I just want to thank The Book Network and T.L. Bequette for providing me with a review copy of this book, for the book tour. Please see the Tour schedule below.
Synopsis:
From the gang-ravaged streets of inner-city Oakland to the rolling hills of Berkeley, California, attorney Joe Turner defends the most hardened criminals. Confronted with an unlikely murderer in a modern-day whodunnit, Turner’s latest case seems impossible to unravel. At its heart is a decade-old murder and a tangled web of family, loyalty, and devotion that has the trial hanging in the balance. Viewed through the prism of the unique bond of twins, Good Lookin’ asks how far each of us will go to protect the ones we love.
Review:
It’s not every day you come across a mystery/thriller novel that is both gasp inducing and educational. Prior to reading this book, my knowledge about the US justice system and court proceedings was pretty much limited to How To Get Away With Murder; anything outside of an overdramatised version of what happens in court left me confused and, I have to admit, really bored. I’m usually the type that wants to skip all the legal jargon and get right to the defence attorneys slamming their fists on the table screaming “Objection your Honour!” But I have to take my hat off to Bequette because the way this book was written really made me feel like I was learning about court proceedings in the most engaging and fun way.
I think there are two main reasons to this. Firstly, Bequette’s writing style made for an easy read. Despite including a lot of legal terms (raise your hand if you googled Aiding and Abetting too!!), he seamlessly integrates explanations for the majority of them by including one of my favourite characters… Judge Ludlow. I don’t want to say too much about this because I think you just need to experience this character for yourself but Judge Ludlow was such a clever way to help move the reader along when things got a bit technical. Having said that, if he is based on a real person, someone needs a new day job…
Secondly, it helped having such an engaging plot. By now you’ll know how much I love a good plot twist and boy did Bequette deliver! The only way I can describe this without giving away any spoilers is that there’s the plot (Darnel’s case), and then there’s the side plot. I mean, I was surprised by the main plot and how that panned out but the side plot is what really dropped my jaw. I absolutely fell in love with the Wendell brothers and I couldn’t believe how their story developed. I read the last chapter in bed and I kid you not, I was up for hours wishing there was more.
Good Lookin’ is such a beautifully riveting novel that showcases both sides of the legal system – the struggles and pressure of being recruited into a gang, as well as the painstaking task that defence lawyers face when trying to prove their clients’ innocence. This is a must read for every criminal justice lover.
Good Lookin’ – T.L. Bequette
Publication Date – 24/05/2021
Paperback pages – 230
Rating – 5/5
About the Author
T.L. is a criminal defense attorney turned author from the San Francisco Bay Area. Most of his law practice involves defending those accused of murder in Oakland, California. He holds degrees from The University of the Pacific and Georgetown Law School and serves annually on the faculty of the Stanford Law School Trial Advocacy Clinic. “Good Lookin’: A Joe Turner Mystery” is his debut novel, and a series of Joe Turner mysteries is in the works.
Author Social Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlbequette/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BequetteTl
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Website: https://tlbequette.com/
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