Steel City Confidential by Anne Hagan is the first book in the Steel City Series and it’s a captivating mystery that will keep you perched on the edge of your seat from the moment you start reading until you get to the last word.
Some clients will hold onto their long-held secrets and they’ll try their best to hide who they really are and what they’ve done from their lawyers until their freedom is threatened…
Pam and Charlotte have been on the run for several years and they believed they were safe as they were ever going to be in Pittsburgh. They’ve put a couple of states between their old lives and previous felonies and the new life their family was thriving in. They were fully embracing their golden years and they were ready to settle down in one place so that they could have a sense of comfort and security at last.
Their well made plans crumbled when Charlotte became extremely ill and their daughter, Maddie, became pregnant for a married man and she is still in college. Unfortunately for Pam and her family, the married man that Maddie was involved with got shot in a drive-by shooting and the suspect used Pam’s unique motorcycle to commit the horrific deed. The same man was shot and killed in his office a few weeks later and once again, Pam’s motorcycle was spotted close to the scene of the crime.
Rochelle ‘Ro’ Rabinowitz and her amazing team decided to take on Pam’s case pro-bono because they believed it was going to be an effortless victory for them, or so they thought. So Ro gave the case to her new and talented associate, Dominique, because Ro wanted her to get the priceless courtroom experience and she had high hopes of Dominique becoming a partner in her firm one day. However, nothing about this case is simple or clear cut as it first seemed and Pam isn’t being straightforward with Ro and Dominique.
Will Ro and Dominique be able to convince Pam to trust them with the deadly secrets that have haunted her life for more than twenty years before it is too late?
The Characters
Pamela and Charlotte Wilson are married and they’ve been on the run for decades. These women are awesome and completely badass because they’ve given a whole new meaning to the word “outlaws”. I hope that I will be as feisty and plain-talking as Charlotte in my golden years or as fearless and determined like Pamela. Even though they broke several laws over a number of years, I really admire their bold efforts and their persistent desire to evade the law and hold on to their freedom at all costs because I don’t think I am brave enough to do the things they’ve done.
Rochelle ‘Ro’ Rabinowitz is a defense attorney and she owns a small law firm. She’s got a huge heart when it comes to defending people who’ve been wrongfully accused and she will do everything in her power to ensure that her clients get the representation they deserve. Here I go again… besides butch women in uniform, I have a thing for tall, confident women who wear power suits. Sigh… I think I am falling for too many fictional characters because my woman crush list is several pages long!
The Writing Style
Anne Hagan surely knows how to snag my attention from the beginning and hold me captive until the end! She has done a fabulous job of portraying each character’s innermost thoughts without straying from the “who done it” aspect of the story. I am beyond pleased to say that this author has given me a vivid description of the small town in Pittsburgh and the quirky individuals who live there.
The Pros
Would you believe me if I told you that I engaged in a reading marathon for hours on end without pausing until my alarm clock went off the next day? Well, I certainly did and I have no regrets or apologies about my lack of self-control when it comes to devouring enthralling mysteries like this one. I’ve never had a run in with the law but I had the time of my life just hanging out with Pam, Charlotte, Ro and her awesome legal team and I also enjoyed learning about how the legal and penal systems operate.
The Cons
You won’t get any complaints from me!
The Conclusion
What could possibly be better than reading a riveting mystery/suspense story with cunning outlaws and a dedicated legal team that uses unorthodox methods in order to prove their client’s innocence? For me, there’s nothing in this world that would be able to top that (except for chocolate fudge cookies!) You just have to make sure that you’re going to read this story on a bank holiday or on the weekend because you won’t want to stop reading once you start!
Excerpt from Steel City Confidential by Anne Hagan
Rochelle Rabinowitz, ‘Ro’ to her family and friends, put her hand on her client’s shoulder, half turning her. She looked her in the eyes and reminded her one last time, “You don’t have to do this. You can still take the fifth.”
Pamela Wilson broke the eye contact and looked down as she tugged at the sleeves of her jacket. “I know, but it’s the only way.” She rose and walked on steady feet toward the witness stand.
“Please raise your right hand and repeat after me,” the bailiff intoned. “I swear that the evidence that I shall give, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”
A lump formed in her throat. She swallowed hard and repeated the oath, then, hands on the rail, sat down and perched on the edge of the witness seat.
Ro rose at the defense counsel table and addressed her client. “Please state your name for the record.”
“Pamela Wilson.”
“Objection.”
Forgetting all courtroom decorum, Ro whirled on a heel and shot the prosecuting attorney, Declan Powers, a bewildered look.
“Mr. Powers?” The judge was confused. “Is there something I should know?”
“Counsel asked the witness her name, Your Honor. The witness is not telling the truth.”
“Counsel approach.”
Ro sighed and started to move around the edge of the table.
“It’s all right Judge… Your Honor,” Pamela interrupted. “I swore to tell the truth, and I will.” She swallowed again, positioned herself a little deeper into the chair, and prepared to tell the story she’d been hiding for twenty-eight years.
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Series
Steel City Series
Steel City Confidential: Book 1
Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9781950828043
- Publisher: Jug Run Press
- Anne Hagan Online
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