The Case Against William

by Gimenez, Mark

  "You're the best dad in the whole world."

  And he would be the best son in the whole world. Frank Tucker deserved such a son. William Tucker had been granted a last-minute reprieve by life. A second chance at life. Because of his father. His father had saved his life. He turned to his dad and held up an open hand.

  They high-fived.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Mark Gimenez grew up in Galveston County, Texas, and attended Texas State University and Notre Dame Law School. He was a partner in a large Dallas firm. He is the author of seven novels—The Color of Law, The Abduction, The Perk, The Common Lawyer, Accused, The Governor's Wife, and Con Law—as well as a children's novel, Parts & Labor: The Adventures of Max Dugan. His books have sold over one million copies and received critical acclaim around the world; they have been bestsellers in the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and India and translated into fifteen foreign languages. The Perk won a spot in Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery Novels, edited by John Connolly and Declan Burke. Mark has two sons and lives in Texas.

  PRAISE FOR MARK GIMENEZ'S BOOKS

  CON LAW

  "There cannot be any dispute. Gimenez has taken over John Grisham's mantle. This is his seventh legal thriller, and his work is now faster and fresher than Grisham, his characters are stronger, and his plot lines reek of tomorrow's headlines. This one centres on 'fracking'; the removal of gas from shale oil deposits, which is now the subject of fierce political debate in Britain as well as America.… It takes a positive delight in the intricacies of the law, but with a good helping of action thrown in, and it underlines just how much Gimenez has taken over Grisham's territory." Daily Mail (UK)

  Same brilliant storyteller, brand new character to follow. Gimenez does law mysteries every bit as good as John Grisham, and this latest effort won't disappoint fans of that master.… Gimenez is a great and growing writer who hasn't let his readers down yet, and doesn't look likely to." Weekend Sport (UK)

  "A fracking good read." The Times (South Africa)

  THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE

  "A breathtaking read." – Joburg.co.za (South Africa)

  "A gripping story, well told." – Literary Review (UK)

  "It could have been the kiss of death—to be described as the next John Grisham—but so far Mark Gimenez has dodged the bullet. The Texas lawyer has quietly carved his own path, seemingly unworried about any expectations triggered by his debut thriller making the New York Times bestseller list. He writes legal thrillers—good ones. His latest novel, The Governor's Wife, however, is not set in a courtroom but rather the governor's mansion in Texas and the no-man's land on the border of Texas and Mexico. His hero is not a smart, quick-stepping lawyer but a jaded governor, set for life in his home state but who hankers after the adrenaline rush of one more political adventure, a tilt at the White House.… Gimenez's dialogue breathes street cred, his characters are larger than life, almost bigger than Texas, but it is the state itself that is pivotal. His books exude Texas. Violence hovers like the acrid whiff of gunpowder after the fatal shot. Here it explodes into massacre and betrayal in the raw world of illegal immigration, drug cartels and politics." – Dominion Post Weekend (New Zealand)

  "Mark Gimenez delivers another powerful thriller with his latest release The Governor's Wife.… Gimenez has built a solid reputation for being a skilled storyteller and in this latest release he kicks things up a notch, intensifying the action, increasing the emotion and going all in with a plot that twists and turns, and creating multi-layered, captivating characters that are impossible not to care about." – Houston Press

  "Here's a heady mix of drugs, sex, politics and gunfights played out in a modern Texas, a big tale that gallops along at mustang pace.… Mark Gimenez already has a reputation as a fine thriller writer and doesn't disappoint here.… VERDICT: HEADED FOR THE BESTSELLER LIST." – The Courier-Mail (Australia)

  "The no-man’s land hugging the Mexican border with the United States forms the pivotal area for plot. An ambitious politician; his estranged wife; a scheming political advisor; the politician’s mistress; a missionary doctor, ruthless lobbyists and a vengeful Mexican drug lord, the story has all the elements in their best to keep you turning pages.…The biggest player, history, is least mentioned but is the most powerful driving force. The Governor’s Wife is a reflection of the distribution of good and bad within us. Each character is carefully constructed with enough attention paid to detail to ensure the seamless flow of the story without compromising on the suspense. Each of them is faced with difficult choices as their personal lives are intertwined with bigger affairs in the making." -- Postnoon (India)

  "Politics, drug lords, the rich, the poor, racism, sex, love and hate … The Governor's Wife has a bit of everything.… Mark Gimenez keeps the story cracking along at a furious pace." -- Wairarapa Times-Age (New Zealand).

  "An intense, exciting read." - The Citizen (South Africa)

  "The State of Texas is a world unto itself, and nowhere is more grimly fascinating than the corridor of badlands where the Lone Star meets the Mexican border. It is a constant source of material for novelists, politicians, environmentalists to name but a few. Here bestselling writer Mark Gimenez takes on the Grisham mantle with a politico-legal-romantic thriller that fairly whips along.… You can see the movie coming a mile away, and it’ll be a cracker." – The Melbourne Review (Australia)

  "He's been described in parts of the media as the next Grisham but Mark Gimenez's sixth novel, The Governor's Wife, zeroes in on a larger-than-life political and family drama set in Texas.… As the Governor of Texas, Bode Bonner has it all but a ticket to the White House and a wife willing to play second fiddle to his rapidly expanding ambitions.… Just as the cut-throat tactics set the pace for a final showdown, the unexpected depth presented by both governor and wife makes for a compelling, if slightly unusual, love story." - The National (Dubai)

  ACCUSED

  "Some critics are calling the Texas-based lawyer Mark Gimenez 'the next Grisham'—but I think that's far less than fair. This, his fifth novel and the second featuring attorney A. Scott Fenney, shows he's now better than the one-time master of the American courtroom drama. For my money, Grisham has grown stale over the past five years while Gimenez has gone from strength to strength. If you doubt me, sample this cracking thriller which sees Fenney defend his former wife against the allegation that she killed the man she left him for, millionaire golf professional Trey Rawlins.… This is one of the best legal thrillers since Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent in 1987 … Superb." – Daily Mail (UK)

  "Brilliant writing, masterful plot and all the thrill of the courtroom in one. Grisham, step aside." – City AM (UK)

  "Gimenez has set his bloody murder trial Accused against the background of a failed marriage, single-parenting issues and male infidelity.… This mix of family values, sex, sleaze and intrigue holds together in a gripping read with unexpected twists that ranks with anything Grisham has done in years." – The Times (UK)

  "Gimenez writes smart vernacular dialogue, hip and street-wise, with a nice line in social commentary, and his plotting leaves the over-rated John Grisham in his rear-vision mirror." – The Australian

  "Courtroom drama at its finest.… Great ending, too." – Perth Now (Australia)

  "Gimenez's latest novel Accused is classic Grisham at his best." – Gisborne Herald (New Zealand)

  "A great read.… Gimenez is a thriller writer of quality." – Oamuru Mail (New Zealand)

  "You’ll be handcuffed and imprisoned from the first page." – Joburg.co.za (South Africa)

  "If you enjoy suspense and a fast-paced courtroom drama, this one's for you." – Foschini Club Magazine (South Africa)

  "Accused is an engaging and character-led legal thriller. Gimenez's dialogue and prose are as fluid and natural as we've come to expect, and the pacing of the plot will keep pulling you along. When we're finally brought into the court-room, the author actually makes i
t gripping and tense, even though we've been following Scott and his team's investigation every step of the way. Accused, therefore, offers the reader everything they could want from a thriller, and is a very satisfying read." – Civilian Reader (UK)

  "Gimenez's plots are driven by surprises and twists, while the stakes are much higher than what one can possibly imagine at the beginning of the book. What's more, the Texan lawyer, A Scott Fenney, grips our interest with his mind games, and we are compelled to turn one page after another to discover where the story is headed. Gimenez is in good form in Accused. He is equally good in the companion book, The Color of Law. Unputdownable for those who love the genre." – The Times of India

  THE COLOR OF LAW

  "First novelist Gimenez draws on his experience as an attorney in this taut legal thriller that echoes To Kill a Mockingbird. With fast-paced and edgy prose, dramatic tête-à-têtes between attorneys, and an explosive courtroom conclusion, Gimenez effectively weaves elements of race, class, and justice into a story of a lawyer who rediscovers the difference between doing good and doing well." - Library Journal (starred review)

  "Gimenez delivers an authentically creepy debut novel. A big part of this thriller's appeal is its moral backbone.… This is a well-calibrated contemporary morality play, set in get-rich-quick Dallas, with tours of country clubs and gated communities, and knowledgeable forays into Darwinian legal tactics. Gimenez also gives us a hateful character who becomes more sympathetic the more he fails. Fast-paced and thought-provoking fare." - Booklist (starred review)

  "The Color of Law is an unbeatable legal thriller with a lot of heart." - Texas Monthly

  "Gimenez makes his debut with a legal thriller based in Big D that will keep you on the edge of your seat.… 'The Color of Law' is full of twists and turns into the dark side of human nature with a final courtroom scene straight from 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' " - San Antonio Express-News

  "American lawyers, more accustomed to speaking the language of their people, are much better at [writing legal thrillers]. Scott Turow and John Grisham are the best known, but there are many others. I recommend The Colour of Law by Mark Gimenez, one of the most promising American lawyer-writers I’ve read recently. It's a Grisham-like novel about a slick, successful, ambitious Dallas corporate lawyer whose life changes when he has to defend a black prostitute accused of murder." – The Guardian (UK)

  " 'The Colour of Law' by Mark Gimenez is a compulsive read that owes its heart, soul and passion to Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. In this fast-paced debut, Gimenez sinks his teeth into the manicured and corrupt world of lawyered, high-society Dallas in all its ostentatious glory: golf club memberships, fancy houses, fast cars, sleek wives and the all-encompassing reach of cold, hard power. In A. Scott Fenney—a young, rich and ruthless corporate lawyer at one of Dallas's most prestigious firms who glibly practises 'aggressive and creative' law for his high-paying clients—will the world find a hero or a patsy? Only a case involving a poor, black, drug-addicted prostitute and a dead white senator's son will tell. Warning: you can lose an entire lazy Sunday to this one. – Time Out London

  "New author and former lawyer Mark Gimenez, a Texan, has written a riveting story about the corruption of the law.… Gimenez matches up to biggies like John Grisham and Scott Turow, with a thrilling tale of how the law actually works." – Calgary Sun

  "This is a powerful courtroom thriller set in Dallas and featuring an engaging hero in the form of hotshot corporate lawyer turned defence attorney, Scott Fenney. Gimenez is a gifted plotter and the story winds its way through some good twists before arriving at a startling conclusion. Along the way, Gimenez also makes some points about wealth, social responsibility and race relations in America." – Canberra Times

  "A little To Kill a Mockingbird with some Law & Order thrown in, Color is a page-turner, and Gimenez—a real-life attorney-turned-author—seems to warrant his billing as 'the next John Grisham.' " - Houston Press

  "At least once a year a new legal thriller hits the shelves, hyped to the stars, with promises that the author will be 'the next John Grisham.' Usually, the fanfare is wasted, the hype is a lie and the promises fall flat because the book isn't very good. Not so with Mark Gimenez' compelling debut, The Color of Law." - Chicago Sun-Times

  "The plot setup is as convoluted and intricate as anything in recent memory, an inverted morality tale that equals some of the best work of legal thriller writers Scott Turow, Lisa Scottoline or John Grisham." - BookPage

  "Gimenez's stunning debut is easily one of the most provocative legal thrillers to come along in awhile.… This is a must read, inspiring and delicious." - New Mystery Reader Magazine

  " 'The Color of Law' is more than just a highly readable legal thriller. It's also a blistering attack on both the legal profession and super-rich Texans in Dallas … It's a tasty plot—big money, political intrigue, sexy wives, precocious little girls—but the novel would be a lot less fun without Gimenez's scathing portrait of the city and its most powerful citizens." - Washington Post

  "This debut novel takes the best from Grisham, Meltzer, et al – and adds yet more to make this one of the best legal thrillers I have read for some time." – CrimeSquad.com

  "Gimenez maintains a rhythm that keeps pages turning long past bedtime." - Austin American-Statesman

  "The book starts fast and never slows down." - Houston Chronicle

  "Gimenez's debut has plenty of twists and flashes of humor. A promising, distinctive new voice." - Kirkus Reviews

  "Gimenez does a fine job with the plot; lots of twists and the courtroom scenes are great." - Globe and Mail

  THE ABDUCTION

  "A cracking read." - The Times (UK)

  "Pulse-pounding narrative." – Booklist

  "Gimenez has written a startling, multilayered thriller in which complex characters and a fast-moving plot grab the reader immediately. Smart dialog and a spunky Gracie, who never loses her cool, make for a memorable read that twists and turns until the final, cinematic conclusion." – Library Journal (starred review)

  "The Abduction was the best suspense/thriller book that I read in 2007. I repeatedly recommended it to friends. Each person who I shared it with wrote or called after reading it to tell me how they too were talking it up to others as their favorite book of the year. It has a great plot, strong characters, and a story that never lacks for action." – Carol Fitzgerald, Bookreporter.com

  "After the stunning success of a first novel, there's always the question if the author can do it again with the second and, fortunately, in this case, Gimenez not only surpasses his own preliminary standards of excellence, but those of the entire genre. Not only does he offer up an adventurous plot that races forward at a breakneck speed filled with a cast of multi-faceted and poignantly drawn characters, but he also puts forth some concepts and questions that provoke and compel the reader's consideration long after the last page is turned.… But perhaps most notable of all might just be this book's ability to elicit just about every emotional response possible from the reader. Whether it's laughter or tears, dread or anticipation, be prepared to feel something while reading this glorious adventure that only seems to gain momentum with every page.… Ultimately, a forceful, exhilarating, and effervescent read of faith and redemption, loyalty and love, truth and purpose, and one that unreservedly qualifies as one of the best to come along this year." - New Mystery Reader Magazine

  "Caution: don't start this book unless you have time to finish it—I could not put it down. After his excellent debut, The Color of Law, Gimenez just knocks it out of the park with his sophomore effort.… These characters are so well drawn that it becomes incredibly easy to suspend your disbelief and get completely caught up in the story. I loved the tough-as-a-tiger mom, and the special bond between Gracie and her retired Green Beret grandfather was especially touching, all of which helped ratchet up the suspense even more. The Abduction is one of the best thrillers of the year." - The BookBitch

  "THE ABDUCTION is mu
ch more than a scaled-down version of Commando, however. While stuffed to its considerable brim in action, it is as much about relationships as strategy. Gimenez skillfully weaves the narrative while creating a tantalizing mystery—the 'why' of Gracie's abduction—that will keep you guessing until almost the very end. There are secrets and excitement and just about everything you would ever want from a reading experience." - Bookreporter.com

  "There are times when life gets so overwhelming that even a good book can't keep your mind from wandering. That's when you need a super-riveting read like this to take you away. It's a tale with a normally hard-to-take premise—child abduction. But in the hands of bestselling author Mark Gimenez, it becomes a tale of humanity, heroism, and hope, with complex characters who jump off the page. Boy can this guy tell a story!" - Book-of-the-Month club

  "Gimenez not only gives readers crackerjack plotting, captivating style and adrenalin-laced pacing, he injects deep insight into all his characters, from shattered father John, to his tightly controlled wife Elizabeth—and how Gracie's kidnapping forever changes their lives. The story, however, really belongs to Ben Brice, whose search for redemption propels this gripping and emotionally complex thriller to a surprising and thoroughly satisfying conclusion. If there's one thriller you read this fall, make it The Abduction—it's impossible to put down." - BookLoons

  "A top-of-the-line thriller … Impossible to put down, the book is a nail-biter from beginning to end, as a family's dark secrets emerge during the worst event of their lives." - Romantic Times

  "The Abduction is fast-paced and truly impossible to put down. It is also by far one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time." – Wichita Falls Times