Title:	Blood Defense
	Author:	Marcia Clark
	Published:	2016, Thomas & Mercer
	No. of Pages:	398
	Cover Price:	$24.95 Hardcover, $15.95 Paperback, $5.99 Kindle

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Marcia Clark, famed prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson case and bestselling author, has created a unique new character, defense attorney Samantha Brinkman. Blood Defense, the first book in the series, introduces Samantha, her best friend, Michelle, paralegal, and Alex, an ex-con who is an experienced hacker and an excellent investigator; they make up the entire team of the fledgling Law Offices of Brinkman and Associates.

When a popular actress, Chloe Monahan and her roommate Paige Avner are found stabbed to death in their apartment, a police detective, Dale Pearson, is arrested for the crime. Although the evidence is at most circumstantial, he has already been convicted by the media and general population. Samantha gets a call and is asked to represent him. As the story unfolds, Pearson drops some bombshells, making it especially difficult for Samantha to believe that he is actually innocent. The more Samantha gets into the case, the more danger she and her team encounter. The entire book is a series of ups and downs with suspense, intrigue, and close calls.

The book is told in the first person from Samantha’s point of view, and is well-written and well-organized. Samantha doesn’t always play by the rules, which makes for even more danger.

Clark knows the ins and outs of a courtroom, and that makes the story very believable. There is enough suspense to keep readers on the edge; the book is very difficult to put down. The scenarios seem real, the characters seem real, and the ending is, of course, a surprise. There is no graphic violence, profanity, or sex, so this book is highly recommended for all readers who enjoy good thrillers.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this novel.

This book may be purchased at Amazon:
Blood Defense (Samantha Brinkman)