Attorney Ben Kincaid is substituting for a professor at a law school when an apparent deranged man interrupts his class, demanding “his merchandise.” The man holds the class hostage until the SWAT team finally kills him. When the authorities try and find the professor, they discover he is missing.

A bus accident and ensuing fire takes the lives of all within, because there are no exits available and the windows could not be kicked out to permit the passengers to get out.

Twelve year old Billy Elkins dies from acute lymphocytic leukemia and it is soon discovered that within the very small town of Blackwood, Oklahoma (near Tulsa), that at least eleven children between the ages of 8-15 had recently died of leukemia.

Ben is persuaded to take the class action suit against Blaylock Industrial Machinery to hold them accountable for poisoning the water with toxic dumping. At best, this is a suicide mission for a sole practitioner, since he can count on being up against a powerful law firm for whom cost is no object. The odds shorten against Ben when he finds the judge assigned to hear the case is known to be less than sympathetic to environmental issues.

A serial killer emerges targeting Blaylock employees. Silent Justice showcases the legal system involved in a class action fight. Beautifully highlighted are the intricacies of the trial including the presentation of the evidence, the expert witnesses, the trial tactics of the attorneys, their relationships to each other and most importantly to the judge, and the monumental effect of a trial judge, even when there is a jury present.

Ben Kincaid, his legal team, the plaintiffs and the entire cast of characters are extremely well developed characters. Their strengths, as well as their weaknesses make them credible in their fight to do what they believe is right. As for the dark side, the author builds upon the most basic emotion of greed in posturing good versus evil.

The dialog in Silent Justice is outstanding. Realistic in the courtroom, funny where it is tasteful and poignant when appropriate. Everything is eventually and logically tied together. Both the tension of a trial and the tension of a serial killer closing in are carefully maintained and increased, slowly and effectively.

Silent Justice is an intriguing, entertaining and often educational read.

--Thea Davis