This book kept me up past my bedtime so many times. I couldn't go to sleep until I figured it out, then fell asleep and had to repeat the process. It definitely kept me guessing and confused.
I have never read a book by this author before, but this is a terrifying premise, and I had to try it. I am glad I did, even if I am exhausted.
I highly recommend this book.

This book is perfect for fans of legal dramas, mystery, and Christian fiction. The characters and storyline were excellent and made this a great reading experience. I loved Paige and Ryan and their sweet newlywed relationship! There was also such a great heart pounding climax, which I love in a book like this! There is a very strong faith component to this book, with themes of forgiveness, redemption, and trusting the Lord in prayer.

My only qualms were that the writing needed another good round of edits - there are some overly descriptive parts that sound like an investigator wrote it (way too much unnecessary detail) as well as some typos or inconsistencies, but I’m hoping since this was an ARC that these will be corrected by the publication date. Other than these issues, I enjoy Whitlow’s writing style and will definitely read more from him!

Guilty Until Innocent is available on February 4.

Thank you so much to @thomasnelson and @netgalley for this complimentary ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Christian fiction. No language. No romance. Mild violence. Pregnancy, murder, drug use (off page).

Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow is such a good story! The story is so well written and easy to read and imagine. I enjoyed the relationship Tom and Ryan have in their jobs. I appreciate how Tom treats Ryan and how he encourages him and trusts him. I like how dedicated Ryan is to helping Tom at his law office and getting to the truth.

I especially enjoyed the parts of the book that were at the prison and show the work that Joe and his friends did. I found it very encouraging to see how satisfied and content he was with his life in prison and how he shared about God. I especially enjoyed the suspenseful parts that pertained to getting to the bottom of the crime Joe was charged with and the connection between him and another prisoner. I found it very inspirational how Ryan’s wife reacted to Joe’s letter and how she responded to it.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

Guilty Until Innocent is a story of forgiveness, truth, and discovery that is told from three points of view. The first is Joe who is an inmate that is 26 years into serving a sentence for double homicide that, even though he cannot recall the murders, is convinced of his own guilt. The second POV is Ryan, a lawyer who is now tasked with trying to prove Joe’s innocence all while trying to regain his footing at a new firm after two unsuccessful ventures at previous law firms. The third is Paige, wife to Ryan and a work from home copy editor that is seeking to understand her relationship with God as well as find her place in a new community.

The faith elements of this story are very prominent and beautifully written. Redemption and forgiveness are not just presented as humanistic themes, but as spiritual battlegrounds fought in the lives of individuals. Joe discovers true freedom in prison and acts as a pastor/shepherd of sorts to other inmates. Ryan battles with the shame of his past and doesn’t see how God the Father could be anything more than a judge of his mistakes. Paige quickly connects with her need for something more, but what exactly is that something and who is going to show her the truth that will set her free?

The first half of the book felt a little slow for me. Every scene was so meticulously detailed (and very food focused) that I found myself losing interest because the plot was being buried in the mundane details. After the halfway point, the investigation picked up pace and the remainder of the book moved at a more anticipated and thrilling cadence.
Overall, this book has wonderful faith content, a few too many mundane day to day details, but a thrilling and exciting ending.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for a complimentary e-copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow! What a story!! If I could give this book 10 stars….I would. Joe is in prison for the murder of two people. However, he doesn’t remember anything. He’s been in prison for at least 20 years and has made quite the impact spiritually among the inmates. He is definitely a changed man and he’s given God all the credit. The law firm that represented him, has been contacted by his family and another lawyer, Ryan, is assigned to reopen the case as they don’t think he was the murderer. While Ryan is going over the old files, him and his wife have been put in danger to say the least. The book has so many twists and turns that the ending was so shocking. It touched me in so many ways. So if you love legal thrillers, you won’t want to miss this book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and this is my honest review.

Joe has been in prison for killing two people for over twenty years. He was so high on meth when it happened, he has no memory of the event. Joe became a believer in prison and became the lynchpin in the conversion of many other prisoners. Ryan is a young lawyer who has recently begun to with with his father’s cousin, when Joe’s sister requests that Ryan and Tom look into Joe’s case again. In Guilty Until Innocent, by Robert Whitlow, secrets from the past begin to be revealed. Ryan and his wife, Paige, are threatened. Will the truth surrounding the murders finally be known?
Whitlow describes many”conversions” as a prayer and then a feeling of peace in the heart. I know of no one in the New Testament who was converted that way. I am thankful for stories of redemption, but authors, please have these conversions happen like they did in the book of Acts.

An engaging legal drama that will keep you guessing which one of these “nice” people are the real threat. I enjoyed the legal aspects of this story. The characters are somewhat relatable, but I found the faith part of this story a little simple. I would expect hardened criminals and new Christians to wrestle more with the idea of their worst sins being forgiven.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

More Southern Fiction Than Legal Thriller. Admittedly it has been several years since I last picked up a book by Whitlow, but back in the day this author was essentially a Christian form of John Grisham - he's going to give you tight, exciting legal thrillers of some form (via inside or outside the courtroom itself), but a Christian version of it where people more openly pray and talk about "God stuff" and such.

This book... keeps all the "God stuff" *in spades* (seriously, if you're openly hostile to anything Christian or even just not at all interested in anything Christian... don't bother reading this book, you're not going to like it) but ditches the legal thriller aspects in favor of a more Boo Walker or Nicholas Sparks or Pat Conroy ish Southern fiction tale.

The story is long, some might argue too long, drawn out, yet ultimately satisfying for what it actually is and the multiple sub plots it is running concurrently. There is a *touch* of action near the end, but it really is more of a "slight rise on a kiddie coaster" level than anything particularly suspenseful - more suspenseful than anything else in this tale, but that only serves to highlight just how little actual danger there seems to be at any point here.

Still a great tale for what it actually is, just in no way any form of thriller or suspense.

Very much recommended.

This is a great legal read. It is down to earth enough for us normal people.
The story is very engaging.
I felt like a experienced life with the characters.
There is some mystery and suspense but the story line reads more straightforward.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Robert Whitlow has been a favorite author since my mother put The List in my hands the first time. His books always present intriguing stories with heartfelt underlying messages of faith and love. Guilty Until Innocent, however, disappointed me on several levels. It is not a thriller. Hard stop. Don’t go into it expecting gunshots and explosions. Go into it expecting personal hardships, and how God can work wonders for all who seek Him. While Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow had redeeming elements, I can’t recommend it as strongly as I did his previous books. For the first time with a Whitlow novel, I was relieved when I finally hit the last page.

Guilty Until Innocent, I would say, had three different plots: Joe in prison, Ryan working to get him out of prison, and the faith journey of Ryan’s wife, Paige. The prison scenes became repetitive. Joe and his best friend speak of how the men are turning to God, and Whitlow writes everything out, sprinkling in doses of Bible versus and Christian concepts. But the segments were so similar; I found myself wanting to skip them. I don’t need to know how many time Joe picks strawberries, or what vegetables are ripe and ready for the kitchens. I admired Ryan’s tenacity when it came to freeing Joe and how he didn’t give up. I liked witnessing Paige’s growth in her Christian walk and in her relationship with some local church ladies.

But overall…Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow lacked emotion. The writing was choppy, simplistic, and impersonal, and the book featured far too much dialogue, not enough narration. I felt like I was reading case notes, recorded interviews, and not a story. You rarely hear how the characters feel, and there are very limited descriptions of their emotional actions. No “Ryan’s brow creased in concentration.” No “Paige’s body felt heavy from exhaustion.” Instead, we get, “Joe worked in the field. Joe pulled weeds. Joe took a nap on a rock.” The book had no warmth, and the characters had no depth to them. Ryan feels guilty for something that happened in his past, but we don’t really see it, and it only comes up when the timing’s convenient. Joe goes from a drug addict prior to prison to a strong Christian when he’s inside the walls, but we don’t see how he got there. I guess Paige and Ryan changed, but I still didn’t feel it.

Guilty Until Innocent is fine, I guess. I personally didn’t like it. It had so much potential and yet…it didn’t reach it.

It's another winner from Whitlow! A great legal drama full of faith, grace, forgiveness and law combined to make a great book. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC. This is my own honest opinion. I can highly recommend this one.

Wow! I love Robert Whitlow’s books and this was no exception. The story and well developed characters draw you in. I literally did not want to put this book down. The twists and turns keep you guessing. I highly recommend this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow, this book was incredible. I loved how the characters developed throughout the book and the plot was full of twists and turns. The author knew just how to develop the characters faith in such a way that was believable and encouraging.

There were clues throughout the book that led me one way but then I would change my mind. This mystery was well written and engaging.

First book I've read by Robert Whitlow. As a Christian I enjoyed the Christianity aspect though I expected more of a mystery. Pick your genre and stick with it. I figured out most of the bad guys immediately which was disappointing. I like to be surprised at the end. Not sure I would read anymore of his books.

This was my first book to read by Robert Whitlow and it wasn't quite what I was expecting . . . until it was. There was a LOT of character development, which I always like, but this story seemed to carry that to the extreme. Things didn't really get intense until waaaay into the book. But when it got intense, it got really good!

I loved Ryan and Paige and would love to read another adventure with them. Also, more about Joe would be great.

Good faith elements and a very clean read.

Thank you, Thomas Nelson Fiction, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I’ve read many books by Robert Whitlow and have had the privilege of meeting him at a church librarian’s conference. He is very personable and I enjoyed hearing him share his backstory.

This book was good though maybe not my favorite of his. Having it set in NC (where I live) was helpful to picturing the settings.

I received this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review. Three and a half stars.

Robert Whitlow never disappoints! His ability to weave a plot through well-developed characters, realistic life scenarios, and Scriptural truth is amazing. “Guilty Until Innocent” was truly one of those books that you cannot put down once you start reading. Whitlow always creates a healthy tension with enough suspense to keep you reading long after real life tries to call you back to work! His inclusion of a Christian worldview in some of his characters is natural and adds depth to the characters and their emotions and reactions. I will be recommending this one to my book club for sure!

I always enjoy a good Robert Whitlow book. He reminds me a lot of a clean John Grisham! His books aren’t full of action and suspense but are more of a legal thriller. This one was very good and it kept my attention to figure out how it was going to end. I highly recommend this book and all of Robert Whitlow’s books.

I received this novel from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

If you like John Grisham books, this is something similar, except without bad language, etc. The writing itself seems just a bit dry to me, but the story is good!! The characters are well developed, and relatable.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

3.5 rounded up to 4. Ryan is a young lawyer hired by Joe's niece to look at getting Joe released from prison. Joe has been in jail for 26 years for a double murder and found God in jail and now ministers to fellow inmates. It is unclear whether or not Joe actually committed the murder. Story follows Joe's time in prison and Ryan's personal life with his wife Paige. Ryan and Paige have recently moved to town and with Paige working from home she doesn't know many people. We see Paige begin to make friends and discover faith in God. I really enjoyed getting to know Paige and following her journey, I did not particularly care for all the jail scenes and just want to spend time with Paige and Ryan. I loved the way the two of them interacted and cared for one another. I found the jail scenes to be a bit repetitive and mundane after a while. I especially loved the friendship that developed between Paige and the women she meets. There is a strong faith message in the book.