Innocence
by David Hosp
Published by Warner Books
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Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid
Madeline Steele is a young, ambitious police officer attacked suddenly and left for dead. The attack leaves Madeline to use a wheelchair. Vincente Salazar, an El Salvadoran immigrant, is immediately arrested and jailed. Now fifteen years later Mark Dobson, a young attorney at Howery, Black law firm is convinced of Vincente’s innocence but he turns to Scott Finn for help with the case. Finn is now a sole practitioner and not really interested in getting involved in the case, but Dobson is convincing and talks Finn into at least visiting the prisoner. Kozlowski, a detective who shares office space with Finn, insists on going along with Finn to the prison. Kozlowski has some knowledge of the crime since he is a former police officer and was friends with Madeline Steele. He is not forthcoming with any information regarding the case though.
Finn visits the prison and is not totally convinced but agrees to make one court appearance and is granted the right to have DNA evidence tested that was not presented at trial. Finn decides he will withdraw after the court appearance—but before he gets his withdrawal filed attorney Dobson is brutally murdered. The murder is committed in the manner of the VDS, one of South America’s notorious gangs that have established themselves in the Boston area.
Finn begins to think Vincente really is innocent and begins to work hard to prove that fact. Kozlowski reluctantly helps him, and Lissa, Finn’s legal assistant, aids in the research.
The presumption of innocence is essential to the criminal process but evidence can be tampered with or held back completely. Finn’s investigation begins to reveal facts that have been withheld and evidence that doesn’t reveal the true facts. The further Finn gets into the investigation, the more danger he finds that affects not only him but also Kozlowski and Lissa.
I was drawn into the story from page one and thought Hosp made the characters seem alive and real and people that I would like to meet. I look forward to reading more about Finn and his associates.
Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star legal thriller that will grab you and keep holding on.
Author’s Web site: http://www.DavidHosp.com