From the Shadows, by Neil White, is the first novel in a new series that follows defense attorney Dan Grant and his investigator/will they or won’t they love interest Jayne Brett. Part crime thriller and courtroom drama, White weaves a seriously addicting and dynamic plot with stellar characters.
When Dan and Jayne inherit a case defending a man accused of murdering a 24-year-old school teacher weeks before trial, everyone around them expects them to ride the case to an obvious guilty verdict. However, Dan is not that type of lawyer. Going back to the evidence and re-interviewing the witnesses, Dan and Jayne find themselves following a path that becomes dangerous.
I really liked the original perspective of this one; it sort of reminded me a little bit of the television show Suits; smart dialogue, sassy characters, and intense plot lines. I loved the variation away from the typical police procedural and the fact that we were able to see an inside look into how an attorney prepares for trial. White, when he isn’t writing books, is a prosecutor and this very obviously shows throughout his narrative. Everything feels so realistic.
Overall, I feel like this was a brilliant start to a new series and will anxiously be awaiting the next novel. 4/5 stars.
Clues and Reviews 