Customer Reviews

The Last Plea Bargain

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I felt that I was continually waiting for the story to begin and then for something to happen. It does become somewhat more intriguing toward the end of the book.

Jamie Brock is a no-nonsense prosecutor who has developed a reputation for refusing to plea bargain and cut a deal for criminals. However, her vow to hold criminals accountable to the full extent of the law is tested when she gets involved in a case where the accused is being arrested for allegedly murdering his wife. During his time in jail, he seizes the opportunity to jam up the justice system by enacting a plan for all criminals in the city to refuse to make a deal, and the prosecutor's caseloads explode in numbers. In the meantime, Jamie's seeking justice for the man convicted of murdering her mother many years earlier, a man awaiting the death penalty. As the day of his death draws near, Jamie's personal life starts unraveling, while she is faced with making compromises at work that have startling consequences.

The Last Please Bargain is typical Randy Singer - a tautly written legal suspense novel with plenty of twists and turns. The plot raced along, with a myriad of villains thrown into the mix, until you're not sure who's the good guy anymore. Jamie is a complex character with an admirable bent for justice and someone who holds family first, and you just can't help liking her despite her very human flaws and sometimes questionable ethics.

I found the elements of the plot regarding plea bargaining and the attempt to overwhelm the justice system to be fascinating, one that made me wonder if such a thing would be truly possible in real life, and what impact that would have on society over the long-term. The conclusion was superb with one twist that I didn't entirely see coming, and it neatly wrapped up the story while leaving me wishing for future books involving Jamie Brock (and her unexpected romance with a character I shall leave unnamed).

Singer is a master of legal suspense, and readers drawn to this genre should plan on purchasing this well-written book. I strongly recommend this read, and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

An advanced reader's copy was provided via the publisher, Tyndale, for the purposes of this unbiased review.