A Final Judgment

Ex-cop, Ron Shade is a Chicago private detective. His long time lawyer friend Rick Walters hires him to do some finishing legwork for a civil case involving high-powered attorneys. The trial is only three weeks away and there is still a lot of work to do. And the deeper he digs the messier the case becomes. It bothers him just a little bit that his predecessor committed suicide during the preparation for the case…or did he? Even though the defendant was acquitted of murder and is now facing a wrongful death suit, was he really innocent?

A FINAL JUDGMENT is a fast-paced book that will keep the reader on their toes. Several storylines are integrated to make this book non-stop and very intriguing. Ron is a very busy man with a lot on his plate. He is in training for a huge kickboxing match coming up; his dream shot at the world heavyweight championship. And now this wrongful death case. Author Michael Black has done a wonderful job penning this well developed and multi-faceted character. Ron is a leading man with more than just brawn but with a lot of brains as well. He is a character that reminded this reviewer of a Rocky with a higher IQ. And as if this case isn’t keeping Ron busy enough, his ex-boss at the police department needs a favour. His daughter’s choice of friends isn’t to his liking and he wants Ron to keep an eye on her.

A FINAL JUDGMENT has a touch of romance as well. Ron meets a cutie named Kris with a K at the gym where he trains. He is pleasantly surprised when he discovers that Kris is also a temporary receptionist at his friend Rick’s law office. Kris is not as well developed character as Ron is, but she is intriguing and has a good sense of humour that left this reader smiling. An array of secondary characters fill out the playbill of this book magnificently. Chappie is Ron’s trainer and is a teddy bear beneath the course, bulldog façade. And George is Ron’s ex-partner from the police force and would like nothing better than to have Ron back on the Job, just to name a couple of these characters that will enthral the reader’s imagination.

So don’t miss out! A FINAL JUDGMENT is a wonderful tale that will leave the reader breathless with excitement. If mystery is your genre then this is a book for you and is very highly recommended.

November 2006