BLOOD PERFECT

This second installment of a mystery series features a seasoned criminal defense attorney.

After his rousing debut, Good Lookin’(2021), San Francisco Bay Area defense lawyer–turned-author Bequette returns with a tale that sees Joe Turner rattled by a case introduced to him by old college flame Amanda Kensey. She wants him to represent a friend who’s become involved in a crime. A single father of two, Allston Walker is in jail on a $1 million bond for the attempted murder of Jefferson Devaney, a caretaker of the sketchy West Oakland Islander Hotel and the landlord the accused owed back rent to. Someone plunged a knife into Devaney’s chest. The victim insists that it was Walker who loomed over him and then fled. Turner gets to work on exonerating his new client, who insists he’s innocent. The attorney’s detective spadework proceeds with the scrutiny of video footage and interviews with a barrage of locals and witnesses. Turner finds the suspect list expanding along with the number of hotel tenants irate at Devaney for demanding rent. Devaney is no angel; he dispatched his nephew Denny daily to the horse racing track to place wagers for him, expecting lucrative results. What Turner imagines to be a relatively simple case turns out to rock the courtroom with high drama and surprise twists, a sex worker’s key testimony, and unexpected revelations. While attempting to rekindle a romantic fire with Amanda, Turner must deal with the recurrence of traumatic childhood flashbacks to when his veteran attorney father was murdered. Though Bequette’s debut was more sure-footed in plot, pacing, and case excitement, this sequel is a sturdy effort that fans of courtroom dramas will find entertaining, as it further solidifies Turner as a reliable sleuth and bighearted hero. The series is also consistently fortified by the author’s insider knowledge of how criminal minds work, how court cases are structured, the dynamics of police reports, and how innocent bystanders can get “caught up” in a crime scene. These details are often captivating and add legitimacy to the proceedings, further tethering readers to the unfolding mystery. There’s a gripping conclusion and some lively courtroom antics to keep readers on their toes as well, which lawyers will find especially intriguing.

An enjoyable legal thriller bolstered by a charmingly reliable champion of the innocent.