States of Grace (Grace Locke Mystery Series) by Mandy Miller – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

States of Grace by Mandy Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Grace Locke is a down on her luck prosecutor and disabled army veteran who is very close to losing her law licence. Fresh out of jail, she is now living in a run-down motel room and eating ramen noodles. As much as she appreciates the second chance she is given, Grace is not at all happy that she is now forced to defend the types of criminals that she used to love sending to jail. As if that was not bad enough, Grace finds herself caught up in the dark world of drugs and addiction, the very thing that landed her in jail. One of the criminals Grace is forced to defend should be a slam dunk because, in Grace’s eyes, the teen is clearly guilty.

Grace soon makes the startling discovery that her client may be innocent, leading her to start digging for the truth. The more she digs the more Grace realizes that the dead guy was involved heavily in the criminal underworld. She is now racing against the clock to find the real killer and prove her client’s innocence.

States of Grace was fast paced and hard to put down from the first page. Grace’s character is real, raw, gritty, and believable as she struggles to remain sober while also coping with her disability. This legal thriller was full of twists and turns which lead up to a surprise ending. I won’t spoil the ending; you will have to read this book yourself to find out.

View all my reviews @Tara Johnson Barnes