SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

A TEXAN COURTOOM THRILLER THAT CRACKLES WITH TENSION AND HIGH-STAKES GAMBITS - 'EVERYTHING I LOVE IN A THRILLER', WOODY HARRELSON

'Compelling and fast-moving' LISA BALLANTYNE

'Razor-sharp, reminiscent of the best Grisham' KIA ABDULLAH

'The finest legal thriller since Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent... Do not miss it' Daily Mail

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Big business. Bad blood. Betrayal.

James Euchre lives an easy life as a local attorney in a small Texan town, making plenty of money from corporate cases.

But when his mentor is killed and one of his clients is arrested for murder, James is forced to defend the man who allegedly killed his friend.

The deeper James goes into the case, the more he fears that he'll fail to save an innocent client's life - or worse, wind up freeing a guilty man...

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'A spectacular courtroom drama' Michelle King, co-creator of The Good Wife and The Good Fight

'A terrific legal thriller' New York Times

'A courtroom thriller with a dazzling cinematic quality' Booklist

'Everything a legal thriller should be. A cunningly crafted courtroom drama, with a top drawer cast of characters' Rob Scragg

'A brilliant, cinematic story as big as Texas' Criminal Element

"The finest legal thriller debut since Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent in 1987. . . Do not miss it." - Daily Mail

"[A] terrific legal thriller... The plot is gripping, and Hartstone, a veteran screenwriter, sketches his characters with real verve and affection." - New York Times

"A courtroom thriller with a dazzling cinematic quality... readers will want more of Hartstone's razor's-edge style. A natural for fans of Grisham and Turow" - Booklist

"Scott Turow readers should take a look" - Publishers Weekly

"Hartstone, who has written screenplays for film (Shock and Awe) and TV (The Good Fight), displays a sure hand with the pointed adversarial dialogue that fuels legal thrillers. . .A generally impressive first outing from a talented writer" - Kirkus Reviews

"The Local is a brilliant, cinematic story as big as Texas" - Criminal Element

"[A] striking debut novel that delves into the legal system, big business, racism and small-town life" - Shelf Awareness

"In The Local, Joey Hartstone shows us that like everything else, the thrills-and the dangers-are bigger in Texas" - The Big Thrill

"A fast-paced, well-executed legal thriller on par with anyone writing such fare today (looking at you, John Grisham)" - The News Courier