Wave Staff Report
With “Illusions of Trust,” author and former New York City attorney Jeffrey S. Stephens delivers an homage to the classic noir thriller reimagined for a world where corruption wears tailored suits and consequences are negotiable. Inspired by his decades of legal experience and rooted in contemporary concerns, “Illusions of Trust” explores a legal landscape crowded with villains, protected by privilege and powered by money.
“Good thrillers have to have good villains,” Stephens said. “And this particular thriller has a bevy of villains that you can get your arms around.”
He adds that the story reflects an unsettling truth he witnessed firsthand in legal practice: “The rich can buy their way out of almost any jam, while everyday Americans have to survive the slow, grinding, unpredictable wheels of justice.”
Set in New York City, where wealth and influence often rewrite the rules, “Illusions of Trust” follows Russell Palmer, a young, idealistic attorney shaped as much by his principles as by the people he chooses to confront. Palmer is drawn to difficult cases and complicated clients, believing the truth is always worth the risk.
When the wealthy and attractive Christina Franco approaches him to handle her divorce, Palmer’s protective instincts are immediately aroused. Not only does she describe an abusive marriage and serious financial concerns, but she also mentions one of her husband’s most dangerous associates, someone with whom Palmer has battled in the past.
Despite the misgivings of Robbie Whyte, a retired NYPD detective who is committed to watching Palmer’s back, the young lawyer decides to help her. Yet soon after making that decision, matters begin to spiral out of control — beginning with the apparent suicide of a prominent lawyer; then a murder for which someone is trying to frame another of Palmer’s clients; and a federal investigation into a major pharmaceutical company with ties to Christina’s husband.
Palmer and Whyte work to distinguish the truth from a web of lies, concerned that much of this is related to their beautiful client and her influential family — including her father, an influential congressman, and her mother, a reclusive heiress.
“Illusions of Trust” marks the launch of Stephens’ new Russell Palmer and Robbie Whyte series, featuring a duo whose refusal to back down forces them into the crosshairs of the corrupt and the powerful.
“Illusions of Trust” is available for $17.39 (hardcover) at Amazon.
