The Wages of Sin

by Nancy Allen

Series: Ozarks Mysteries (3)

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In rural McCown County, Missouri, a young pregnant woman is found beaten to death in a trailer park. The only witness to the murder is Ivy, her six-year-old daughter, who points to her mom's boyfriend-father of the unborn child. County prosecutor Madeleine Thompson promises the community justice, and in the Ozarks, that can only mean one thing: a death sentence. When Madeleine's first choice for co-counsel declines to try a death penalty case, she is forced to turn to assistant prosecutor Elsie Arnold. Elsie is reluctant to join forces with her frosty boss, but the road to conviction seems smooth-until unexpected facts about the victim arise, and the testimony of the lone eyewitness Ivy becomes increasingly crucial. Against Elsie's advice, Madeleine brings in the state attorney general's office to assist them, while cutthroat trial attorney Claire O'Hara joins the defense. Elsie will not let the power of prosecution-of seeking justice-be wrested from her without a fight. She wants to win the case, and to avenge the death of the mother and her unborn child. But as the trial nears, Elsie begins to harbor doubts about the death penalty itself. Meanwhile, Ivy is in greater danger than anyone knows.… (more)

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In The Wages Of Sin, the third book in the Ozarks Mysteries Series, author Nancy Allen once again draws upon her professional legal experience to weave a riveting legal thriller that captivates the reader's attention from beginning to end. Set in the small town of Barton, Missouri, in the heart of the Ozarks, the reader follows Assistant Prosecutor Elsie Arnold as she aggressively pursues and brings to trial a death penalty murder case against a man who allegedly killed his eight month pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child.

The author transports the reader into the small Ozark town of Barton with its close-knit townspeople and its many dark secrets. As McCown County Prosecutor Madeleine Thompson and Assistant Prosecutor Elsie Arnold prepare to bring the case of the State of Missouri v. Larry Paul to trial, their rocky working relationship is a big problem, and issues arise during their investigation of the murder suspect and victim, leaving one little six year old girl to help them get justice, even though danger lurks around the corner.

The Wages Of Sin is a fast-paced, multi-layered, gripping, and complex story that has a great mixture of intrigue, romance, violence, and enough suspenseful twists and turns, and richly descriptive courtroom drama that will leave the reader breathless. The reader is taken on one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride as they follow Elsie on her difficult journey, she is determined to seek justice in a convincing and brutally honest style where no one is left unscathed.

If you are a fan of legal thrillers, then I would highly recommend reading the Ozarks Mysteries Series!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-wages-of-sin-by-nancy-alle... (

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JerseyGirlBookReview | May 27, 2016 |

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Canonical title

The Wages of Sin

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

People/Characters

Important places

McCown County, Missouri, USA

Barton, Missouri, USA

Mount Vernon, Missouri, USA

Lawrence County, Missouri, USA

Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri, USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

"For the wages of sin is death...."
Romans 6:23

Dedication

To Patti Ross Salinas my Bestie, with thanks for three decades of friendship

First words

A string of curses split the air under a bright blue September sky stretching over the Ozark hills.

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Daly, Trish

Blurbers

Original language

English

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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▾Book descriptions

In rural McCown County, Missouri, a young pregnant woman is found beaten to death in a trailer park. The only witness to the murder is Ivy, her six-year-old daughter, who points to her mom's boyfriend-father of the unborn child. County prosecutor Madeleine Thompson promises the community justice, and in the Ozarks, that can only mean one thing: a death sentence. When Madeleine's first choice for co-counsel declines to try a death penalty case, she is forced to turn to assistant prosecutor Elsie Arnold. Elsie is reluctant to join forces with her frosty boss, but the road to conviction seems smooth-until unexpected facts about the victim arise, and the testimony of the lone eyewitness Ivy becomes increasingly crucial. Against Elsie's advice, Madeleine brings in the state attorney general's office to assist them, while cutthroat trial attorney Claire O'Hara joins the defense. Elsie will not let the power of prosecution-of seeking justice-be wrested from her without a fight. She wants to win the case, and to avenge the death of the mother and her unborn child. But as the trial nears, Elsie begins to harbor doubts about the death penalty itself. Meanwhile, Ivy is in greater danger than anyone knows.

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