The Hidden Man

Categories: Mystery & Suspense , Fiction

I’m not sure how I heard about David Ellis’s new legal suspense novel, The Hidden Man, but you’re hearing it here: go and find a copy of this one—it’s a very clever and enjoyable read.

Jason Kolarich escaped the old neighborhood on a football scholarship, and then became a lawyer. A pretty successful one, till his life was derailed by the traffic death of his wife and daughter. Now he’s just hanging on.

So he can’t say no when an old friend who was also the victim of family tragedy desperately needs his help. His childhood friend, Sammy Cutler, has been accused of murdering the pedophile, Griffin Perlini, who killed Sammy’s baby sister, Audrey, all those years ago.

Strangely, it’s not Sammy who contacts Kolarich for help, but a mysterious Mr. Smith.

Kolarich theorizes that Mr. Smith represents the family of another of Perlini’s victims who doesn’t want to see Sammy jailed for ridding the world of a sexual predator.

But why is Mr. Smith so insistent on how Kolarich should conduct the case? No plea bargains, no continuances (even though the trial is less than a month away), no searching for alternate suspects. Kolarich should simply go to court and rely on Mr. Smith to come up with reasonable doubt.

Is Smith really planning to help Sammy, or is he more interested in protecting another guilty party? Naturally, Kolarich is too suspicious and stubborn to obey Mr. Smith’s instructions. Unfortunately, Mr. Smith means business, and Kolarich’s choice is quickly made clear—do as you’re told or your brother pays. And meanwhile, the clock ticks down on Sammy’s trial.

All of which makes for high-stakes suspense. Mostly outside the courtroom, since it’s the behind-the-scenes chase and the long-ago mystery that fuel this story. But that’s plenty to have you turning pages late into the night.