Just a quick note to let you know about this!
Summer 2022 is the time to pick up the first 5 Dana Hargrove novels in ebook.
Less than a buck each, marked down from $4.99.
Tell your friends!
Here are the links for my author pages at these booksellers:
Here’s the sale schedule!!»»»»»»
“Informed, thrilling action in and out of the courtroom, and few can portray it better than V.S. Kemanis. Highly recommended.” — The San Francisco Review of Books
Dear KU Subscribers,
I’m posting this quick note to let you know that the first four Dana Hargrove novels are available on Kindle Unlimited.
Thursday’s List and Homicide Chart:
If you’re not on KU, you can purchase these “Dana Hargrove Doubles” in e-book for much less than buying them separately. Here’s Forsaken Oath and Deep Zero:
It’s been such a pleasure to distribute the Dana Hargrove novels in the most affordable format, introducing them to a new wave of fiction lovers. Since their release in mid-January, readers have been devouring the pages and leaving such wonderful reviews and feedback. And the Dana Hargrove Doubles are a good way to get the full experience of Dana’s world, from the time of her rookie days in Thursday’s List through her days as an elected D.A. in Deep Zero, before you pick up and read her latest story, Seven Shadows.
Thank you, Readers!
Today, Seven Shadows goes live.
Little did I suspect that Dana Hargrove would be hanging around this long. I wrote the first draft of Thursday’s List in the mid-nineties, during a period of stay-at-home momming after years of working a big investigation at the NY State Organized Crime Task Force. Dana was born but didn’t see a bookshelf until 2013. In the years since, her world keeps growing—a web of fascinating cases, intriguing colleagues, complex adversaries, and family dramas.
Here are Dana’s stories and the years in which they take place: Thursday’s List (1988), Homicide Chart (1994), Forsaken Oath (2001), Deep Zero (2009), and Seven Shadows (2015). The sixth novel, planned for 2022, will bring Dana into the present. As for the time gaps between the stories, one reviewer calls this “a bold strategy to show how much a lawyer can change over the course of her career” (Kirkus Reviews). I call it, simply, interesting and fun.
In a lifetime, the delicate balance between career and family is in perpetual flux, just as societal views and hot button issues in criminal justice are ever evolving. In Seven Shadows, Dana returns as a trial judge, in midlife, dealing with the empty nest at home as she weighs her views on incarceration, now that she wields the power of the gavel. She’s conflicted over a tough sentencing decision in a high-stakes murder case when an unpleasant past comes calling. Who is lurking in the shadows?
Ask your favorite independent bookstore and lending library to order the Dana Hargrove books and Your Pick: Selected Stories (2019 Eric Hoffer Award, Best Story Collection) from Ingram ipage. If you happen to be a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, the first four Dana Hargrove novels are now free on Amazon (Dana Double 1; Dana Double 2). Please help spread the word!
A special note to fellow authors, reviewers, and bloggers:
If you’d like a free review copy in e-book or paper, please email a request through my contact page. I’d love to get your feedback. You may find the ending of Seven Shadows, as one reviewer put it, “Surprisingly different” (“Recommended” by The U.S. Review of Books).
You will also find this on a page near the end:
“All works published by Opus Nine Books are dedicated to the nine members of the family headed by John and Kate Swackhamer at 3 South Trail, Orinda, California — a large world under one small roof.”
Thanks for reading!
In celebration of my upcoming new release, Seven Shadows, I’m giving away seven copies of my first Dana Hargrove novel, Thursday’s List. To enter, click here for details!
Thursday’s List is where it all started for Dana. The novel takes place in 1988, when Dana was a mere fledgling, 26 years old, with a promising legal career ahead of her. Each standalone novel in the series skips several years, finding Dana at distinct stages of her personal life and career. Seven Shadows takes place in 2015. Dana is 53, a respected trial judge and now, more than ever, controversial cases throw the judge into dilemmas of conscience, and people from her past reappear, threatening Dana and her family.
After writing five novels featuring this dynamic woman, I am fully immersed in her life and have grown close to her family members, friends, and colleagues. My alternate reality!
Readers of mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime fiction will love author Debbi Mack‘s podcast, Crime Cafe. She has interviewed dozens of authors, and chances are, your favorites are among them. You can find links on her website. I enjoyed talking with Debbi recently about the Dana Hargrove novels and my experience in the law. Debbi and I have much in common, as fellow attorneys who write legal thrillers. Click here to listen to the podcast!
Midnight by Kevin Egan
I’m pleased to welcome author Kevin Egan to VBlog for this installment of Legal Eagles. I first met Kevin a few years ago at a meeting of the Mystery Writers of America, New York chapter. We soon discovered a few things we have in common. Not only are we attorneys who write crime fiction, we also have years of experience working for New York courts and judges. We know what it’s like to juggle a demanding legal career with a passion for fiction writing, squeezing the current work-in-progress into the cracks at either end of the workday and on weekends.
In our careers, we’ve both held positions as judicial law clerks. Don’t be fooled by the word “clerk.” This position is held by an attorney who works closely with a judge in a confidential capacity. While the degree of authority delegated to the law clerk varies from judge to judge, many law clerks exert considerable influence over the court’s decisions.
When Kevin explained the premise for his novel Midnight, I had to read it! The unique plot is built around the relationship between a law clerk and his judge in a setting I know very well, the courthouses in lower Manhattan. Unlike many crime novels, Midnight opens not with a murder but with the judge’s death from natural causes, which serves as the catalyst for a series of progressively serious crimes.
You won’t anticipate the many twists and turns in the domino spiral, set in motion by the slowly unfolding secrets of the characters and their conflicting motivations. Tom, the judge’s law clerk, is in debt to a loan shark and feels no serious ethical qualms in rewriting the judge’s opinions to buy his way out of trouble. Carol, the judge’s secretary, carries the financial and emotional weight of caring for her son and her mother while harboring secrets of past sexual affairs. A couple of court officers are anxiously awaiting the judge’s decision in a lawsuit that could abolish their overtime pay. Add to these characters the loan shark’s collection thug, a corrupt union boss, and a brutal mobster, and the resulting web of criminal intrigue spins out of control.
Fans of noir and legal thriller will thoroughly enjoy this compulsively readable tale of desperation and consequence. Legal details are deftly woven into the plot in a way that is easily understood without sacrificing accuracy. Midnight was a Kirkus Best Book of 2013 and is the first of three novels to feature the character Foxx, one of the court officers in the tale. You bet, I’ve put the next two novels on my “to-read” list! They are The Missing Piece (2015), and A Shattered Circle (2017), which received the coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly.
Welcome to VBlog, Kevin! I really enjoyed Midnight. How did you come up with your idea for this novel?
A law clerk and confidential secretary—the standard judicial staff in New York state courts—are personal appointments, which gives the judge free rein to hire and fire without an agency like the EEOC stepping in. However, if a judge dies or retires mid-term, an actual law—Judiciary Law § 36—determines the employment fate of the judge’s staff. It may be an oversimplification, but in dramatic terms, if the judge dies or retires, the staff keep their jobs until the end of that calendar year. So Midnight starts with a premise—what is the worst day of the year for a judge to die? Answer: New Year’s Eve. Tom and Carol’s plan to save their jobs for another year is simple enough: remove the judge’s body from chambers, place him in his bed in his apartment, then begin to “worry” about his failure to return to work until mid-day on January 2. But the plan turns out to be anything but simple.
Do you tend to write an outline first or just take the idea and run with it?
I have published 8 novels, and 7 of them have been written in the “take the idea and run with it” method. The lone exception is Midnight. Midnight first appeared as a short story in the January 2010 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. By that point, I was already working on expanding the premise into a novel. It was the only time I created a full outline, which I then followed with only minor deviations. The structure was rigid. It was to cover a period of four days, from December 31 to January 3. Each day presented a problem that Tom and Carol seemingly overcame by nightfall, only to have a more serious problem arise the next day.
Tell us a bit about works by K.J. Egan and Conor Daly. What went into your decision to use pseudonyms? Do you have any advice for writers on this subject?
My first book was a science fiction novel called The Perseus Breed. I started writing a sequel, but then switched to writing what would become a three-book golf mystery series. My agent insisted that I needed a pen name for the mysteries because, in her words, bookstores don’t want the same author on different shelves. And so Conor Daly was born. Having a pen name seemed problematic at the time, though I can’t recall any specifics other than a reader who persisted in writing letters to me as Conan Doyle.
Twelve years intervened between the last Conor Daly book and Where It Lies. By then, I decided to nudge my pen name closer to my real name. There also was a strategy. Since Where It Lies featured a first-person female narrator, I wanted a gender-neutral name on the cover. Using my initials filled that bill.
As for advice, I’ve come to believe that a pen name is a necessary evil. Publishers are much less patient with poor sales, and sales figures now hang onto an author like Jacob Marley’s chains. A pen name can offer a fresh start.
What’s next for you? Is another novel in the works?
I also write short stories. “The Movie Lover,” appearing in the July/August issue of AHMM will be my 26th published short story. I started this year on a short story tear, writing three in the month of January. As for novels, remember that science fiction novel I put down to become Conor Daly? I’ve returned to it.
Thank you for joining me on VBlog, Kevin!
Dear Reader, do you love legal thrillers? Pick up one of Kevin Egan’s books! Also, check out the other entries in the Legal Eagles series on VBlog to learn more about these attorneys who write crime fiction: Manuel Ramos, Allison Leotta, Allen Eskens, Adam Mitzner, Jerri Blair, Brian Clary, and of course, Yours Truly.
I’d like to share with you some photos I took today of ice floes on the Hudson River. These are fitting illustrations for my new legal suspense novel featuring prosecutor Dana Hargrove.
What lurks here? Deep Zero.
I’ve had a great week visiting many fabulous authors and bloggers.
Thank you Art Taylor for hosting me on SleuthSayers, the site for Professional Crime-Writers and Crime-Fighters, where I talk about the Dana Hargrove novels and writing legal suspense.
I shared hot cocoa and good conversation about Deep Zero with Linda Hill on “Staying in with…” on Linda’s Book Bag.
Deep Zero was featured on Indie Crime Scene and included on the new releases page of Dru’s Book Musings.
Author Connie Johnson Hambley invited me for a return visit to her outstanding blog, Out of the Fog, where I offer my reflections on how far the Dana Hargrove series has come.
Got some nice words about Deep Zero from reviewers on NetGalley, Mystery Sequels, and The U.S. Review of Books.
Thanks to all of these wonderful authors, bloggers, and reviewers, and extra thanks to fabulous cover artists, Roy Migabon and Eeva Lancaster.
Now…time to write a few short stories before brainstorming about the next Dana Hargrove novel…
Thanks to talented filmmaker Blake Horn for producing a short video, filmed in my home, about my inspiration for the novels featuring prosecutor Dana Hargrove.
Blake Horn at work.
Click the link below to watch the video on YouTube:
The fourth standalone Dana Hargrove novel, Deep Zero, will be here soon!
Re-blogging here an entry from the Kirkus blog by editor Myra Forsberg, entitled “Legal Eagles”!
“Through the ages, the works of playwrights, novelists, and filmmakers, from Shakespeare to Steven Spielberg, have gleefully skewered lawyers. In Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, the first movie in the popular franchise, a discerning dinosaur chomps on a particularly sleazy attorney, delighting fans worldwide. But depictions of heroic lawyers also remain plentiful, particularly on TV, in classic series (Perry Mason) and more recent fare (The Good Wife).
“Kirkus recently reviewed three legal thrillers that focus on resourceful attorneys pursuing justice. In V.S. Kemanis’ Forsaken Oath, Manhattan prosecutor Dana Hargrove finds herself embroiled in three cases, including the murder of a fashion designer. In this page-turner, she must uncover the truth and save her career. “The author manages to compellingly depict many distinct areas of the justice system, from the cops on the street to the lawyers on both sides of the courtroom,” our reviewer writes. Jerri Blair’s Black and White, set in 1979,follows Florida public defender J.T. Lockman, who takes the case of an African-American accused of murdering a white car dealer. J.T. believes a Ku Klux Klansman committed the crime but must gather the evidence to prove it. Our critic calls the novel an “energetic tale that’s rife with drama and mystery.” A sinister figure kidnaps teenage girls in Brian Clary’s Amicus Curiae: the daughter of Texas attorney Michelle “Mickey” Grant disappears and the police soon arrest Willie Lee Flynn for one abductee’s murder. Although he’s convicted, Mickey harbors doubts and files an amicus curiae brief, seeking to retry Flynn and discover her daughter’s whereabouts. Our reviewer says, “Fans of crime dramas will find Clary’s suspenseful yarn a welcome addition to the genre.”
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Stay tuned for the third installment of Legal Eagles! I’m currently reading a great legal thriller by attorney Manuel Ramos, soon to be reviewed.
Exciting! My third and latest Dana Hargrove legal thriller, Forsaken Oath, has been selected as a semifinalist in the Mystery/Thriller category of the 2016 Kindle Book Review Awards.
Click here to see the list of all semifinalists. Finalists will be announced in the fall.
Wish me luck!
We all know that lawyers write some of the best fiction. Okay, so I happen to be a lawyer who writes fiction—but I’m not biased. Really. I have proof!
Here are three fantastic reads by my fellow/fella colleagues at the bar. We’ve all had our days in and out of court tackling tough cases, flaky witnesses, annoying adversaries, and exacting judges. We’ve experienced the thrill of investigative discovery, the tedium of preparation, the surprises and heartbreaks that arise in the midst of trial. Truth is often stranger than fiction, and the criminal courtroom provides fertile ground for moral dilemma and human drama, a launching pad for the imagination of the novelist.
The writing styles and plotlines in these novels differ greatly, but each author touches on a common underlying theme: the life story behind the face might not be what you expect. Each novel features a character who may just end up surprising you. I will attempt to avoid spoilers and give you merely an enticing flavor of each.
A Good Killing, by Allison Leotta 
Leotta is a former sex crimes prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. A Good Killing features her fictional sex crimes prosecutor, Anna Curtis. In an unexpected twist, family loyalties cause Anna to switch hats for the first time in her career as she takes up the defense of her sister Jody, who finds herself in big trouble with the law, indicted for murder. The victim is a revered high school coach, Owen Fowler.
The storyline will hit home with any woman who can think back to high school days and find, in memory, a teacher, coach, or counselor who was popular, maybe even the subject of a young girl’s dreams, only to realize later, with the maturity of adulthood, that the perception was dangerously skewed. Coach Fowler is just such a character, a man with a nasty secret. Other secrets abound in this novel, as Jody does her utmost to keep Anna in the dark—not a good thing for an attorney representing her sister in the trial of her life. Tensions between the personal and the professional always draw me in, especially when the conflict implicates the ethical obligations of an attorney.
Another interesting aspect of A Good Killing is its structure, written from two points of view in alternating chapters. We hear Jody’s voice, speaking to Anna in first person, alternating with Anna’s point of view, written in third person. The technique is effective in building suspense, as the two tales ultimately merge in a satisfying conclusion.
This is the fourth novel in the Anna Curtis series, but each is a standalone. The fifth is soon to be released. Click here for Allison’s website
The Life We Bury, by Allen Eskens 
Eskens is a criminal defense attorney with previous experience on the other side of the courtroom as a prosecutor. His debut novel, The Life We Bury, cannot be pigeonholed. It has characteristics of literary fiction, mystery, and legal thriller. Protagonist Joe Talbert is a college student turned boy sleuth when he undertakes a writing assignment for English class and interviews an unlikely subject for a biographical essay—war hero and convicted murderer Carl Iverson.
This novel draws you in from the start with engaging, unique characters and vivid writing that makes use of all the senses. You can smell the unique odors of the nursing home Hillview Manor, see the “old woman wearing a crooked wig,” and feel the ambience of an archive room, where the “essence” of “millions of souls packed away on microfilm” waits to be “felt, tasted, and inhaled again.” In one of my favorite scenes, you can hear the pro forma litany between judge and attorney during a bail hearing, likened to “a Catholic funeral mass.” The suspenseful and entertaining conclusion of The Life We Bury takes Joe Talbert through harrowing twists and turns that may test the bounds of plausibility—but you’ll be so immersed and on the edge of your seat that the ordeal becomes all too real.
Eskens has published a second novel, and the third is on the way. Click here for Allen’s website
A Conflict of Interest, by Adam Mitzner 
Mitzner is a partner in the commercial litigation department of a New York City law firm. His expertise in securities litigation finds its way into his debut novel, A Conflict of Interest. Of the three novels under review here, Mitzner’s contains the most courtroom drama and litigation strategy—all of the kind of stuff that fascinates lawyers and law buffs alike!
In this novel, protagonist Alex Miller is a white collar defense attorney representing client Michael Ohlig in a securities fraud prosecution. Mid-trial, Alex learns a secret about Ohlig—a very serious transgression—that profoundly affects Alex’s personal view of his client. Trying not to let his animosity stand in the way of providing a brilliant defense, Alex must also grapple with a client who constantly battles him over issues of trial strategy, right down to the crucial question of whether Ohlig should take the stand in his own defense. The stress level hits a high note as the author depicts, in detail, the high stakes environment, pressure, and politics of a big law firm, and the toll that the environment takes on the lawyer’s home life.
If you want a fast-paced courtroom thriller, A Conflict of Interest is for you. Mitzner has also published two other novels, and a third will be released in April. Click here for Adam’s website
A common lament among mystery/suspense/thriller writers is the lack of time to enjoy the many fine novels of our contemporaries, as we struggle to find every spare minute for our own writing. I’m currently on a break between the third and fourth Dana Hargrove novels and have a bit of time to write a few short stories and to read a few extra novels. Prediction: another installment of Legal Eagles will make its way to this blog! Reading another good one now…
Once again, Dana Hargrove is caught at the intersection of family and career—a career that happens to involve criminal suspects, judges, attorneys, and officers of the law! The thematic core to these novels picks up the internal conflict familiar to any career woman with a family: the incessant tug between the professional and the personal. In my career, both in and out of the courtroom, I have felt that tug keenly. Over the past few years, in writing these novels, I’ve become very attached to Dana, her family, her colleagues, and her adversaries, and that is my wish for you, the reader. Pick them up in any order. Each novel is a standalone, as I take Dana through various stages of her career and life, with several years in between each story
: Thursday’s List (1988), Homicide Chart (1994), and Forsaken Oath (2001).
Already, in a curl of my mind, I’m starting to envision Dana’s life in 2008…
For the e-book, pre-order here on Amazon.
Release date for both paperback and e-book is April 30!
If you are a reviewer or blogger and would like to receive an ARC, please send me a message through my contact page!