Moral Defense (Samantha Brinkman, 2)

California native Marcia Clark is the author of Blood Defense, the first book in the Samantha Brinkman series, as well as Guilt by Association, Guilt by Degrees, Killer Ambition, and The Competition—all part of the Rachel Knight series. A practicing criminal lawyer since 1979, she joined the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office in 1981, where she served as prosecutor for the trials of Robert Bardo—convicted of killing actress Rebecca Schaeffer—and, most notably, O. J. Simpson. The bestselling Without a Doubt, which she co-wrote, chronicles her work on the Simpson trial. Clark has been a frequent commentator on a variety of shows and networks, including Today, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, and MSNBC, as well as a legal correspondent for Entertainment Tonight.

An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Category

“Moral Defense by former Los Angeles prosecutor Marcia Clark has it all: a hard-charging lawyer heroine, tough-as-nails cops, realistic, yet somehow lovable 'bad guys,' as well as fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants pacing and page-turning twists.” —Associated Press

“In Clark’s outstanding sequel to Blood Defense...[She] deepens her already fascinating lead, while adeptly juggling several subplots.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“This second in the Brinkman series (after Blood Defense, 2016) is a nonstop ride marked by legal and moral gray areas, with a cliff-hanger epilogue. Another Clark legal thriller that’s hard to put down.” —Booklist

“A murdered family leaves only one survivor in this second roller-coaster case for Los Angeles attorney Samantha Brinkman...[The case] builds to a rare intensity.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Clark’s formidable experience lends itself to this exhilarating novel.” —RT Book Reviews

“Riveting and suspenseful...” —CrimeSpree Magazine

“It’s a complex, tightly woven plot, and as is in the case with all of Clark’s novels, the page-turning journey—through sensitive and controversial issues—to the surprise ending is not without considerable twists and turns...” —The Big Thrill

“...you'll be thrilled with [Marcia Clark’s] second Samantha Brinkman mystery, Moral Defense, in which your assumptions as to whodunit will be wrong. This book has a complicated moral compass and an ending you don't see coming.” —Elle Magazine

Praise for Blood Defense:

“Former L.A. prosecutor Clark kicks off a promising new series with this top-notch whodunit...Clark sprinkles jaw-dropping surprises throughout and impressively pulls off a shocker that lesser writers can only envy.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“On the heels of FX’s blockbuster television series, American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson...Simpson prosecutor–turned–author Clark...launches a new legal thriller series. Unlike in her well-received Rachel Knight books, which featured an L.A. prosecutor, Clark’s latest calls on her earlier career as a criminal defense attorney to fashion protagonist Samantha Brinkman. VERDICT: Clark’s deft handling of her characters through a multilevel maze of conflicts delivers an exhilarating read.” —Library Journal

“Clark, who served as a prosecutor for the trial of O. J. Simpson, clearly knows this world well. She has the most fun when she’s showing readers the world of celebrity trials, from the media circus, the courthouse crowds, the crazies, and the police to the inner workings of the trial itself. You’ll push yourself to finish the final pages just to keep pace with the defense team’s discoveries.” —Associated Press

“Once again, Marcia Clark has reinvented herself—and the results are stellar. Her knowledge of the criminal justice system is unrivaled, as is her understanding of how the media influences public opinion of high profile trials—and the actions of those involved. But the real magic of Clark’s writing is her dynamic, richly textured characters and the visceral, often gritty settings they frequent.” —Hartford Examiner