When a seemingly routine case spirals into a murder trial, Sam Johnstone must decide which battles to fight—and who he can trust to fight by his side.

Defense attorney Sam Johnstone agrees to represent Cyan Dymond, a young exotic dancer arrested for drug possession, expecting a grim but straightforward case. But Cyan’s story is far from ordinary. Caught in a brutal cycle of abuse and control by her manipulative boyfriend, her life is unraveling with no clear way out.

Then her boyfriend is found dead—and Cyan is charged with his murder.

The shocking development throws Sam and his new associate, retired Judge Preston Daniels, into uncharted territory. Their once manageable defense case is now bringing them face to face with Cyan’s dark past and dangerous present.

As the trial approaches, Sam finds himself battling on all fronts. Judge Daniels’ increasingly erratic behavior raises doubts about his reliability, while the reappearance of an old flame threatens to distract Sam at a critical moment.

With loyalties shifting, small-town politics complicating the case, and the truth slipping further from reach, Sam must uncover the real story behind the murder—before it’s too late.

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author James Chandler comes the eighth book in the Sam Johnstone legal thriller series. Perfect for fans of John Grisham, James Patterson, and C. J. Box.