Editorial Content for The Advocate's Daughter
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
In THE ADVOCATE’S DAUGHTER, Anthony Franze’s debut novel, Supreme Court lawyer Sean Serrat’s daughter, Abby, comes up missing. Her body is later found, and the hunt for her killer begins.
The immediate suspect is Malik Montgomery, Abby’s black boyfriend. He had the means and opportunity to commit the murder, but doesn’t seem to have much of a motive. However, when the police find Abby’s phone in his apartment and discover that he was somewhere he said he hadn’t been, they arrest him for the crime and don’t look anywhere else for suspects.
"Franze not only tells a good story, he also provides some insight into how the process of picking a new judge actually works."
Meanwhile, Sean is preparing for a hearing as he has been nominated for a position on the Supreme Court. He has led an exemplary adult life, trying to put his troubled past behind him and hoping no one ever finds out the truth. But in the process of trying to piece together what happened during Abby's last days, Sean is confronted with the distinct possibility that his past will be revealed and his future ruined.
Franze's writing style reminds me of both John Grisham and James Patterson: Grisham because this is a legal thriller, the type of novel for which Grisham is well-known, and Patterson because the chapters are short and each ends in a cliffhanger, which is Patterson's forte.
I thought that the subject matter, that of a nominee for the Supreme Court, fits well with the times, since there is currently a vacancy there. Franze not only tells a good story, he also provides some insight into how the process of picking a new judge actually works. His experience as a lawyer and a commentator on stories relating to the Supreme Court makes him an excellent source of information.
Franze’s first foray into fiction writing is quite impressive, and I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us next.
Teaser
Supreme Court lawyer Sean Serrat’s life is changed forever when his daughter, Abby --- a talented and dedicated law student --- goes missing. When her body is found in the library of the Supreme Court, her boyfriend, Malik Montgomery --- a law clerk at the high court --- is immediately arrested. While the Serrat family works through their grief, Sean begins to suspect that the authorities arrested the wrong person. Stumbling over family secrets and the lies of some of the most powerful people in the country, Sean discovers that there are those who will stop at nothing to ensure that he never exposes them.
Promo
Supreme Court lawyer Sean Serrat’s life is changed forever when his daughter, Abby --- a talented and dedicated law student --- goes missing. When her body is found in the library of the Supreme Court, her boyfriend, Malik Montgomery --- a law clerk at the high court --- is immediately arrested. While the Serrat family works through their grief, Sean begins to suspect that the authorities arrested the wrong person. Stumbling over family secrets and the lies of some of the most powerful people in the country, Sean discovers that there are those who will stop at nothing to ensure that he never exposes them.
About the Book
A Washington, D.C. lawyer and a frequent major media commentator on the Supreme Court, Anthony Franze delivers a high-stakes story of family, power, loss and revenge set within the insular world of the highest court of our country.
Among Washington D.C. power players, everyone has secrets they desperately want to keep hidden, including Sean Serrat, a Supreme Court lawyer. Sean transformed his misspent youth into a model adulthood, and now has one of the most respected legal careers in the country. But just as he learns he's on the short list to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, his daughter, Abby, a talented and dedicated law student, goes missing. Abby's lifeless body is soon found in the library of the Supreme Court, and her boyfriend, Malik Montgomery, a law clerk at the high court, is immediately arrested. The ensuing media frenzy leads to allegations that Malik's arrest was racially motivated, sparking a national controversy.
While the Serrat family works through their grief, Sean begins to suspect the authorities arrested the wrong person. Delving into the mysteries of his daughter's last days, Sean stumbles over secrets within his own family as well as the lies of some of the most powerful people in the country. People who will stop at nothing to ensure that Sean never exposes them.
Audiobook available, narrated by Robert Petkoff
