How do you defend someone you loathe? Could you put aside your personal feelings and just "do the job"?
In this second installment to the series, Keera Duggan is back, and once again, she is given a horrible case. Why is the case so bad? She is asked to defend an "old family friend" who basically is a manipulative b***h. But is she a killer?

Jenna Bernstein, former CEO of Ponce de Leon Restorative Technology (PDRT), is clearly based on Elizabeth Holmes. Like Holmes, she started a company with good intentions, and she used those good intentions to obtain millions from investors. Also, like Holmes, her promises were more than could be delivered and eventually caused the downfall of the company.

This book centers on two key employees at the company who were later murdered. And Jenna was charged with both murders. One, she was found not guilty (this does not mean she was found innocent, just prosecution couldn't prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt). The second case is assigned to Keera, who like everyone else, isn't convinced her client is innocent. But Keera, as she proved in book one, is able to set aside personal feelings and just try to case to the best of her ability - let the truths fall where they may.

Like Keera, I really disliked Jenna and very much wanted her to be guilty of the crimes. However, things aren't always simple and Keera does a great job of uncovering the truth, while making sure other injustices are corrected.

I don't read a lot of courtroom dramas, but this is a series I'm eager for more. Hopefully the author isn't done with this intelligent protagonist yet.

In Beyond Reasonable Doubt, attorney Keera Duggan reluctantly and cautiously represents her childhood nemesis in a case that involves fraud and murder. Detective Frank Rossi is the lead police investigator while J.P. Harrison is once again Keera’s gumshoe. With lots of twists, turns, and red herrings, Keera eventually figures it all out and ably presents her case in court. Another suspenseful mystery thriller by Robert Dugoni!

Hook: I’m a sucker for legal thrillers.
Line: Throw in a whistleblower.
Sinker: Gave me vibes of a real life medical startup company (Elizabeth Holmes founder of Theranos)

I love Keera’s story and cannot wait for more of this series. Her relationship with her dad/family and how every legal strategy is like a game of chess keeps you engaged. This book will have you at the edge of your seat either waiting for the missing piece in the case or giggling out loud at the cross examination one liners.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC for my honest review.

Another great novel by Robert Dugoni. I really enjoyed following Keera to figure out Jenna’s true innocence or guilt. Fast paced and enjoyable.

Another NetGalley read! 4.5⭐️

I don’t know that I have anything bad to say about this book. I loved the main character & the other character POV’s that we got. The description of the courtroom scenes and everything else was never boring & was woven together well.

The ending didn’t shock me but it was still a great read. Hoping that there’s another one after this!

I'm a sucker for a good courtroom drama, and this book, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, is a winner. It's the second book featuring lawyer Keera Duggan, and it's every bit as good as the first one, Her Deadly Game.

Her father pressures Keera at their family law firm into taking the case of Jenna Bernstein, a woman accused of murdering her former business partner and lover. Keera has known Jenna since childhood and considers her to be a controlling sociopath incapable of telling the truth. Trouble seems to follow Jenna. Once a billionaire and CEO of a startup company, all came crashing down when, five years earlier, she was accused of murdering one of her employees. Keera's father successfully defended Jenna then; now it's Keera's turn. But Keera has her doubts. Can she get past her feelings toward Jenna and be the lawyer Jenna needs?

This is an excellently plotted book. In addition to Keera's moral dilemma, there's the question of Jenna's innocence. Did Jenna get away with murder once and possibly a second time? Jenna is not likable, and I was almost rooting against Keera winning the case. Watching Keera's strategy change as more information came to light was fun, as was her battle of wits with Jenna. Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. 5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is October 22, 2024.

4.25 stars
Jenna Bernstein, the CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of killing her former business partner and lover. She hires her childhood “frenemy”, former chess champion and now a top attorney, Keera Duggan, to represent her. While others are charmed by Jenna, Keera knows how manipulative she is and actually thinks she is a sociopath. Keera’s father represented Jenna on a prior murder charge, but this time Keera thinks Jenna might be innocent and agrees to be her attorney.

I didn't read the first book in this series, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book, which is a mixture of a procedural and a legal thriller. Keera is a shrewd lawyer who seems to be one step ahead of everyone, just like when she was a chess champion. Much of the book is told from her point-of-view and I respected her intelligence and determination. I enjoyed watching her in action in the courtroom on this complex case and seeing how much confidence she had gained since she was a child, making it clear to Jenna that it’s Keera who is in charge.

Keera's family drama and her relationship with her alcoholic father also plays a large role in the book. In addition, parts of the book are told from the point-of-view of Frank, one of the detectives assigned to the case. These give the book procedural elements which I like. It helps that Frank is likable and a man of integrity. Even though Frank is a cop and Keera is a defense attorney, there is a friendship and a connection there. I enjoyed the plot, the suspense, and getting to know the main characters in this book. This is a series I intend to follow.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and MB Communications for the gifted copy. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

A favorite author, but not my favorite from him.

Keera Duggan is back for book two in this series. Her client is Jenna Bernstein, a person she knows well since her childhood. She was also a former client of Keera's father, Patsy, who defended her and won. Now, Jenna finds herself accused of murder AGAIN, but this time Keera will represent her!

The first half of the book really dragged on too long for me. The discovery phase was very detailed and wasn't that interesting to me, though we did get all the background for the case at hand. The last third that included the courtroom scenes was much better and piqued my interest.

I enjoyed the first one, Her Deadly Game, much more and will most likely read the next in the series.

Another gripping and well plotted story by Robert Dugoni, fast paced and action packed
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A nicely twisted courtroom drama. Keera has known Jenna is bad news since they were kids. Now, she's once again charged with murder and Keera is representing her. It's a challenge, to be sure but Keera's putting the skills she learned as a prosecutor to good use. This incorporates a certain amount of family drama with secrets and lies. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read that will keep you guessing.

Two whistleblowers dead and the same CEO has motive both times. The second, three years after the first, begins Keera in to the defense, despite her background with the defendant.

This one was a little slow for me but I know a lot of others loved it. I wished we got to the courtroom scenes sooner. I enjoyed those parts and especially the looks back when Keera was young and we saw glimpses of Jenna. If you enjoy legal thrillers and all the intricate details and plot twists involved, give this one a try.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt comes out 10/21.

The second book in the Keera Duggan legal thriller series, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, is a well-crafted and riveting novel full of investigation, family drama, suspense, and courtroom drama. When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced chief executive officer of a biotech company is accused of murdering her former partner and boyfriend, she turns to Duggan and Associates for legal representation.

A few years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for killing her company’s chief medical scientist. But Patrick (Patsy) Duggan is no longer the firm’s main criminal defense trial attorney. That is now Keera’s role. Keera and Jenna were once childhood friends, so Keera knows how manipulative Jenna can be. With only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera decides to defend her this time.

Keera is an expert chess player who once competed in tournaments. She uses logic and strategy from the game that she learned from her father in her approach to court cases. She’s competitive, calculating, intuitive, and methodical. While she thinks outside the boxy, she takes a reasoned approach to things. Jenna is manipulative, controlling, a liar, and highly persuasive. While she can be charming and charismatic, she lacks empathy and is often callous and indifferent to the suffering of others. Another great thing about this series is the continuity of characters while also adding in a few new ones.

The author has once again penned an excellent legal thriller. I thought it was very insightful to show how Keera has struggled to make the transition from prosecutor to criminal defense attorned. While she internally debates it, she remembers Patsy’s words of wisdom that they are to ensure the defendant’s constitutional guarantees are respected. The plot is riveting and once again shows both the defense and the police investigations as well as the trial.

Robert Dugoni is an excellent storyteller that always immediately engages me in his novels. IT is written in a style that draws you in and keeps you rapidly turning the pages. Full of well-developed characters, a compelling plot, and plenty of suspense and drama, this is an excellent addition to the series.

Overall, this novel is an engaging, engrossing, and an excellent legal thriller. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Thomas and Mercer and Robert Dugoni provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 22, 2024.

Exciting, suspenseful with extremely well crafted characters, Beyond Reasonable Doubt is book #2 in the legal thriller Keera Duggan series. Attorney Duggan is faced with the task of trying to win an acquittal in the case of a childhood adversary. The defendant is an unlikeable character who is by all accounts a pathological liar. It’s intriquing to witness the workings of the authors mind as he weaves the web that is Attorney Duggan’s story. I highly recommend this book. Release date: 10/22/2024

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni is an engaging, very highly recommended legal thriller and the second book featuring lawyer Keera Duggan. This can be read as a standalone, but both Beyond Reasonable Doubt and the first novel, Her Deadly Game, are excellent and worth reading.

Jenna Bernstein is accused of murdering her former business partner and lover Sirus Kohl. The word from Adria Kohl, the daughter, is that her father was cooperating with the feds to bring a fraud charge against Jenna, so she had a motive to murder him. Jenna has to turn to Seattle law firm Patrick Duggan & Associates to defend her. Patsy Duggan previously successfully defended Jenna Bernstein and she was found not guilty of killing Erik Wei, a researcher at the company she and Kohl ran.

However, Patsy is no longer taking on trial cases so the case would go to attorney Keera Duggan. If she takes to case it will be up to Keera to defend Jenna, a woman she has known since they were both children. Keera knows Jenna is trouble. She is a liar, as well as a narcissistic sociopath. As a master chess player, Keera is very adroit at reading body language and instinctively seeing several steps ahead. She watched Jenna at the previous trial with her father and knows what she faces if she takes Jenna on as a client.

Leading up to the trial it is intriguing to follow both the investigation of the case by Detective Frank Rossi of the Seattle PD and the legal team investigation by J.P. Harrison. Both characters add depth and insight into the case and the discovery process. Keera is a wonderful, fully realized character. She is intelligent, has remarkable analytical abilities and shrewd courtroom skills.

The writing is exceptional in this fast-paced legal thriller. The plot is well thought out, with an intriguing mystery, interesting discoveries in the investigations, and tension filled courtroom scenes. This series should appeal to fans of mysteries and legal thrillers. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Jenna Berstein is accused of killing her business partner. She was acquitted of the murder of the chief scientist of her failing biotech firm. She has also been accused of duping investors for a product that didn't exist. Jenna is also a liar. Keera Duggan has know Jenna since they were children. Her father had defended Jenna in the first trial and got the acquittal. He is in no shape to defend her again. Keera has to decide if she will defend Jenna whom she has known since childhood.
This is an exciting legal thriller. The reader will be with Keera for the duration. Should she defend this client who she knows to be a liar and who wants to win at all costs? Or should she walk away? Will Keera take the case to prove she has what it takes to defend clients you don't like? What a fantastic read. If you like legal thrillers then this is a book for you.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #RobertDugoni, and #ThomasandMercer for a copy of this book.
#BeyondReasonableDoubt

3.5 rounded up

Defense attorney Keera is pulled into a case revolving around Jenna Bernstein, the disgraced wunderkind of biotech start-up. Keera and Jenna grew up together, and Keera knows that trouble follows Jenna.

While I didn't closely follow the Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos cases, Jenna is very Elizabeth coded. Her whole character feels pulled directly from the headlines. That said, this was still an enjoyable read. Jenna is a master manipulator, but Keera knows her and has always seen through her. This is why Keera may be the only one who can successfully defend her against the charges. In true Dugoni fashion, there are a lot of moving parts to this story. The lies, the deception, the history between characters, and the truth all come together to create a compelling story.

Having read at least 15 of his other books, this didn't have the tension that Dugoni's books normally have. I kept waiting for an immediate danger to come into play. The trial also felt more drawn out (probably more realistic) than his other hard-hitting dramatic moments. Overall I really enjoyed this one and I really like Keera as a character. This is book 2 in the Keera Duggan series and I am looking forward to what's next for her!

Another fantastic read by Robert Dugoni! A rich cast of characters kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime. Captivating from beginning to end, expert storytelling. A great legal thriller at the top of the game.
Thank you NetGalley , Robert Dugoni and Thomas and Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this cracker of a book.

Jenna Bernstein has been acquitted of murdering a whistleblower in the company she ran. In a risky move, her attorney, Patsy Duggan, had called his client to the stand. But it had paid off. The jurors had bought her story, and she was a free woman. Now, just three years later, she’s in danger of being arrested again in Robert Dugoni’s Beyond Reasonable Doubt. Once more, she calls upon the law firm of Duggan & Associates. However, she’s in legal jeopardy because of fraud, and now, her business partner/former lover has been found dead. Murdered. Jenna is the number one suspect. Once again, she turns to Patsy.

Aye, here’s the rub. Patsy turns the reins over to his daughter, Keera. There’s no love lost between the two women, who were classmates growing up. Keera knows exactly who Jenna is – a liar. A sociopath. How can she defend this person who has mistreated her so miserably in the past? Her father knows all this. He knows what his daughter is capable of as well. He taught her to play chess, and he knows that she is up to the challenge.

Patsy has his own challenges to face. Demons. He’s been battling alcoholism for as long as anyone can remember. Will he finally wave the white flag? He does relinquish the job of handling Jenna’s defense to Keera, which enrages her client. But Keera takes control like the chess champion that she is. Jenna is not a pleasure to work with. Unravelling the puzzle to find answers is a challenge due to the firewalls that her company had in place. Keera mulls it over with her investigators, asks questions. Can she convince her client to face the hard facts and to tell the truth?

This is the second book in this new series, which is quite a departure from the Tracy Crosswhite series. The Duggan family is complex. Robert Dugoni puts his legal hat on and does a fabulous job delving into the investigation and the courtroom scenes. Some of the characters are quite unlikeable, but it was easy to become engaged with the story, nevertheless. There’s a satisfying blend of suspense, investigatory work, and courtroom drama in this whodunnit to make Beyond Reasonable Doubt a sure winner.

4 stars

I received a digital copy of Beyond Reasonable Doubt in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Robert Dugoni.

“Beyond Reasonable Doubt” is yet another excellent legal thriller by Robert Dugoni. This story keeps you engaged from beginning to end. There are plenty of plot twists and turns with a cast of characters that make this story one heckuva page turner. This can be read as a standalone. But do yourself a favor. Read the first book, “Her Deadly Game” to get the full reading enjoyment of this series. Highly recommend!

Beyond Reasonable Doubt kept me on edge until the last few chapters were read. Robert Dugoni once again struts his suspenseful writing chops with a new story featuring Defense Attorney Keera Duggan and her goal of being just as proficient as her struggling father, Patsy. The Irish Brawler is finally taking his alcoholism seriously, leaving Keera as the lead lawyer in her family's firm, simply trying to keep her family together while finding time for herself. When her staycation is cut short because an old adversary is once again brought up on murder charges, it becomes Keera's turn to shine as the formidable defender, showing she's as good, if not better than her old man.

Dugoni makes this story as much about whether or not the selfish Jenna Bernstein did in fact murder her business partner and former lover, as well as Keera finding her footing in her new role. She's a good soul and only wants rightful justice for her clients. However, with flashbacks as to how Jenna treated Keera for most of her teenage years, it can be a tough pill to swallow that this self-centered woman didn't unalive Sirus Kohl.

We get the entire picture of what went down with Jenna and her firm as she pushed too hard to make a name for herself in the world while 'cheating the system' so to speak by not revealing to her investors and the public all the flaws of her product. The woman is quite awful to everyone around her, forever the spoiled rotten child who will always want to point fingers at others and never herself. I loved how Dugoni very cleverly allows Keera to not only properly defend Jenna but also finds justice for Sirus and most importantly, herself.

We are taken on a whirlwind ride, Dugoni paying attention to detail once more, as the real culprit involved in not one but two murders is very carefully revealed as Keera, Detective Frank Rossi and investigator JP Harrison work separately and a bit together to bring this person to justice. Although there aren't too many to choose from as far as suspects are concerned, everything made sense as the case wrapped up and Keera did her job meticulously and respectfully. I have to admit I wasn't all that surprised as to this whodunnit came to a close but it was still a gripping adventure nonetheless.

I look forward to more in the world of Keera Duggan, hopeful she'll continue to hone her craft and come out a winner with each new case. In the meantime, however, I happily give Beyond Reasonable Doubt a big 4 stars!