It's Monday!! What Are YOU Reading? - 4/7/2025

                              

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I hope you had a great reading week.

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE!

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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Books Completed:

THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB by Martha Hall Kelly - spotlight will be on May 27, 2025.

It didn't keep my interest.

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MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE by Mary Dixie Carter - review  will be on May 22, 2025.

A pretty good read.

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THE GIRLS OF GOOD FORTUNE by Kristina McMorris - review will be on May 20, 2025.

It is VERY good.

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SUMMER ON CAPE MAY by Monica Garner - review will be on May 19, 2025.

For those who read romance and enjoy strong female friendships.

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THE FORTUNATE HARBOR by Davis Burns - spotlight will be on May 11.

It wasn't my cup of tea.   

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THE BANNED BOOKS OF BERLIN by Daisy Wood - review will be on May 12.

A good historical fiction read.

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THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND by Patti Callahan Henry - review is in the book's title.

A beautiful read that you won't want to end.

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PARENTS WEEKEND by Alex Finlay - review will be on May 6, 2025.

Not bad, but not as good as his other books.

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THE RIVER KNOWS YOUR NAME by Kelly Mustian - review will be on May 2, 2025.

Excellent - a beautiful read.

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SUCH A GOOD MOM by Julia Spiro - review will be on April 30, 2025.

A good mystery.

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TOUGH LUCK by Sandra Dallas - review will be on April 29, 2025.

Another delightful read with delightful characters.

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THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN by Marie Bostwick - review will be on April 23.

So delightful - women of the 1960s realize they don't have to be a housewife and a mother after reading a book for their book club.  :)

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MY DAUGHTER IS MISSING by JD Kirk - review will be on April 20, 2025.

A good storyline, but a lot of violence and a brutal secondary character.

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THE KEEPER OF LOST ART by Laura Morelli - review will be on April 22, 2025.

Excellent research - just dragged a bit for me.

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STRANGERS IN TIME by David Baldacci - review will be on April 19, 2025.

Oh my - this is SO GOOD.  Add it to your TBR - you won't want to miss it.

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THE MURDER SHOW by Matt Goldman - review will be on April 17, 2025.

My first book by this author - it held my interest.

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FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY by Jennifer E. Smith - review will be on April 16, 2025.

A light read, but also heartbreaking.

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CORAM HOUSE by Bailey Seybolt - review will be on April 15, 2025.

This is SO good!!  If you are a fan of mystery/thriller books, add it to your TBR.

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THE MATCHMAKER by Aisha Saeed - spotlight will be on April 9, 2025.

Wasn't grabbing me - I'll have a spotlight for the book on April 9.

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THE PAGE TURNER by Viola Shipman - spotlight will be on April 8, 2025.

Started it - very disappointed - not continuing.  I was so looking forward to reading it.  I hope it works out better for others.

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THE UNLUCKY ONES by Hannah Morrissey - review is in the book's title.

Very brutal scenes - not a favorite.

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THE UMBRELLA MAKER'S SON by Tod Lending - review is in the book's title.

Heartbreaking, but oh so good.  

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SALTWATER by Katy Hays - review is in the book's title.

This is GOOD!!  Set in Capri - Lies and Secrets!!

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THE OTHER PEOPLE by C. B. Everett - review is in the book's title. 

Cleverly done, but a little too out there for me...on the verge of horror if you ask me.

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Book Currently Reading:

THE BUSYBODY BOOK CLUB by Freya Sampson - review will be on May 28, 2025.

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Books Up Next:

BEACH HOUSE RULES by Kristy Woodson Harvey - review will be on May 29, 2025.

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WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS by Marlee Bush - review will be on May 30, 2025.

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LIE LIKE THE DEVIL by Birgitte Margen - review will be on June 2, 2025.

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THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark - review will be on June 3, 2025.

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THE FAMINE ORPHANS by Patricia Falvey - review will be on June 6, 2025.

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THE EXPAT AFFAIR by Kimberly Belle - review will be on June 9, 2025.

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THE ENGLISH MASTERPIECE by Katherine Reay - review will be on June 10, 2025.

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SHAW CONNOLLY LIVES TO TELL Gillian French - review will be June 17, 2025.

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HAZEL SAYS NO by Jessica Berger Gross - review will be on June 18, 2025.

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LAST DANCE BEFORE DAWN by Katharine Schellman - review will be on June 19, 2025.

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BEFORE DOROTHY by Hazel Gaynor - review will be on June 20, 2025.

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BEYOND THIS PLACE OF WRATH AND TEARS by Jack Ford - spotlight will be on June 27, 2025.

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PARTY OF LIARS Kelsey Cox - review will be on July 1, 2025.

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THE LOST STORY OF EVA FUENTES by Chanel Cleeton - review will be on July 3, 2025.

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THE NIGHT SPARROW by Shelly Sanders - review wil be on July 4, 2025.

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THE LAKE ESCAPE by Jamie Day - review will be on July 15, 2025.

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WAYWARD GIRLS by Susan Wiggs - review will be on July 16, 2025.

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DEATH OF AN EX by Delia Pitts - review will be on July 17, 2025.

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THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER by Karen White - review will be on July 22, 2025.

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THE LIES THEY TOLD by Elle Marie Wiseman - review will be on July 29, 2025.

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ASYLUM HOTEL by Juliet Blackwell - review will be on July 30, 2025.

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THE LOCKED WARD by Sarah Pekkanen - review will be on August 5, 2025.

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THE WRONG SISTER by Claire Douglas - review will be on August 6, 2025.

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MRS. ENDICOTT'S SPLENDID ADVENTURE - review will be on August 8, 2025.

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HIGH SEASON by Katie Bishop - review will be on August 12, 2025.

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THE WITCH'S ORCHARD by Archer Sullivan - review will be on August 13, 2025.

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TOO OLD FOR THIS by Samantha Downing - review will be on August 14, 2025.

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GONE IN THE NIGHT by Joanna Schaffhausen - review will be on August 15, 2025.

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JOY MOODY IS OUT OF TIME by Kerryn Mayne - review will be on August 19, 2025.

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ONE DARK NIGHT by Hannah Richell - review will be on August 20, 2025.

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THE MARIGOLD COTTAGES MURDER COLLECTIVE by Jo Nichols - revie will be on August 21, 2025.

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THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW by Pamela Terry - review will be on August 22, 2025.

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FORGET ME NOT by Stacy Willingham - review will be on August 26, 2025.

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BODIES IN THE SAND by Crystal Murphy - review will be on September 1, 2025.

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THE CABERNET CLUB by Margie Zable Fisher and Rona S. Zable - review will be on September 2, 2025.

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A MURDEROUS BUSINESS by Cathy Pegau - review will be on September 16, 2025.

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NO REST FOR THE WICKED by Rachel Louise Adams - review will be on September 17, 2025.

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THE WASP TRAP by Mark Edwards - review will be on September 19, 2025.

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THE HITCHHIKERS by Chevy Stevens - review will be on October 7, 2025.

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THE FORGET-ME-NOT LIBRARY by Heather Webber - review will be on November 4, 2025.

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THE HIDDEN CITY by Charles Finch - review will be on November 5, 2025.

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Showcase of Love & The Divorce Lawyer Barbara Newhart and a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card

LOVE & THE DIVORCE LAWYER

by Barbara Newhart

March 24 - April 18, 2025 

Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

If you love mystery, with a hint of humor and romance, you'll want to read Love & the Divorce Lawyer

Josephina Jensen, a feisty, justice-seeking divorce lawyer, reluctantly returns to the courtroom after a four-year absence, to help a woman collect an award worth several million dollars from her unscrupulous ex-husband. This decision forces her to cross swords with the brilliant, infuriating, yet ever-so-charming attorney, Richard Diamond, and the ex-husband who will stop at nothing to prevent the dismantling of his empire. Little does anyone know that someone from Josephina’s past is also at work, intent on taking care of unfinished business by stopping her permanently.

Praise for Love & the Divorce Lawyer:

"From its slam-bang opening to its unexpected yet inevitable conclusion, Love and the Divorce Lawyer is a twisty, suspenseful, romantic legal thriller. Author Newhart’s legal background serves her well as she leads the reader through the fascinating strategies that high-end practitioners of family law employ to protect and reap the best possible benefits for their clients. But it is the mystery of who is sending increasingly ominous threats to Attorney Josie Jensen that drives the action of the novel. Filled with complex and genuine characters with understandable but conflicting motives, Newhart masterfully creates tension scene after scene. Attorney Jensen’s growing attraction to her opponent in an important divorce case unfolds naturally as she anticipates her crafty adversary's next move and what she must do to counter it, all the while finding herself drawn to him on a personal level. Superbly written and expertly plotted, Love and the Divorce Lawyer is a winner."
~ Brian Anderson, author of Yule Tide and the Lyle Dahms Mysteries

"Josie Jensen is back. Four years ago, a client's bullet shattered her pelvis and nearly ended her legal career. Now, against her better judgment, she's reluctantly agreed to represent Amy Castle, a woman entangled in a bitter financial battle with her ex-husband.
But the case isn't as simple as it seems. Josie's ongoing divorce is a constant reminder of the pain she's endured, and her physical limitations make the courtroom a challenging arena. To complicate matters, she's locked in a legal duel with Richard Diamond, a brilliant and undeniably attractive attorney.
Danger lurks around every corner as Josie digs deeper into the case. A near-miss on the road, a sinister floral delivery, and a persistent sense of being followed signal that her troubles are far from over.
Barbara Newhart has crafted a complex cast of characters and a captivating narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is one for the keeper shelves. 5 out of 5 stars"
~ Kate Damon author of Jury Duty is Murder

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, with a hint of humor, romance, and family
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: December 11, 2024
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN: 978-1-5092-5925-0
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | The Wild Rose Press | Waterstones

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

Anne Compton, Almost Four Years Ago

Anne placed the empty gun carefully on the table, then folded her hands next to it. Moments earlier, to prevent the judge from granting their divorce, she fired it at her husband. She and Peter had shared such wonderful dreams of their lives together. But that was a long time ago—before he broke their vows. For that, there could be no forgiveness. And yet, he escaped his sentence.

All because of her interfering lawyer.

Anne peered down at the floor at Attorney Josephina Jensen, the woman she hired to prevent the divorce, and who had failed her. To add to her treachery, Jensen stepped in front of the bullets meant for Peter. Now, the divorce would go forward, thrusting Anne with him into eternal damnation for his sins.

In the hallway outside, footsteps pounded the marble floors. The courtroom's double doors burst open, shattering glass and splitting wood.

Anne met the panicked eyes of her former fiancé, followed by the first responders. She smiled as a single tear dropped to her cheek.

Chapter Two

Present Day, Josie Jensen, Thursday Afternoon

“Face it, Josephina Jensen. You’re a divorce lawyer.”

“No, brother dear,” the almost forty-one-year-old corrected as she twirled the stem of her wine glass on the bar. “I have a shattered pelvis and an assortment of scars from a couple bullet wounds to prove I was a divorce lawyer.” She held her cane up in the air. “I am now a law school professor.”

Reaching for his beer mug, Dan Jensen flashed his perfect bachelor-of-the-year grin. “I’ve got a great case for you. The divorce part is over. Judge Myers awarded the wife six million, plus a few million more in assets that are all in the husband’s name.”

“Let me guess,” Josie interrupted, concentrating on opening the package of oyster crackers that arrived with her fish chowder. “The husband refuses to authorize the transfers.”

“Correct. All you have to do is help the wife, now the ex-wife, collect.”

Out of patience, Josie yanked the cellophane hard, spewing the contents in all directions. “Oh, good grief.”

Dan swallowed a forkful of baked scrod and rice pilaf as she retrieved the crackers. “The couple has a chain of high-end grocery stores. They made a ton of money over the years. Plus, the stores are still operating.”

When Josie didn’t respond, he stilled her hand with his and gave it a squeeze. “You got this. You’re a bloodhound when it comes to cases like this. It’s easy money for you.”

She glowered at him over her gold-rimmed glasses. “I remember you flying around the house in superhero costumes.” She removed her hand. “Those gorgeous eyes and that infamous charm get you nowhere with me.”

Deadpan serious now, Dan leaned in close, speaking fast. “The wife is Amy Castle. She’s a cousin on my mom’s side. Two years ago, I referred her to Barry Woodward because you were still recovering from your injuries. Barry did a fantastic job on the divorce. Sadly, he also put the moves on Amy, and they had an affair.” Dan shook his head. “Really poor form. She learned over the weekend that he was married, and she fired him. So, would you please help her?”

Josie sat back and tackled one piece of information at a time. First, their family tree. She and Dan shared the same father but had different mothers. Yes, that could result in unknown cousins. Next, she considered the aforementioned lawyer. “Isn’t Barry on his third wife?”

Dan resumed eating. “The fourth. She knows about the affair too. It’s a disaster.”

Josie balanced a piece of salmon on her soup spoon. “So, I’d really be doing this for you, right? To help ease your guilt over referring a family member to a brilliant, sex-addicted lawyer with commitment issues?”

He tilted his head. “Well, yes. And for Amy, an innocent victim of love, taken advantage of by her now ex-husband and deceived by her lover.” When Josie didn’t respond, he added, “She’ll pay you a hundred thousand dollars, upfront, and you can bill her a c-note an hour. There’s plenty more after that if you need it.”

As if on automatic pilot, Josie’s mind started listing each step of the process needed to hang the ex-husband. Then the sane, less greedy side of her brain kicked in.

Stop. You don’t do that kind of work anymore.

Dan squeezed her hand again. “Please?”

Her resolve wavered. This not-so-humble, lawyer-of-the-year-type guy who just offered her a case other lawyers would beg for, was her life-long best friend and confidant. He also rarely said please. Twice. She pushed aside the chowder and swiveled in the bar stool to face him. “I hate you.”

His broad smile beamed. “You love me.” He picked up his cell. “Can I call her? She’s waiting in the parking lot to meet with you.”

Josie grabbed his hand. “I’m making no promises.”

“Agreed. Just speak with her.”

She scratched the scar on her chest. “Who’s representing the ex-husband?”

Dan’s cheeks and neck blotched red. “Oh yeah. About that.” He rose and tossed a bunch of bills on the bar.

Warning bells erupted in Josie’s brain. She grabbed the hem of his designer suit jacket. “Daniel Gabriel Jensen. Who is it?”

“Um, do you remember Richard Diamond?”

Chapter Three

Richard Diamond, Thursday Afternoon

“Mr. Castle is holding on line two.”

“Thank you, Dana.” Attorney Richard Diamond ended the intercom connection and drained a bottle of water.

Divorce caused even the most reasonable people to act unreasonably. And yet, Richard suspected his client, Malcolm Castle, displayed his “unique” form of unreasonableness long before his divorce commenced. To date, he held the record for the longest divorce case in the county, and the pandemic had nothing to do with the delay.

Richard didn’t need to review Castle’s file to recall the judge’s final decision when he granted the divorce. With millions of dollars up for grabs, Mr. Castle was ordered to transfer six of them in investments, plus a beach cottage, a boat, and a car, to his former wife within thirty days. And here they were, a hundred days or so later, and no transfers. Richard wondered if his client intended to break the record for this post judgment phase of the divorce as well.

Was Richard ruffled? Not at all. Malcolm already paid him close to two million in legal fees for the divorce. And he said he would commit to spending another two million for Richard to run circles around his ex-wife and her lawyer in order to hold on to his fortune until the last possible moment. And then, only then, would he direct Richard to make a deal. He was not going to pay anything close to six million and it was up to Richard to make sure of it.

Richard inhaled a deep breath and held it for five seconds. Then he released a slow exhale. It had been a long day, and it was about to get longer. After another second, he pushed the phone’s button for line two. “This is Attorney Diamond. How may I help you?”

“Hey there, Dickie Baby. It’s me, Mal. I hear Amy’s getting a new lawyer. A broad this time. She must have figured out, with some help, that this last one, who she was screwing, Wood something or other, was married. She gave him the boot Tuesday night.”

Richard never asked why or how his client always had up-to-date details about his ex-wife’s life. He didn’t want to know. Malcolm Castle may be slick, but more important, his skewed beliefs about how the world should operate, including his marriage and his divorce, created the type of no-holds-barred challenge that Richard relished.

And Malcolm, along with Richard’s other character-flawed clients, often expressed many prejudices, but they were not stupid. They ignored Richard’s dark skin because of the favorable results he produced. As for being Jewish, the topic never came up. Black Jews were not common in this country. Black Jewish lawyers of Ethiopian descent were even less common.

Richard gave his well-appointed office an appreciative glance. Mal wouldn’t pay his ex-wife, but he always paid his legal bills without question or delay. And the instant he didn’t, Richard would fire him.

“What’s the lawyer’s name?” he asked, disappointed that Barry Woodward couldn’t keep his pants zipped, or at least avoid getting caught.

There were few other lawyers left in the state who could handle a case of this magnitude. Like him, they treated the law as a game. The goal was to define the rules in each case, then be the best at figuring out how to enforce them or bend them. Which strategy depended on whose side you were on and how much money your client was willing to pay you.

“Some fat bimbo named Josephina Jensen,” Castle answered. “I already checked her out. She teaches at the damned law school. She quit going to court a couple years ago after her wacko client, the wife, mind you, got a gun into the courthouse. Jensen tried to stop her from shooting it off and she got hit pretty bad. If she represents Amy, it will be her first time back in court, in the same building. With all that emotional garbage and you in my corner, I doubt she’ll last a week. What do you think?”

Castle kept talking as Richard’s memory replayed the nightmarish scenes that came to be known as the Compton Catastrophe around Hartford’s Hall of Justice. He’d been down the hall when he heard the shots.

“Hey, Dickie, answer my question,” Castle demanded, drawing Richard back to the present.

Richard typed Jensen’s name into the attorney directory located on the state’s judicial website, confirming what he already suspected. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Malcolm.” He noted the calendar hanging on the wall and changed topics. “Are you all set for next Thursday?”

“You mean when I become unavailable?”

Richard cleared his throat. “Court starts at ten. It is my obligation to tell you to be there and on time.”

“Consider me told. Just be sure to cover my ass at all costs.”

“Consider your ass covered, Malcolm.” Richard hung up and jotted down the time spent during the call and its content. Next, he returned his attention to Josephina Jensen.

Holding his chin between his forefinger and thumb, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He recalled her body, wrapped in a white sheet and packed onto a gurney with an oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. Two silent paramedics, ignoring the media’s flashing cameras and shouted questions, wheeled the stretcher out of the courthouse and down the ramp near the steps. They lifted her into the waiting ambulance and raced off, lights and sirens blaring at full blast.

The image, along with one other, never left Richard’s mind. Over time, they had faded, but now they reemerged fresh as the day they happened.

Could Castle be right? Was she back?

Chapter Four

Josie

“Sit back down,” Josie insisted, tugging at Dan’s jacket.

The waiter returned just as her brother reclaimed his bar stool, interrupting the rant Josie was about to launch. “Shall I wrap your meal, madam?”

She looked at her barely eaten chowder and sandwich. “Do you want it?” she asked Dan.

He crinkled his nose. “After you played with it for the past half hour? No thanks.”

When the waiter left, Josie reduced her voice to a near-threatening level. “Richard Diamond is a monster, Daniel. Thirteen years ago, he roasted us alive in that Masterson case. Do you remember what happened when the judge read his decision, after that awful eight-day trial? Our client burst out of the courtroom and howled through the halls like a mama orangutang searching for her missing babies. And what did Diamond do? He stood there in his thousand-dollar suit, preening like a peacock, his feathers spread in full bloom.”

Straight faced, Dan pretended to study the dessert menu. “It’s not that we lost. The judge just didn’t give our client everything she wanted, the way she wanted it. Over time, the parents settled down and worked things out. And keep in mind, the playing field between you and Diamond is even now. You can take him. In fact, consider it your opportunity for payback.”

“We lost, Daniel,” Josie spat back. “And I don’t want payback. I haven’t handled a divorce case or any case for almost four years, and I don’t want to, ever again.” She hated that her voice started to crack mid-sentence.

Dan clutched her forearm and sought her tear-filled eyes. “Stop letting Anne Compton ruin your life. You’re an amazing lawyer and Amy needs you.”

Josie darted her attention to the nautical paraphernalia covering the bar’s walls. Even if he was right, she didn’t want to do it. “I doubt very much Richard Diamond has mellowed over the years. He’s like a clump of Roquefort cheese, its blue and green moldy disgustingness growing more and more pungent over time.”

Dan laughed. “That just makes it more challenging.”

Picturing Diamond in his element, Josie curled her upper lip. “He only represents wealthy, evil, greedy husbands and vengeful, spoiled, gold-digging wives. Their divorce proceedings last for years and always end with a trial. And for the rare times he loses, he files an appeal. There’s no end.”

“I agree.” He hugged her. “That’s why Amy’s divorce took so long.”

“And you want me to join that circus?”

He showed her his calendar on his phone. “Did I mention the contempt hearing against the ex-husband is scheduled for next Thursday?”

Josie straightened. “Are you listening to me at all? You act like we’re discussing a sale on one of your fancy suits.” She tapped her watch. “Luke and I are leaving for the Bahamas at eleven-fifty tonight. It’s his birthday present to me. We won’t be back until late Monday night.”

Dan’s grin and his eyes widened. “Then you’d better get started.”

Before she could stop him, he sent a text.

“I’m not doing it, Dan. I’m not stepping one foot into any courtroom with that fiend.”

Ignoring her, he stood and drained his beer mug. “You’re gonna love Amy.”

“I’m only agreeing to talk with her, Daniel.”

He waved. “There she is.”

Josie followed his gaze to the bar’s entrance.

A pretty, well-endowed and well-dressed older brunette stood in the doorway. With a worried smile, she waved back.

Perfect. Just perfect.

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Excerpt from Love & the Divorce Lawyer by Barbara Newhart. Copyright 2025 by Barbara Newhart. Reproduced with permission from Barbara Newhart. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Barbara Newhart enjoys reading and writing stories that contain at least a sprinkle of romance, tossed into a great mystery or thriller where the characters dodge and weave their way through this crazy adventure we call life. In addition to Love & the Divorce Lawyer, Barbara has written Legally Yours and Finally Yours as Kimberly Whitmore.

Catch Up With Barbara Newhart:

www.BarbaraNewhart.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
Instagram - @barbara.newhart.mysteries

 

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This Week at Silver's Reviews

A very busy week!!

Hope you can stop by.