I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Final Judgment
by Marcia Clark
Series: Samantha Brinkman #4
Series Rating:
Published by Thomas & Mercer on April 21, 2020
Genres: Legal Thriller
Pages: 415
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
BookBub
Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Book Depository
A murder investigation draws firebrand attorney Samantha Brinkman into her boyfriend’s past in this novel of high-risk suspense by bestselling author Marcia Clark.
When it comes to relationships and self-preservation, defense attorney Samantha Brinkman has always been cut and run. But it’s different with her new lover, Niko, an ambitious and globally famous entrepreneur. Sam is putting her faith in him. She has to. He’s also her new client—a suspect in the murder of an investor whose shady dealings turned Niko’s good life upside down.
He had the motive: revenge. As did many others who banked a fortune on the wrong man. That’s a point in Niko’s favor. So is his alibi for the day of the slaying. Until that alibi mysteriously disappears. As Sam’s feverish search for another viable killer begins, the investigation only leads deeper into Niko’s past and its secrets.
From the darkest suspicions to final judgment, fighting for Niko is Sam’s job. To do it, she must risk everything on a man who could make all her worst fears come true.
Final Judgment by Marcia Clark is a magnificent mystery with a few suspects, lots of motives, and twists that I didn’t see coming.
Will Sam save her love, Niko?
Samantha Brinkman
Sam is a defense attorney in Los Angeles. She is also our sleuth; Sam is assisted by Alex (her hacker) and Dale (her Dad the cop). Alex and Sam work well together. They have been doing this for a while, you can tell by their familiarity with each other. Sam isn’t your regular defense attorney. She has a thing about justice, and even though she gets some shady guys out of trouble, Sam isn’t afraid to do whatever is necessary to help justice along.
The thing I like most about Sam is she is broken, not perfect. Yet, she has those that she loves, and they are the ones that she keeps close to her. Sam’s life hasn’t been peaches and cream, but she has figured out how to deal with it for the most part. As for negative traits that Sam may have, I didn’t find anything that would make me not want to be her friend, mostly the opposite.
The Mystery
I was blown away at the complexity of the cases that Sam and her team were working. The main case is the murder of Bryan and the possible murder of Tanner, Niko’s (Sam’s boyfriend) stockbroker friends, and partners. Since Niko, is the main suspect at this time, Sam must know the truth. Then there is the rape of a teenage girl at a party in which the girl wasn’t supposed to be. Sam and Alex are trying to figure out who could have done this.
Sam’s Team
The ex-hacker Alex’s way of finding information and his relationships with so many people help them in their hunt for the truth. Michy is Sam’s best friend, office manager, personal assistant. Basically, Michy keeps Sam’s professional life in check. Ok, she is also the one that keeps Sam from hiding from the world. Then we have Dale, Sam’s Dad. They recently connected and are quite a bit alike. Dale helps Sam with some specific things, all off the record, of course. Together they make a fantastic group, who right the wrongs in the world, at least that’s what I am calling it.
Five Stars
I found Marcia Clark’s writing voice unique, and her style refreshing. I enjoyed following the story through Sam’s perspective. The story is different and exciting. It kept me on my toes, and I couldn’t stop thinking about whodunit. Therefore I am giving Final Judgment by Marcia Clark five stars. And recommending it to all of you mystery/thriller readers out there.
Other Books in the Series
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Final Judgment by Marcia Clark.
Until the next time,
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
About Marcia Clark
Marcia Clark is a bestselling author and a criminal lawyer who began her career in law as a criminal defense attorney and went on to become a prosecutor in the L.A. District Attorney’s Office in 1981. She spent ten years in the Special Trials Unit, where she handled a number of high profile cases, including the prosecution of stalker/murderer Robert Bardo, whose conviction for the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer resulted in legislation that offered victims better protection from stalkers as well as increased punishment for the offenders. She was lead prosecutor for the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
In May of 1997 her book on the Simpson case, Without a Doubt, was published and reached #1 on the New York Times, Wall St. Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists. In February 2016, Clark re-released the book with a new foreword.
Clark’s crime fiction series centering on criminal defense attorney, Samantha Brinkman, debuted in 2016 with the publication of Blood Defense, a #1 Amazon bestseller. ABC Studios optioned the book and NBC purchased a pilot script for a one-hour drama series based on the book. Moral Defense, the second book in the series, which was published in 2016, made the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. The third book in the series, Snap Judgment, was published in 2017. Final Judgment will be out in 2020.
Clark is also the author of four bestselling legal thrillers featuring prosecutor Rachel Knight: The Competition, Killer Ambition, Guilt by Degrees, and Guilt by Association. TNT optioned the books for a one-hour drama series and shot the pilot, which starred Julia Stiles as Rachel Knight.
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