Crime and Justice by Martin Bodenham
What if we could no longer trust DNA profiling, the silver bullet of our criminal justice system? For years, we've relied on it to solve decades-old crimes, convict the guilty, and liberate the innocent from death row. But what happens to that trust when a crime lab scientist is leaned on to manipulate the evidence or, worse still, lose it altogether?
Ruthless Seattle mayor, Patti Rainsford, announces her candidacy for state governor. She'll do anything to succeed. When her son is arrested for the rape and assault of a seventeen-year-old girl, Rainsford's political career is in jeopardy.
Detective Linda Farrell is assigned to investigate. After twelve years working in SPD's sexual assault unit, her career is drifting, not helped by the single-minded detective's contempt for police protocol and the pressure of her failing marriage. The high-profile rape case is a rare chance to shine and maybe even get her life back on track. Nothing will stop her seeking justice for the young victim.
With a mountain of personal debt and his wife's business on a knife-edge, Clark Stanton is facing financial meltdown. Then a stranger offers him a lifeline in return for a favor. As the manager of Seattle's crime lab, all Clark has to do is make the rape kit evidence against the mayor's son go away.
Author Bio:
Martin Bodenham is the author of the crime thrillers The Geneva Connection, Once a Killer, and Shakedown. Crime And Justice is his latest novel.
After a thirty-year career in private equity and corporate finance in London, Martin moved to the west coast of Canada, where he writes full-time. He held corporate finance partner positions at both KPMG and Ernst & Young as well as senior roles at several private equity firms before founding his own private equity company in 2001. Much of the tension in his thrillers is based on the greed and fear he witnessed first-hand while working in international finance.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartinBodenham
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/martin-bodenham-8228307
Website: https://www.martinbodenham.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinbodenham/
Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/38jJq90
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3n1kLKz
Google Books: https://bit.ly/2IcS4LS
Waterstones: https://bit.ly/32oUnlX
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3p99Yjx
Review
Well this had all the twists and turn of the fairground! It was a riveting read from the first to the last page. Also the twist right at the end was jaw dropping.
Clark is the head of a crime lab in Seattle and he is approached by a stranger to lose a piece of evidence. Obviously, he says no but will his strength of character break once the story really kicks off. I really enjoyed this narrative as it was really a moral dilemma, justice should come first surely. But we all know morals can be tested and in Clark’s case will they bend? Patti is the mayor of Seattle and finds out that her son has been accused of rape which couldn’t have happened at the worst time for her as she is about to run for governor. She needs to make it disappear at all costs!
I really liked Clark’s character as it definitely went on a journey throughout the book. I can actually see all the events in the book as happening to him - politics is brutal in the States. The detective Farrell was also extremely well developed, straight down the line and with a keen sense of justice.
I really enjoyed the later end of the book as the pace picked up and the revelations kept coming at you. The final one definitely made me gasp I wasn’t expecting that at all! This is definitely a great thriller as it kept you engaged at all times!
