Customer Reviews

In Good Faith (Joe Dillard)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you read An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard), you will know Joe Dillard as an attorney who wanted to get out of defending guilty clients. As this book opens, Joe has made the move and is trying to decide what to do with the rest of his life. As a genuine "good guy," Joe ends up becoming a prosecuting attorney - going after the very people he used to defend.

While his original intent was to never seek the death penalty, his very first case involved a crime so horrific - the deliberate murder of an entire family - that anything else would have been a slap on the wrist.

His first novel explored what it means to be a defense attorney to the guilty - this one involves more of an understanding of what it means to be evil, and to be one of those who embrace it. The defendants are a part of a satanic cult who attempt to put a curse on Joe. Joe himself must decide what he believes, not only about evil and evil forces in the world, but also about that which is genuinely good.

In so doing, the author leaves the reader with the same question. If there is evil in the world, is there something bigger that is good?

I enjoyed his first novel, and appreciated this second one even more. He has a way of drawing characters that make them real, and a way of raising questions without giving pat answers. I'm looking forward to future novels ...

I just finished reading "In Good Faith" and was spellbound. Scott Pratt is a talented writer and has the skill to write tough when needed but then can turn right around and be tender, loving and caring. After you read his books you feel like you are part of the family. I am looking forward to more of Joe Dillard. Can't wait for number three to hit the stands.

Scott Pratt's second novel to feature attorney Joe Dillard is just as good, if not better, than the first. Dillard, disillusioned by his life as a defense attorney, finds himself working for the DA's office, and is promptly given two cases that test his mettle. He soon becomes encumbered by a run of bad luck that one source tells him is due to the involvement of a Satanic cult in one of the cases. The action is good, the behind-the-scenes legal battles crisp, and the book ends up moving along like a thriller should; at breakneck speed.

Highly recommended.

Scott takes some local experiences and uses his imagination to create great stories. This new book is even better than the last one. I can almost see these people and places as his story unwinds. I'm so looking forward to the next book. Great work!

This is my second book by this author, it is the second book with the Joe Dillard character. First let me say, I think it may be more enjoyable if you have not read the first one, to read it first. Actually I am kind of nutty about that, reading the books in order, but I think in this case, the characters are more enriched by having spent time with them in the first book.
I was kind of surprised to see this in the store, I just came upon it and I am glad I did. Normally I can follow my favorites or authors I know I want to read by seeing their book in hard cover, I did not know this book was out, and I'm so glad I saw it. ( I guess I better check to see if the author has a web page, so I won't miss out on another.) Anyway, it is a great story, and again, I like how the main character, a lawyer, always has more than one thing on his plate, instead of "the one big case", I mean isn't that more realistic? I dont' know, it is just interesting that way. I would like to warn any other readers though, there is a little supernatural, kind of out there part of the book, but I didn't mind it, I loved it actually, but I just thought you should be warned. Some people may be turned off by that.
Why aren't his books in hardback?

3.5 stars

This is the second book in the Joe Dillard series (An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard) is the first). This one arrived before the first one and I didn't want to wait so I read them out of order. I think it would have been better to wait because this book seems to give spoilers as to what happened in the first book.

At the beginning of this book, Joe Dillard has been out of the practice of law for a year. He is watching the trial of one of his former clients (who admitted his guilt to Dillard after his acquittal) and the guy is acquitted again after a poor performance by the assistant district attorney. Dillard's wife suggests he apply to work for this district attorney and he is hired to prosecute violent felonies. His first case starts before his official first day at work: the gruesome murder of a couple and their two young children. In addition to the murder case, Joe tries a statutory rape case and deals with some family crises.

The book had the promise of being pretty good, but a few things bothered me enough to lower my opinion of it. Most importantly, the author threw in some "woo woo" paranormal stuff into what could have been a good straightforward legal thriller plot without it. I thought that aspect detracted from, rather than added to, the plot and the book would have been much stronger without it. Second, too many of the characters were dirty or unscrupulous in one way or the other. It is possible this relates to something in the acknowledgements section of the book or it may be foreshadowing of future books in the series, but it bothered me. Finally, the courtroom scenes are not as well-crafted as in other legal thrillers I've read. I hope this will improve in any future books in the series as well because that is what separates a good legal thriller from a regular crime thriller.

Not as good as his first book, but it was still very good. I like his characters but hope he stays clear of the hokey stuff in the future. Looking forward to his next book.

I have read 4 of Scott Pratt's books and now wait for more to be published. I have enjoyed each of his four books and now await for his fifth book. Once you read the first page, EACH book is difficult to put down. GREAT AUTHOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great legal novels.

...that "lawyer books" change things up enough to suit me. Pratt's a master juggler, with a character whose life is developing just like he does over the course of time. I just read my third today -- yes, started and finished. It moved fast -- but it was satisfying. I can say that of all of thme, and I'm just sorry I'm about to run out!

When I posted the first Joe Dillard book review, I think I asked where Scott Pratt had been hiding. Great character this small town Tennessee criminal lawyer, good guy and family man. The second book in the series is this one vIN GOOD FAITH and glad to say no second book jinx here. Great read. In the first book we could tell Dillard needed a break. In the second he is thinking he is ready when the DA calls and sets up a meeting to ask Dillard to come back to law as a prosecutor. A different look at law. Dillard accepts and is going to handle big cases. The other characters are rich and powerful, his wife Caroline, sister Sarah is back, Fraley the investigator and Sheriff Bates are all good. The main story line is prosecuting young murder offenders with in a Satanic link, but there are other strong story line too. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.