Capitol Scandal

"Capitol Scandal" is not in the genre that normally interests me, but I picked up a copy in one of the twenty-five-cent bins at a local yardsale and I'm not sorry that I did. Sarah Gregory is a very good writer and a fine story teller. I didn't find this to be the legal thriller that is promised on the cover, but it is a very engrossing story. It centers on the murder of a young intern at the nation's capitol by the name of Courtney Lee and the subsequent charges against a Texas congressman, Will John Benedict. A Texas criminal attorney, Sharon Hays is pressured to defend Benedict against her will. As the story unfolds Hays's history with the Benedict family is gradually revealed. There is very little of the courtroom drama that I had expected when I picked it up. This is a well paced story, but the villain is quickly established and is a constant throughout. In the end the murderer is no surprise, but there are a lot of plot twists along the way. The reader feels compelled to continue with the story to see what the next page will reveal and there are a number of surprises toward the end. The story is quite good, but it is overshadowed by the strong personality of the main character Sharon Hays. Sarah Gregory has brought Hays to life in 3-D. She is not only a beautiful, strong willed and courageous career woman who leaves no stone unturned in her quest for true justice, but she is also a compassionate and loving mother to her teenage daughter. Her tragic past is brought to life and her unrelenting push to incriminate the man whom she hates most and knows to be guilty of heinous crimes makes for a riveting read. Overall this is and outstanding fiction work and well worth reading.

Capitol Scandal is the 4th legal thriller featuring Texas Lawyer Russell Black and single mother Sharon Hays. This time they are asked to defend a Texas Congressman named Will John Benedict, who is accused of murdering an office intern whom he was having an affair. Capitol Scandal was a very good read. I read it in one evening. I like the character of Sharon Hays because she is a complex woman with secrets and problems of her own, just as all women do. A lot of plot twists, plenty of courtroom atmosphere, can hardly wait for the next book on Russell Black and Sharon Hays. A very well written mystery.

I found that Capital Scandal kept me reading long into the night. No matter how I thought this book would end I was surprised at the end to find something that I never thought would happen. I can not wait to read Ms. Gregory's other books.

Courtroom and Washington politics collide in this thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed the main character, Sharon Hayes and Gregory's style of portraying this woman conflicted with her past, her job, her mentor/boss, and most importantly, her child. I whipped right through this and could easily picture the characters who would play them in the movies. I'm off and running to buy more books with Sharon Hayes.

I enjoyed this book very much. I have read all of Ms. Gregory's books and they have not disappointed me yet. This is a good one.