Fatal Flaw

Book excerpt: The acclaimed author of Hostile Witness and Veritas is back with the legal thriller of the season—a sizzling tale of murder, innocence, and justice. . . . “William Lashner is . . . remarkable.”—Nelson DeMille “Lust will make a fool of any man, but it is only love that can truly ruin him.” So believes Victor Carl, the antithesis of the classic sharp-eyed, cool, and dispassionate lawyer. Late one night Victor gets a panicked phone call from an old law school buddy. Guy Forrest claims he’s just found the body of his fiancee in the house they shared. The victim is the entracing Hailey Prouix, a woman with numerous charms who had mesmerized Victor—and every other man she ever met. Though Victor is convinced Guy is guilty, he agrees to represent him, silently vowing to see justice done. To build his case, the determined attorney embarks on a quest that will take him cross-country and back—and lead him to the horrifying discovery that nothing is as simple as it seems. Now time is running out and all too soon the wheels of justice Guy set into motion will fall with unmerciful force on his own head.