How do you kill a spider?
Kate O’Brien is pure dedication; she believes in the justice system. This feisty, no-nonsense attorney works herself to the bone every day, tirelessly building her reputation and career. She is on the path to being a legal star. That is until her corrupt law partner, Bill Brown, a criminal defense attorney, achieves a degree of notoriety which attracts the interest … attorney, achieves a degree of notoriety which attracts the interest of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
When the inconceivable happens, Bill is arrested, charged with multiple counts of drug trafficking and money laundering leaving the law firm in chaos. As Kate slowly digs her way out, what she finds sends her down a dark path that could lead to her imprisonment or death. Bill has meticulously set her up to pay for his malevolent crimes. His cohorts, fearing she knows too much, have marked her for death. Can she stay ahead of the FBI and unravel crimes that reach as far as China and Russia? Or will she need to assume a new identity to save her own life?
A fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. Suspenseful crime fiction with twists and turns throughout this masterfully plotted novel keeps you on the edge of your seat. It may be read as a standalone and serves as the first book in the series, A Conspiracy of Betrayal.
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When family-law attorney Kate O’Brien gets bum-rushed into handling a bail hearing by her business partner, her life spirals out of control.
She’s pulled deeper into a criminal case with a disoriented defendant charged with murder as her partner, Bill Brown, appears to be distancing himself and avoiding her.
When the ugly truth is revealed, Kate finds out she’s not only been Bill’s unwitting pawn and the “name on the dotted line” for his illegal activities but now she must allow herself to be used again to stay out of jail… and alive.
Spider Games is great slow-build suspense. This author knows how to pull readers in and keep them on the edge of their seats. Each chapter delivered a nugget of clarity… and a bucket of questions. Every time I thought my eyebrows couldn’t possibly go any higher, I swiped the page and find out I was wrong!
Kate O’Brien is tenacious and committed to her profession. She’s slowly building a name for herself in the legal community and is grateful to Bill Brown for taking her into the business after a disastrous end to a relationship caused Kate to flee for safety, peace of mind and a fresh start. It’s her gratitude to Bill and inability to trust anyone else that leads Kate to put blinders on and make her an easy mark for Bill, because even as his list of offenses grows, she still considers that he could have been “caught up” in something and defends him to authorities. It’s more than apparent to everyone Bill Brown is not a nice guy and a major player in illegal activities that span the globe… and implicate Kate, but she’s more concerned that Bill has adequate legal representation.
(Insert dramatic eye-roll and Kindle-flinging moment.)
I didn’t like Kate O’Brien. There. I said it.
I admired her focus and passion for her clients. She’s a sharp attorney. She just isn’t very smart. As I passed the story’s midpoint, the only thing higher than my eyebrows was the number of bad decisions Kate made. With attempts on her life, federal agents who aren’t convinced of her innocence and the threat of prison hanging over her, for me, it took Kate too long to appreciate the gravity of her situation.
But every flawed protagonist must have a savior, and thank goodness for Norma Wilkie, legal assistant/paralegal, extraordinaire! The sixty-year-old is savvy, sharp, AND smart… and just the person Kate needs at her side as she tries to navigate the hell her life has become.
Everyone has secrets in Spider Games, Norma included, and as Kate tries to figure out what to believe and who to trust, the plot twists go deeper to reveal a conspiracy even the feds didn’t see coming.
While I’m still not on Team Kate, she won my respect near the story’s end with a new attitude and some fancy footwork of her own.
Excellent pacing made this well-written book a page-turner and one-sitting read. I’m more than ready for book two to see where the conspiracy leads, and hopefully, Jaxson Brant and Agent Owens will show up for the party!
Enjoy!
This is my first book by KJ McGillick. But now I want to read all her books!
Spider Games kept you on your toes, had lots of action, lots of twists and a good ending. It is a great mystery/ suspense and a crime drama.
It was a bit technical in the law terms near the end and I would have loved a touch of romance. There was two good possibilities and I would like to see more of these men. Will there be more of Kate, Norma and maybe even Jaxon or Chris? I sure hope so!
A murder has occurred but it is just put down to.a.senseless killing but it is so far away from the truth. The law firm it happened at has a pact and if they go up the ladder they have to obey it. Who wanted them dead? Will they ever been found? Who is behind it all? See who is when you reach the end of the story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Spider Games is the first book in K.J. McGillick’s A Conspiracy of Betrayal series. It focuses on Kate O’Brien, a rising attorney defending an escort who is accused of murdering her benefactor. Ironically this same escort is also implicated as an accomplice when her law partner is arrested for drug trafficking and money laundering. As Kate digs deeper she finds she is being set up for these crimes and finds a conspiracy reaching not only nationally but internationally as well. Will she survive when she discovers the truth? I recommend this intriguing and suspenseful book full of unexpected twists.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.