Review: Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales by Randy Singer

Genre: Legal Thriller
Publisher: Tyndale House
Released: May 1, 2013
448 pages

About the Book:

Landon Reed is an ex-quarterback convicted of organizing a points-shaving scheme. During his time in prison, he found forgiveness and faith and earned his law degree. Now he longs for an opportunity to prove his loyalty and worth. "Be careful what you ask for."

Harry McNaughton is one of the founding partners of McNaughton & Clay--and the only lawyer willing to take a chance employing an ex-con-turned-lawyer. Though Landon initially questions Harry's ethics and methods, it's clear the crusty old lawyer has one of the most brilliant legal minds Landon has ever encountered.

The two dive into preparing a defense for one of the highest-profile murder trials Virginia Beach has seen in decades when Harry is gunned down in what appears to be a random mugging. Then two more lawyers are killed when the firm's private jet crashes. Authorities suspect someone has a vendetta against McNaughton & Clay, leaving Landon and the remaining partner as the final targets.

As Landon struggles to keep the firm together, he can't help but wonder, is the plot related to a shady case from McNaughton & Clay's past, or to the murder trial he's neck-deep in now? And will he survive long enough to find out?

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐

We follow Landon and Kerri Reed. Landon has just been released from prison after a point-shaving scandal, he is a changed man and is now a first-year lawyer. Landon is trying to redeem himself and Kerri has stood by him through it all. His past will always be with him and is constantly thrown in his face, but he tries to put it behind him and be a better person now. His first case becomes much bigger than ever imagined. His mentor and the lawyer that took him under his wing is murdered, shortly after another two lawyers from the firm are killed. Can they figure out what is going on and why the firm lawyers are being targeted? I was worried for Landon and Kerri.

There were quite a few separate storylines introduced that made me wonder why and how they were included, and I struggled with all the football references. While I didn’t always follow what was happening, I was invested in the characters of Landon and Kerri. I loved how they worked together and tried to support one another even when their jobs pulled them in separate directions. They were not perfect and had their struggles and insecurities. There was one character that I did not trust and while I was right, I should have been suspicious of a few other as well. I especially liked the friendship that Billy provided to Landon and Kerri. I was rooting for him to save the day when trouble was obvious. The twist at the end shocked me, I had not seen it coming and did not suspect it at all. While I liked the main characters, I struggled with following the story at times and felt like it became very layered and twisted. 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Check out my reviews of other books by this author: 

   

By Reason of Insanity

Directed Verdict 

Fatal Convictions 

The Judge 

 

Review: Across the Blue by Carrie Turansky

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: February 1, 2018
341 pages

About the Book:

Isabella Grayson, the eldest daughter of a wealthy, English newspaper magnate, longs to become a journalist, but her parents don't approve. They want her to marry well and help them gain a higher standing in society. After she writes an anonymous letter to the editor that impresses her father, her parents reluctantly agree she can write a series of articles about aviation and the race to fly across the English Channel, but only if she promises to accept a marriage proposal within the year. When James Drake, an aspiring aviator, crashes his flying machine at the Grayson's new estate, Bella is intrigued. James is determined to be the first to fly across the Channel and win the prize Mr. Grayson's newspaper is offering. He hopes it will help him secure a government contract to build airplanes and redeem a terrible family secret. James wants to win Bella's heart, but his background and lack of social standing make it unlikely her parents would approve. If he fails to achieve his dream, how will he win the love and respect he is seeking? Will Bella's faith and support help him find the strength and courage he needs when unexpected events turn their world upside down?
 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved these characters. James is a young aviator with the goal of being the first to fly an airplane over the English Channel between England and France. If he is not the first, will he be able to handle that? He is working with Professor Steed who is not only his mentor but also a father figure to him after raising him when his mom and guardian passed away when he young. He doesn’t know who his birth father is, and his mom was cut-off from her family when she had him. Isabelle comes from a wealthy family, her father owns three newspapers in London, her mother is pushing her to find a husband from a wealthy/titled family. Isabelle has dreams of being a journalist. While her father understands her dreams, he agrees with her mother that she is to focus on finding someone to marry and is worried that writing will tarnish her name and eligible men will not want her. They came to an agreement that she can write under a false name but she must also be open to looking for a match and accept a marriage proposal, approved by them, by the end of the year. James and Bella are drawn to one another, but with his background and financial standing her parents will not approve of him as a suitor. We follow James and the professor as they work on getting their plane ready to fly across the channel and see the setbacks they encounter along the way. I liked how the professor is able to encourage James and teach him patience and practice pays off. I loved how Bella stood up for her dreams and the determination she showed. There is a moment where the characters fight that frustrated me, I just wanted them to listen to one another instead of being stubborn with their beliefs of what happened. I really wanted these two together but couldn’t see how Bella’s parents would ever allow it. I wanted to know if they could overcome the obstacles. Faith was subtly mixed in with the story with the characters attending church, thinking about the message of the sermon and characters learning that God has been caring for them all along. 

Favourite Quotes: 

“What seemed liked a terrible disaster had turned into an unexpected blessing.”

“Looking back now, I see how God has been watching over me all my life.”

(I borrowed a copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Check out my reviews of other books by this author: 

   

No Ocean Too Wide - McAlister Family #1

No Journey Too Far - McAlister Family #2

Review: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

Genre: Women's Fiction 
Publisher: Revell
Released: July 5, 2022
368 pages

About the Book:

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she’s been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who’s just entered hospice care. But there’s more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she’s not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it’s a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that’s just what Mrs. Kip will give her—but she’s going to have to work for it.

  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a difficult read for me, but I suspected going in that it might be. We are following Mrs. Kip as she moves into hospice care and Aidyn is assigned to meet with her to write her obituary. Clara Kip is the first character we meet, and we know that she does not have long to live. Aidyn is a young journalist who believes she has been given this assigned as punishment but really, she has been sent to discover a bigger story. Mrs. Kip sees herself as having just lived an ordinary life with dreams unfulfilled. She always dreamed of going to Brazil and working with kids there to brighten their lives, but she was never able to go and is disappointed by that. However, the work she has done in her home of Kansas City for so many refuges made a big impact, not only on them but everyone around them and changed the cultural landscape of the community. As Aidyn speaks with Mrs. Kip she realizes just how many people she has helped and the ripple effect her life had on others. As Aidyn researches more about the impact Mrs. Kip’s actions had on the community she is astonished, inspired and touched. Mrs. Kip said her goal in life was to befriend people and be there and love people, she truly did this. Mrs. Kip explained it as “I simply tried to love people as best as I could for as long as I was privileged to be with them.” Through this attitude and example Mrs. Kip is able to witness to Aidyn during her last moments and shows God’s love to Aidyn. I loved Mrs. Kip, her personality and energy endured me to her. She had me laughing at comments made and at times being inspired by her. She shows love to those around her even when she is battling challenges herself. I did enjoy learning about a period of history I knew nothing about. What made this book hard for me was just how much the hospice care was described from the medical standpoint and what a person goes through as they're approaching their last days. It is not that it was graphic or anything it just brough back too many memories as I have personally experiencing being in a room with a loved on dying. Those are moments I don't really want to remember or relive. I’d rather relive the better days. Mrs. Kip was a wonderful example of showing love to others and how little actions matter. 

Favourite Quotes: 

“I simply tried to love people as best I could for as long as I was privileged to be with them.”

“Sometimes we do things in life without knowing what ripples flow from it long afterward.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)