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Best-Selling and Award-Winning Author
Cold-blooded murder in Florida’s “friendliest” retirement community—The Villages
In this John Grisham style mystery, Matt Royal, the retired lawyer-turned-beach-bum is called back into the courtroom to defend his girlfriend J.D. Duncan's Aunt Esther, who lives in the sprawling North Central Florida retirement community of The Villages. A best-selling author has been murdered after a book signing, and Aunt Esther has been arrested. Matt has a history with the local sheriff—one which may not bode well for his client.
Matt reluctantly suits up for the courtroom, and J.D. takes a leave from the police department to go undercover. A bizarre specter from the past haunts their investigation every step of the way.
As they delve further into the case, the pieces of the puzzle refuse to fall into any kind of coherent pattern. Jock Algren arrives with his special skill set to expose the real murderer and free Aunt Esther, but to no avail.
Not until the case goes to trial and the evidence is revealed does the truth emerge—and a strange kind of justice prevails.
The perfect blend of a Michael Connelly police procedural and a John Grisham legal thriller
While all of the novels in the Matt Royal Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:
Blood Island
Wyatt’s Revenge
Bitter Legacy
Collateral Damage
Fatal Decree
Found
Chasing Justice
Mortal Dilemma
Vindication
Praise
“Retired attorney, part-time investigator, and full-time beach bum Matt Royal returns to courtroom drama not seen since Chasing Justice and the glory days of John Grisham’s legal masterpieces.” —Bookreporter
“Griffin's mastery of this material turns Vindication into a red-hot legal thriller.” —Florida Weekly
Praise for the Matt Royal Mystery Series
“Bitter Legacy is another solid cruise in the sun with H. Terrell Griffin. This story takes you in and holds you to the very last page. I enjoyed the ride!” —Michael Connelly, New York Times best-selling author
“Witty, smart and highly entertaining. An intriguing mix of hopes and fears that combine into a pulse-pounding treat.” —Steve Berry, New York Times best-selling author
“Welcome to the world of Matt Royal, the fun-loving beach bum lawyer who is as tough and smart as any character in modern American fiction.” ―Randy Wayne White, New York Times best-selling author
“Full of Florida flavor and spiced with tension and humor.” ―James O. Born, New York Times best-selling author
“This is an entertaining mystery . . . reminiscent of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee novels, with a dash of Lee Child's Jack Reacher thrown in for good measure.” —Booklist
* “Highly recommended for thriller fans who enjoy the works of David Baldacci.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)