The Local
A Legal Thriller
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4.3 • 119 Ratings
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- $5.99
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
A freewheeling, small-town attorney takes on a national murder trial when an out-of-town client is accused of killing a federal judge in Texas.
“A spectacular courtroom thriller that kept me turning pages like the best of Grisham or Turow." —Michelle King, co-creator of The Good Wife, The Good Fight, and Evil
The town of Marshall, Texas, is the epicenter of intellectual property law in the US—renowned for its speedy trials and massive payouts. One of its best lawyers is James Euchre. His newest client, Amir Zawar, is a CEO forced to defend his life’s work against a patent infringement claim. But when a beloved hometown hero is murdered, all signs point to Zawar, an outsider with no alibi. With the help of a former federal prosecutor and a local PI, Euchre hopes to uncover the truth. In his first criminal case, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Euchre fears either an innocent man will be sent to death row, or he’ll help set a murderer free. The Local is a small-town thriller crackling with courtroom tension right up to the final verdict.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
James Euchre, the narrator of film and TV writer Hartstone's impressive debut, has built a successful career as a patent lawyer in Marshall, Tex., which has become the country's leading jurisdiction for intellectual property litigation under the leadership of federal judge Gerald Gardner. When Gardner, Euchre's mentor, is fatally stabbed after a holiday party, the prime suspect is Amir Zawar, a wealthy tech entrepreneur whom Euchre was defending against a claim of copyright infringement before Gardner. After the judge denied Zawar's motion to dismiss the case, the irate Zawar cursed him out and threatened his life. Despite Euchre's lack of experience in criminal defense and close relationship with the murdered man, he's brought onboard as local counsel in the hopes that he'll be more relatable for the jury. Euchre and his colleagues pursue a two-track defense, poking holes in the prosecution's case to establish reasonable doubt while also investigating independently to identify a credible alternate suspect. The surprising twists are rendered plausible by Hartstone's mastery of conveying detailed trial strategies. Scott Turow readers should take a look.
Customer Reviews
Great legal thriller
Surprisingly great read. Fast paced, twists and turns and well-rounded characters. Didn’t want to put it down.
Could not put it down
Nuf said
It’s ok.
Author seems a little woke.