Keera Duggan #2
By: Robert Dugoni
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
ISBN: 9781662517990
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: 10/22/2024
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.
When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court—she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.
Five years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she was: a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.
As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears that this time she's telling nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.
My Review
Robert Dugoni is at the top of his game as he returns from Her Deadly Game (5 Stars) with his popular Keera Duggan #2 in BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT—Old friends and old suspicions rise to the surface as Keera dazzles in this latest masterpiece legal thriller!
About...
Keera is back better than ever to deal with a master manipulator accused of murder.
Jenna Bernstein, a disgraced CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover. She turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her.
As we discovered from the previous book, Keera is a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court. She knows her childhood friend and knows trouble is not far behind —a controlling sociopath.
Five years earlier, her father defended her when she was charged with the killing of her company's chief scientist (whistleblower), who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well.
Keera is reluctantly pulled into the case, having to cancel her vacation to take over for her father, Patsy (whose firm is struggling financially), while she takes over the trial.
Keera digs deeper, with assistance from private investigator JP Harrison, and she uncovers startling information that could change the entire trajectory of the case. Is Jenna once again playing a dangerous game?
Is she innocent this time? Is this another devious game from a master manipulator? Is her client a murderer?
My thoughts...
BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT is enthralling! The author captivates you from the first page to the last with a game of cat-and-mouse, and as in the past book, Keera is sharp, intelligent, and intuitive! She is quick-witted, street-smart, and savvy.
Keera's connection between chess and her courtroom moves is not just a personal quirk. It's a strategic advantage when she's up against a schemer and the possible murderer she is defending. Her ability to think several steps ahead, just like in a game of chess, often gives her the upper hand in the courtroom.
From the riveting and intense courtroom scenes and cop procedurals to Keera's personal life, her dad's struggles with alcoholism, and the complex family bonds, Detective Frank Rossi adds another layer of depth. We could possibly be getting a love connection here in the next installment, adding to the rich character-driven narrative.
Dugoni, a pro with his background as an attorney & author, expertly builds suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat in this character and plot-driven brilliant legal thriller!
BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT can be read as a standalone; however, I highly recommend reading Her Deadly Game first. In the first book, we learn about Keera's past, her struggles, and her journey to becoming the sharp, intelligent, and intuitive attorney she is in this book. It's a great way to understand and appreciate her character fully.
I eagerly anticipate the next installment to see what comes next in Keera's journey!
Recs...
It is a must-read legal thriller series for fans of the author and those of David Baldacci, John Hart, and Michael Connelly.
Audiobook...
I read the book and listened to the audiobook performed by one of my favorite narrators, Saskia Maarleveld, for a captivating, knock-out performance!
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Brilliance Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 22, 2024
Praise
“A cunning master class in why you should always trust your lawyer, and what it’ll cost you if you do.” ―Kirkus Reviews
Keera Duggan Series
BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT #2
About the Author
Robert Dugoni is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of several series, including Tracy Crosswhite, Charles Jenkins, David Sloane, and Keera Duggan. His stand-alone novels include Damage Control, The 7th Canon, The World Played Chess, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, which was named Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year and won Dugoni an AudioFile Earphones Award for his narration. The Washington Post named his nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary a Best Book of the Year. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and a multi-time winner for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has been a finalist for many other awards. Dugoni’s books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages, reaching over ten million readers worldwide. He lives in Seattle. Visit his website at robertdugonibooks.com.
