Blackmail

Blackmail is the debut thriller novel by retired judge, Michael Stokes.

Stokes uses his training as a lawyer and his experiences in the courtroom as both an advocate and a judge to create this thriller.

A group of professional criminals plan and execute a daring robbery.

However, the gang of professional crooks bungle the operation and as a result a security guard is shot and left seriously wounded.

Michael Doyle, the leader of the gang is not too concerned by this rather unfortunate turn of events.

After all, hasn't he been able to concoct an apparently cast iron alibi that means that he could not have been anywhere near the scene of the crime?

However, his clever alibi is put at risk by the discovery of DNA evidence that link a gang member with the injured security guard.

CCTV images link Doyle and his gang member to the scene of the crime and both are subjected to arrest.

Smart lawyers seem to have the DNA evidence excluded on a technicality. However, Doyle's girlfriend is a smart cookie -as they say- and with her knowledge of the law, she believes that these machinations do not have a viable chance of succeeding.

However, someone decides to take matters into their own hands and the wife and child of a judge are kidnapped.

If the judge issues a ruling that is to the liking of the kidnappers, then his wife a son will be released. If not....

But what will the judge do?

Who is responsible for the kidnapping? Is it Doyle's girlfriend? Or perhaps there is someone from the past life of the judge who has an axe to grind and a point to make?  

Will his family be save? Or are they already dead?

If the judge rules in favour of the defence, will his family be released unharmed? Or not?

And who is the mole behind the major robbery?

This is a stunningly good debut novel. I hope that it will be the first of many thrillers from the pen of Michael Stokes. (More are planned, so please keep an eye out for them.)

It is published by Matador at £9.99 and is a good, substantial read of well over 500 pages.

If you have a lover of legal thrillers to buy a Christmas present for, this will be an excellent and well-received gift.

You can buy it from us at this link https://goo.gl/6HLMeo