Blind Justice

Justice Not Just Blind…But Deaf & Unfeeling

The story starts with a bang, as the protagonist, Gareth, enters his new home for the next 15 years…a prison cell. In a flashback, the novel first outlines how he went from petty thief to convicted murderer, which starts as a tale of a man reforming his life of small-time crime after he meets the woman who will change everything. The author does a good job keeping us guessing throughout. We know there is going to be a murder…but who’s the victim? Is Gareth really innocent? While telling of the past, the author leaves crumbs of vague clues pointing toward the inevitable without giving it away, just enough to tantalize to keep the reader turning pages.

As the story progresses, one murder sparks another. While the perpetrator of the first one gets off nearly scot-free, the accused of the other (Gareth) is convicted. We know that justice was indeed blind in the former, and the bulk of the book details how it is true in the latter as well. Most of the book is what I would call courtroom drama with first preparation for and minute-by-minute coverage of Gareth’s retrial. The defense is brilliant and fantastic to watch unfold (especially as I am a long-time fan of Law & Order and other legal-type shows).

The authorĀ isĀ great about giving details that pull you into this world. I loved the growing relationship between Gareth and his girl before everything goes wrong, which made the rest of the story so much more poignant. Gareth and Jennifer’s romance is slow and sweet, as he aspires to a girl whom he first saw as being way out of his league. He finally has it all when his world is ripped apart. Unusual for a thriller, I found this story to be emotionally gripping, too, on several levels.

There is a major twist at the very end when the real killer revealed. But it was a perfect and fitting end. Justice was blind, thank goodness, one last time.

If you like legal thrillers, this is well paced with twists and turns and people you’ve grown to care about, give this book a try.

%d