Showing posts with label Robert Whitlow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Whitlow. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2025

Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow

Genre: Legal Fiction 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Releases: February 4, 2025
448 pages
About the Book:

When an old case is reopened, two lawyers work to prove a man's innocence despite the odds stacked against them.

After being fired from his last two jobs, Ryan Clark lands an associate position with a law firm run by his distant cousin, Tom, in a small North Carolina town. Over twenty-five years earlier, Tom represented local man Joe Moore when he was convicted of murder in the deaths of a prominent young couple. Even though the evidence was circumstantial, Joe was high on drugs and doesn't remember the details of the crime. He never seriously questioned his own guilt, even when he was originally accused. Not only has he adapted to life in prison but he's become a different person there and has a significant ministry to fellow inmates.

But Joe's family remains unconvinced of his guilt, and they hire Ryan and Tom to file a motion to obtain Joe's release. The resulting investigation uncovers layers of dark secrets in the local community. It will result either in Joe's vindication--or expand the number of people who should join him behind bars.


My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


3.5 rounded up to 4. 

Ryan is a young lawyer hired by Joe's niece to look at getting Joe released from prison. Joe has been in jail for 26 years for a double murder and found God in jail and now ministers to fellow inmates. It is unclear whether or not Joe actually committed the murder. Story follows Joe's time in prison and Ryan's personal life with his wife Paige. Ryan and Paige have recently moved to town and with Paige working from home she doesn't know many people. We see Paige begin to make friends and discover faith in God. I really enjoyed getting to know Paige and following her journey, I did not particularly care for all the jail scenes and just want to spend time with Paige and Ryan. I loved the way the two of them interacted and cared for one another. I found the jail scenes to be a bit repetitive and mundane after a while. I especially loved the friendship that developed between Paige and the women she meets. There is a strong faith message in the book. 

(I received an ARC of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Sunday, October 27, 2024

Mountain Top by Robert Whitlow

Genre: Legal Fiction 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Released: July 1, 2007
382 pages
About the Book:

Can he trust his client's dreams and visions-even when they threaten to destroy his future?

Supernatural visions filled with images of keys, hatchets, hammers, and fires. An eccentric old man in jail-accused of robbing a church and knowing things he has no right to know. A lawyer turned pastor-suddenly summoned to a stranger's cell by a dream.

How much will one man risk to defend another, when the truth lands him in prison...and the only evidence proving his innocence comes by a dream?








My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐


I liked the way the book opened and was quickly intrigued on where the story would go, but then it seemed to change direction and dragged, taking forever to explain anything that was happening. The dream portions were a bit strange, and I didn't always follow how the characters formed the conclusions they did. I was intrigued by the lawyer turned pastor and the church politics when he agreed to represent someone pro bono. I felt like the church stuff was depicted accurately, showing sadly how badly humans can treat one another. There are two legal cases happening, and while one takes forever to play out, the second one was rushed, and I didn't fully understand how the corruption was taking place. I did really enjoy the way Peg supported Mike in everything and the friendship formed between them and Sam & Murial. I also liked the direction that Mike's life was heading at the end of the book. Overall, I feel like the book was too long and dragged out.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Monday, June 10, 2024

The Confession by Robert Whitlow (Review)

Genre: Legal Fiction 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: August 5, 2014
416 pages
About the Book:

Confession is good for the soul, but it could mean death to an ambitious young lawyer.

Assistant DA Holt Douglas has made a career of getting confessions from criminals. With a confession in hand, he knows a guilty plea is soon to follow.

In the midst of professional success, Holt is haunted by a secret—a lie he buried in the grave of his best friend. Holt’s crime is hidden from all eyes—family, friends, police, and his soon-to-be fiancé.

But the truth has a way of coming back to life.

With obsessive prosecutorial zeal, Holt reopens a cold case involving the death of the town’s wealthiest citizen. The man’s death was ruled a suicide, but Holt suspects murder. Facing fierce opposition, he is determined to expose the killer. Holt slowly begins to unravel the facts.

And comes face-to-face with his own guilty conscience.

With his job, his relationship with the woman he loves, and his future at risk, Holt skirts the boundary between truth and lies, confession and hypocrisy, redemption and ruin. Can he survive long enough to finally make the right choice?


My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


The prologue hooked me, and let us know what secret Holt is keeping. Then it jumps in time, and Holt is now the assistant DA in a small town. Even though I knew what his secret was I liked him and enjoyed following his day to day life. A cold case comes across Holt's desk and something about it bothers him, so he begins digging to find out more details. This reveals secrets that have been kept hidden, but what's the right way to deal with it? I enjoyed how Bishop Pennington befriended Holt even though he didn't attend his church. He provided Holt a listening ear and pointed him to God. I wasn't a fan of Trish's character, she had a crush on Holt even though she was a Christian and he wasn't, and she was also seeing someone. The fact that Holt shared his secret to someone who was practically a stranger felt unrealistic. Holt's secret is revealed but the question is how will it affect the life he had made and how will he respond? The focus of the story is forgiveness. There isn't a ton of action in this one it seemed more like regular life. I thought I knew where it was going to go relationship wise but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't and prefer the way it went.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Friday, January 12, 2024

Review: Jimmy by Robert Whitlow

Genre: Legal Fiction
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: September 20, 2005
520 pages
About the Book:

Once you look at the world through Jimmy's eyes, you'll never see it the same again.

Jimmy's world is a place where a boy can grow to be a man, even if he's "special." Where angels hover, mostly unseen. Where danger can happen, and hearts can falter--but love is never wasted.












My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


This is not my typical kind of read. It follows Jimmy, a 13 mentally challenged boy who has an especially close relationship with his stepmother and grandfather. Story takes place over the course of a few years and presents situations that will make have you forming an opinion. Different situations had me worried that bad things were going to happen and people would be mean. It was interesting to see the world through Jimmy's eyes. The scene with him accepting Jesus into his heart was touching. The ways he went about getting his grandpa to agree to come to church were entertaining. He was an example to those around him. I was sobbing at the ending, it is not a happy ending but I am glad I read this book. It really made me think and take a walk in someone else's shoes for a little while. I really enjoyed the interaction between the family members and the courtroom scenes were really well done. At times I did feel like the story moved a bit slow and the football scenes confused me. This is heartbreaking story that shows evil in the world but that Jesus provides comfort.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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