WHAT’S THE VERDICT
ON “FLESH & BONES?“
“Enough courtroom shenanigans to please even the most stalwart John Grisham fan.“ – Lansing (MI) State Journal
“‘Flesh & Bones’ is proof that the John D. MacDonald award [for author Paul Levine] was well deserved.“ – Detroit Free Press
“The author keeps the suspense high with innovative twists...and touches of humor that spice up the courtroom scenes.“ – Chicago Tribune
JAKE LASSITER: “PART CON MAN, PART PRIEST“
“How far would I go for a woman who mattered? Is there anything I wouldn't do to win?“
That’s the ethical dilemma facing defense lawyer Jake Lassiter in “Flesh & Bones.“
A dozen witnesses saw Chrissy Bernhardt, a stunning young model, shoot her father in a South Beach club. Chrissy claims she had just recovered repressed memories of her father sexually abusing her as a child. The information hits Lassiter hard.
“For a moment, I felt like killing Harry Bernhardt myself. Which made me think...if I get the jury to feel the same way, maybe I can win this case.“
But Lassiter begins to suspect that the memories of abuse were either implanted by a shady psychiatrist or fabricated by Chrissy herself. Complicating the situation, Jake falls for his client, clouding his judgment. Is she an anguished victim or a cold-blooded killer? What about her brother, who stands to inherit a fortune if Chrissy goes to prison? Jake wades into a quagmire of dirty deals, big money, and family corruption. Worst of all, he has no idea if he’s being played by his own client.
A good lawyer is part con man, part priest—promising riches, threatening hell. My ethical rules are simple. I won't lie to the court or let a client do it. But I've never been in this position before. Just how far would I go for Chrissy?
The answer comes with brutal honesty as he appraises his life:
I never intended to be a hero, and I succeeded. I wish I'd been faster then, smarter now. I wish I could paint a picture or build a bridge. I wish there was a woman—just one—who had lasted. A soulmate, not a cellmate. And now I knew. There is nothing I wouldn't do…nothing…to set Chrissy free.
Let the murder trial begin!