than you are."
He shrugged. "She gets away with it 'cause ninety percent of the people who listen to her don't know who the Stones are. Whatever. She's fine, just no Boz Scaggs, that's all."



"Gee, I didn't realize my father had just dropped by for a visit."
"Hey. Don't besmirch The Boz. 'Lido Shuffle?' 'Lowdown?" Don't knock it 'til you try it.



She laughed under her breath. "The Boz. That Southern California-speak creeps its way in every now and then. I remember when you first moved here, it took you a full year to stop calling 95 the freeway."
This was the Gina he loved. Sharp, witty. Could dish it out just as much as she could take it. It had been a tough nine months...
~~~

Eric Matheny was born in Los Angeles, California, where he lived until he went away to college at Arizona State University. At ASU he was president of Theta Chi Fraternity. He graduated with a degree in political science and moved to Miami, Florida, to attend law school at St. Thomas University. During his third year of law school, he interned for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, where he worked as a prosecutor upon graduation. In 2009, he went into private practice as a criminal defense attorney. He is a solo practitioner representing clients in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Broward County, Florida. He has handled everything from DUI to murder. 
In his free time, Eric enjoys writing crime fiction, drawing from his experience working in the legal system. He published his debut novel Home in 2004, which centers around a successful drug dealer catering to the rich in Orange County. His second novel Lockdown, published in 2005, follows a law student trying to prove that an inmate serving a life sentence in one of California's toughest prisons might actually be innocent. Eric's latest novel The Victim, is a tense, fast-paced, legal thriller/psychological suspense novel that centers around a young defense attorney whose horrifying misdeed from his college days comes back to haunt him. It was published by Zharmae in August 2015 and is available for sale on Amazon.
Eric lives outside of Fort Lauderdale with his wife and two young sons.

Review: Raffi Yessayan Fantastic New Writer - 1st is 8 In the Box!

Image via Wikipedia

When I got the offer to review Raffi Yessayan's second book and saw it was the second in a series, I had a sense of serendipity and offered a two for one...give me both books and I'll review and post them together!

I am so glad I did! I not only recommend both of these books highly, but I beg you to start from the beginning. No, I'm not going to tell you why...you'll just have to trust a lover of series and a believer in starting from the beginning...and in this case...all I can say is that it is even more important!

Raffi Yessayan served 11 years as an assistant district attorney in Boston, specializing in the Gang Unit and ultimately becoming its chief. I include his credentials, because this professional has used his obviously extensive knowledge and experience to create a must-read series... From my viewpoint, his two books immediately were placed as the first contenders on my personal "best book of 2010" that I've read. Not that that means anything except to me! LOL And maybe some of my followers! So, anyway, with that introduction...


8 In The Box

By Raffi Yessayan

Ballantine Books
ISBN 9780345502629
346 Pages (Paperback is out!)



There is a serial killer loose in Boston...at least that is being assumed, because the only thing that is found when somebody is reported missing, is a bathtub full of blood...

The blood has obviously been drained from the bodies. Had the victims been forced to commit suicide there? Or were the bodies placed in the tubs in some sort of ritual, a blood bath given by the psychopath, turning on the water to completely encase the body in the color of what they needed to support life, but no longer had...

This suspense novel is chilling in its reality, in its details that force readers to wonder, to work along with Detectives Angel Alves and Mooney try to arrive at what is happening. Although they are being pressed by Assistant District Attorney Connie Darget to move quickly to solve the case, you, the readers will be pushing forward even more, turning each page, trying to grasp...why...

Because the readers will know immediately, on page 1, that Richter is the serial killer. They will see that he is smart, that he is conniving, using, for instance, the outside dryer vent, to get inside the door of his latest victim. He does not leave any evidence of himself behind and there is, seemingly, no connection between the women he is killing.

Later we watch as Richter treats the women very respectfully, washing them, preparing them--they will be with him for a long time and he wants each of them to look their best... He even congratulated himself, "He'd made an excellent decision in selecting her." (p. 45) In fact, he had chosen them all because of their individual characteristics, except for the male--he had just got too close! Still, he made a nice addition to the overall effect...

This whodunit is awesome!

Finally, a footprint is found as the outside area is inspected. Shoe size, the type of shoe and where it was sold is soon discovered...But that will only be helpful if somebody is ever arrested! But now there were also other clues left; what had happened to the meticulous killer they'd been struggling with?


As the pieces begin to fall together, a pattern, a connection is indeed discovered...and the connection is that the victims have all served on jury duty!  Of course, that still allowed for many options, but now the interviewing and research was contained in one building--the courthouse!

Detective Ives was especially pressing to solve the case; one of the victims had been a friend. And then one of the lawyers in the DAs office was picked up for questioning. His mentor, Connie Darget met him after the interview and told him he'd better get a lawyer, advising him to keep his mouth shut until then. And then, it all seemed to move into high-speed action...

You're right! The ending is sooooo surprising! Please do not miss this one if you love suspense! And get the next book, 2 In The Hat. You're going to want to move directly into the next book! I guarantee it!

Book Recived Via
http://kelleyandhall.com/

G. A. Bixler

Review: Vengeance Road by Rick Mofina Provides High Suspense!

It was called Vengeance Road for a reason. Deceit, theft and murder had occurred there. Not much had changed since the 1800s when it first got that name. Now Jack Gannon was heading there based upon a hunch, really, hoping no other reporters had gotten there before him. They hadn't.

But the big rig was there--he had come home, and had brought his latest victim with him.

I had not read any books by Rick Mofina until I selected Vengeance Road! What an exciting fast-paced drama! Let me tell you a little about it!

Jack Gannon is a reporter at the Buffalo Sentinel and happens to catch a call regarding a body being found in a local park. The body of Bernice Hogan has been found and as Jack begins his investigation, he discovers the major suspect being considered by the police. He runs the story!

The suspect has some powerful friends and Jack is suspended. But he keeps on his search, now as a freelance reporter--there are too many "coincidents" that bring the suspect near the case! Based upon his earlier story, the mother of another young girl, Jolene Peller, had asked Jack for help, believing that she could trust him. Jolene had been on the way to Florida for a job, but had never arrived. She had met her friend, Bernice, and thought that she should help her, turning back to follow her into the woods. She disappeared on the same night Hogan had been killed. Gannon had made a commitment to try to find Jolene, as well as break the story!

Living on the severance pay from the Sentinel, Jack begins an in-depth investigative report on the main suspect. His one confidential informant had assured him his story was accurate and kept him informed of what was happening because Jack had protected her. Another fact discovered was that a big rig with a sword or large knife as an emblem on the side was seen parked near the scene of the crime. Truck stops were obvious places to search. Jack's investigation takes him all over the US and into Canada, discovering a trail of unexplained deaths that went far back in time.

Sometimes the police got to places first, but often it was Jack there waiting until the primary investigators showed up. Soon they began to realize that Jack seemed to know more about the case than they did, respecting him even though they didn't like him or want him around!

I love interesting surprise endings, don't you? Well, you will definitely find one in Rick Mofina's Vengeance Road. This story is so intertwined with twists and turns that you've really got to read it to begin to see the psychological trauma through which a young man traveled to end a terror that had started generations ago. Suspense like you haven't seen in awhile! Don't miss this one!

G. A. Bixler

Review: Blood and Bone - Refreshingly Different!

Blood and Bone
By William Lashner
William Morrow
ISBN: 9780061143489
389 Pages


I like “different.” Different can be a really great thing when you are reading fiction day after day. So, I thoroughly enjoyed William Lashner’s latest very different novel, Blood and Bone!

First, the main character was different. He was funny, sensitive, and in many ways utterly charming. Yet, he drank most nights, couldn’t hold jobs because he forgot to leave his drinking or his latest female friend, to go to work, and he dressed most of the time in undershirts and shorts! Kyle Byrne won me over quickly. I enjoyed his considering himself an orphan, even though he was in his late 20’s when his mother died. I enjoyed the stories about how he stole his father’s cremation jar and the fact that he continued to look for him, even though he had died when he was 12 and that he kept some of his ashes in the glove compartment of his car—the only thing he still owned, after the bank took his home for his failure to pay the mortgage. And, later, I enjoyed his character change when he “put on his suit.”

Second, I really enjoyed the “bad guy” character! I appreciated the inclusion of his introspection, the love-hate relationship that was behind his actions and the suspenseful buildup as to the female who guided his actions. The last scene between he and the woman was indeed strangely memorable!

But most of all I enjoyed the storyline and all of the characters combined! The storyline was unique and the individuals were those who would be fun to meet. All together this was just a fun read!

You see, Kyle Byrne is the illegitimate son of a man who had been a lawyer. While Liam Byrne had been married and his wife knew about Kyle, he was not able to see him that often. Kyle could remember times when his father had attended and watched him play ball or when he came to visit and stayed for dinner with he and his mother, but there was never enough time with him. Kyle’s mother had continue to love Liam throughout her life and had instilled, perhaps, too much of her love and devotion into her son.

It was only when his father’s old partner was murdered and other strange events started, that Kyle began to wonder exactly what kind of man his father had been.
It had started many, many years ago when Liam Byrne had represented a young man whose family wanted to have a “relationship” eliminated. That young man was now in the political arena and, as always, his past was “fair game” as he set his sights for new offices.

Soon, everybody was looking for “The O’Malley File” and when they discovered Kyle attending the funeral of his father’s former partner, he automatically became the focus for all that was happening! And the police were the first who started asking questions!

Different is good! Yes, there are still gory murder scenes; there are gangsters, arson, and blackmail attempts—not so unique, except in the way that William Lashner rolled them together! Unique characters, unique storyline, a unique, enjoyably memorable read! You won’t be sorry you choose this one!


G. A. Bixler
For Amazon Vine