Book picks similar to
Cynical Justice by Freya Atwood


thriller
legal-thrillers
courtroom
hypocrites

Maybe God was an Irishman


Bernie Donnelly - 2017
    He will know heartache, love, and violence. He will be falsely accused of kidnapping and his fame will spread around the world. He will live through the same events that shaped your life such as 9/11 and the recession years post-2008. Then it will all end in Easter 2017…or will it?

The Nature of the Beast


G.M. Ford - 2013
    A hang on to your seat thriller, as two unlikey Secret Service agents search for kidnapped children and solve a decade-old series of murders.

All the Light (DI Tracy Collier #6)


Emmy Ellis - 2019
    A WARPED LEADER. THE PROMISE IS TOO MUCH… DI Tracy Collier is about to find out that some people are as damaged as she is. With someone going around killing, she struggles to find the link, the one clue that will break the case wide open and send her straight to the evil person who has led her on a merry dance. Crossword clues left at the scenes are confusing. Are they a smoke screen? Then the real reason behind them becomes clear, and Tracy is faced with one of the most hideous criminal masterminds she has ever dealt with to date. ‘The Lamp’ has formed a cult and is getting ‘the tribe’ to do the dirty work for them with a promise that is so ludicrous it should be laughable. But the tribe believe it—or do they? Regardless, for their own twisted reasons, they agree to the murder plan, but only one of the players in this wicked scenario will actually see all the light.

The Zhukov Briefing


Antony Trew - 2016
    The Russian Delta Two class ballistic missile submarine is the deadliest warship afloat, capable of destroying sixteen of the world’s largest cities. Captained by Comrade Yenev, The Zhukov – a recently launched prototype – is on a top-secret test run skirting Norwegian waters. But in a disastrous accident its cover is blown when an internal explosion cripples the submarine, forcing it to run ashore on Norwegian soil. Despite the Soviet’s attempts at damage limitation, intelligence services from around the world rush to the spot, all desperate to learn the secrets of its new, advanced technologies. Among the reconnaissance planes and warships, a number of dubious individuals start to appear. The crew of a British yacht, two American ‘ornithologists’, French cod fishermen and Cantonese ‘tourists’ holidaying in Norway, are just some of the suspicious character. Not only do these espionage professionals have to contend with each other, but also with the captain of the Soviet submarine – a dedicated, ruthless man who will kill to safeguard his country’s biggest secret… Praise for Antony Trew‘Mr Trew writes about the sea with splendid authority.’ Northern Despatch ‘Modern-day espionage at its most sophisticated … taut adventure.’ Publishers Weekly Antony Trew has spent many years at sea. During the 1939-45 war he served with the Mediterranean Fleet in the 22nd Anti-Submarine Group, and in the Western Approaches where he commanded the destroyer Walker, principally on Russian convoys. He was awarded the DSC. He retired recently as Director-General of the Automobile Association in South Africa and now lives in England. His highly successful career as a novelist began with the best-selling Two Hours to Darkness in 1963. Since then he has written many novels, mainly about the sea: Death of a Supertanker, The Moonraker Mutiny, Two Hours to Darkness, The White Schooner, The Antonov Project and The Zhukov Briefing.

The DI Kate Burrows Trilogy: The Ladykiller / Broken / Hard Girls


Martina Cole - 2017
    Perfect for fans of Val McDermid, Karin Slaughter and Patricia Cornwell.'The Queen of Crime' - Woman & Home on Hard GirlsThe deadly DI Kate Burrows trilogy: the only time Martina's written from the Old Bill's perspective.Kate is the hard-but-fair copper whose investigations - and heart - become dangerously entwined with London's most infamous gangster, Patrick Kelly. But when there's a killer on the loose, Kate Burrows is the only woman for the job. THE LADYKILLER. BROKEN. HARD GIRLS.

Adequate Counsel (The Michael Ayers Series Book 1)


O.R. Johnson - 2016
    Poised to become the youngest partner in his firm, an act of revenge derails his dreams and sets his life on a whole new course. Tried and convicted by the court of his self-righteous father, Michael is forced to work for the Public Defender’s office. It is in this office he meets the person that will change his life forever, Shamika Carrington. Shamika Carrington is a sixteen year old girl who is being charged with the murder of her father. Michael instantly connects with the young girl and vows to fight for her freedom. There’s one major issue, Shamika confessed to stabbing her father to death. As Michael digs into the motive behind the murder, he begins to uncover stones that a powerful person is determined to keep covered. Nothing is as it seems as he struggles to win the most difficult case of his career and save Shamika from a first degree murder conviction.

A Man to Die for


Suvika - 2015
    After three broken engagements I’m not going to waste my emotional energy on something that’s not going to give me anything.” – Shikha Bose.“I think my husband is having an affair with one of his colleagues. But I’m afraid to ask. Now it’s just in my head but if I ask and he doesn’t deny, it will become a reality.” – Preeti Singh.“My boyfriend doesn’t want to acknowledge me even as his friend in front of his family, let alone the fact that we’re lovers. It’s like I’m his dirty little secret.” – Siya Grewal.So the three friends come to a unanimous conclusion. Men suck. And like the characters in a sci-fi flick, perfect men are fictitious. The discussion takes off from there and ends with a post on social media. Attributes that this fictitious man should possess; some genuine, some funny and some downright naughty. Response to that post is unexpected in more ways than one. A Man to Die for creates a sensation with countless likes, retweets and forwards. And when the identities of the post-makers are revealed, the three friends are left to face the judging looks and snide comments. But when comments escalate to threatening calls and one of the three gets brutally murdered, the other two flounder in shock, grief, fear and fury. Someone has taken the post as a personal insult and was out for retribution by killing their friend and vowing to kill them too. Now, with the help of a DCP, who, according to Shikha was a dubious combination of a jerk and a hero, the killer must be caught. As the police race to unravel the identity, the killer strikes again...

Justice Redeemed


Scott Pratt - 2015
    Now the hotheaded young lawyer is in the public eye yet again—this time, accused of murder.Jalen Jordan retained Street for what seemed to be a minor traffic violation, but when evidence turned up linking Jordan to the death of two boys, Street wanted out of the case. To ensure his lawyer’s cooperation and silence, Jordan threatened to make Street’s son the next victim. Shortly after, Jordan’s own body turned up with a bullet hole in his chest.Now Street is on trial for his life, and the enemy he made in the DA’s office is clearly out for blood. It’s one lawyer out to frame another. Can a desperate father escape punishment for a crime he didn’t commit?

The Professor


Robert Bailey - 2014
    But when a power-hungry colleague uses a recent run-in between McMurtrie and headstrong student Rick Drake to end his career, he is left unsure what to do next.Meanwhile, a devastating trucking accident in Henshaw, Alabama, leaves a young family dead. Drake, now a fledgling lawyer, takes the case against the freight carrier and soon begins to uncover the truth behind the tragedy that is buried in a tangled web of arson, bribery, and greed. On the eve of the trial and with his case unraveling in the midst of a dangerous cover-up that threatens to silence his star witnesses, Drake realizes that only his estranged mentor, Professor McMurtrie, can help him now.With everything to lose and only justice to gain, will McMurtrie and Drake overcome bad blood to defeat a ruthless adversary? Can the Professor turn back the clock and recover all that he’s lost? Revised edition: This edition of The Professor includes editorial revisions.

In Love with A South Side Nigga 2: The Finale


Hydiea - 2018
    She was rudely awakened by a call from the hospital, telling her that her soon to be husband, newborn, and five-year old had been in a bad car accident. Wes was in the car, yet Mica still can’t forgive him for the role he played. Mike and Jas thought they were safe with crossing Mica, and they almost got away with their sneaky ways. Why was nobody letting Mica make her own decisions? That’s what Stamp would like to know. Find out all the tea in this juicy finale of In Love with A South Side Nigga.

Blood Defense


Marcia Clark - 2016
    J. Simpson trial prosecutor Marcia Clark, a “terrific writer and storyteller” (James Patterson). Samantha Brinkman, an ambitious, hard-charging Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, is struggling to make a name for herself and to drag her fledgling practice into the big leagues. Sam lands a high-profile double-murder case in which one of the victims is a beloved TV star—and the defendant is a decorated veteran LAPD detective. It promises to be exactly the kind of media sensation that would establish her as a heavy hitter in the world of criminal law.Though Sam has doubts about his innocence, she and her two associates (her closest childhood friend and a brilliant ex-con) take the case. Notorious for living by her own rules—and fearlessly breaking everyone else’s—Samantha pulls out all the stops in her quest to uncover evidence that will clear the detective. But when a shocking secret at the core of the case shatters her personal world, Sam realizes that not only has her client been playing her, he might be one of the most dangerous sociopaths she’s ever encountered.

Nine Lives


Anita Waller - 2021
    The police realise this new death is linked to a spate of cold case murders and the killer is back. Five years earlier, four young women were found murdered, their bodies left in woody areas, and the new victim shares similar hallmarks. But why did the killer stop killing for all that time and what has inspired them to start again? As more young women fall victim to a vicious and calculating murderer, Erica and Beth find themselves chasing their tails. But when a witness is identified the case takes an unexpected and macabre turn. Can Erica and Beth bring the killer to justice, or will this case prove too much?

Sheepdogs: Keeping the Wolves at Bay


Gordon Carroll - 2020
    I do that when I'm considering pummeling someone.Gil Mason is a simple guy with complex problems. Cross Phillip Marlow with Caesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, and you create a new breed of private eye; courage of a Pit Bull, heart of a Labrador.Max, Gil's K9 partner, has a few problems of his own. It's a love-hate relationship. Part of Max wants to love his human master, while his alpha personality instinctively drives him to take control of the pack.So how does a former cop turned PI find a missing teenage boy who has been kidnapped by a corporate billionaire, while dealing with his own feelings of guilt and loneliness over the murder of his family, and keep his canine's homicidal tendencies in check? Brains, guns and fists combined with an intimate understanding of dog psychology.As long as Max doesn't eat him first.

Primal Fear


William Diehl - 1992
    Vail is certain to lose, but Vail uses his unorthodox ways to good advantage when choosing his legal team—a tight group of men and women who must uncover the extraordinary truth behind the archbishop's slaughter. They do, in a heart-stopping climax unparalleled for the surprise it springs on the reader...

The Neon Lawyer


Victor Methos - 2014
    He joins a seedy fly-by-night firm in Salt Lake City out of desperation. After he loses his first case—a speeding ticket—he’s convinced his career is over. But to his shock, his boss hands him a slightly more complex case: capital murder.Brigham’s new client is Amanda Pierce, a lost, exhausted woman who gunned down the man who tortured and killed her six-year-old daughter. A jury may prove sympathetic to her unbearable pain, but the law is no fan of vigilante justice—and neither is Vince Dale, the slick and powerful prosecutor who’s never lost a murder case. There’s no question that Amanda pulled the trigger—she did it in front of five witnesses. If she pleads guilty, she will avoid a death sentence, but saving her life this way comes with an admission that what she did was wrong. However, if she refuses the “guilty” label, Brigham will have no choice but to fight for his career—and Amanda’s life.