Saturday, March 12, 2011

Book Review: Indefensible

 Indefensible is Pamela Callow’s second book. Her first book was titled Damaged and she has another due out this year called Tattooed. Indefensible is the first I’ve read by Callow. Indefensible references some things that happened in Damaged, but you don’t have to have read the previous book.

Indefensible centers around Kate Lange, a lawyer. She’s still recovering physically and mentally from the previous case when she has to take on another case. This one may not be winnable though. She must defend her boss who is charged with killing his ex-wife. For Kate, the case is personal since she has history with him and she saw his wife and kids the day before the murder. But first, she has to decide if her boss is guilty or innocent. There’s a good chance she won’t win this case - and there’s a good chance others will die.

Kate Lange is a likable character. She’s not all-powerful and she’s having to deal not only with her boss, who is disliked by many, but with his kids, including a son who saw his father kill his mother. It’s pretty much an un-winnable case, but she keeps trying.

Callow keeps the book moving and keeps the reader guessing. Is the husband lying? Is the son lying? What about the daughter? Whose side is she on? And in the end, when everything and everyone comes together, who will survive?

Here’s part of the back cover blurb:
When Elise Vanderzell plummets from her bedroom balcony one gorgeous summer night, her children awaken to a nightmare.

Their mother is dead.
Their father is charged with her murder.

Lawyer Kate Lange knows all about nightmares. She’s survived the darkest period of her troubled life and the wounds are still raw. Now she’s been handed a case that seems utterly unwinnable: defending her boss, high-profile lawyer Randall Barrett. A prosecutor’s dream suspect. Randall is a man who was cuckolded by his ex-wife. A man who could not control his temper. A man who had argued bitterly with the victim the previous day in full view of the children.
Indefensible
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

I give Indefensible a rating of Hel-of-a-Story.
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FTC Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by Anna Ko with Planned TV Arts. She did not ask for a review and receiving the book did not influence my review. One thing I found interesting in Indefensible was the family dynamics. Both the husband and the wife were angry, yet they could not control their anger long enough to talk. The kids were hurting and angry, yet their needs were forgotten in the anger of the parents. Pamela Callow did a good job of showing how anger can lead to destruction.

13 comments:

  1. Helen, if you keep linking to good books I'm never going to get through my To Read List. ;)

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  2. I agree with Jennifer. I think most of my TBR pile lately has come from your reviews!

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  3. This sounds like a good read. I love the cover.
    Ann I'm with Jennifer, my list is growing.
    Ann

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  4. I get the feeling there are plenty of twists and turns in store for the reader with this one!

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  5. Thanks for another great review. I really like a story that is as multi-layered as this one seems to be. My TBR pile is now taller than my house. LOL

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  6. Jennifer, I don't know what's come over me. I'm reading like crazy.

    I'm just doing what I can to enhance your reading list.

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  7. I'm reading like crazy now, too! And this looks like a good new author to add to my list. Thanks, Helen! It's been a while...

    Michele

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  8. Hi Michele. Welcome to March reading madness!

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  9. Helen I want to thank you for two book reviews you shared.

    Susan Wittig Albert 'An Extraordinary Year of Ordinary Days' is outstanding - I'm so pleased I bought it after reading your review. (It's tough but brilliantly written)

    The other by the same author, Beatrix Potterish I think - I gave to a friend, and she's relishing it. (I had it sent directly to her so haven't seen it yet).

    I doubt I'd have come across either of them without your blog, so a big thankyou!

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  10. I'm so glad you and your friend liked Susan's books. She has another series, a mystery series where the protagonist, China Bayles, is an herbalist and ex-lawyer. Susan's agreed to come back by Straight From Hel when the next in the series comes out later this year! It's another good series!

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  11. Okay, now I really want to know if the husband’s guilty or not! Guess that means I have to add this to my to read list:)

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  12. This is intriguing...although I already have my mind set up that the husband can't be guilty...or where would the story be. Guess I'll have to read to see if I am right.

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