If everybody loved Laura, I want to yell, then who the hell killed her?

“From the former Chief Justice of Canada comes a riveting thriller starring Jilly Truitt, a rising, young defense attorney faced with a case that hits close to home. A searing look at what justice means in the courts and on the streets, Full Disclosure is perfect for fans of Kathy Reichs, Louise Penny, and Lisa Scottoline.” And more from the publisher: ” When everyone has something to hide, the truth is the only defense. There’s nothing Jilly Truitt likes more than winning a case, especially against her former mentor, prosecutor Cy Kenge. Jilly has baggage, the residue of a dark time in a series of foster homes, but that’s in the past. Now she’s building her own criminal defense firm and making a name for herself as a tough-as-nails lawyer willing to take risks in the courtroom.”

There certainly is a ring of authenticity about this novel. And it is an exciting read (I was about to write “it’s a real page turner” before realizing what a cliché that sentence is).               

Vincent Trussardi, a somewhat mysterious rich Vancouverite,  is accused of his wife Laura’s murder, Jilly agrees to defend him, despite predictions that the case is a sure loser and warnings from those close to her to stay away from the Trussardi family. Truitt investigates Laura’s death, hoping to discover a shred of evidence that might give the jury a reasonable doubt. Instead, she is confronted by damning evidence and uncooperative witnesses at every turn. Someone isn’t telling the truth, but who? Seeking to discover the truth is difficult and takes the reader on a twisted path to discover just what happened.

With her reputation and Vincent’s life on the line, Jilly tries to unravel the web of secrets surrounding Laura’s murder. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a startling revelation that will change not only the case, but her life forever.

“From the gritty streets of Vancouver to the fateful halls of justice, Full Disclosure is a razor-sharp thriller that pulses with authenticity and intrigue.”

Truitt’s mentor is in this case her adversary and the relationship is carefully described and important to the complexity of the novel. The author’s judicial experience is evident on every page and her novelistic skills also are apparent as the collection of characters are introduced and add to the sense of reality developed quickly. We see the relationship between Jilly and her lover and watch as it is threatened. We learn of her associates and of the work they do to further the case – not always in agreement with the boss, but diligent always.

In a way Cy Kenge, the number one Crown prosecutor, who is as tough as nails, is both the antagonist and a mentor. And, yes, there is a love component to the story:  Jilly has a relationship with Mike, who, like her is a sort of orphan. “Mike and I are both orphans, in different ways. It’s what drew us together; it’s what keeps us together. I’m a real orphan. Mike is a virtual orphan, the only son of wealthy parents who consigned him to the care of nannies and private schools while they wintered in Nice or caught the opera season in New York. We’re both damaged goods . . .”

Court room scenes that strike one as credible and fascinating, investigative twists and turns that are fresh and believable, characters that are credible, a nasty crime to be solved, an innocent and somewhat unlikable suspect who may well have been stitched up; all in all an extremely readable first novel.

© 2018 Bob Lane

Bob Lane is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Literature at Vancouver Island University in British Columbia.