Legal thrillers are one of my favorite genres and The Wrong Side by Robert Bailey is a perfect example. This is the second instalment in the attorney Bocephus Haynes series but it reads very well on its own. The setting is small town Pulaski in Tennessee. It is Friday night and football is on everyone’s mind. The game will be followed by a concert with a local band fronted by the young lead singer Brittany. Before the night is out, Brittany will be dead and the town football hero and her boyfriend has been arrested and Odell is charged with her murder. Bocephus Haynes is a local lawyer who has sworn off criminal law but is drawn to Odell’s case because he knows the young man well and feels he may be innocent. The townspeople do not approve of this and life becomes difficult for the lawyer. What makes this novel stand out is the trial. It is so well-written that you feel like you are sitting in the courtroom. There are plenty of possible suspects but nothing is revealed until the trial climax. The characters in The Wrong Side are well-drawn and feel like you know them. I look forward to reading the next Bocephus Haynes legal thriller by Robert Bailey. Highly recommended. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The Wrong Side by Robert Bailey
Bocephelus Haynes #2

High School students are full of dreams for their future and much to look forward to. Not all dreams come true, though, and sometimes nightmares come to visit. I had not read book one in this series and wasn’t sure I would like this book at first thinking it seemed more a book written for younger readers than myself but as I kept reading I found that though the main characters in the murder mystery were in high school the story was definitely written for those older, too.

What I liked:
* That not having read book one in the series did not detract from this story/book as it stood alone
* Wondering what I might have missed in book one of the series and how it would have impacted my take on this story
* Some of the hints of history in the town
* That Bocephelus chose to defend Odell even though by doing so he fell on The Wrong Side of community opinions and feelings
* Bo’s family and his interactions with them
* That though some rushed to judge the “evidence” some were able to find clues that exposed the truth
* The way the court case played out
* The strings that tantalized related to some of the characters and wanting to know more about some of them
* Wondering if some of the dreams of the high school students would come to fruition
* Thinking about Bo’s next case…if he chooses to take one.
* The look into the impact on family and friends when someone is murdered
* The legal and courtroom portions of the story
* That the murder case was solved

What I didn’t like:
* Realizing how fragile life is and how easily anger can lead to murder
* Thinking about how youth and immaturity combined with a desire to succeed – no matter what or who might be harmed – can have such a horrible impact on so many

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )