A True Verdict - by Robert Rotstein (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Robert Rotstein, A True Verdict is an edge-of-your-seat legal thriller filled with secrets.

MediMiracle Corporation manufactures Sophrosyne, a miracle cure for opiate addiction. Ellison Ricard, a research analyst for the company, claims to have uncovered data that proves Black users of Sophrosyne experience fatal side effects far more often than people of other races. When Ricard confronts MediMiracle's charismatic founder and CEO, Peyton Burke, a violent confrontation ensues. The wheelchair-bound Ricard--a Black man who had been severely injured years earlier--is fired that very day.

Ricard turns to aging lawyer M. Bailey Klaus, to sue Burke and MediMiracle for civil rights violations, alleging that Ricard was fired because he blew the whistle on the coverup and because he was Black. Klaus faces off against his former protégé, Cicely Pagano, each arguing for drastically different versions of Ricard. Is he a brilliant, sincere, credible person who is rightfully standing up against a deadly product? Or is he a delusional, embittered, and avaricious liar who is taking advantage of his former employer?

Ricard's fate rests with an eight-person jury who can't agree on anything. Working together to reach a consensus means navigating a tempest of the most divisive issues: politics, sexism, drug abuse, capitalism, healthcare, and racism. Can eight people with different backgrounds, ages, classes, and political views avoid coming to blows, much less render a true verdict? Told through court transcripts and jury deliberations, A True Verdict is a suspenseful ride to a shocking outcome ...

Review Quotes

"A True Verdict milks the comedic side of people whose political viewpoints dictate their opinions about subjects that have nothing to do with politics. A discharged employee's claim of whistleblower retaliation and race discrimination is turned upside down by the novel's end...A True Verdict could be used to teach a course in small-group decision-making."

-- "Tzer Island"

"A real powder keg of a legal thriller."

-- "Booklist"

"If you are a fan of the OG courtroom drama with a little bit of a modern twist, this needs to be on your TBR."

-- "The Book Review Crew"

"Secrets and lies are discovered, and last-minute witnesses are shocking. I promise you won't get over the shocking ending, which is quite thought-provoking."

-- "Linda's Book Obsession"

"Thirteen talented narrators deliver flawless performances in this engrossing courtroom drama...Accepting the conclusion might stretch listeners' credulity, but the outstanding performances make this an enjoyable listening experience."

-- "AudioFile"

"Twists and turns galore!"

-- "One More Exclamation"

"A bravura demonstration of the truth that, as one of the jurors observes, 'Our secrets define us as human beings.'"

-- "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"

"Rich in verisimilitude, lawyer and author par excellence Robert Rotstein's A True Verdict is a riveting blend of plot and prose that masterfully explores the complexities of morality and modern-day societal divisions. Get ready for a thought-provoking, can't-put-down read that will leave you questioning the very nature of truth."

-- "David Freed, author of the Cordell Logan Mysteries series"

"A Rashomon for the courtroom, Robert Rotstein's A True Verdict is a roller coaster of a legal thriller that perfectly balances a legal eagle's eye to detail with twists that you will not see coming. I breathlessly read the last hundred pages on the edge of my seat in shock at what was transpiring on the page. A must-read for courtroom junkies and anyone who appreciates how elusive truth can be. Highly recommended!"

-- "Adam Mitzner, bestselling author of The Brothers Kenney and Love Betrayal Murder"

"In the gripping legal thriller, A True Verdict, Robert Rotstein brilliantly transports readers directly into the deliberation room as the jury struggles with a complex whistleblower case. So many shocking secrets, so many serpentine twists! My true verdict? This book's guilty of being a real page-turner!"

-- "Alan Orloff, Anthony, Agatha, Derringer, and Thriller Award-winning author of Late Checkout"

"A perfect legal thriller, full of twists that kept me reading compulsively. Highly recommended."

-- "Terry Shames, author of The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson"

"Rotstein's insight into the insidious nature of jury trials blew me away."

-- "Robert Dugoni, #1 Amazon, Wall Street Journal, and internationally bestselling author of My Sister's Grave"