Andy Hughes is an established public defender in rural Patrick County, Virginia. After nearly two decades being underpaid to tend to the poverty-stricken, addicted, and repeat offenders of his town, he decides to resign from his position. While cycling through his final cases, one of them is particularly brutal and involves the murder of a wealthy businessman’s wife. The defendant, Damien Bullins, has a long list of prior offenses, many involving violence. Given the evidence stacked against him, and his own confession, this seems like a standard trial for Andy. But when a typographical error provides a loophole, Andy does his job and pursues a non-guilty verdict. The Plinko Bounce by Martin Clark is a crime fiction, legal thriller where Andy has to come to terms with the consequences of his actions. But he isn’t convinced that karma will take care of the rest. 

Alicia Benson, wife of Mormon millionaire Cole Benson, was found murdered in her own home. Cole had hired Damien to do some odd jobs here and there. The security footage at the Benson residence shows Damien entering and leaving the house during the estimated time of death. And after police track him down to arrest him, Damien confesses to the crime. However, Andy discovers that the arresting officer made an error in reading him his Miranda rights. So the entire confession will remain sealed during the trial. Additionally, details about Cole and Alicia Benson’s marriage come to light, strengthening the chance that Damien won’t be found guilty. And even though Andy has a strong moral compass, he is also a great lawyer and thoroughly defends his client using every weapon in his arsenal. 

While professionally, Andy is on top of his game and viewed favorably by his colleagues, public opinion says otherwise. Damien Bullins is a career criminal, intelligent, and knows how to play the system to his advantage. And when the ruling might go in his favor, he becomes more emboldened to go after what he believes he deserves – despite having just been on trial for murder. Yet still, Andy hopes that the justice system will prevail and that Damien will be out of his life forever. But when that day doesn’t come, and Andy refuses to cooperate with Damien’s requests, he has a new target on his back. And if Andy doesn’t come up with a way to remove Damien from his life, things will get more personal. 

The Plinko Bounce is great for those who are into legal thrillers and psychological suspense. Clark weaves in his background knowledge and successfully misleads the reader at nearly every turn. However, shortcomings include a slow pace for the first half of the book, an underwhelming main character, and a few plot holes. Without giving anything away, it wasn’t clear as to what Damien’s motive was for killing his employer’s wife. And while Andy is a doting father to his eight-year-old son, the women in his life are not clearly distinguishable from one another. Even so, it was a quick read, and I commend Clark for exploring how one minor technicality can make a case spiral out of control. 

Martin Clark joins us for a Cantina Conversation to talk about his legal and writing career. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode of The Nerd Cantina Show podcast and preorder The Plinko Bounce, available September 12.