Plea bargains – deals cut by Prosecutors in 90 percent of their cases that usually allow the Defendants to serve less jail time in exchange for a guilty plea. Some people find the notion of plea bargaining a disgrace to justice, but what few realize is that without plea bargains the legal system would shut down - There is simply not enough manpower to accommodate trial by jury for every single Defendant. So, what would happen if Defendants suddenly refused to cut deals? What would happen if those few who went against the majority were murdered because they plea bargained? What would happen to the legal system if all Defendants then decide to take their chances, and insist on trial by jury? This is the foundation on which Randy Singer builds his latest legal thriller, The Last Plea Bargain.
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| The Last Plea Bargain |
Caleb Tate, one of Atlanta’s most notorious criminal Defense Attorneys is suspected of killing his trophy wife. Jamie Brock, Assistant District Attorney of Milton County is determined to prove his guilt, prejudiced by a personal connection - Caleb Tate once defended Antoine Marshall, the man convicted of killing Jamie’s mother. Mace James, a Defense Attorney once framed for a crime, is determined to prove that Antoine, too, was framed. Throw these storylines together and you’re sure to have an interesting, multi-layered read on your hands.
Apart from the pressures of her job, Jamie faces several emotional challenges throughout the novel. While dealing with hate and bitterness over her mother’s murder, Jamie must bear the repeated attempts of Mace James to prevent the execution of her mother’s killer. Jamie is furthermore tasked with prosecuting the man who previously defended her mother’s killer. Determined to the point of obsession, Jamie falls into a spell of insomnia and depression. During her investigation, Jamie is confronted with evidence questioning her father’s character and integrity. When it is suspected that evidence has been corrupted, Jamie is also unsure whether or not she can trust the Detective assigned to work the Tate case with her. Amidst all of Jamie's personal turmoil, the Milton County justice system threatens to crumble when Defendants suddenly refuse to cut deals. At first Jamie isn't too concerned - she is, after all, the one Prosecutor who always refuses to cut deals herself. But it soon becomes clear that the justice system cannot accommodate trial by jury for every single Defendant, and the backlog soon throws the Courts into disarray. Things only get more complicated when the few Defendants who do plea bargain end up dead only hours after their release. Uncertainty clouding every decision Jamie must make, the reader is swept along an emotional journey as Jamie fights for justice, peace and ultimately her life.
Apart from the pressures of her job, Jamie faces several emotional challenges throughout the novel. While dealing with hate and bitterness over her mother’s murder, Jamie must bear the repeated attempts of Mace James to prevent the execution of her mother’s killer. Jamie is furthermore tasked with prosecuting the man who previously defended her mother’s killer. Determined to the point of obsession, Jamie falls into a spell of insomnia and depression. During her investigation, Jamie is confronted with evidence questioning her father’s character and integrity. When it is suspected that evidence has been corrupted, Jamie is also unsure whether or not she can trust the Detective assigned to work the Tate case with her. Amidst all of Jamie's personal turmoil, the Milton County justice system threatens to crumble when Defendants suddenly refuse to cut deals. At first Jamie isn't too concerned - she is, after all, the one Prosecutor who always refuses to cut deals herself. But it soon becomes clear that the justice system cannot accommodate trial by jury for every single Defendant, and the backlog soon throws the Courts into disarray. Things only get more complicated when the few Defendants who do plea bargain end up dead only hours after their release. Uncertainty clouding every decision Jamie must make, the reader is swept along an emotional journey as Jamie fights for justice, peace and ultimately her life.
What I like about Singer’s writing is that he explores both sides of an issue; it gives the reader a lot to think about. The Last Plea Bargain questions the death penalty and confronts the reader with the moral issues surrounding it. Singer presents both sides of the coin, and I found myself pondering my own beliefs about the death penalty. I love when a book challenges me to look inside myself and ask some tough questions – this is exactly what The Last Plea Bargain does. Singer himself remains neutral on the issue, giving the reader enough information to decide for themselves. Not many authors can effectively do this.
Any lovers of courtroom drama will love this book. Singer explores every angle of the job of a prosecutor, and along with the process of building a case the reader gets to be in the courtroom for the most part of this case – from jury selection and opening statements, to witness statements and cross examination. The courtroom scenes are brilliantly written, very believable and realistic. Singer’s own experience in the courtroom gives his writing an edge few other legal drama authors can boast of.
Singer didn’t pull the rug out from under me once, but twice! The ending was quite spectacular and revealed truths that I quite simply did not see coming. One thing this book is not, is predictable. The Last Plea Bargain was my first Randy Singer read, but it will most definitely not be my last.
Product information:
Product information:
Title: The Last Plea Bargain
Author: Randy Singer
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Tyndale House
Year: 2012
ISBN-10: 1414333218
ISBN-13: 978-1414333212
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| Randy Singer |
Randy Singer is a man of many talents. He is a veteran trial attorney who runs his own practice, has been named on of the “Legal Elite” litigation attorneys by Virginia Business Magazine (and also teaches classes in advocacy and civil litigation), a teaching pastor and critically acclaimed, award winning author of legal thrillers! According to Randy's website “When he grows up, he will decide what he really wants to do”. Furthermore, he is a husband to his wife of 34 years, and father to their 2 children.
Tyndale House Publishers kindly provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review, neither did this review lead to any personal gain other than the joy of being part of the Tyndale Blog Network.
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