Innocence on Trial

De: Rick Bowers

Narrado por: Eleanor Caudill

Seeking a high profile case to jet-fuel her career and striving to strike a blow for justice, attorney Laura Tobias sets out to clear a man she believes was wrongfully imprisoned for murder, ten years before. The young lawyer, a rising star with the Council Against Wrongful Convictions, is the last hope for inmate Eddie Nash, serving life without parole at the infamous Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York.

Attica, one of the last of the classic "big houses", is still haunted by the 1971 inmate revolt and police siege that left dozens of prisoners and hostages dead. Appealing the cast in federal court and unraveling the facts, Laura uncovers evidence that Eddie was framed by the police for murder - the brutal hanging of a troubled young woman in the remote upstate town of Eden.

Realizing that the real "hangman of Eden" may still be at large, Laura also finds herself being stalked. Are the police out to stop her from exposing their frame-up? Is the real killer seeking to keep her from reopening the investigation?

Teaming up with noted innocence investigator Charles Steel, she gets a lead on evidence that could clear her client and point to the real killer. With a new trial moving forward, Laura must find the truth and prevail in court, without becoming the next victim.

©2019 Richard J. Bowers (P)2020 Richard J. Bowers

Well done...

This is a very well written plot based, wrongful conviction legal thriller. It’s a very good story that held my attention especially when facts are mixed in. The story revolves around one wrongfully imprisoned black man, but give shocking statistics on our overall prison systems inequalities in convictions between the races. The story also gives detail how quick the police are to 1) close a murder case and 2) the lengths the system will go to to obtain a conviction. Of course there are a few dirty cops thrown in and an incompetent attorney.
The ending is a total surprise! Never saw it coming!
Eleanor Caudill does a great job narrating.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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well developed story line

many slow parts but well developed story and characters. I really liked this writer. narration was great. unexpected end.

An emotional and thrilling story shines!

The Review

What an exciting thriller. Having the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of the novel, narrator Eleanor Caudill does an amazing job of bringing the visceral settings and complex characters come to life for the listener.

The story itself is well woven, creating characters that are multi-layered and full of complexities that keep readers engaged throughout the entire book. The book plays out like a court-room drama taken to the tenth power, with the drama and tension of the courtroom trial blending into the thrill of a dangerous set of foes lurking ever closer as the truth fights to breakthrough.

The cast of characters are the heart of the story, with protagonist Laura Tobias fighting to prove herself and showcase her talent while trying to uncover the truth of the case and her client Eddie struggling with the sins of his own past while fighting the crime he didn’t commit or did he?

The Verdict

An emotional and thrilling story shines brightly in this novel. A must-read book, the story takes readers for a roller-coaster ride of twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seat, and by books end the reader will be fully invested in Laura’s fight to get to the heart of this tragic and gruesome case. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of author Rick Bowers’ “Innocence on Trial” today!

Compelling legal thriller from Upstate NY

A great listen - the story has a lot going on and I couldn't "put it down." Learned a lot about wrongful conviction and I loved the setting in upstate NY and Brooklyn. Killer surprise ending.

Everyone's Guilty of "Something"

Edward Thomas Nash has been a resident at Attica Correctional Facility for ten years and seven months for the brutal murder of a young stripper. Supposedly, he didn’t approve of the employment choice of his former childhood friend and alleged lover and was heard threatening her hours before her body was found hanging over an embankment. Nash didn’t have an alibi and his DNA was found at the scene… on the victim.

Guilty as charged. Goodbye, Mr. Nash, end of story. The end, right?

Not even close.

On the surface, Innocence on Trial plays as a legal battle to free an innocent man from prison. But is he innocent?

Is Attorney Laura Tobias really a pure of heart do-good litigator out to correct a miscarriage of justice or does she have a more self-serving agenda?

An imperfect legal system imprisons innocent people all too often, but was there more at the heart of the Nash case than the status quo rush to justice and racial inequity?

And if Eddie Nash didn’t kill Erin Lambert, who did? Who is the Hangman of Eden?

The author has done a great job of constructing a maze of shady characters, inept attorneys, and dirty cops that allow for anyone to have been Erin’s killer, including Eddie Nash. But the suspense is turned up to high after Laura is stalked and assaulted and an attempt is made on Eddie’s life in his prison cell.

Standouts for me were Charles Steele, the African-American investigator for the Council Against Wrongful Convictions. Steele and his undercover team can go where most people cannot to find the truth. Loved Lou “no last name.” Judge Peter Striker, who presides over the second trial. He’s seen it all, done it all, and is not putting up with anyone’s nonsense. We could use more judges like him IRL. John Tobias, Laura’s father. A retired New York prosecutor, John isn’t a fan of the old boys’ network and still has a hand in fixing the system. However, his daughter is always his first concern.

I liked Laura and Eddie. I saw many sides of their personalities, flaws, and all, and they are not cardboard cutout characters. Laura is sharp and knows she’s underestimated by her colleagues. She’s driven and aggressive but takes the time to consider her every word and action. Laura is out to prove herself, but she also wants to be on the right side of the truth. Eddie doesn’t lie to himself about who or what he is, and he’s haunted by the words of benevolent prison guard, Fridge, that “every con ever to enter this prison is guilty of something.”

The finishing touch to this legal thriller is the great narration by Eleanor Caudill. Voicing well over a dozen characters, Caudill masters gender, ethnicity, social status, and vernacular with tone and inflection and kept me riveted in the story right up to the ending I was not ready for!

This gritty, well-written legal thriller will appeal to anyone to enjoys a good story, especially lovers of suspense. Kudos to the author… and I wouldn’t be upset should Charles Steele or Peter Striker appear in other stories. Or the same story! Just saying.

Enjoy!

(I volunteered to review this audiobook as part of my participation in a promotional blog tour. Opinions are my own!)