I did not realize this was book 2 in the series when I started it, but I had no trouble following the story.

This is a great legal thriller that shows the case from both the attorney and the police perspective. It encompasses an unlikable defendant, a history between the defendant and defense attorney and a moral dilemma. The characters are complex and flawed. The story is gripping. I loved the courtroom scenes. It was fascinating to watch Keera's trial strategy change as the case progressed and the facts became clearer.

While it is heavily character driven there was an underlying mystery centered around if Jenna, the defendant, was guilty of this and a previous murder.

I can't believe this is my first read of the author's. I should have believed all the buzz from his previous books.

Saskia Maarleveld narrates the audiobook and great to listen to. She handled the large cast of characters and let the story flow.

If you are a fan of legal thrillers, you need to add this one to your TBR.

Felt inspired by the Elizabeth Holmes / theranos scam/case. Overall good and kept my attention. Narrator was superb

I enjoyed this book but not as much as I have loved his other books. This took a long time to get into, the first part kind of dragged a little. The courtroom scenes were written really well. I was hoping for more of a twisty or shock at the end, but it was kind of obvious how it was going to go. The narrator did a great job telling this story.

Amidst an on-going scandal involving murder and fraud, Jenna is once again accused of murdering someone with information that could ruin her reputation and that of her already damaged company. Kiera, daughter of the lawyer who saw Jenna found not guilty of the first murder, finds herself having to take on this case… very reluctantly. She doesn’t like Jenna, having grown up with her, and she finds her manipulative and pathological. But the firm needs the money and the publicity, and Kiera needs to put her drama with Jenna behind her once and for all.

This was not my favorite Robert Dugoni book. I found it a bit drawn out and there were so many repetitive conversations that I was a bit bored. It was overall a bit of an obvious whodunit without much excitement.

The audio was well done, and I enjoyed the narrator a lot. Her intonation, pacing, and delivery was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great story and narrator that kept me listening for hours. I enjoyed both the personal and professional interactions of Keira Dugan and others. I had not known of the first book in this series, but this second book is fine as a stand-alone. I didn’t feel I was missing anything necessary for enjoyment.

Thank you @mbc_books @brillancepublishing @amazonpublishing for a gifted copy/ALC!

🔹 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🔹
Dugoni hits it out of the ballpark with the second story in the Keera Duggan series! He builds up suspense and intrigue in his plot so well, which had me hanging on every word and up reading late!

I’ve been a fan of Dugoni’s books for a few years and this one is a favorite! Keera Duggan is a smart defense attorney at her family’s law firm, a prodigy to her attorney father who could battle with the best. Duggan gets the chance to defend a childhood family friend in a murder charge, where the case seems open and shut for the prosecution. However, this lady is a skilled liar and can’t be trusted, so Duggan has to weight if she even wants to take the case.

Along with the legal aspects, we have family problems and dynamics that are complicated. There’s a subtle romance subplot as well, that isn’t really developed but hints throughout that something is brewing.

We get to see another POV in Keera’s former colleague Frank, who is a detective investigating the case. It was fun to see both sides in this story.

I can’t wait to see the future books in this series! Dugoni writes a strong smart FMC like no other, who seems very accurately portrayed in her role. It gave me everything I needed in this style of story!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Saskia Maarleveld did a great job narrating this legal thriller. She tackled Keera’s role brilliantly, portraying confidence and strength in her storytelling. She had depth and vulnerability in her voice as well, which lent well to the intrigue and mystery of the story.

⚖️ 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🔹 Police Procedurals
⚖️ Legal Suspense Thrillers
🔹 Courtroom Dramas
⚖️ Strong FMC Attorney

Robert Dugoni is at the top of his game as he returns from Her Deadly Game (5 Stars) with his popular Keera Duggan #2 in BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT—Old friends and old suspicions rise to the surface as Keera dazzles in this latest masterpiece legal thriller!

About...

Keera is back better than ever to deal with a master manipulator accused of murder.

Jenna Bernstein, a disgraced CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover. She turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her.

As we discovered from the previous book, Keera is a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court. She knows her childhood friend and knows trouble is not far behind —a controlling sociopath.

Five years earlier, her father defended her when she was charged with the killing of her company's chief scientist (whistleblower), who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well.

Keera is reluctantly pulled into the case, having to cancel her vacation to take over for her father, Patsy (whose firm is struggling financially), while she takes over the trial.

Keera digs deeper, with assistance from private investigator JP Harrison, and she uncovers startling information that could change the entire trajectory of the case. Is Jenna once again playing a dangerous game?

Is she innocent this time? Is this another devious game from a master manipulator? Is her client a murderer?

My thoughts...

BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT is enthralling! The author captivates you from the first page to the last with a game of cat-and-mouse, and as in the past book, Keera is sharp, intelligent, and intuitive! She is quick-witted, street-smart, and savvy.

Keera's connection between chess and her courtroom moves is not just a personal quirk. It's a strategic advantage when she's up against a schemer and the possible murderer she is defending. Her ability to think several steps ahead, just like in a game of chess, often gives her the upper hand in the courtroom.

From the riveting and intense courtroom scenes and cop procedurals to Keera's personal life, her dad's struggles with alcoholism, and the complex family bonds, Detective Frank Rossi adds another layer of depth. We could possibly be getting a love connection here in the next installment, adding to the rich character-driven narrative.

Dugoni, a pro with his background as an attorney & author, expertly builds suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat in this character and plot-driven brilliant legal thriller!

BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT can be read as a standalone; however, I highly recommend reading Her Deadly Game first. In the first book, we learn about Keera's past, her struggles, and her journey to becoming the sharp, intelligent, and intuitive attorney she is in this book. It's a great way to understand and appreciate her character fully.

I eagerly anticipate the next installment to see what comes next in Keera's journey!

Recs...

It is a must-read legal thriller series for fans of the author and those of David Baldacci, John Hart, and Michael Connelly.

Audiobook...

I read the book and listened to the audiobook performed by one of my favorite narrators, Saskia Maarleveld, for a captivating, knock-out performance!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Brilliance Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 22, 2024
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Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing, Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book by the wonderful Robert Dugoni, and the second in the Keera Duggan series, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld – 5 stars!

Jenna Bernstein, disgraced CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover. Three years early, Keera Dugan’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for killing the company’s chief medical scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Jenna now wants Keera to defend her against the latest allegations, but Jenna and Keera have a history since childhood, and Keera knows that trouble follows Jenna.

Dugoni has done it again, written a gripping police procedural/legal thriller that kept me guessing until the end. I really like Keera’s character – smart, confident, driven, flawed – and how she interacts with people both professionally and in her family life, especially with her dad. This book has Keera defending her childhood nemesis, and she doesn’t trust Jenna to be honest with her. But with so much on the line, the two must rely on each other. Keera’s chess prowess once again comes into play as she must think one step ahead. The ending was perfect and I can’t wait for more in this series!

The second book in Dugoni's Keera Duggan series gripped me throughout the story, as all of his books have. Seattle defense attorney Keera was pulled from her staycation when she is called into a case involving her high school classmate Jenna. As Keera defends the manipulating Jenna, she uses strategies she has learned from playing chess and from her father Patsy.

Dugoni's writing is taut and tense, taking readers from a murder scene and into the courtroom for an outstanding legal thriller. His dialogue is exceptional, as is his character development. Narrator Maarleveld vividly portrays each personality, male and female, with the same depth and skill that Dugoni's writing displays. Her performances of the courtroom audio are especially riveting.

I like knowing Keera through her career, family relationships, and personal growth. Her father faces an exceptionally difficult period in his life in this book. Having devoured Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series, I will patiently wait and hope for a third book featuring Keera Duggan.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

I have loved everything I have read from Robert Dugoni. The series I've read are all mysteries of some sort: a police procedural, a spy thriller and now a legal thriller. Beyond Reasonable Doubt is the next in the Keera Duggan series. The setting is Seattle, as some of his other series and we have seen a few characters in the police or CSI I recognized.

Kerra is in her family's firm after leaving the prosecutor's office. The firm needs her as her father, a star criminal defense attorney, is aging and has issues with alcohol. Now a childhood enemy of Keera is up on her second murder charge. Her father got the charges dismissed on her first charge.

Keera has to think hard about whether she will defend this women who bullied and mistreated her in the past. Jenna is a master manipulator who is used to lying and getting her way. With her father in rehab, Keera will be on her own. Keera gathers all the evidence which brings her to the truth. Jenna will have to tell the truth to not spend the rest of her life in prison.

Keera is stellar and I love her. The details in the strategy and her cool handling of the case as she does her best even if she doesn't like her client. Although I enjoyed it when she told Jenna to shut up and listen. I can be petty that way. Keera works well with the prosecution and the detectives. It is just a joy to have these stories.

Narration:
I have listened to this narrator previously. She has a large body of work. I enjoyed her performance, feeling the male and female voices were comfortable. She also handled a bit of an accent. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.

As a longtime fan of Robert Dugoni’s work, especially The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell and the first Keera Duggan novel (Her Deadly Game), I was eager to dive into Beyond Reasonable Doubt. While this second book in the series offers a solid legal thriller, it didn’t quite grip me in the way I’d hoped.

Criminal defense attorney Keera Duggan returns to the courtroom, this time defending her high school rival turned health tech wunderkind in a murder trial. The writing is good, but I didn’t feel invested in the outcome of the trial. The pacing, while steady, didn’t build the same level of tension that made the first book such a standout for me.

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld is an audiobook pro, giving strong delivery and seamlessly alternating between male and female characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

the setup…
Three years ago, Patrick (Patsy) Duggan successfully defended CEO Jenna Bernstein when she was on trial for murdering her chief medical scientist. Though she was acquitted, Jenna was not considered innocent by the jury of public opinion. Now her former partner and lover has been murdered and the evidence points to her. This time it will be Keera Duggan defending her instead of her father and she’s not a fan. They were childhood “friends” and no one knows better how manipulative Jenna is than Keera. But she will deliver the best defense no matter what.

the heart of the story…
I love a good legal thriller and this is one of the best! Keera used to be a prosecutor before joining the family law practice so she’s particularly skilled in understanding the other side. This case was troublesome for her, however, because of her conflicted feelings about Jenna who she believed to be a sociopath. Keera’s also a great chess player and treats the courtroom and her cases like a big delicious chessboard.

the narration…
I’m such a fan of Saskia Maarleveld so I knew she’d be great and she was. I loved her entire performance but the courtroom scene were stellar!

the bottom line…
I couldn’t wait to get this book and it still surpassed my expectations. Think former Theramos CEO Elizabeth Holmes and you’ve got the mirror image in Jenna Bernstein. Keera’s smart and she’s got the most unlikeable client ever. The case was complicated and Jenna’s guilt or innocence was never clear until the end. It was twisty, clever and gnarly with tense courtroom drama…just the way I love it.