Book Review: Indefensible by Pamela Callow

Summary: 

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.

With limited criminal law experience, Kate finds herself enmeshed in a family fractured by doubt. Randall’s teenage son is intent on killing him. His daughter wants only to feel safe again. And the entire legal community would like nothing better than to see Randall receive a public comeuppance. As Kate races to stay a step ahead of the prosecution, a silent predator is waiting for the perfect time to deal the final blow. 

Release Date:  December 1, 2010

Publisher:  Harlequin

Age Group:  Adult

Pages:  400

Source:  NetGalley

Review: 

I am a big fan of mysteries and legal thrillers.  In fact, for about ten years I read those two genres almost exclusively.   David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, John Grisham, John Lescroart, Brad Meltzer, Jeffrey Archer, they were my favorite authors for quite some time.  That was before I rediscovered YA as an adult.  

Anyway, I became kind of picky about mysteries and legal thrillers after having read so many excellent books by those bestselling authors.  I decided to try Indefensible when I saw it on NetGalley, and I'm so glad I did.  It was just as good as any of my favorite thrillers.  The plot was exciting, the book moved at a good pace, and the identity of the killer was a surprise.  The story grabbed me from the first page, and I found myself reading when I should have been doing other things, just because I couldn't wait to see how the story ended. 

I liked Kate's character a lot, and even though I did not read the first Kate Lange book, there were enough flashbacks to book one to keep me from getting confused.  There was excellent character development in this book.  The characters grow throughout the book, especially Kate and Nick.  I love to read about character growth!  

I would recommend Pamela Callow's work to fans of mysteries, legal thrillers, and anyone wanting a fast-paced story. 

Just One Gripe: 

The ending was not super concrete with regards to the love story.  This makes sense as the book is part of a character-driven series.

The Best Thing About This Book:

The pacing and character development.

Appropriate for a younger audience: 

Possibly.  Parents, read it first and then decide. 

Score: 

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Setting/Imagery: 4/5

Originality: 4/5

Ending: 4/5

Total Score:  20/25