Retribution is one of those books. Some scenes are so powerful I had to take breathing breaks.

Chloe Larson has finished law school and is studying for the bar. She has hopes that a special anniversary date with her boyfriend, a young lawyer on the upward track to partnership, will result in an engagement ring. When the date falls apart and rather than a ring he gives her a bracelet, she goes back to her apartment alone.

Unbeknownst to her, the Clown has been stalking her. He sees her send her boyfriend away. He breaks into her apartment and brutally rapes and tortures her over a period of hours. She barely survives. Her injuries are more than physical; she’s psychologically scarred too.

Twelve years pass. Chloe has changed her name to C. J. Townsend and relocated from New York to Miami. She is a prosecutor in the Major Crimes Unit of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

A serial killer nicknamed Cupid has been targeting blonde young women. The crimes are particularly brutal and sadistic. The shift in method of operation with each crime has made him difficult to capture. A task force set up to catch him is headed by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Dominick Falconetti. C. J. has been assigned to assist the task force.

The investigation gets a break when a rookie cop makes a traffic stop and finds the body of the most recent victim in the trunk. The driver, William Bantling, is charged with the murder. C. J. represents the state at the First Appearance Hearing, a pro-forma hearing to determine whether there was probable cause to arrest him. A major concern is that Bantling may be a copycat killer, not Cupid who has killed the other women.

At the hearing, Bantling explodes in anger denying his guilt. C. J. is struck with horror. The defendant is unquestionably the man who had raped her and left her to die. Because he had worn a clown mask she never saw his face, but she has vivid memories of his voice and she recognizes the scar on his arm.

What is she to do now? Her history with Bantling should lead her to recuse herself, but as prosecuting attorney she has the most knowledge of the case. The statute of limitations has run out on her rape. Accusing Bantling of that crime will accomplish nothing.

As the investigation and court case continue, problems arise. The entire case may be dismissed because of the legality of the traffic stop. Dominick and C. J. become closer as they work on the case, but it’s taking a heavy toll on her emotionally. What ethical and personal compromises must C. J. make to bring Bantling to justice?

Retribution is the debut work of Jilliane Hoffman, a former Assistant State Attorney in Miami. Her legal background is evident in the criminal and legal details which are much more specific than in many similar books. Legal wonks may find the procedural ins and outs of more interest than other readers.

Aside from the realistic glimpse inside a criminal investigation, the real strength of Retribution is the portrayal of Chloe/C.J., a woman whose experiences are every woman’s worst nightmare. The terrible ordeal she’s undergone and its long-term ramifications are vividly depicted. There’s an immediacy to the narrative that is lacking in many other legal thrillers. This is not a story for the faint of heart; in places it can be tough to read.

With a caveat about the level of violence, Retribution gets my strongest recommendation. By definition, a five-star rating means a particular book is a keeper. But I’m not keeping Retribution ... except in my memory. It’s not likely I’ll be reading it again. One reading was harrowing enough.

--Lesley Dunlap