Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow: Book Review

 **I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Justice has been served . . . unless the accused is innocent.

Life in prison is often a nightmare, but Joe Moore believes he is just where God intends him to be. Twenty-five years ago, while high on meth, he makes one terrible mistake after another, culminating in the brutal murder of a young, influential couple. Today, Joe is a radically different person, thriving in his role as a ministry leader and role model to his fellow inmates.

After being fired from two previous law firms, young lawyer Ryan Clark and his wife, Paige, have settled into a small North Carolina town. Hired by a distant relative, Ryan is committed to connecting with the right clients and handling the mundane tasks while his cousin Tom takes on the high-profile cases.

But when critical health issues land Tom in the hospital, Ryan is forced to take the helm at the law firm--just in time for the town's biggest case in history to be reopened. Joe Moore's niece has been doing some digging and, convinced that her incarcerated uncle is innocent, insists that Ryan relaunch the investigation immediately.

After Ryan meets with Joe, both men receive threats that put their own lives--as well as the lives of those around them--in danger. It appears that together they've pulled back a dark curtain that hides a deeper evil than anyone in town suspects exists. Now they must determine if continuing with the case is worth the risk--and if the cost of proving one man's innocence is too great when the lives of so many others would be placed in mortal danger.

The Author

Robert Whitlow grew up in north Georgia. He graduated magna cum laude from Furman University with a BA in history in 1976 and received his JD with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1979. A practicing attorney, he is a partner in a Charlotte, NC law firm. He and his wife Kathy have four children and nine grandchildren.

Robert began writing in 1996. His novels are set in the South and include both legal suspense and interesting characterization. It is his desire to write stories that reveal some of the ways God interacts with people in realistic scenarios.

Book Review

What an absolutely intriguing story this was! This one took me a little bit in the beginning to get into, but the further into the story I went, the more I found myself unable to walk away from the story. I'm not typically super into legal dramas/legal thrillers, but this one absolutely won me over because it was so much more than that. Joe Moore was such an intriguing character... a man in prison for over 20 years for a gruesome murder that he believes he committed (having been under the influence of meth at the time and having no recollection of the event), who has turned his life around and is using his time in prison to help other men find Jesus and do the same. He was so humble and truly that type of Christian that so many of us strive to be, despite his circumstances. I loved seeing that aspect of the story. While this may be a fictional story, it is still a great reminder of the change God can work in real life too. That in and of itself was a beautiful story... but throw in all the twists, turns and threats that make it seems that perhaps Joe isn't as guilty as he thought. With every twist, I found myself wondering how it was all going to play out. While I don't want to say too much and give anything away, it most certainly paid off in the end. If you love legal thrillers and strong messages of faith and redemption, this is an absolute must read for sure! 

You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3TbzTr9