Power Blind

Dana Hargrove is an appellate court judge in New York with a keen sense of the law. In Power Blind, she’s facing two interesting cases. One concerns a young girl who’s refusing treatment for an illness. However, when her son Travis is appointed to the case as a lawyer, Dana decides to step aside. It’s an emotional case, and mother and son have opposing views of the legal situation.

Dana is also looking into a cold case. Marlon Stokes, an undercover police officer, was murdered two years ago. Witnesses claim they saw another policeman, Corey McBride, kill Marlon, but how can that be when the two were best friends? Dana is drawn to the case because Corey is the nephew of the former district attorney, who happens to be a long-time friend of Dana’s. In addition, her daughter Natalie is researching how witnesses perform in interviews, and she is also drawn to the case. But mother and daughter may find themselves in harm’s way as they get more involved with the matter.

My initial impression of Power Blind was that the author did a fantastic job drawing me into the story through compelling observations, descriptions, and dialogue. I loved getting a feel for the main character’s life and the many roles she played. The author does an excellent job of conveying the feelings she has for her family too. Frankly, there is a lot to like in this one. The look inside the court and legal system was fascinating. The investigation and mystery aspect and the family dynamics that played out through the story made this an enjoyable read.

I liked the way the chapters moved back and forth between different characters and storylines. It kept the story moving forward at a good pace. It also allowed me to get a good insight into each character’s point of view. I really enjoyed the portrayal of Professor Louden as well. I think more than a few Ph.D. students will be able to relate to the relationship Natalie had with him, and the sense of unease she developed as the story played out and she became more aware of his true character.

Overall, I liked the fact that this is more than a story about a female judge. It’s a family saga, mystery, and legal tale all rolled into one. Although this is the last book in the series, it was the first for me. I would definitely like to check out some of the previous books in the series in the future.