LOOKING BEYOND THE WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE...
by R. Barri Flowers

I suppose that my first legal thriller, PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE, was twenty plus years in the making. At least that’s the way it seemed when I ventured into this exciting journey a little more than a year ago, using all the research I’d done as a literary criminologist and the knowledge acquired along the way, dating back to having my thesis published upon receiving an M.S. in Criminal Justice back in the day.

With nearly thirty legal, criminology, and true crime books to my credit, I was more than ready to make the leap to legal and suspense fiction. Being a big fan of legal thrillers, I wanted to take my own to the next level by exploring two high profile cases simultaneously with explosive results that tie them together in a not so neat package sure to keep the pages turning and readers riveted!

At the heart of my story is Assistant District Attorney Jordan La Fontaine, a widow and mother of two teenagers. Jordan’s life is turned upside down seemingly overnight as her path towards promotion within the D.A.’s office suddenly faces some serious obstacles. One is an assignment to try what appears to be an open and shut murder case that turns out to be anything but. The fact that the defendant happens to be a homicide detective accused of brutally murdering his ex wife with interracial connotations doesn’t make Jordan’s job any easier.

Unfortunately her troubles are just beginning. When Jordan’s son is charged with a double homicide, her chief nemesis in the D.A.’s office, Jerrod Wrestler, vying for the same promotion, is the A.D.A. out to convict him at all costs. Jordan counters by turning to her late husband’s law partner to defend her son, while trying to balance the role of determined trial lawyer and mother believing her son to be innocent. The results are less than certain and will keep you in suspense till the very end.

In the process of this rather intriguing battle in and outside the courtroom, I got to fictionalize two areas of criminality I am considered somewhat of an expert on: serial murder and domestic violence. It is the confluence of these that provide the fuel for PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE.

Having written extensively on both subjects, I poured through much of the material at my disposal, trying to hone in on just the right fit in creating my characters and storyline.

The serial killer was perhaps the most challenging person for me in the novel, as I didn’t want to simply follow the true and tried, but rather make him stand apart from the rest. Most real life serial killers generally fall under the following categories: sexually motivated, sadists, psychotic, and/or vengeful minded.

Typically, serial killers tend to be either predictable in terms of previous patterns of behavior or respectable with no prior history of violence. Some form of midlife crisis or substance abuse often drives the latter killer to kill.

In terms of modus operandi, there are basically three types of serial killers: the ones who hide their victims and seek to conceal their murders, those who receive gratification in making sure that the victims are found and the crimes publicized, and killers who commit serial murders but are not initially identified as such by authorities. Examples of the last type include deaths that may appear accidental, were committed in different states, or were attributed to other persons, sometimes resulting in convictions. In some cases, this type of serial killer may never be caught, as he is adept at keeping the authorities off balance and often unsuspecting.

Such a serial killer exists in the pages of PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE. He is cunning, charming, and lethal. Unless he is caught, he’s sure to kill again, with implications stretching across two courtrooms and back. See if you can figure out who he might be before his identity becomes apparent. But I warn you, it won’t be easy!

Meanwhile, as to the domestic violence angle in the novel, I have found this crime to be one of the most serious in our society, yet the most underreported. Men are predominantly the aggressors and women primarily the victims. This is especially true where it concerns serious intimate violence and domestic homicide. Seems as if we hear about domestic violence in the news on a daily basis.

I decided to take on this issue within the context of a police detective with a history of domestic violence towards his ex wife and now on trial for her murder. Did he do it? If so, why? If not, who might the true culprit be? Be prepared to be surprised when all is said and done!

In both the murder cases in my novel, DNA is an important element used in tying the accused to the crimes. It has become perhaps the most important tool in a prosecutor’s arsenal in getting a conviction. DNA profiling in establishing one’s genetic code or identity has also been used in recent years to prove the innocence of wrongfully convicted persons.

Although the weight of DNA evidence almost speaks for itself in today’s courtroom, the proof is not always in the pudding...or blood. Sometimes one must look beyond the surface to get to the root of the problem. Or in this case, a killer or two. See if you can separate what’s real and what’s a red herring in solving the crimes...

Reviews have already begun to come in for PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE:

“R. Barri Flowers has written a superb legal thriller that offers the reader an excellent look at the jurisprudence system and how race is a key card.... PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE will appeal to fans of John Grisham and Linda Fairstein.” --Harriet Klausner

“Raw, primal, thrilling, incredible.... This is one of the best books that I have read. I was completely riveted from the first page.” --Romance Readers At Heart

I welcome thoughts on PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE. Feel free to e-mail me with your comments at: BarriBorn2Write@cs.com

To get information on my nonfiction books and updates on future novels, visit my home page at: http://rbarriflowers.homestead.com

Click here to read the first chapter of PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE.