Fractured Trust (A Renee Steele Legal Mystery)

From R. Barri Flowers, award winning criminologist and international bestselling author of legal thrillers, Persuasive Evidence, State’s Evidence, and Justice Served, comes a gripping new legal suspense novel, Fractured Trust: A Renee Steele Legal Mystery.

It is 1982 and assistant prosecuting attorney Renee Steele works for the Sex Crimes Unit of the Akers County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Sparrow’s Crossing, Michigan.

In her latest case, Renee prosecutes wealthy businessman Kurt Bochner, who is accused of raping a young woman during a date.

Alice Prescott, a cocktail waitress and aspiring model, claims the former local college star quarterback date raped her.

The case hits close to home for Renee, who was the victim of date rape thirteen years earlier while in law school. She never pressed charged against her assailant, but the crime has affected both her professional and personal life.

She is currently dating corporate attorney, Lawrence Quinn, but finds herself attracted to Sparrow’s Crossing police detective, Paul Kelly, an investigator for her current rape case.

Renee is thrown for a loop when Paul’s separate investigation into an international escort service operation yields unexpected results that lead to a shocking betrayal.

In the meantime, she is pitted in court against a formidable opponent, defense attorney Deana Krane, who has never lost a case and is determined to win an acquittal for her client Kurt Bochner.

In Fractured Trust, date rape and prostitution are put under the microscope. The results are anything but certain, and there is a stunning climax.

Praise for Legal Mystery and Thriller Fiction by R. Barri Flowers:

“Flowers once again has written a page-turner legal thriller that begins with a bang and rapidly moves along to its final page.” -- Midwest Book Review on State’s Evidence

“An excellent look at the jurisprudence system...will appeal to fans of John Grisham and Linda Fairstein." -- Harriet Klausner on Persuasive Evidence

“A model of crime fiction.... Flowers may be a new voice in modern mystery writing, but he is already one of its best voices.” -- Statesman Journal on Justice Served

"An intriguing story of murder, madness and mayhem, with a slight blend of mystery. Flowers depicts believable characters in this suspenseful legal thriller." -- Romantic Times on State’s Evidence

"R. Barri Flowers has created a superb mystery.... It's a great book that any mystery lover will adore." -- RAWSISTAZ Reviewers on Justice Served

“Raw, primal, thrilling, incredible—one of the best books that I have read. I was completely riveted from the first page.” -- Romance Reader at Heart on Persuasive Evidence

"A well-written thriller with an opening scene that would cause anyone to keep turning the pages.... It's fast-paced, intriguing, satisfying, and I highly recommend it to you." -- Romance Reader At Heart on State’s Evidence

“An absorbing legal thriller... Flowers’ forte lies in the vivid well-developed characters he creates. The interactions of his characters and the conflicts that arise serve to make the story a compelling page-turner.” -- Romance in Color on Persuasive Evidence

"This author weaves a magical web, as well as, a tangled one [and] wraps up the mystery thriller beautifully.... Will be recommending this title to many!" -- Huntress' Book Reviews on Justice Served

“All the elements of a great mystery book, suspicions, red herrings, evidence and witnesses. If you are into mysteries, this would be the book for you.” -- Romance Review on Persuasive Evidence