Self Incrimination [Paperback]

Randy D. Singer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2005

When Murder Is the Only Option…

Tara Bannister's abusive stepfather finally pushed her too far. To save herself she had to kill him. Or did she? As Tara's self-defense claim crumbles, attorney Leslie Conners must overcome more than first trial jitters to mount a credible defense. Leslie must save Tara’s life...against her client’s will.

Can a Lawyer Save a Client from Herself?

Defense attorneys expect to catch their clients lying. It’s part of the game. But nothing in law school prepared Leslie for this. Tara’s confession doesn’t add up, and the reason may be more shocking than the crime itself.

In the midst of this taxing case, Leslie’s wedding plans to law partner Brad Carson are interrupted by devastating news: she suffers from a dangerous rare heart condition. Does she dare tell Brad? Before the final gavel falls, Leslie must confront the truth about herself and her mysterious client, or the darkness of the past will swallow them both.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his absorbing stand-alone fourth legal thriller, Christy Award–winner Singer proves that faith and suspense can make delightful bedfellows. Sixteen-year-old Tara Bannister is accused of murdering her alcoholic, abusive and wealthy stepfather on Good Friday. "I'm glad he's dead," the rebellious teenager tells young lawyer Leslie Conners, assuring her that she had pulled the trigger. It's Leslie's first case and she's got a tough defense ahead. Dysfunction abounds: Tara's abused mother is suspected of infidelity, and her young stepbrother battles Tourette syndrome. Further complicating things is Harlan Fowler, trustee for the estate, whose own motivations are more complex than they first appear. Leslie's fiancé and law partner, Brad Carson, who is simultaneously bringing a lawsuit on behalf of a Fabio look-alike against a romance reality show, aids Leslie in her defense of Tara. Matters intensify when Leslie discovers she has a life-threatening heart condition. It's a complicated tale, with some winding and twisting subplots, and Singer adeptly keeps the reader guessing throughout. He spins his story in first-person present tense, which only occasionally gets stiff. Fans of Singer's Directed Verdict and other novels will enjoy appearances from familiar characters. Overall, evangelical Christian readers will find that although Singer is more long-winded and evangelistic, he is every bit as enjoyable as John Grisham. (May 17)
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Review

Endorsements for SELF INCRIMINATION
By Randy Singer

“John Grisham meets C.S. Lewis. Self Incrimination mixes legal shenanigans and biblical truth, then injects the concoction into the lives of entertaining characters. The result is highly volatile, thought provoking, and lots of fun.”
–Brandilyn Collins, author of Dead of Night

“This book absolutely rocks!  Randy Singer fills his story with realistic characters, witty dialogue, and ethical dilemmas.  Then, through his legal magnifying glass, he ignites the plot with biblical truth.  When Singer’s hot, he’s hot–and Self Incrimination sizzles!”
–Eric Wilson, author of Expiration Date
and Dark to Mortal Eyes 

“With a unique grasp of legal drama and human nature, with Self Incrimination Singer has given us yet another page-turning legal thriller.”
–Mark L. Earley, President, Prison Fellowship

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press (May 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578567777
• ISBN-13: 978-1578567775
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,342,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Randy Singer is a critically acclaimed author and veteran trial attorney. He has penned nine legal thrillers, including his award-winning debut novel "Directed Verdict." In addition to his law practice and writing, Randy serves as a teaching pastor for Trinity Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He calls it his "Jekyll and Hyde thing"--part lawyer, part pastor. He also teaches classes in advocacy and ethics at Regent Law School and serves on the school's Board of Visitors. He and his wife, Rhonda, live in Virginia Beach. They have two grown children. Visit his Web site at www.randysinger.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another fast paced legal thriller with lots of action, June 20, 2006

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Self Incrimination (Paperback)

Self Incrimination by Randy Singer is another amazing book by an amazing author. Singer, a lawyer himself, writes terrific fast-paced legal thrillers with Christian aspects that are nearly impossible to put down. Tara Bannister put up with her stepfather's abuse for as long as she could, and then she struck out, shooting him dead. New lawyer Leslie Connors takes Tara on as her first real client, but Tara's story has a lot of holes in it, and suddenly a lot of people are taking an interest in how the case turns out. Leslie is a character from Singer's first novel Directed Verdict, and she and Brad prepare for their wedding, she finds out that she's suffering from a rare heart condition. Too much stress for one new lawyer! The truth about Tara's case isn't too hard to figure out, but I really wanted to shake some sense into her mother Trish for much of the book. Leslie never pushes Tara hard enough for answers, and while that works well for the plot of the book, for the reader, it can be a bit frustrating. Leslie's struggle with the Lord and her illness are really the heart and soul of the book. She grapples with her previous husband's death and her love for Brad in a way that is convincing and sad. While Singer is an excellent writer (I always end up staying up late while reading his books), I was disappointed that much of the novel was resolved through exposition in the last few pages. The main characters aren't actually involved in the wrap-up and haven't been. Everyone's been working around them without telling them. That kind of ending is very dissatisfying. Still an enjoyable book to read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars High Praise for Self Incrimination, September 11, 2005

By 

Aaron T (Bradenton, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Self Incrimination (Paperback)

What attracted me to the novel was that he wrote it entirely from the first-person perspective of a female protagonist. Sure, the first-person really draws you into the character but let's face it, a male author writing from a female perspective is a tall task. You can't help but sneak in some male biases. From the looks of it, he certainly had a cadre of female readers to help him along the way, but gone are the days when the editor does a good part of the rewrite to "fix" any situations. He still has to originate the characterizations.

His protagonist, Leslie Connors, is a rookie lawyer that is trying her first murder case, planning a wedding, and contemplating a dangerous heart surgery-- all at the same time. Of course, her client Tara Bannister doesn't help matters by giving a confession that doesn't add up with her self-defense claim. But as Leslie digs deeper, she is led to believe that the Commonwealth's top prosecutor is somehow involved and that the evidence against her client was tampered with. Confronted with the truth, Leslie catches her own client in a lie, or maybe not? She struggles to find a way to keep her client out of jail as well as to save her own life.

Singer exposes the classic lawyer dilemma between doing what you believe is ethically right versus representing your client to the fullest extent possible. The courtroom scenes were very realistic but not overly technical. Lots of cool trial techniques that you don't learn in law school. Overall it was a great piece of work.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Singer Novel, March 4, 2007

By 

S. Peek (Rocky Mountains, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Self Incrimination (Paperback)

'Self Incrimination' is a superb legal thriller that will keep the reader's attention from start to finish.

Written by Randy Singer, who has penned several other excellent novels, this story is very hard to put down. It contains a murder mystery, a spoiled rick kid defendant, possible corrupt police and prosecutors, and a defense lawyer who is dealing with an impending wedding and a life threatening physical condition along with her first murder case at the same time.

While writing a great novel, Mr. Singer has also pulled off a very impressive feat: He wrote this book in the first person as a woman. In spite of this great challenge, he pulled it off very well.

I have enjoyed several other books by this author. This one is certainly no exception. I not only recommend it. I also recommend that interested readers check out his other work.