In Her Defense

his second novel, and I caught up with his first, "In Her Defense", recently. The book is a great read. The legal plot is complex and takes a simple case of murder and mixes it with a government plot. You're not sure who the bad guy is until the very end! One thing you do know is that Horn's hero, Frank O'Connell, is a principaled attorney who has left the comfortable life of his father-in-law's law firm in order to pursue criminal matters, his passion from his days in the NYC D.A.'s office. No one, not Frank's estranged wife Moira, his son, his beloved father-in-law, a Washington D.C. "fixer", his client, or his investigator really understands what makes Frank tick, and why he's pursuing the kind of court appointed criminal cases he's taken. Enter a society homicide, complete with ethical temptations, and O'Connell & the story are off and running.Fast paced, great characters, and the promise of more to come from Frank O'Connell make "In Her Defense" a worthy read!

In Her Defense, Stephen Horn's debut novel, is a compelling legal thriller you won't be able to put down, no matter how hard you try. The story begins as Frank O'Connell, down on his luck defense attorney, is hired to represent Ashley Bronson, rich Washington socialite, accused of murdering an old family friend. To make her defense even trickier, Ashley admits to pulling the trigger. From this point on, the story pulls you in and never lets go. This is a fast paced, exciting, plausible thriller with plot twists that keep you guessing to the very end. The characters are terrific, well drawn and interesting. And, the writing is very entertaining, with witty and irreverent dialogue. Mr. Horn obviously knows his way around Washington, the Justice Department and the courtroom and his insight lends real credibility to the story. A strong climax and satisfying ending finish the story off and the last chapter is just icing on the cake. A great read that's destined for the best sellers list. I'm already looking forward to Stephen Horn's next book.

Stephen Horn's In Her Defense is as good as the best of Turow, Patterson, Grisham or other established authors of legal thrillers. The characters are fresh and funny and appealing, and the well researched plot has interesting twists and is more plausible than most. It's a fun read. I bought it expecting to take it on a trip but read late to finish it in one sitting. I recommend this book without reservation to anyone who likes this genre or is interested in trying it out. And I'll by the next Stephen Horn book without even reading the blurb.

"In Her Defense" is a fresh, smart, and fun approach to an old favorite: the murder mystery. There are twists and turns at every corner, keeping you guessing what the next page will bring. The more I got into it, the harder it was to put down. What a great book! I'm looking forward to more from Stephen Horn!

What a great book- perfect timing because it is a fun summer read! The plot of this book involves and attorney and his client, but unlike other legal thrillers I have read, this book had a very realistic story line. The plot revolves around an attorney who is seperated from his wife, and is defending a woman who is accused of murder. There are lots of plot twists, and I won't spoil the ending, but I couldn't put the book down, and was really sorry to see it end. I only hope there is a sequel out soon! Don''t miss this one--you will love it.