Poisoned Roots

The law says he's guilty. The confession says he's a poet. The truth says he's being framed.

Harlin Banks is a Senior Public Defender who runs on caffeine, nicotine, and the low-grade adrenaline of a man perpetually five minutes late for court. His office is a broom closet, his 2004 Lincoln Town Car is held together by duct tape, and his retirement plan is a winning lottery ticket he hasn't bought yet.

He just wants to finish his gumbo in peace.

But when a call comes in from a nervous court clerk, Harlin is pulled into the swampy heat of Hattiesburg to defend Marcus Clay, a terrified twenty-two-year-old charged with the Capital Murder of a socialite.

The Sheriff has a slam-dunk case: the victim's diamond bracelet in Marcus's pocket and a signed, six-page confession written in perfect, flowery prose.

There's just one problem. Marcus has a severe stutter. He can barely say his own name, let alone dictate a Shakespearean apology.

Harlin smells a frame-up. And when the victim's husband turns out to be Sterling Prescott, a ruthless real estate mogul clearing land for a massive development, the scent of corruption gets stronger.

To fight a system this rigged, Harlin can't play by the rules. He needs a team that operates in the shadows. He recruits Sam Rourke, an ex-military investigator who solves problems with a Glock and a glare, and Rosco Wheeler, a charming con man who can steal a watch while shaking your hand.

Together, they are The Public Trust-the only thing standing between an innocent kid and a lethal injection.

As the heat rises and the evidence burns, Harlin has one rule for his team: Don't worry about the mule, just load the wagon.

Welcome to the Public Trust. Justice is expensive, but the truth is free.

Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Michael Connelly, and Greg Iles, Poisoned Roots is the exploding start to a gritty, atmospheric Southern Legal Thriller series.