Judgment Calls (New Blood)

Judgment Calls (New Blood)

by Alafair Burke (Author)

Synopsis

An apparently simple assault case spirals into a complex web of violence and deception in this bold debut thriller. Deputy District Attorney Samantha Kincaid walks into her office in Portland's Drug and Vice Division one Monday morning to find three police officers waiting for her. A thirteen-year-old girl has been brutally attacked and left for dead on the city's outskirts. Given the lack of evidence, most lawyers would settle for an assault charge; Samantha, unnerved by the viciousness of the crime, decides to go for attempted murder. But as she prepares for the trial, she uncovers a dangerous trail leading to an earlier high-profile death penalty case, a prostitution ring of underage girls, and a possible serial killer. And she finds her judgement - not only in matters of the law but in her personal life - called into question. In Samantha Kincaid, Alafair Burke has created a complex, appealing character - a woman consumed by a sense of justice, who is tough enough to take on a man's world. Seamlessly moving between courtroom and criminal investigation, JUDGMENT CALLS reveals not only an insider's knowledge of the justice system but a fresh new voice in the world of crime writing, and the start of a great new series.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Edition: 1ST
Publisher: Orion
Published: 15 Dec 2003

ISBN 10: 0752857142
ISBN 13: 9780752857145
Book Overview: Brilliant advance quotes for this exciting debut: 'A terrific debut; very different from her famous father's work, but the storytelling DNA is all there, for sure. This is smart, savvy, expert - and highly recommended' Lee Child; 'Burke comes out of the gate with a first novel that proves she's got what it takes and will be sticking around. This is the most telling of legal thrillers. It expertly shows that the most gripping drama is not found in the courtroom but in the places where choices get made in the shadows cast by politics and corruption and human desires' Michael Connelly; 'A bold, brash entry into the world of crime fiction, JUDGMENT CALLS is strong, smart and shocking. Alafair Burke has been on the front lines in the courtroom and on the streets, and brings her world alive in this exciting first novel' Linda Fairstein Alafair S. Burke has the perfect pedigree - as James Lee Burke's daughter, her name will ensure review coverage The first in a continuing series about Samantha Kincaid

Media Reviews
Debut novel by daughter of the great James Lee Burke and one that he can proudly applaud. Quite unlike JLB's own work, but exciting, individual and unreservedly excellent. ... An absorbing, enjoyable first outing. Safe to assume they'll be many more.' -- Philip Oakes LITERARY REVIEW 'Burke is a born storyteller and has created an attractive heroine whom I look forward to meeting again.' -- Susanna Yager SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'A legal thriller with a twist that is stuffed with authentic detail.' YORK EVENING PRESS 'Burke's entry into the world of crime fiction was nver going to be easy. The daughter of possibly the genre's greatest exponant - James Lee Burke - the dagers were bound to be drawn from the start. But to her credit, the former Assistant DA manages to hold her own. Judgment Calls is a smart and savvy legal thriller. ... A chip off the old block.' IRISH EXAMINER 'Burke...handles the various threads of the story with aplomb, her characters are believable, her plotting is right on the buton, and in Kincaid she has created a sympathetic protagonist that I'm sure we'll hear about again.' IRISH TIMES
Author Bio
Alafair S. Burke is a former Assistant District Attorney in Portland, Oregon. JUDGMENT CALLS is her first novel. She is the daughter of acclaimed crime writer James Lee Burke.