Description

A new standalone legal thriller from the internationally bestselling author of *Gone, But Not Forgotten.*

Charlie Webb is far from a top-tier attorney. A graduate of a mediocre law school, he was never hired by the major firms and instead runs a modest solo practice, taking on cases from questionable acquaintances and court appointments just to make ends meet. Described as “a leaky boat floating down the stream of life,” Charlie has lived an unremarkable existence—both professionally and personally.

That all changes when he’s assigned to represent an eccentric artist who calls himself Guido Sabatini, though his real name is Lawrence Weiss. Sabatini has landed in jail once again, this time for breaking into a restaurant to steal back a painting he had sold them—outraged by how it was displayed. But Sabatini isn’t just an artist; as Weiss, he’s also a skilled card shark and burglar. During the break-in, he took something else from the restaurant’s safe—a flash drive.

Unaware of the full extent of what Sabatini has stolen, Webb arranges a deal. In exchange for returning the painting and any other items, the restaurant owner agrees to drop all charges. But the drive contains secrets so dangerous that powerful figures will do anything to retrieve it. Restaurant owner Gretchen Hall and her driver, Yuri Makarov, are under investigation for human trafficking, and others with dangerous grudges against Sabatini are closing in.

What begins as a small-time theft case quickly escalates into something far more deadly. When two bodies turn up, Charlie Webb—an otherwise insignificant lawyer—finds himself entangled in the most high-stakes and perilous case of his life.

Returning to the heart-pounding legal thrillers that made him a bestselling author, Phillip Margolin delivers a gripping standalone novel in the tradition of John Grisham.