By: Marcia Clark
Narrators: Marcia Clark, Cathy Lepard
ISBN: 9781705050859
10 hrs. 45 min.
Publisher: RB Media, Recorded Books
Publication Date: 09/13/2022
Format: Audiobook
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
Lives and lies are inextricably linked by a high-profile murder trial in The Fall Girl, the latest exhilarating legal thriller from bestselling author Marcia Clark.
When Charlie Blair left Chicago behind—and her old life as Lauren Claybourne—for a gig in the Santa Cruz DA’s office, things were supposed to be easier. Or at least nothing that a couple of Xanax and a tumbler of vodka couldn’t handle. The plan had been working, until the murder of a local bail bondsman Shelly Hansen.
Enter: hot-shot prosecutor Erika Lorman, she of the stellar record and unfailing touch with juries, a veritable legend in her own right. Fresh off the prosecution of celebrity chef Blake Steers, the newest resident of California’s penitentiary system and perhaps its most high profile, she’s thrust back into action alongside her new co-chair from the windy city and ready to do anything to put criminals behind bars.
But as the fevered search for answers intensifies and the hunt for a killer continues, secrets from the past threaten to undo not just the case—but Erika and Charlie, too. Expertly plotted and relentlessly paced, The Fall Girl will keep readers guessing until the very end.
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My Review
CAPTIVATING! My seventh book by the author and my favorite—her best yet! A taut, cleverly crafted murder mystery that will leave you guessing to the explosive ending.
Marcia Clark is a former LA, California deputy district attorney who was the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder case, bestselling author, television correspondent, producer, frequent media commentator, and columnist on legal issues. She returns with a standalone riveting legal thriller—THE FALL GIRL.
Charlie Blair (Lauren Claybourne) is hiding from a monster from her past. She has a new identity after leaving Chicago and is now with the Santa Cruz DA's office. She must keep a low profile.
She worries about her family constantly and always looking over her shoulder for the monster. She could lose her job and life if anyone finds out about her.
Erika Lorman, a hotshot prosecutor, has just won a big case, making a name for herself. Now there is more pressure with a new high-profile murder case, and Charlie has been assigned her co-chair. Charlie does not need a high-profile case and needs to stay out of the press and limelight.
The case is a murder of a local bail bondsman Shelly Hansen and the daughter is the top suspect. Is she guilty or innocent?
Charlie and Erika both are keeping secrets, and both are from a highly abusive background. We learn more about both pasts and how their past have shaped their present. They have more in common than they know, if only they could communicate on a more personal level.
Ericka will stop at nothing to win with the help of Skip. How far is she willing to go, crossing moral lines while throwing her co-chair under the bus? She is also suffering from panic attacks and is worried about her brother. If anyone discovers what she is doing, she could lose her job and her license.
However, Charlie is brilliant, and she suspects something is wrong. She suspects the person on trial for murder is innocent, and she does not trust Erika. However, how will she go up against her? What will happen to the case?
In a twisted game of cat and mouse, the two women are supposed to be on the same side with two different agendas. Will blackmail work, or will Charlie step up against all odds to seek justice for the wrongly accused? Will Erika be willing to lose it all for the truth?
Wow! This is one riveting legal thriller with two strong, intelligent women with personal, abusive pasts that make for relatable characters. The author knows her way around a courtroom and is a talented writer.
I love legal thrillers—my favorite genre. The author does an outstanding job with character development, courtroom scenes, and investigative skills and dives deep into the human psyche, making this a must-read winner! There is a focus on complex themes of morality, conscience, and personal responsibility.
Reflecting on the author's past, both professionally and personally, THE FALL GIRL is a highly recommended read. For those who enjoy legal thrillers, strong women, intense courtroom scenes, storylines with an undercurrent of humanity, heartbreaking honesty, emotional depth, and a passionate search for justice.
I have read some of her earlier books, her Rachel Knight and Samantha Brinkman series; however, THE FALL GIRL is brilliantly written, and two characters, Charlie and Erika, that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope she brings back for a series!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author and Cathy Lepard for an engaging and outstanding performance. Highly recommend the audiobook. Get this one on your list!
A special thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. I also have pre-ordered the hardcover.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Sep 13, 2022
My Rating: 5 Stars
Praise
"It's no big surprise that Marcia Clark knows her way around a courtroom and a murder mystery—but she's also a terrific writer and storyteller." —James Patterson
About the Author
Marcia Clark is a bestselling author and a criminal lawyer who began her career in law as a criminal defense attorney and went on to become a prosecutor in the L.A. District Attorney’s Office in 1981. She spent ten years in the Special Trials Unit, where she handled a number of high profile cases, including the prosecution of stalker/murderer Robert Bardo, whose conviction for the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer resulted in legislation that offered victims better protection from stalkers as well as increased punishment for the offenders. She was lead prosecutor for the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
In May of 1997 her book on the Simpson case, Without a Doubt, was published and reached #1 on the New York Times, Wall St. Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists. In February 2016, Clark re-released the book with a new foreword.
Clark’s crime fiction series centering on criminal defense attorney, Samantha Brinkman, debuted in 2016 with the publication of Blood Defense, a #1 Amazon bestseller. ABC Studios optioned the book and NBC purchased a pilot script for a one-hour drama series based on the book. Moral Defense, the second book in the series, which was published in 2016, made the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. The third book in the series, Snap Judgment, was published in 2017. Final Judgment will be out in 2020.
Clark is also the author of four bestselling legal thrillers featuring prosecutor Rachel Knight: The Competition, Killer Ambition, Guilt by Degrees, and Guilt by Association. TNT optioned the books for a one-hour drama series and shot the pilot, which starred Julia Stiles as Rachel Knight.
Marcia Clark has been interviewed on Dateline NBC, NBC Nightly News, Ellen, Today, The View, The Early Show, Good Morning America, and Entertainment Tonight, among many others and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, People, Vulture, Vogue, Elle, and many other media outlets in the United States and around the world. She gives lectures across the country on a variety of topics, including how celebrity and media attention continue to impact criminal cases, the gender bias of the media and the workplace, and the ways in which those attitudes are changing among the millennials. WEBSITE
Shorter Bio
California native Marcia Clark is the author of Guilt by Association, Guilt by Degrees, Killer Ambition, and The Competition, all part of the Rachel Knight series. A practicing criminal lawyer since 1979, she joined the Los Angeles District Attorney's office in 1981, where she served as prosecutor for the trials of Robert Bardo, convicted of killing actress Rebecca Schaeffer, and, most notably, O. J. Simpson. The bestselling Without a Doubt, which she cowrote, chronicles her work on the Simpson trial. Clark has been a frequent commentator on a variety of shows and networks, including Today, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, and MSNBC, as well as a legal correspondent for Entertainment Tonight.
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