Miranda, who was an assistant state’s attorney, was assigned a case where a young girl was assaulted and raped. Determined to put the assailant behind bars even though the case was weak to begin with, Miranda does what she can to help this innocent girl. When the case falls apart, the defendant goes free, and Miranda is fired after it comes out that she was having a relationship with the lawyer who represented the defendant. Miranda makes an effort to move on and in doing so she creates a podcast called Miranda Writes. After three years a victim of the case Miranda was on comes forward to say that the defendant has struck again. Miranda must decide between going after the defendant or continuing on with her rise to success by taking an offer to host a daytime TV show.

Author Gail Ward has created a compelling legal thriller that is as bold as it is entertaining. The author writes sharp dialogue which feels authentic and pulls you into this emotionally invigorating crime thriller. The author paints realistic courtroom scenes; utilizing obvious experience with the subject matter to make the legal drama feel grounded even when the intrigue is high.

Miranda is a character I was immediately intrigued by and empathized with, which I think is why I clung so tightly to the book when the twists started coming. I enjoyed reading about Miranda’s character as she is tenacious, smart, and devoted to her clients. Readers are immediately immersed in the plot and the story takes off with only the occasional respite for some background information.

One thing that stood out to me the most with this book is how there is a balance of emotions in this book, making it way more accessible and entertaining then your average legal thriller where everyone is constantly brooding. The book has its sad moments, but there are also moments of levity where humor is used to great effect, and even made me laugh out loud a few times. The author takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster that winds through love, hate, fear of the unknown, and anxiety.

Miranda Writes, by Gail Ward Olmsted, has well developed characters and an engaging plot that will have you hooked as you are taken on this tense journey to put Chelsea and Becky’s rapist behind bars. For me, this is the year’s stand out legal thriller.

Pages: 239 | ASIN: B0B1G87C1Y