Joshua Gordon, a driven New Jersey prosecutor, has been handed the most challenging case of his career: to convince a jury that Jesse Springfield, a vulnerable country girl, was brutally assaulted by Robert Anderson-an esteemed war hero with a spotless reputation.
But as Josh digs deeper into the case, he finds himself drawn into a battle that's far more personal than he ever imagined. His struggle for justice isn't just for Jesse-it's also a desperate fight against the haunting shadows of his own past. Raised in the harshest corners of Brownsville, Brooklyn, Josh grew up amid poverty, violence, and the suffocating grip of a broken family. His older brother's abusive reign only deepened the scars of his youth.
Against all odds, Josh clawed his way out. With the love and strength of his single mother, Sadie Gordon, he escaped the slums on a basketball scholarship, transforming his life in ways his childhood self could never have dreamed. But no matter how far he's come, the ghosts of his upbringing never let him forget where he came from-or what he left behind.
Now, as he faces a biased judge, a sloppy medical examiner, and damning evidence that could destroy his case, Josh must battle not only the corrupt forces working against him but also the inner demons that threaten to undo everything he's fought for. With the life of a young woman hanging in the balance, Josh knows that securing justice for Jesse is his only shot at redemption-if he can find the strength to face the very past he's spent years trying to outrun.
Can Josh finally overcome the ghosts of Brownsville, Brooklyn, and make a conviction stick before it's too late?
Shabel, Norman: -
Hi, I'm Norman Shabel, a Brooklyn-born, successful New Jersey class-action attorney turned author. I've been driven to write ever since I can remember and by the time I was in my twenties I had already written several novels that ended up stuffed in drawers as I launched my legal career, married and had a family.
To date I have written 8 novels and 7 plays, some written in long-hand, hunched over my desk while waiting for a jury verdict to come in and all dealing with some sort of crime, be it murder, corporate greed, politics, war, the Holocaust, or relatable family dynamics. They are fast-paced reads about the dark side of law enforcement and the judiciary and the ups and downs of the legal system.
Courts are inherently dramatic places, and I saw that connection between law and storytelling before I even realized it. Lawyers need to be good storytellers to engage juries in the "plot" of a case. You need to hold the interest of a jury if you're going to win them over, much like the plot of a novel or the arc of a play.
Writing gives my life meaning, I'm a very fortunate man."
I have been married to my wife, Arleen for over 60 years. Together we have lived our dream of traveling the world and now reside much of the year in sunny South Florida.
If you would like to learn more about my writing, both novels and plays, you can find me at www.NormanShabel.net.
