This is the second Keera Duggan legal thriller, which I was eager to read as I loved the first one (‘Her Deadly Game’).

Some of the background the previous book in introduced in brief – Keera Duggan is now taking on a prominent role with clients after her dad Patsy (known as the Irish brawler) is fighting alcohol addiction and has taken a backseat. PSRT is a medical startup pioneering the product LINK which will have the potential to cure deadly diseases / regenerate failing organs with injection of genetic material in the skin. Jenna, at just 22, founded the company and is aggressive in promoting it and gaining funding. Sirus Kohl is an entrepreneur who invests a significant amount of money ($150m) and becomes the COO & CFO. Sirus is much older to Jenna, but they get into a romantic relationship. The product is coming along slowly and there are people in the company who are worried about misrepresentations. This reminded me of the real life unravelling of Theranos (with Elizabeth Holmes as CEO and Sunny Balwani as COO), but the similarity ends here with lot more serious crimes to come.

Erik Wei, chief scientist is found dead after a meeting with Jenna. Patsy represented Jenna and cast reasonable doubt that there were others who benefited more than Jenna with his death. PSRT subsequently has collapsed and is the subject of an investigation. 5 years later, Sirus Kohl, is shot and killed the day before he was to meet with federal authorities to discuss a plea bargain. Jenna is accused of the murder and turns to Patsy & Keera. Keera has known Jeena in school as a manipulative kid and is wary of how truthful she will be with her.

This is a solid second book in what is turning out to a great series. Jenna is a wonderful character, well supported by Detective Rossi and Jenna’s dad. The premise of the story & progressive unravelling of the plot backed by solid procedures & courtroom play makes for very engrossing reading. Unlike the previous book, this one does not attempt to tie up all details of the story. While that is charming in its own way, the last sections could have been a little better. Nevertheless, this is an excellent story. The courtroom strategies and dialogues are top-notch.

This is a series I will be keenly following. I am impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!

My rating: 4.5 / 5.

Keera Duggan continues her work as a defense lawyer in the second book in Robert Dugoni's latest series. This time around, she's taken back to her childhood as a former classmate is put on trial for murder. Keera must decide whether it's worth it to revisit her past and some unpleasant memories in order to defend this person.

As in the first novel, nothing is quite as it seems at first glance. There are multiple twists and turns, and some unusual alliances as the novel comes to a satisfying end.

I love Robert Dugoni's writing and these novels are no exception. I can't wait until the next book in the series is release to see what Keera comes up against next.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT by ROBERT DUGONI 4
First of all I want to thank Johnson & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read this great story. All comments are my own. This book is written by one of my favorite authors, Robert Dugoni. He is a wonderful writer. This story is a legal story – Kerra and her father are attorneys – although Kerra has taken over most of the court battles while her father is trying to recoup from a drinking problem. Kerra has taken a case of Jenna Bernstein who is accused of murdering her former lover and partner. Kerra and Jenna have known each other since their school days – Jenna is not personable unless she wants to be then watch out. Story is good, characters are interesting – even tho this is the second book of a series there is no need to read book #1 although that was very good as well. Did she do it or not? Read it and find out! You wil be glad you did. I will defiitely recommend this to my book club.

Keera Duggan is back! In Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Robert Dugoni’s second book of the “Keera Duggan” series, he has masterfully crafted another storyline that keeps you interested and invested until you get the final answers.

While this book can be read as a standalone, the book continues with the Duggan family dynamics but readers would be able to pick up on the storyline easily without reading book #1 of the series.

Very early on, Keera has an incredibly hard decision to make on whether she wants to represent a potential client. While trying to make this decision, she must dig into her own past to determine if she can handle the mental baggage that will come along with saying yes.

Dugoni once again does a remarkable job of weaving very realistic family dynamics into the seemingly black and white world of law and order.

I look forward to reading more about Keera Duggan!!

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

*4.5 stars

You can never go wrong with a Dugoni book. He always delivers a solid story. This one is no exception. Keera is back and this time is about to defend a childhood “friend”. Jenna was tried a few years earlier for the murder of one of her employees. Keera’s father had defended her then. Jenna had gotten off with that trial, but now has been arrested again for the murder of her past lover and investor in her company. Keera’s relationship with Jenna was always contentious and never with trust. Keera still doesn’t trust Jenna and probably thinks she’s a sociopath. She has a job to do though and she’s going to see this through. Dugoni sets us up for his usual ride. A legal drama with some twists. Never a dull moment while reading his books.

This is the second book in the Keera Duggan series, continuing from where the first book left off.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Seattle, present day
Characters: Keera Duggan, ace attorney, her father, the famed Irish Brawler attorney, members of her family, and the primary antagonist, Jenna Bernstein, lifetime acquaintance of Keera and the CEO of a biotech company with a major medical breakthrough
Overview: Jenna is accused of murdering her business partner and, despite her earlier history of controlling and manipulation, Keera (of course) decides to take the case. The interplay between the two primary characters is chameleon-like throughout and the suspense lies with determining the truth – is Jenna actually guilty, is she innocent but complicit, or is she, once again, playing a game with Keera.
Recommendation: I rate this book 4 stars
Extras: This is one story where it would be helpful to have read the first in the series, “Her Deadly Game,” since so much depends on the character development and motivations.
Thanx to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to provide this candid review

#NetGalley #Robert Dugoni

Keera Duggan, a rare ethical defense attorney, is tasked with defending a childhood acquaintance. One she doesn’t like and knows has a propensity for deceitful and hurtful behavior. This is a must read and look forward to the next book, hopefully with more between Keera and Frank Rossi.

All Keera wanted was a few days off from the firm – she’s taking a staycation at home. She’s told the office not to call her - but that lasts all of one day!!

She receives a call that her father wants her in the office ASAP!! Off she goes still in her workout clothes!!

She finds that her father wants her to defend Jenna Bernstein who is being accused of killing her former partner and lover, she claims innocence. Keera has known Jenna since childhood and knows how manipulative and dishonest she can be. Keera will do this for the firm but then she never wants anything more to do with the Bernstein family!

Keera is a master chess player which shows in her brilliantly plotted defense strategy, she is always a few steps ahead of what she is presenting to the jury and judge.

I enjoyed this novel but I felt I wanted a bit more of the police procedural and less of the courtroom drama. However there are lots of surprises in the novel which had me puzzled. Who besides Jenna had a reason to kill Sirus Kohl??

This is a great second novel in the series and I can recommend this to Dugoni fans as well as those who love courtroom drama. This can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading “Her Deadly Game” first so that you have a background of the main characters.

This was a buddy read with Debra, Mary Beth and Carolyn. Be sure to check out their wonderful reviews.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel. Publication date is set for October 22, 2024.

The second book in a series is perfect for when you want to know exactly what you're going to get. I saved this book for when I felt like an afternoon with a Law & Order episode in book form and it delivered. Just as good as the first in the series. It was even a ripped-from-the-headlines type story, which I found I also liked, because it helped me keep the characters straight. What if Elizabeth Holmes was on trial for murdering Sunny Balwani? Can Keera Duggan win the case?

“Beyond Reasonable Doubt” by Robert Dugoni is the second book in the Keera Duggan series and shockingly it was just as good as book one!
Keera is a chess prodigy turned defense attorney now working in the family law firm. She finds herself defending a childhood enemy who is accused of murdering her business partner. Keera is quite suspicious of her clients innocence, but because of the history between their families she accepts the case. This is a fast action thriller with wonderful real life characters and honest family dynamics. This book can be read as a stand alone but I know you will want to read book one (Deadly Game) if you start here. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before it’s even published.

I was disappointed a little at the beginning (the whole sociopath thing again. The love lines were a little too predictable to my taste, but overall good 👍🏻

*CRACK* That is the sound of Robert Dugoni hitting it out of the ballpark with Beyond Reasonable Doubt! I found Beyond Reasonable Doubt to be gripping, well thought out, riveting, and wonderfully written. It is the second book in the Keera Duggan series and can be read as a stand alone, but do yourself a favor and read Her Deadly Game, the addictive first book in this fabulous series.

Master chess player and Seattle attorney, Keera Duggan, has been tasked with representing her childhood nemesis, Jenna Bernstein, after Jenna is accused of killing her former business partner and lover. This will not be an easy task by any means, but Keera is used to thinking several moves ahead, and use all her skills in court.

I was glued to the pages and marveled at Dugoni's writing and plot. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Dugoni threw in another perfectly timed twist. I loved the courtroom scenes, the mystery, the twists, and the reveals in this book. I also enjoyed watching Keera prove herself once again to be a worthy and intelligent lawyer who is no longer standing in her father's shadow.

Fans of Dugoni's other series and stand-alone books will love this book as will fans of courtroom dramas and mystery thrillers. Dugoni knows how to set the stage, create tension, drama and intrigue. This was such a well thought out book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

Brilliantly written, well thought out, and hard to put down.

Thanks to Netgalley, the Publishers and the Author for the ARC.

This is a proper courtroom drama, just the way I like them. It was a satisfying read, not a full 5*, but I am rounding up. Similar to the first novel, Keera Duggan is forced to defend a thoroughly unlikeable Client, who is most likely not innocent. Knowing her since childhood doesn't make it easier for Keera, as Jenna Bernstein has always shown sociapathic traits.

Jenna's character is very clearly based on the real-life startup fraudster, Theranos founder, Elizabeth Holmes. The Startup was also very similar - in the biomedical field.

Keera's unconventional tactics while questioning the witnesses in the courtroom was interesting. I was wondering how Keera would possibly create reasonable doubt in the jury, but she does it brilliantly.
Recommended to fans of legal thrillers. I am looking forward to the next one.

Another outstanding book by Robert Dugoni and the second in the Keera Duggan series. His books are so well written with interesting characters and great story lines.
Keera defends Jenna Bernstein of a murder of her major investor in her high tech company that is about to change the world with their medical technology, Things start to unravel and the product is not what its suppose to do, with that Jenna also becomes unglued. She becomes the primary suspect in the murder at her company. Is she guilty beyond reasonable doubt or is she just framed for something she was not responsible for.

Robert Dugoni can do no wrong in my eyes. I’ve yet to read a book by him that I haven’t enjoyed and Beyond Reasonable Doubt is no exception.

The second in the Keera Duggan series, here we find defence attorney Keera defending a CEO of a biotech company accused of murdering her business partner. The accused is a childhood friend of Keeras, one that Keera never liked. Her friend Jenna always had to win, always had to have things her way. She would stop at nothing to win and didn’t mind who she hurt along the way. Keera has serious doubts about her innocence but the history between their families and a perceived favour Keeras father and mentor owes to Jennas family force her hand.

Is Jenna guilty? If so can Keera still do the job she is paid to do and give her client the best defence?

I love this series already. Keera is a fantastic central character and her family dynamic gives the books an extra layer.
Dugoni is such a readable writer. One where the writing and storytelling seem effortless. He seems to pump out a lot of books(all the better for me) but it’s not at the expense of quality.

This book works its way through the mysteries and concludes without a lot of silly twists and “reveals” at the end and is all the better for it. I just devoured this book. A brilliant story expertly told.

And easy 5 stars for me. Hats off to Dugoni. Quantity and quality is a rare thing.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

I started reading Robert Dugoni when he published the first installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series in 2014. I was enthralled with that series! In the last ten years , he has become a most prolific writer and is always consistently entertaining.! After his widely successful Tracy Crosswhite series, Mr. Dugoni ventured on to another likable protagonist in the Charles Jenkins espionage thriller series ( sadly, only two installments). Mr. Dugoni has now developed another series, with Keera as the MC, and it’s yet another outstanding winner!

Tracy Crosswhite is a police procedural, Charles Jenkins a spy, and Keera Dugan is a criminal defense attorney. The breadth of Mr. Dugoni’s interests in fleshing out such different characters in various genres is applaudable. He hits a home run in Beyond A Reasonable Doubt. Excellent characterization with multi dimensional, round and dynamic characters is Dugoni’s strong suit, which has readers clamoring for more. It’s the character driven plots that propel the story along with fast pacing ( read this one in a day). Beyond Resonable Doubt has a very intriguing plot and mystery to solve as the defense lawyer, Keera Duggan, displays extraordinary talent in outwitting and outplaying opponents in the courtroom. Tension and suspense is built as Keera strategically prepares her defense and the reader comes along for the thrill of it all! Beyond Reasonable Doubt is the 2nd installment in this new series. It can be a standalone, but references are made to events that occurred in the first book, so I’d like to go back and read the first installment. Keera Duggan is going to be another series I will look forward to reading!
Kudos, Mr, Dugoni, once again!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this complimentary ARC which enabled me to read and provide an unbiased review .

This was a great book. The characters were well written. They are interesting, flawed, smart, and the relationships between them were very complicated and kept me reading. The story was great. I wanted to know more. can't wait to read the next book. Highly recommend!

I am a huge Robert Dugoni fan, I love the Tracey Crosswhite series. I was super excited to read the follow-up novel in Robert’s newest series. The book and the family do not disappoint. This is a must read book!
I love the Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos association/reference. I am a fan of true crime podcasts, like so many others, and I followed the rise and fall of Thernos and its charismatic leader Elizabeth. I liked the similarities and of course major departures from that situation.
Jenna is very similar to Elizabeth but also very different, Elizabeth was never charged for murder! Jenna Bernstein was Keera’s high school nemesis. To say that Keera doesn’t like Jenna is probably an understatement. Keera’s charm does not work on her. This book weighs heavy on the defense attorneys struggle of defending a possibly guilty client and a client that they just don’t like. Mr. Dugoni does a great job with this story, I was wondering who done it almost the entire time.
We also get updates on the rest of the family especially Keera’s dad Patty. I enjoyed the second installment of this series and I cannot wait for the next book. I felt honored to receive an early copy of this book. Thank you to Robert Dugoni, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. I fully recommend it.

Robert Dugoni's Beyond Reasonable Doubt is a fast action, high intensity, thriller that is non stop from beginning to end. The characters are full of energy and bursting with life, and the writing itself so vivid, it's like you're sitting at a movie watching it play out. Mr. Dugoni specializes in not just bringing the stories to life, but putting the readers right in the middle of the stories, making them feel as if they are a part of what is going on. Beyond Reasonable Doubt shows how true friendship and loyalty is put to the test against legal drama, making the women look at really matters, not just legally, and ethically but morally too.

I love a good legal thriller with fast paced courtroom action and it has been a bit since I read one that I really enjoyed. This is the second book in the Keera Duggan series and I liked it just as much as the first one. I love that Keera is working at the family firm and the family dynamics are relatable and believable. The book is focused mainly on the murder case that Keera is defending but the sprinkling in of the family interaction creates a great balance. There is also a lot of police procedural in the book which lines up with Keera & JP's investigation (JP is the firm's detective). I felt like there were a few parts that dragged on a bit but I was so intrigued and hooked from page 1 that it didn't bother me.
Jenna (the defendant) was unlikable from start to finish. I did not warm up to her at all but I found that my annoyance of her made me want to keep reading to see how it all played out. This was a great legal thriller and was a very fast read for me! If you love courtroom dialogue, you should definitely grab the Keera Duggan books!!