Beyond Justice

Author: Cara Putman

Series: Hidden Justice #1

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: April 4, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Hayden is a young lawyer on track to fulfill all her dreams, that is if her current case doesn’t kill her first.

Hayden McCarthy uses the pain of her past injustices to drive her to be the best attorney she can be. After winning an unwinnable case, she is assigned a new case against the government which turns out to be much more than anyone could have foreseen. The more she investigates and the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in. She looks to those around her for help including her roommate’s cousin, Andrew Wesley. His father is a congressman and with her taking on the government, she sees the difficulty in having any kind of relationship with Andrew.  Just when she thinks she is finding answers, the more those around her end up injured or in danger making Hayden question if she can follow through with the case or give it up and keep everyone safe and let go of her pursuit of justice.

This is the first Cara Putman book I have read and I am kicking myself for not reading her works sooner. This was a fast-paced, intense, enjoyable read. There was just the right mix of tension with romance throughout the entire story. Hayden’s backstory was interesting and I would love to see it fleshed out more in further novels. The way she uses her past to fuel her present frustrations is something we can all relate to on some level. Even if we don’t use the past to fuel us, it is something we can do. Different situations for everyone, but it made the emotional connection with the characters that is needed for the reader to stay engaged. I read this after reading several novels I just didn’t enjoy by other authors, which made Beyond Justice even better. The plot is more than just one murder investigated by a lawyer; it goes deeper showing a real motive for the criminals.  It is obvious the author is familiar with the topics discussed, everything is real enough to stay believable and carry the story to completion.  I recommend this book to anyone that might enjoy a John Grisham type thriller with clean language and a bit of spirituality mixed in. I can’t wait to see what the next installment in the series will bring.