Forsaken Oath

"Clever, immersive... Kemanis, a talented weaver of scene and exposition, keeps the reader engaged with each new twist and bit of evidence." — Kirkus Reviews

Climbing the career ladder, prosecutor Dana Hargrove is the new chief of a major trial bureau in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Years in the courtroom have earned Dana the respect and admiration of her juniors and peers. A few tough wins have also sparked the envy—and contempt—of certain members of the defense bar.

In the summer of 2001, Dana's plans for a well-deserved family vacation are interrupted by a few high-profile cases that demand her attention. A renowned fashion designer is murdered in his posh Upper East Side townhome. An inmate, serving state time for felony murder, says the D.A. wrongly withheld evidence at his trial. A professional con man, the mastermind of a reverse mortgage scam, is blamed for leading a younger man into a life of crime. As the mysteries in these cases unfold, a common, unsavory design comes to light—Dana is the victim of a personal attack.

A scurrilous media campaign can be endured, but when a criminal scheme touches Dana's family, she must strike back. Confronting the greatest challenge yet to her professional integrity, Dana fights to protect her good name and the sanctity of her family life.

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A Dana Hargrove novel: mystery, thriller, and suspense!

"Forsaken Oath...is informed, thrilling action in and out of the courtroom, and few can portray it better than V.S. Kemanis. Highly recommended." — The San Francisco Review of Books

"Kemanis, a talented weaver of scene and exposition, keeps the reader engaged with each new twist and bit of evidence. The author manages to compellingly depict many distinct areas of the justice system, from the cops on the street to the lawyers on both sides of the courtroom and the convicted trapped on the other side of the prison bars. There is a lived-in feel to Bureau 90 that sets this work apart from lesser legal thrillers. Kemanis successfully spins a number of subplots simultaneously... A clever, immersive installment in an ongoing series about a determined prosecutor." — Kirkus Reviews

"Forsaken Oath is a terrific legal thriller, written by a prosecutor who knows her way around the legal trenches. Kemanis's expertise brings wonderful authenticity to a twisting plot. Anyone who enjoys legal procedurals should pick this one up!" — Allison Leotta, author of The Last Good Girl

"Forsaken Oath really shines..." — Mystery Sequels

"This smoothly written mystery/thriller is both complex and entertaining, with a satisfying resolution to multiple story-lines. The law and the workings of a big city prosecutor's office are expertly explained. But what resonated most with me were the characters: the elderly mother-in-law struggling to hold onto her faculties, the sister twisted by her devotion to a dishonest brother, and, of course, Dana Hargrove, bedeviled by the unstable balance between work and family." — Kevin Egan, author of A Shattered Circle