Wrongful Conviction: A Mystery Novel
by Janet Heijens
October 2017
ISBN: 978-1-945401-02-2 (Print, Trade Paperback, Retail: $15.95
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Description:
Leland Booker is serving a life sentence for killing his wife and their two daughters. All hope for justice is lost until forty years later when Adam Bennett, a young law student, takes on the case. Adam determines that his only chance for success rests on his ability to prove Leland was wrongfully convicted.
His research leads him to Jean Jankowski, a close friend of the Booker family.
When Jean hears the case is reopened, the past rushes back. As she spins her story of the events leading up to the murders, Adam begins to suspect the police withheld critical evidence, a basis for wrongful conviction. Adam and Jean travel to Florida to secure the proof they need, but when they arrive they discover their witness has been murdered.
The two cases intertwine when fingerprints found at the murder scene implicate Henry Rusak, the Bookers’ handyman. Jean refuses to believe Rusak is a killer, even after the police turn up evidence that confirms his guilt. When Jean visits Leland to give him the news, she is shocked to learn all was not as it appeared in the Booker household. She sets out to expose the real killer, a cold-blooded murderer who will stop at nothing to protect a dark secret.
With a myriad of twists and turns, Wrongful Conviction explores the world of a justice system gone wrong. This legal thriller will keep the reader guessing until the last page is turned.
Praise for Wrongful Conviction:
“Heijens premieres a rare heroine who’s both gritty and reflective. Here’s hoping for a series.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Wrongful Conviction is an expertly crafted page-turner that is guaranteed to thrill readers, not only with a satisfying conclusion to the mystery, but also with a heart-warming dose of justice. Put this on your must-read list!” –Shannon Esposito, author of the Pet Psychic Mystery series
“Gripped by a murder that happened forty years in her past, Jean Jankowski can’t move forward in life until she finds the killer of a beautiful young woman and her two children. In the process, she must also free another innocent victim of the crime. Wrongful Conviction is an intricate puzzle. Putting the pieces into place is as fascinating for the reader as it is crucial for Jean Jankowski, Heijens spellbound but determined protagonist.” –Louise Titchener, author of over forty novels of romantic suspense, and mystery, including Malpractice from her Baltimore Historical Mystery Series.
“Heijens has written a character-driven legal thriller where the past and present collide to reveal dark secrets and expose the truth. The transitions between the 30-year-old past and the present day are deftly handled to keep the reader engaged and guessing to the end.” –Cheryl Hollon, author of the Webb Glass Shop Mysteries