Judgment Calls
A Samantha Kincaid Mystery
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3.9 • 120 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
In Judgment Calls, a seemingly simple assault case spirals into a complex web of violence and deception in this bold debut thriller from Alafair Burke.
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 a high-profile death penalty case, a prostitution ring of underage girls, and a possible serial killer. And she finds her judgment—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 also tough enough to take on a man's world. Seamlessly juxtaposing courtroom scenes with those of criminal investigation, Judgment Calls reveals not only an insider's knowledge of the criminal justice system but a fresh new voice in the world of crime writing.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Burke's earnest, fast-paced debut introduces a sharp new crime series revolving around Deputy DA Samantha "Sam" Kincaid, a hip, 30ish lawyer working in Portland's Drug and Vice Division. As a former DA herself, and now a teacher of criminal law, Burke brings a hyper-reality TV quality to the text, as well as a sometimes overzealous attention to technical minutiae. Kendra Martin, 13, has been prostituting herself to support a heroin addiction begun after her mom's boyfriend insisted that "popping wasn't really like shooting up." When Kendra is found left for dead, Kincaid is determined to bring to justice the violent sex offenders who brutally raped and beat her. Narrated in a crisp first person and injected with good-natured humor ("It's a fundamental truth that the number and density of cuss words increases exponentially as the number of cops and DAs in a room goes up"), the book is tightly plotted and detail laden. The secondary characters are less vivid than the assertive, likable Kincaid, but they serve their purpose. Kincaid's ex-boyfriend, Det. Chuck Forbes, is involved in the investigation of Kendra's case and another possibly related crime; Tim O'Donnell, a crude senior DDA on Portland's Major Crimes Team, is suspiciously eager to have Kendra's case tried under his jurisdiction. Cracking the case not only drags up an earlier death-penalty conviction but uncovers the roots of a prostitution ring that shakes up the entire Major Crimes Team and tests Kincaid's faith in her own judgment. This is a solid first effort from Burke, daughter of another "crime fighter writer," James Lee Burke.
Customer Reviews
Read like a LSAT review class
It being a few decades since my criminal/constitutional law classes, Burke read like a refresher review class, maybe a hair too technical for some. Seemed as though the story got a little lost in the legal details, the interpretation of which didn't read at all like the mindset of prosecutors I'd encountered. Regardless, with the exception of Burke's need to pepper her protagonist's comments with what is obviously Burke's personal political position (i.e. anti-bush, anti-Fox commentary that felt forced, but hey, it's her book and her chance to vent) I enjoyed the story overall. I'll continue to read her books, but wish she'd leave the unnecessary and unbecoming personal political jabs aside.
Riveting!
Excellent book! It kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t want to put it down. Characters were well developed, the story line was believable. The reader was kept in suspense until the very end. Can’t wait for the next book!
Not for everyone
This subject matter was too graphic detailing violent sexual crimes against a young girl. Reading the first couple of chapters was all I could stand.