Title: Indefensible
Author: Pamela Callow
Publisher: Mira
Publication Date: December 28, 2010
Paperback: 512 pages
ISBN: 978-0778327509
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

From the Publisher:

When Elise Vanderzell plummets from her bedroom balcony one gorgeous summer night, her children awaken to a nightmare.

Their mother is dead.

Their father is charged with her murder.

Lawyer Kate Lange knows all about nightmares. She’s survived the darkest period of her troubled life and the wounds are still raw. Now she’s been handed a case that seems utterly unwinnable: defending her boss, high-profile lawyer Randall Barrett. A prosecutor’s dream suspect, Randall is a man who was cuckolded by his ex-wife. A man who could not control his temper. A man who had argued bitterly with the victim the previous day in full view of the children.

With limited criminal law experience, Kate finds herself enmeshed in a family fractured by doubt. Randall’s teenage son is intent on killing him. His daughter wants only to feel safe again. And the entire legal community would like nothing better than to see Randall receive a public comeuppance. As Kate races to stay a step ahead of the prosecution, a silent predator is waiting for the perfect time to deal the final blow.

My Review:

Indefensible by Pamela Callow takes up shortly where Damaged leaves off, however, Indefensible can indeed be read as a stand alone book.  Kate Lange, an overworked lawyer at the law firm of McGrath Barrett, is summoned early Saturday morning by her boss, Randall Barrett, whom she thought was on vacation, to care for his dog, seeing how he was about to be questioned in the death of his ex-wife, Elise Vanderzell.  Elise brought her and Randall’s two children, Nick and Lucy, to Halifax to spend a holiday.  Elise needed time away from Toronto; Randall wanted to see his children, and Elise’s friend offered up her house for the month. Ethan Drake heads up the murder investigation of Elise Vanderzell while Kate works to prove her boss is innocent.  Callow has created a clever, fast-paced and emotional thriller with an intriguing ensemble of characters ranging from sympathetic to out-right devious.  Kate Lange is a multilayered character and one I know I probably should like more than I do.  Indefensible is a clever mystery filled with mounting tension, suspense, and a family filled with hurt, regrets, and anger.  Indefensible will keep the reader engaged trying to ascertain who did what and when.   Callow’s cast of characters work exceptionally well for this story and her vivid descriptions of not only scenery, but of the characters, lends a certain depth to the book which helps create an air of tension.  I would recommend Indefensible to any reader who enjoys a good suspense thriller.

To learn about the author and her writings please visit Pamela Callow’s website.

I received a complimentary copy of Damaged by Pamela Callow from Planned Television Art to review. Receiving a copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.