The story begins in 1973 in Phoenix, Arizona. Rita Eddington and her twelve-year-old daughter Miranda were seen entering Travis Eddington’s house. Shortly afterward, shots were heard; Travis, Rita’s husband and Miranda’s father, was killed. The witness, Juan Menchaka, does not know who fired the shots. Miranda, who has a history of mental problems, is catatonic and unresponsive. Rita is arrested and charged. Ferris Eddington, Travis’s father, a local landowner and rancher, will fund her defense.

Doug McKenzie is a young lawyer. He had been raised in the Phoenix area; his father had worked for Ferris Eddington before his death. Doug received his law degree and worked as a law clerk for a federal judge elsewhere, but in spite of an offer from a prestigious San Francisco firm, he returned to Phoenix and joined the firm of Butler and Menendez because he hoped to work with legendary criminal defense attorney, Dan Morgan. Morgan, a former marine, is a brilliant trial strategist, but he is sometimes in conflict with other attorneys in the firm. He has a messy personal life.

Doug jumps at the chance to work with Morgan on Rita Eddington’s defense. Morgan is not above maneuvering things to his advantage; his first tactic is to try to use a criminal defendant’s right to a speedy trial for the benefit their client. Miranda cannot be called as a witness if she is incapacitated, and doubt remains whether Rita or Miranda fired the gun.

Doug will research the issues in the case. Morgan will be lead attorney in court, but he promises Doug that he will question at least one witness. The prosecutor Maximilian Hauser, recently arrived from Chicago, is looking to make a name for himself by winning this high profile case.

Can Doug and Morgan arrange the timing of the legal proceedings so that Rita’s trial is over before Miranda wakes up?

This is superficial synopsis was not easy to write because Missing Witness has a complex, multi-layered plot that resists summarizing. Moreover, a complete synopsis would spoil the interesting and unusual plot twists later in the book.

Doug McKenzie is the first-person narrator of Missing Witness so that all the action is seen through his viewpoint. His narration gives insight into law firm dynamics and trial strategy that adds dimension to the whodunit plot and provides depth to the various characters. Doug himself is a sympathetic character. Young, idealistic, and ethical, he both hero-worships and is troubled by his larger-than-life mentor.

An author profile on the dust jacket states that Mr. Campbell’s wife is a federal judge; that means she has a steady income. Campbell would be advised to give up his day job, let his wife support them, and devote all his time to writing. This first effort is an outstanding success; I will be eagerly awaiting his future books.

--Lesley Dunlap