Grudge Match

Jay Brandon writes some fun lawyer stories and this is no exception. Grudge Match is the story of earnest young District Attorney Chris Sinclair and wrongly convicted police officer Steve Greerdon. As a prosecutor, Chris Sinclar sent the officer to jail as an armed robber and a crooked cop; as DA, he exonerated him based on new evidence. Once Greerdon is released and starts poking around, a fellow officer who might have known something about the bad guys turns up dead. Although the DA suspects the same crooked cops who framed officer Greerdon, he can't prove it. As a result, he pursues a murder charge against the dead officer's lover/business partner in the hopes that she will reveal what she knows. However, she steadfastly remains silent, forcing him to go to trial on a case he has limited faith in. Meanwhile, DA Sinclair's teenage daughter and psychiatrist girlfriend are drawn into the drama creating danger to those close to him. Grudge Match works on a number of levels. This lawyer novel involves equal parts of courtroom theatrics, detective work and human interest. Although this is more of an action story than a character study, the characters have enough meat on the bones to make the reader care about them. The plot manages to keep enough balls up in the air to keep the reader guessing about where the story will go. The courtroom action is an integral part of the story and also serves to distract Sinclair from the danger to his own family. The San Antonio locales are authentically drawn.

When former Detective Steve Greerdon is pardoned and released from prison after serving 8 years, he is determined to prove his innocence. He was set up by fellow officers as taking part in an armed robbery, as pay-back for refusing to join in their clique, taking money from drug dealers and other criminals. At his trial, he was prosecuted by Chris Sinclair who is later horrified to learn that he helped to jail an innocent man. During his time in jail, Steves' wife divorced him and married another officer who proved to be violent to both her and her son. After Steves' pardon and return to the job, the officers who set him up, try to falsely implicate him in new crimes so as to return him to jail, but, with the help of the now DA Chris Sinclair and his lover, child psychiatrist Anne Greenwald, Steve eventually clears his name completely and helps to bring about the incarceration of the crooked cops.

Eight years ago San Antonio assistant district attorney Chris Sinclair proved to a jury that Detective Steve Greerdon participated in an armed robbery. Steve insisted he was set up by other police officers who wanted Steve to join their little club of ripping off drug dealers and other lowlifes, but he refused so he took the fall for a crime he never committed. Chris, now the District Attorney, finds DNA evidence and a witnesses exonerating Steve who is pardoned.Steve wants to reconnect with his son and enjoy his freedom but the police officers who set him up want him back in prison. Chris doesn?t know who to trust on the force and sets a tail on Steve so he always has an alibi. Meanwhile Chris?s lover, psychiatrist Anne Greenwald treats a patient who says Steve is guilty. When two police officers are murdered and Steve is on the scene, Chris has doubts about his innocence. The only way to find out who the dirty cops are is to set up a sting if Steve is willing to risk his life and trust an officer of the court who could put him away again.When it comes to writing innovative and exciting legal thrillers, Jay Brandon is one of the best in the business. His latest protagonist seeks truth at any cost yet for all his years as a lawyer has a touch of innocence that readers will cherish. The walls of blue start off solid but by the time GRUDGE MATCH ends a few cracks give readers hope that the police will speak out when they see wrong doing. Fans of Linda Fairstein and Christine McGuire will definitely love this book.Harriet Klausner