I have a read a legal thriller as good as this after long. The story is very engrossing & fast paced and I loved it – a new author to follow now.

Keera Duggan was a prosecutor, who was constrained to join the family law firm founded by her dad Patsy, after her relationship with colleague Miller Ambrose ends. Patsy has built a reputation for himself as “The Irish Brawler” for his bold approach to defending his clients. A case comes their way – that of Vince LaRussa who is accused of killing his wife, and Keera grabs it. Vince’s wife Anne was shot dead, and it was Vince who called emergency services. Vince is arrested in a few days. As Keera digs into the case, she realizes that defending Vince is going to be tough – there are very few other possible suspects. Just prior to her death, Anne had expressed suspicion to a friend that Vince might be having an affair and also enquired with her solicitor on some terms of their pre-nuptial agreement. Keera gets some cryptic mails from an unknown sender, which the connection to the case is difficult to make. Keera is an avid chess player and there are sprinklings of the games she plays online & how she strategizes to win.

I liked the procedural work and the courtroom drama. The pace is very good and I was hooked. Some aspects feel a little far-fetched, and yet they cannot be dismissed as the build-up and context is pretty solid. The only real weak element is the chess moves. This feels strange as I follow chess keenly myself and am an amateur player, but the sketchy moves through the book served no purpose. The character development is very good and I liked the entire family including Keera’s dad & sisters. I loved Keera’s character as a bold, thoughtful, and determined go-getter.

Overall, if you like crime and legal thrillers, this is a great choice. Strongly recommended!

My rating: 4.5 / 5.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author for a free electronic review copy.

Having really enjoyed the Tracy Crosswhite series by Dugoni, I decided to try this new series. Keera Duggan , the main character, has ended her career as a prosecutor after a break up with her boss. It was messy and Keera almost had to get an order of protection. As a result she has joined her father's law firm-her two sisters are already there. It seems like a step back until when she is the lawyer on call one night and gets a call from a client accused of murdering his wheel chair bound wife. Plenty of twists and turns and a strong female protagonist.

Keera Duggan is a Seattle prosecutor from a tight-knit Irish-American family. When a romantic relationship goes bad she joins her father’s firm and is almost immediately hired to defend a wealthy investment banker accused of murdering his wife. Keera’s famous father Patty (Patrick) is a well-known alcoholic, and she is left to restore the family firm’s reputation.

The case to defend Vincent LaRussa is confusing and convoluted and to make matters worse her former lover, Miller Ambrose is the prosecuting attorney. They had an ugly split due to his controlling ways and Keera does not intend to let him control this trial.

This case becomes even more complicated and extreme than Keera could have imagined and she must take a stand on where her loyalty lies.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the pu
blisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. I gave it four stars.

Her Deadly Game
by Robert Dugoni
Pub Date: March 23, 2023
Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for the ARC of this book. I had previously read The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell for book club and loved it. I saw this offered on Net Galley and jumped at the chance to read this fantastic author again. Wow! It opened my eyes to a whole new world of mystery, legal thriller. fiction and suspense. I now have a complete list of books I need to read by this author.
I enjoyed the unfolding of events in this story, and I read slowly so I wouldn't miss a thing. I loved the characters and how well they were portrayed. I am not a chess player so those parts of the story will be more interesting for someone who is. Keera joins her fathers firm and is defending her first murder case. But she doesn't shy away from the challenge. Loved this book! Highly recommend.
An easy 5 stars for me.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni

Keera Duggan didn't want to join the family law practice so she built her reputation as a Seattle prosecutor. That career path was torpedoed after a failed romantic relationship with a senior DA. Now Keera is back at her family’s failing criminal defense law firm and even that career path might go down in flames if the family can't keep her alcoholic father from pulling the entire firm down with him.

Keera's claim to fame in her younger days was as a competitive chess prodigy. Her father is the one who fueled that competitive fire and he and Keera had once been close until her father's problems ruined the connection between them. Now Keera has been retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser, whose wife was found murdered in their mansion. To round out the challenge of her first homicide defense, Keera is going up against prosecutor Miller Ambrose, Keera’s former lover and the man who wants to destroy her for being the one that got away.

Chess plays a huge part in this story as Keera uses her chess knowledge to determine how she makes all her moves in life. In her meager off time she has been playing offline chess with a fierce competitor, which seems to help her think through the LaRussa case. There are strange occurrences connected to the case, such as messages from a mysterious Jack Worthing, who seems to be pointing Keera to learn the worst about LaRussa. What we see is that successfully defending a client may be the goal but will success leave one feeling good about the job?

The chess aspect of the story was my least favorite part of it, especially with so much detail about the moves between Keera and her online opponent. My bit of chess playing was so long ago that the moves meant little to me although I think that part of the story would be very interesting to someone who understands the reasoning of the moves better than I did. I do see the connection between chess and the way Keera tackles her job, this case, and her relationships with those around her. If there is another book in Keera's future, I'll be there for it and maybe some of my old knowledge of chess with come back to me.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.

It’s important to choose wisely if you need an attorney to represent you when you have been accused of murder.

Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. She had to leave prosecutors office, and join her father’s firm-Patrick Dugan & Associates-and now she is defending the “accused”, creating “reasonable doubt” if she cannot prove undeniable innocence.

Her first big test will come when she is retained by Vince La Russa, an investment banker worth millions, who may have murdered his wife. And, it will come against her former lover, Miller Ambrose, who is determined to destroy her in court.

How will that play out for the “accused”?

As a former Chess prodigy, Keera is used to strategizing. The game has helped her to consider not just what her opponent’s next move could be, but also the two or three moves which may follow it. This has helped her in her law career, and serves as a way to unwind, after a challenging day.

And, now someone aware of her Chess playing, someone calling themselves “Jack Worthing”, is sending her emails with clues to follow, which may help with the case.

If she can figure the clues out in time….

I have been wanting to give this author a try for quite sometime, so since I enjoy LEGAL THRILLERS, I jumped at the chance to download this stand-alone, by Robert Dugoni.

Part Police Procedural and part Courtroom Drama, there is some repetition which bogged down the middle JUST A BIT. And, Keera is challenged to a game of chess by online competitor, “Dark Knight” which plays out in its entirety throughout the narrative, so the you will be reading about the chess moves will be meaningless to you if you aren’t familiar with the game. ♟

But, there is definitely more to LIKE than to dislike as you get to know this family of “Irish Brawlers” who just happen to practice law. And, like the CBS show, “Blue Bloods” which is a multi generational family of Cops, who meet for a weekly family dinner after solving crime all week- the Duggans will also invite you to their monthly family dinners, after they spend their time, practicing the law.

Whether this becomes Dugoni’s next LEGAL series, remains to be seen, but if it does-I am game to spend more time with them.

AVAILABLE on March 28, 2023!

Thank You to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Courtroom drama at its best..Very engaging and a perfect display of strategy used by both the defense and prosecution. So riveting and brilliantly examined... The was some what a departure from Dugoni's other works which were more legal thrillers but I really enjoyed it.
Keera Duggan was a prosecutor from Miller Ambrose but when the relationship soured she moved into her family's law practice, led by her alcoholic father Patsy. Now she is the face of the defense and finds herself defending a very wealthy philanthropic man who is accused of murdering his wheelchair bound wife. He is a hard character to read, but she feels strongly about everyone having the right to counsel and she vows to give it her all. When she founds out that the prosecuting attorney is non other than Ambrose, she knows he will go for her jugular and therefore needs to make all the right moves. Dugoni introduces Keera's chess game abilities that she uses to relax while unwinding after long days of building a case. Throughout the book, he sets up actual chess moves that she plays virtually with another opponent. There were a lot of juggling of chess "pieces" that she had to shuffle to get her client acquitted. As Dugoni stated in the afterword, "They told me in law and in chess you strategized not just your next move but for the many moves your opponent might make and how you might combat those moves. Doing this prevented you from being blindsided and helped put together a long-term strategy of how to resolve the game-or a case...Don't focus on the problem. Focus on the solution and how to get it. "This was a clever tool, but not being a chess player I found myself glossing over the specific plays as the underlying message felt obvious.
Much more comes to light as the murder trial continues and though I had figured out the truth, I certainly did not see some of the storms in the teacup. Addiction issues, alcoholism, dysfunctional families, and family dynamics all color the breadth of the book. There is much to love in this fast paced drama, and I spy another series spin off? Fans of Dugoni will not be disappointed!

Another Robert Dugoni book and another five star review. He is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. Despite churning out a hell of a lot of books the quality never seems to drop and his story telling and plot constructions are fantastic.

This one is part police procedural and mostly court room drama and it’s fantastic. A very clever story with many layers, it’s as much about family relationships as it is the crime and has plenty of shades of grey throughout.

I don’t know how Dugoni keeps producing such high quality reads. Maybe his writing style and structure just suits me down to the ground, I don’t know. What I do know is every single time I have read one of his books I have been engrossed in them from early on. They are an absolute pleasure to read and this one is as good as any of them.

If you haven’t read any of his stuff then you really are missing out. An easy five stars for me.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

I've been a fan of this author for a few years and so was excited to see a book with a new character in a new place doing something totally different from his Northwoods foeest ranger books. This one had the same pacing and well thought out plot to draw the reader in. Really good.

I didn’t know that Robert Dugoni had written legal thrillers before, I’ve only ever read his Tracey Crosswhite series, which is police procedural. So i was intrigued to read ‘Her Deadly Game’. And I wasn’t disappointed. The main protagonist is Keera Duggan, a former prosecutor turned defence attorney who now works in her family’s fledging law practice. She is called in to defend the millionaire Vince LaRussa, who’s been accused of killing his wealthy disabled wife. There is only circumstantial evidence against her client but what there is isn’t great for the defence. As Keera and her team try to build a plausible defence for the trial, they begin to receive cryptic emails from someone who wants Vince LaRussa’s murky past brought out into the light. Why? And how does it relate to the murder trial?
Keera being a former chess prodigy was an interesting character point. I admit I’ve played chess only a few times in my life, so it was intriguing to read in depth about the game and what goes into it a bit more. Makes me want to watch the Netflix show ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ now.
Overall a really interesting legal procedural read. I have a feeling this won’t be the only time we get to meet Keera Duggan. She has the potential for a continuing series. A 4 stars read from me.

This is a treat for fans of police procedurals and courtroom drama. The defense attorney, Keera Duggan, uses her skills as a professional Chess Player to counter-act the Prosecutors moves. But is she defending a guilty or an innocent man? I enjoyed this book thoroughly, but for some reason, I couldn't connect with his writing. I had similar issue with 'Her Sister's Grave' and gave up on the rest of the 'Tracy Crosswhite' series.
However, the plotting was good and kept me interested. I will try Robert Dugoni's David Sloane series.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the Author for the ARC</i>

HER DEADLY GAME is a crime and courtroom legal thriller! The homicide is the mystery and unraveling the mystery is intriguing! The courtroom builds the case methodically and the GREAT mystery is finally resolved! It all is not as it appears, and that is the reason this courtroom drama is a cut above. The twist at the end is superb and exceeded my expectations!

However, I lowered the rating because the pacing lags in the middle, I lost interest, and had to skim quite a bit. I am glad I stuck with it as the dénouement was thrilling!

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review,

My first completed Robert Dugoni book and it was a really good one. I love his writing style and the way you are able to jump feet-first into his storyline and feel as if you are fully immersed from the start. The characters of Keera Duggan and Frank Rossi drive this book with Keera as the main star who is defending a well-known and seemingly well-respected businessman in greater Seattle who is accused of killing his disabled wife. Rossi is the senior detective on the case who offers help when needed and a bit of levity and familiarity between long nights of research. Dugoni presents a brilliant juxtaposition with Keera using chess to unwind at the end of her difficult days against how she is setting up the components of the case she is determined to win. With help from mysterious emails, it's a race against time to see if Keera is as tough and competent as her father, the infamous Irish Brawler and if she can uncover what really happened to the unfortunate Mrs. Larussa.

Like others may have said before me, this book is truly a game within a game and I was there for every move across the board. I appreciated that there were heartwarming scenes involving Keera and her dysfunctional yet supportive family, which made the mystery that continued to unfold easier to digest. I didn't figure out this whodunnit until it was carefully revealed and for me, making it a very satisfying way to conclude this story. There isn't a ton of pomp and circumstance, much like how Keera and her family firm of attorneys tend to handle their workload, yet they know when to allow her to shine and let her take the lead which she does quite magnificently.

Although Dugoni doesn't get bogged down by unnecessary details for the most part, he clearly has a penchant for describing a certain character's wardrobe every time they are in a scene lol. That aside, he gets to the point and allows the reader to follow along at a pleasant pace, not having to wait too long to see what is truly happening with this murder case. And you don't have to be a proficient chess player to admire how the back and forth between Keera and her online opponent helped her think clearer and even help with the forgiveness she may have been reluctant to offer with respect to her alcoholic father and the family who didn't always know how to show her love.

With a very clever title that gave me a happy pause once I read that last page, Her Deadly Game is a wonderful way to introduce new readers to Robert Dugoni's work. A great friend and fellow Netgalley member has been recommending him to me for a while now and although I still have to finish an earlier work that was put aside because of life and not because I didn't love it, I now know I will be very enthusiastic to read more from him in the future. I can see why he has such a huge fanbase and why he is so very successful: he gets to the point and offers the reader a well-crafted story that you can't help but devour in a few short reading sessions. Since, of course, addictive prose will undoubtedly make a bibliophile do that.

4 solid stars!

This is an excellent legal thriller. A disabled woman, is found murdered. The police suspect her husband. We follow the police and more so the lawyer who has taken his case. Bit by bit the truth comes out, both the legal strategies as well as the detective work that supports their theories. Family issues and being up against her ex boss/ex boyfriend add interest to the story 4.5

I've grown to truly enjoy Robert Dugoni's writings, and this did not disappoint. In a setting Dugoni fans may be familiar with, Seattle, Washington, the author does not disappoint with his build up of action, character development, and twists and turns. I highly recommend to all readers considering!
I received this book free for an honest review with NetGalley. The comments above are mine without influence.

Following a failed relationship and finding the need to create distance between herself and her former love interest, Prosecutor Keera Duggan reluctantly resigns her position and joins Patsy Duggan’s (her father) well-established criminal defense law firm. Known as the Irish Brawler for his pit-bull-like approach when it comes to defending his clients, Patsy’s brawling days seem to be behind him due to his passionate love affair with alcohol. The type of guy who might claim he often takes the fifth, the double entendre not lost on those who know him best.

Placed at the helm of a high profile homicide case—her first crack at defending an alleged murderer while facing off with her ex-lover, the prosecutor, Keera suffers bouts of inadequacy. Although her father pledges his assistance, she’s not convinced she can rely on him and occasionally wonders if her ability to pursue justice for her client, Vince LaRussa, may be more of an injustice.

As she dives deeper into the murder of LaRussa’s wife, Keera uncovers more than the usual number of suspects and a few ulterior motives, which leave her to question her allegiance to both her client and her father’s legacy.

Admittedly, this is one of the few legal thrillers I’ve read, so it took some time to adjust to the slower pace and the legalese, which largely accounted for the novel’s protracted tempo. Avid chess players will no doubt appreciate the match intertwined throughout the novel as well as the sentiment behind the inclusion.

Without divulging any spoilers, I found the Cliff Larson angle a bit obscure, while I found the details pertaining to the LaRussa murder both distinctive and creative. Overall, HER DEADLY GAME struck a pleasant balance, and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Dugoni’s work.

Wow, Dugoni kept me reading all day and into the night, and the next day and night. The story begins with a murder, then another murder, then a chess game, and a murder trial. And yes, it all comes together but....read it at your own peril...be warned...you will not be able to put it down or not think about it. Highly recommended for those who love mysteries, thrillers, and complicated plots.

Part legal thriller, part police procedural- and I loved it! Dugoni has a way of investing the reader from the beginning. I was caught up in the story and couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the legal side and the courtroom drama. The family dynamics were written authentically. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and hope we get more of them in the future!

Our main character and narrator is Keera. She’s a very interesting young lady - a former prosecutor who now works in the family firm. In a new iteration of, “It’s always the husband,” Keera is retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wife. There’s little evidence to support the charge, but he’s a shady character from the start.

Like any Dugoni book, the characters are unique and well developed. The dynamics of Keera’s Irish family felt very real and I love how he treats her father’s alcoholism. Can the family come together to get LaRussa off the hook? The second question is her moral dilemma - should they get him off the hook?

On the side, Keera is a chess player and the analogy of game strategy was a little overplayed, in my opinion.

Dugoni is so great at leaving bread crumbs while not revealing much. He creates a great tone and pace. I got a little lost in all of the courtroom scenes. But it was a great read and I was surprised by the reveal. I hope we see more of Keera in the future.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of Her Deadly Game.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Robert Dugoni's latest legal thriller, Her Deadly Game, the first in what should be another great series by this author.

Keera Duggan has recently left the District Attorney's office in Seattle, Washington, following a toxic romantic relationship, and has landed where she never thought she'd end up, her father's law firm, as a defense attorney. Great character development details the dysfunction of Keera's family (her sisters also work at the firm) surrounding her father's alcoholism. Keera goes through some brutal self-discovery throughout the novel.

The event that is central to the story, is the death of Anne LaRussa, a wealthy, disabled woman, in which the evidence points to murder, and her husband is the main suspect. The crime is investigated by Frank Rossi (a beloved character from the Tracey Crosswhite series) and Keera is hired as the defense attorney for Vincent LaRussa, who is charged with the gruesome murder.

The story unfolds, engaging and entertaining until the end. I highly recommend this book.