Deadly Force: A Lizzie Scott Novel is the first book in the Lizzie Scott Trilogy.
Deadly Force takes place in US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Santa Ana branch office, a desert outpost where a handful of federal prosecutors are responsible for enforcing the federal law of the U.S. for an area that is larger than 14 states, and has a population of more than 5 million people. Here is Lizzie Scott, a classic western hero for the 21st century.
Follow her as she untangles an excessive force case against a cop, all while balancing agency turf battles, secret grand jury proceedings, inter-office rivalries and on-the-make prosecutors. If she indicts the deputy, she faces death threats from the police, if she loses the case, a killer will go free and her career will be destroyed. It’s the ultimate insiders look into the nuts-and-bolts of a federal civil rights prosecution, with fascinating legal and moral issues.
Praise for Deadly Force
“It’s on my best of 2016 list … a very timely and well-written novel.”
—Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Lincoln Lawyer and the Harry Bosch series
“The best legal thriller since Presumed Innocent. Deadly Force offers a thought-provoking insider’s look at the justice system and the people who operate it. A gripping page turner, nobody writes the law or lawyers better than Jonathan Shapiro.”
—David E. Kelley, Emmy Award-winning writer/producer of The Practice, Boston Legal, and Ally McBeal
“Deadly Force blasts right out of the chute and it kept me turning pages until the last sentence. Lizzie Scott is a terrific protagonist, and former federal prosecutor Jonathan Shapiro knows his way around cops, courtrooms, and California. It’s a blast.”
—C.J. Box, New York Times bestselling author of Off The Grid