Presumed Guilty [Paperback]

James Scott Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 14, 2006

Murder, betrayal, and a trial that feeds a media frenzy. Can one woman stand against the forces that threaten to tear her family apart? Pastor Ron Hamilton's star is rising. His 8,000-strong church is thriving. His good looks and charisma make him an exceptional speaker on family values. And his book on pornography in the church has become an unexpected bestseller. Everything is perfect. Until a young woman's body is discovered in a seedy motel room. The woman is a porn star. And all the evidence in the murder points to one man: Ron. With the noose tightening around her husband's neck, Dallas Hamilton faces a choice: believe the seemingly irrefutable facts---or the voice of her heart. The press has already reached its verdict, and the public echoes it. But Dallas is determined to do whatever it takes to find the truth. And then a dark secret from Dallas's past threatens to take them all down. As the clock ticks toward Ron's conviction and imprisonment, and an underworld of evil encircles her, Dallas must gather all her trust in God to discover what really happened in that motel room . . . even if it means losing faith in her husband forever.

Editorial Reviews

Review

No author can write a superlative suspense story every time--unless that author is Bell. A near-perfect plot! -- Romantic Times Top Pick

About the Author

James Scott Bell, a former trial lawyer, is the bestselling author of Try Dying, The Whole Truth, No Legal Grounds, Deadlock, and Sins of the Fathers. A winner of the Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Cindy. Visit his website at www.jamescottbell.com.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310253314
• ISBN-13: 978-0310253310
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,240 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JAMES SCOTT BELL is a bestselling and award winning suspense writer. He was the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine and has written four popular books for the Writers Digest line: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing, The Art of War for Writers and Conflict & Suspense. Jim taught writing at Pepperdine University and numerous writers conferences in the United States, Canada and London. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver. He lives and writes in L.A. He blogs weekly at Kill Zone -- www.killzoneauthors.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bell's back!, April 28, 2006

By 

C.J. Darlington "Author of Thicker Than Blood... - See all my reviews

This review is from: Presumed Guilty (Paperback)

Imagine you're the wife of a pastor, an 8,000-member-congregation-best-selling-author kind of pastor. You're happy. Fulfilled. Making a difference at the shelter for abused women, which you started. Lately your husband has seemed a little distant, but he would never cheat on you. You trust him completely. Until the red police lights flash outside your window...

Dallas Hamilton's world turns upside-down when her husband Ron is arrested for murdering a porn star in a seedy motel room. Dallas desperately wants to believe her husband is innocent. The whole thing's a huge misunderstanding. Or even a smear campaign. After all, Ron's best-selling book tackled pornography in the church, and it was he who teamed up with a local councilman in a fight to wipe out pornography in Los Angeles. Plenty of people are eager to see Ron fall. But as time unfolds, and each visit with Ron's lawyer brings more bad news, Dallas' faith in her husband dwindles.

Her family troubles aren't limited to her husband either. Jared, her twenty-four-year-old son, has recently returned from the Iraqi war and is struggling with his own demons. Dallas yearns to reach him. Yet facing her own past and her husband's future is becoming more than she can handle. But Dallas isn't letting her family go down without a fight.

Whenever I pick up a James Scott Bell novel I expect a thrilling ride - one with twists, turns, and surprises. Presumed Guilty fits the bill. There's a reason why Library Journal calls Jim a "master of legal suspense". His writing is crisp and sharp, and he never fails to create rich characters who could be us. This should come as no surprise from the man who also penned the acclaimed writing how-to book Plot & Structure. I especially enjoyed how seemingly unrelated events at the beginning of the story all organically came together in the end.

Nimbly weaving the multiple storylines (Jared and Ron each get some face time of their own), Bell has crafted yet another relevant page-turner in Presumed Guilty. Pornography is a sensitive subject for many, but Jim tackles the issue with grace. He's not afraid to touch on the porn industry's underbelly, but he never stoops into gratuitous territory.

A bold blend of legal thriller and socially pertinent fiction, Presumed Guilty will keep you flipping leaves well past your bedtime.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for Infuze Magazine

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerfull book and a great legal thriller, May 1, 2006

By 

Bill Garrison (Oklahoma City, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Presumed Guilty (Paperback)

James Scott Bell's latest legal thriller, Presumed Guilty, tackles the issue of pornography, then changes tracks and launches into the themes of forgiveness, grace and spiritual warfare. In my opinion, this book had more "religion" in it than any of Bell's most recent books.

Dallas Hamilton knows her marriage to mega-church Pastor Ron Hamilton is struggling a bit. She does her part in preparing a romantic evening alone, but is frustrated when Ron says he has to work late. Ron, meanwhile, is counciling a woman who needs spiritual guidance. It turns out this woman is a pornstar, and a few days later, she turns up dead. All evidence points to Ron as the culprit.

This is devastating to Dallas. First, she can't believe Ron, an anti-porn crusader, would be anywhere close to involved. But then, Dallas starts learning things about her husband. Ron had a lot of secrets that Dallas didn't know about. These secrets threaten to tear apart their marriage, and Dallas' faith.

Jared Hamilton is an Iraqi war veteran battling internal demons while his dad is in jail. Jared is full of hate and spends time drinking and doing drugs. Author Bell takes the book on a track I didn't expect with this story line. Bell says demons are in a battle for Jared's soul and are causing him to have violent outbursts.

There are lot of legal twists and turns in this novel, but none of them are as interesting as the twists and turns that take place in the character's lives in this novel. Bell shows the power of forgiveness and God's grace. The spiritual warfare angle is something I would like to research further and I'm glad Bell brought it up in this novel. The only weakness of this novel is the pornography angle. A porn star is murdered and some of the suspects are porn producers or stars, but the evil of pornography is directly dealt with.

Bell is great at writing strong characters and relationships. I recommend this novel to anyone. It is a legal thriller that every one can enjoy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of murder and betrayal. Will Dallas Hamilton stand by her man?, May 27, 2006

By 

Adam D. Blumer "BookBug" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Presumed Guilty (Paperback)

This plot is ripped right out of the headlines. Ron Hamilton, a successful pastor of a thriving, 8,000-strong church, has written a bestselling book exposing the evils of pornography. Another book deal is in the works, and his wife, Dallas, thinks life couldn't be better. But that's when a twist of irony steps into the tale.

Ron is arrested for murder. The victim? A porn star. Immediately, the future book deal falls through, and Dallas's life begins to crumble as she, strongly defending her husband, begins to have questions of her own. She knows Ron couldn't have committed the murder, but why was he involved with a porn star? Was he having an affair? Dallas's faith is tested as she grapples with these questions and discovers the truth.

Meanwhile, Dallas's son, Jared, returns from his tour of duty in Iraq; and she barely recognizes the son she once knew. Hardened by his war experience, he questions his faith; and Dallas begins to wonder if demonic activity in his life is to blame.

Add more tension to the mix when an old boyfriend, Chad, steps into Dallas's life and reminds her of a past she'd rather forget. When Dallas rejects his desire to renew the acquaintance, he begins harassing her. She wonders if Chad is involved in the murder. Did Chad commit the murder and frame Ron to get him out of the way so Chad could claim Dallas?

As with other Bell novels, this one weaves in complex subplots and heightens the suspense all the way to the last page. And just when you think you know who the murderer is, Bell delivers more surprises. This novel is a winner from every angle. Strong, relevant themes are woven into a tight plot, and believable characters evoke sympathy as they grapple with real-life issues for which Bell offers biblical solutions. I look forward to reading his next novel. A suspenseful tale from the first page until the last.