Overview

Accused of the brutal murder of his beautiful, wealthy lover, facially disfigured Jack Holt stands little chance against a justice system eager to convict him. His only hope is Joe Hammer, a disgraced prosecutor given a final chance at redemption. As the trial unfolds through the eyes of a prejudiced jury, Joe must uncover a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power before his client, and his own fragile career, are condemned forever. Jack Holt, a man with a severe facial disfigurement, is put on trial for the rape and murder of his beautiful and wealthy lover, Maggie Stewart. Disbarred prosecutor Joe Hammer is given a chance at redemption when a mentor assigns him to be Jack's public defender, forcing him to confront a corrupt system he once served. The trial progresses through the multiple perspectives of the jury, whose prejudices against Jack's appearance threaten to derail justice, while Joe uncovers a conspiracy involving the victim's husband and the corrupt District Attorney. As the trial intensifies, the relentless undercurrents among the jury spiral around Jack's disfigurement as much as his supposed crime. Joe, battered by memories of his own disgrace and the weight of new evidence, finds himself navigating not only the labyrinth of legal procedure but also the tangled loyalties and vendettas of Marsh County. Each day in court strips away another layer of illusion, revealing not only the community's hunger for a villain but also the fear that justice may be more performance than principle. Throughout the novel, the settings themselves reflect the tensions and contradictions at the heart of the story. The jury deliberations echo the chilling distance between justice and truth, while the Fourth Street Diner's warmth offers a brief respite from the relentless suspicion pressing in from all sides. Joe Hammer, haunted by his own disgrace and driven by desperate hope, finds allies and enemies where he least expects them, among the everyday people whose lives intersect with the trial's outcome. As the evidence mounts and the jury's biases become ever more apparent, the narrative explores not only the tangled web of relationships surrounding the crime but also the personal battles fought by those ensnared in its aftermath. The struggle for justice is not fought only in the courtroom but also in the hearts and minds of a community torn between fear, loyalty, and the seductive power of appearances. Within this charged atmosphere, alliances shift and secrets surface, casting doubt on every testimony and motive. The ghosts of the past-both Jack's and Joe's-linger in the margins, refusing to let the present move forward unburdened.

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9781737912996

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We are all ultimately defined by the events in our lives I'm no exception. The first defining experience in my life was contracting Bulbar Polio at eighteen months of age. My second experience was being raised in Gilbert, Arizona, during the fifties and sixties. It was an idyllic Southwest community of mid-twentieth century American. The population was around 1800 people, including those who lived outside the city limits. My wife (also a Gilbert girl) live in Marana, Arizona, a northwestern suburb of Tucson. She's also my best friend, my squeeze, doubles as my editor, and is my most ardent fan and my most vocal critique.

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