Review of The Inmate
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Ingrid Sanchez
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Review of The Inmate
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Inmate" by Alan P. Woodruff.]
Is justice always served after prosecution and trial? Could a number of threats, prejudice and lack of professionalism get an innocent person convicted of murder? The inmate by Alan P. Woodruff explores this polemical subject and the intricacies within the justice system which could make it possible.
José Lopez has spent the last twelve years of his life in prison, convicted of a murder he claims he didn’t commit. The circumstances surrounding the killing, the investigation and the subsequent trial were not clear enough to provide undeniable facts or evidence against him. Despite this, the jury declared him guilty, and the Judge condemned him to life in prison for the murder of a park officer. José, who used to be the leader of a motorbike gang, has found his religious faith while deprived of liberty and feels he deserves a fair trial and a new opportunity in life. For this reason, he reaches out to Lucius White, a well known attorney, who alongside his girlfriend Leslie (also a lawyer) and his private investigator, will move heaven and earth in an attempt to demonstrate Lopez’s innocence and overturn his conviction.
The inmate by Alan P. Woodruff will take you through a journey in which the main characters continuously react and evolve at the pace of ever changing circumstances and new information. This exciting legal thriller involves the reader in a very real part of the world, unbeknownst to the majority of society, where motorbike criminal gang members, police officers, prosecuting and defence attorneys… mix together in a swirling chain of events taking place twelve years after the original murder.
Woodruff has a very descriptive and clear writing style, which makes this book easy to read. The novel is divided in forty three short chapters, allowing the reader to keep up with the plot without being overwhelmed by too much information at once. The characters of this book are well defined and the dialogue amongst them is often light, natural and enjoyable. The different scenarios and situations narrated within this novel are well researched and feel very true to life. It has the ability to transport you inside the history, making you feel like another witness to the events. It also demonstrates very clearly the author’s experience as a lawyer, and so legal terminology and procedures are accurate and very realistic.
As a courtroom drama lover, I can assure the reader that the various chapters that take place within the Courthouse will not disappoint. The plot develops at a good pace, allowing the reader to delve into the ins and outs of court proceedings. It highlights the most interesting dialogues and parts of the trial, and never ceases to surprise you, keeping you expecting what comes next. The legal battle between the prosecution and defence attorneys during the trial is remarkable. Is in this part of the book where the main characters’ (Lucius White and José Lopez) personalities really stand out.
I cannot fault this novel’s plot, writing style or ability to keep the reader intrigued until the last minute. I personally like the ending, which leaves a few open questions in the air. There are some minor editorial errors and very few small typos, which you would only notice by scrutinising the text, and do not affect the content of the narration at all.
For the reasons described above I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I congratulate Woodruff on such a great legal and courtroom thriller, having in mind the effort made as a self published author. It is well written and has the ability of leaving you wanting for more.
I recommend this book for an adult audience (as it contains some profanity and reference to crimes and violence), specially for those who enjoy a good fictional legal thriller, with crime police investigation and plenty of courtroom content.
******
The Inmate
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Is justice always served after prosecution and trial? Could a number of threats, prejudice and lack of professionalism get an innocent person convicted of murder? The inmate by Alan P. Woodruff explores this polemical subject and the intricacies within the justice system which could make it possible.
José Lopez has spent the last twelve years of his life in prison, convicted of a murder he claims he didn’t commit. The circumstances surrounding the killing, the investigation and the subsequent trial were not clear enough to provide undeniable facts or evidence against him. Despite this, the jury declared him guilty, and the Judge condemned him to life in prison for the murder of a park officer. José, who used to be the leader of a motorbike gang, has found his religious faith while deprived of liberty and feels he deserves a fair trial and a new opportunity in life. For this reason, he reaches out to Lucius White, a well known attorney, who alongside his girlfriend Leslie (also a lawyer) and his private investigator, will move heaven and earth in an attempt to demonstrate Lopez’s innocence and overturn his conviction.
The inmate by Alan P. Woodruff will take you through a journey in which the main characters continuously react and evolve at the pace of ever changing circumstances and new information. This exciting legal thriller involves the reader in a very real part of the world, unbeknownst to the majority of society, where motorbike criminal gang members, police officers, prosecuting and defence attorneys… mix together in a swirling chain of events taking place twelve years after the original murder.
Woodruff has a very descriptive and clear writing style, which makes this book easy to read. The novel is divided in forty three short chapters, allowing the reader to keep up with the plot without being overwhelmed by too much information at once. The characters of this book are well defined and the dialogue amongst them is often light, natural and enjoyable. The different scenarios and situations narrated within this novel are well researched and feel very true to life. It has the ability to transport you inside the history, making you feel like another witness to the events. It also demonstrates very clearly the author’s experience as a lawyer, and so legal terminology and procedures are accurate and very realistic.
As a courtroom drama lover, I can assure the reader that the various chapters that take place within the Courthouse will not disappoint. The plot develops at a good pace, allowing the reader to delve into the ins and outs of court proceedings. It highlights the most interesting dialogues and parts of the trial, and never ceases to surprise you, keeping you expecting what comes next. The legal battle between the prosecution and defence attorneys during the trial is remarkable. Is in this part of the book where the main characters’ (Lucius White and José Lopez) personalities really stand out.
I cannot fault this novel’s plot, writing style or ability to keep the reader intrigued until the last minute. I personally like the ending, which leaves a few open questions in the air. There are some minor editorial errors and very few small typos, which you would only notice by scrutinising the text, and do not affect the content of the narration at all.
For the reasons described above I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I congratulate Woodruff on such a great legal and courtroom thriller, having in mind the effort made as a self published author. It is well written and has the ability of leaving you wanting for more.
I recommend this book for an adult audience (as it contains some profanity and reference to crimes and violence), specially for those who enjoy a good fictional legal thriller, with crime police investigation and plenty of courtroom content.
******
The Inmate
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
