Terry's Newest Legal Thriller

Out Now

Kate Marston takes the case of a controversial judge who has been charged with murder. Her investigation leads her into the shadowy and dangerous world of organized crime, hard-ball politics, and big-time college football. It also leads her to an alternative suspect -- her father.

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About Terry

Terry retired as a trial judge in 2019, having served nearly 30 years on the bench. He is currently in private practice. The law has not only been his profession; it is the canvas on which he draws his characters, the backdrop against which he tells their stories. Terry particularly likes to explore that ethical ambiguity that resides in the conflict between law and morality.

Terry has served as a board member of the Mystery Writers of America, Florida Chapter, and as a member of the advisory board for the Florida Book Awards. He lives in Tallahassee with his wife, Fran, a former guidance counselor and their Border Collie mix, Pepper. Terry likes to relax with a good game of tennis or basketball, a good book, or film.

JOIN THE JUSTICE CIRCLE

Join the “Justice Circle” by clicking the button below and receive a sneak preview of chapter one of Incognito. You’ll also get updates from time to time on publication and events, musings about justice, history and other topics, and inside information available only to those in the Circle. I promise not to bother you too often, and you can opt out any time you want.

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“Writing in prose that is both straightforward and resonant, Lewis, a native Floridian and Tallahassee trial judge, clearly knows his legal and geographical territory. Better, he knows how to render a world filled with both evil and compassion.”
— Publishers' Weekly


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“Lewis draws full-bodied characters, people with strengths and flaws not unlike our own, giving his legal thrillers a satisfying depth."

— Book List


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The Historical Thriller

INCOGNITO

In the late spring of 1776, the debate over independence is growing more heated in the Continental Congress. The New England and southern colonies are lining up in favor, the middle colonies, led by Pennsylvania, are opposed. And some pro-independence delegates appear willing to do whatever it takes to win, including the overthrow of Pennsylvania's recently elected assembly.

In the midst of this political drama, intelligence is received that a British spy is headed to Philadelphia with instructions to assassinate key leaders of the Congress. And he will not be acting alone. It appears that the operative may have several Loyalist contacts in Philadelphia willing to help, including one or more confederates within the Congress itself.

Will Harrell is a young man who is afflicted with epilepsy. He is also smart, clever and has a knack for solving puzzles. Indeed, he is the one who decoded the letter concerning the assassination plan. Will is asked by the Congress to investigate the matter, to uncover the identity of the would-be assassin and his confederates, and to foil the plot. While he works feverishly against the clock, he must deal with skeptical and uncooperative delegates, an abundance of suspects but a scarcity of hard evidence, his own self-doubt, and a widening plot that includes a planned assassination of General George Washington in New York.

Will is determined to thwart the assassin and bring the conspirators to justice. His adversary, however, is also determined. The spy, whose code name is Incognito, is creative and resourceful, a master of disguise, handsome, charming, and thoroughly ruthless. If Will can stop him, the price may prove too dear.


THE LEGAL THRILLERS

Conflict of Interest

Ted Stevens is a capable, respected trial attorney whose drinking problem and impending divorce have sent him on a downward slide. His appointment as defense counsel in a high-profile murder case seems to offer a chance at redemption. The opportunity, however, isn't without risks. The victim—a local newspaper reporter known for her loose lifestyle and her willingness to take risks to get a story—was not only a former client but Ted's secret lover as well. Ted must choose between concealing evidence that would be helpful to his client and revealing it, thereby becoming a suspect himself.

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Privileged Information

Paul Morganstein returns to his hometown in the Florida panhandle to defend his late brother's best friend, Jimmy Ray Conley, on a murder charge. The case will pit him against the Pinnacle Paper Company, the largest employer in the small town. He also must contend with a less-than-cooperative client who seems unconcerned that he is facing murder one.  As Paul investigates the case, he obtains privileged information leading him to conclude that his client may have committed another murder thirty years ago. The victim? Paul's brother. 

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Delusional

Ted Stevens' new client is a mental patient who is either a delusional, psychotic killer or an innocent man framed for the murder of his psychologist—or maybe both. Nathan Hart, incarcerated for the brutal murder of his family, hears voices and believes that a secret organization known only as the Unit is out to get him. Is the Unit responsible for the murder of Dr. Aaron Rosenberg in an effort to keep Nathan confined to a mental hospital? Or is something more sinister afoot? Ted needs to uncover the truth quickly. His life, and that of his family, will depend on it.

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