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.