Felony Murder Rule (Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez Legal Thriller)

ISBN: 0991391292

Author: Siegel, Sheldon

Condition: New

FELONY MURDER RULE is the eighth book in the legal thriller series featuring Mike Daley & Rosie Fernandez. I was just sitting in the car. In the eighth installment of New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegels iconic San Francisco series, Mike Daley and ex-wife Rosie Fernandez face new challenges and stare down old demons as they return to work at the San Francisco Public Defenders Office where they had started their careers and their relationship twenty years earlier. Mike and Rosie are now the co-heads of the Felony Division, where they spend more time running the office and supervising younger attorneys than trying cases. That changes quickly when Mike is visited by Melinda Nguyen, whose son, Thomas, a high school senior, is about to go on trial for murder. Thomas has been arrested under Californias archaic felony murder rule, which says you can be can be convicted of first degree murder if youre present when someone is killed during the course of a felony, even if you dont pull the trigger. The charge against Thomas shows the absurd limits of this legal doctrine. He was sitting outside in the car when a friend entered a liquor store in San Franciscos teeming Tenderloin District and allegedly flashed a gun. The shopkeeper pulled out an AR-15 and calmly filled the alleged robbers chest with bullets. Thomas is charged with murder even though he never entered the store. Thomas fires his original lawyer on the eve of trial after she recommends acceptance of a plea bargain. With nowhere else to turn, his mother petitions for help from the Public Defenders Office, and Mike agrees to handle the trial scheduled to start four days later. As the evidence mounts against Thomas, it tests Mike and Rosies legal skills and relationship. Their stress is compounded by the fact that Thomas and his mother may have a connection to Mikes older brother, Tommy, who died in Vietnam forty years earlier. Aided by Mikes brother, Pete, a private investigator, and Rosies niece, Rolanda, a top-notch young attorney at the P.D.s Office, Mike and Rosie face their most compelling challenge yet as they race to represent their client and try to find closure for old wounds. An intricate plot, immensely likeable characters, powerful suspense, and a touch of humor are Sheldon Siegels hallmarks. In Felony Murder Rule, readers will discover once again why reviewers have called Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez two of the most compelling and beloved characters in contemporary crime fiction.