THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO THE AMAZON BESTSELLER, CONTEMPT

He orchestrated a murder. Now he must defend the man charged with the crime.

Thane Banning is ready for a fresh start. He survived 5 years in Forsman Prison for a crime he didn't commit, and now he's started a law firm to defend the innocent. But the past won't stay buried for long.

Kilo Miller, a violent felon who tried to kill Thane in prison, is charged with Joseph Crowell's murder, and Thane agrees to take the case. Thane knows for certain that Kilo didn't kill Crowell-because Thane knows who did. It's a secret he must protect in order to keep his family safe, but LAPD's top detective is getting closer to the truth.

When strong evidence surfaces implicating Kilo in the murder, Thane discovers that conspiracy runs deep in L.A.'s court system. But proving Kilo's innocence could reveal Thane's own dark history and send him back to death row.

With help from his colleagues Gideon and Kristen, Thane must uncover who is framing Kilo and targeting his associates before he loses the case-and even his freedom. His conviction to represent the innocent forces him to face the ultimate test:

Is he willing to let an innocent man go to prison to avoid his own life sentence?

Fans of legal thrillers by John Grisham, Michael Connelly, and Scott Turow will love the deeply engaging and fast-paced writing style of Michael Cordell.