Among Washington D.C. power players, everyone has secrets they desperately want to keep hidden, including Sean Serrat, a Supreme Court lawyer. Sean transformed his misspent youth into a model adulthood, and now has one of the most respected legal careers in the country. But just as he learns he’s on the short list to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, his daughter, Abby, a talented and dedicated law student, goes missing. Abby’s lifeless body is soon found in the library of the Supreme Court, and her boyfriend, Malik Montgomery, a law clerk at the high court, is immediately arrested. The ensuing media frenzy leads to allegations that Malik’s arrest was racially motivated, sparking a national controversy.
While the Serrat family works through their grief, Sean begins to suspect the authorities arrested the wrong person. Delving into the mysteries of his daughter’s last days, Sean stumbles over secrets within his own family as well as the lies of some of the most powerful people in the country. People who will stop at nothing to ensure that Sean never exposes the truth.
Praise for The Advocate’s Daughter
“Smart, sophisticated, suspenseful, and written with real insider authenticity. A winner.”
—LEE CHILD, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“[E]ngaging and riveting . . . . this no-holds-barred potboiler shines a light on Washington’s halls of power only to reveal the darkness lurking within them.”
—PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
“A taut, twisting thriller”
—HUFFINGTON POST
“[T]he ‘best of the best’ when it comes to suspense.”
—SUSPENSE MAGAZINE
“Lawyers by trade are storytellers, and good lawyers tell good stories — Franze’s book is a case in point . . . . The Advocate’s Daughter will do quite well in your beach bag for a good summer read.”
—LA REVIEW OF BOOKS
“A stunning story that makes ‘House of Cards’ look like ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ readers of all ideological stripes will find it a splendid tale of grief and grievance, crime and corruption, power and perfidy.”
—RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
“This fast-paced thriller will appeal to fans of Brad Meltzer, Joseph Finder, and Scott Turow.”
—BOOKLIST
“Tautly written and expertly put together, if there is one crime thriller you want to add to your collection, then let this be it.”
—CRIMINAL ELEMENT (“Fresh Meat” review)
“The tension starts on the very first page, and keeps ratcheting up. Once it grabs you it won’t let go.”
—JOSEPH FINDER, New York Times bestselling author of The Fixer
“[Franze] gives readers an inside peek at the world of the Supreme Court, and tossing in an intriguing mystery only adds to the thrills . . . . Legal thriller fans should definitely find this appealing.”
—LIBRARY JOURNAL
“The Advocate’s Daughter keeps twisting and turning right up until its shock of an ending. Long-buried secrets and shadowy agendas murderously collide—smack in the middle of a heated Supreme Court nomination clash. Anthony Franze evokes the inner workings and backstage machinations of this hidden world with deftness and verisimilitude. Read and marvel.”
—GREGG HURWITZ, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan X
“Rich and fine in plot background with a flowing narrative style—this is fiction rooted in reality. Franze belongs more to the Scott Turow school of thought rather than that of John Grisham. Enjoyed the work…disturbingly enjoyed this work. Highly recommended.”
—NEW MYSTERY READER MAGAZINE (5 bolts).
“[A] brilliant thriller that’s smart, well-written, and heart-stopping.”
—LINDA FAIRSTEIN, New York Times bestselling author of Devil’s Bridge
“A taut and twisting thriller, The Advocate’s Daughter is also a sensitive meditation on family and the price of secrets we keep from each other—and from ourselves. It crackles with authenticity and moves with an irresistible momentum. Fans of Brad Meltzer and John Grisham need to add Anthony Franze to their must-read list.”
—LISA UNGER, New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Love You
“[A] suspenseful thriller filled with insider knowledge of the Supreme Court, D.C. politics, and collisions between the two. It’s also an absorbing story about families and the sacrifices we make for the people we love.”
—ALAFAIR BURKE, New York Times bestselling author of All Day and a Night
“Franze’s writing style reminds me of . . . John Grisham. He not only tells a good story, he also provides some insight into how the process of picking a new judge actually works . . . . quite impressive, and I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us next.”
—BOOKREPORTER
“[O]ne of the year’s most engaging audio book thrillers.”—NJ.COM (“What Fran’s Reading” segment for New Jersey Star Ledger/other newspapers)
“I haven’t read a legal thriller this good in a long time . . . . the pacing is relentless, making this an all nighter for me . . . . This book put me in mind of The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer, his first book and still one of my favorite legal thrillers ever. Franze is in excellent company here and I look forward to more from this author.”—STACY ALESI’S BOOKBITCH.COM
“Franze has more close-up experience with the U.S. Supreme Court than probably any other crime novelist. He puts his insider position to enlightening work . . . . The mystery grows thick and dark, but the book’s major appeal lies in sorting out the read stuff about the court from the hectic fiction.”
—TORONTO STAR
“[A] smart, suspenseful, nail-biter of a whodunit . . . . this clever story draws you in, wrings you out, and holds you tight, until the very last word.”—AUDIOFILE
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