Well done legal thriller with a strong protagonist in Tatum. While he thought he would atone and change his life after one of his clients in Miami committed a second murder moving home to Utah and working as a prosecutor doesn't go quite as easily as he hoped. Points for bringing in the family element. A good read.

Tatum Graham is a very successful defense attorney in Miami. But, when a recent client commits a second murder, Tatum’s conscience finally gets the best of him and he retreats to his small hometown in Utah. There he confronts ghosts from his past, which includes his tenuous relationship with his father. While trying to realign his life, his former girlfriend and now county attorney, offers him a job. Suddenly, Tatum finds himself in the prosecutor’s role in a murder trial.

The Hallows is a thoroughly enjoyable book and another winner for one of my favorite authors, Victor Methos. The plot is compelling and well-drawn, and the dialogue is snappy. Not only are the main characters interesting, the supporting cast is, too. I particularly liked the two young attorneys. Not only are they likable, but they are also a study in contrasts and definitely rising stars in their own way.

Mr Methos could easily be compared to John Grisham, however I think the Methos books are much better. They are more thoughtful, the characters are more varied, the plots are always interesting and timely, and the legal aspects are well-described. I enthusiastically recommend this author and his latest book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Thank you Thomas&Mercer and Netgalley for a copy of The Hallows by Victor Methos in exchange for an honest review.
The Hallows stars hot shot Florida lawyer Tatum Graham. When one of his cases shakes him, he heads back home to a small town in Utah, to his childhood crush and his estranged father. He gets there to find that a shocking murder has taken place and none of the lawyers have experience to try such a case, so he quickly becomes involved again and tries to work through some personal stuff at the same time.

I wouldn't go as far as calling The Hallows a thriller, but it does have some intense moments closer to the end. Most of the book is closer to a drama, a lot of character building and personal scenes amongst some of the trial aspects and investigations. I found it moved a little slower than I would have liked at some parts, and never quite figured out why so much of the personal story of Tatum Graham was included, but it did make him seem less arrogant at times so maybe that was it. It would make a good starter read into this genre if you haven't read many legal drama books before.

Really fabulous story. Would highly recommend to others, and look forward to reading more by Victor Menthos soon!

Oh my goodness. I should have not started reading this book so late at night last night. I read for several hours last night—getting halfway through the book. I just finished the book now. I couldn’t stop!
I think i relate so very much to the main character in the not belonging to the larger town he lived in, but not really belonging at home (near the beginning)
The suspense on the case itself once it got going was great. It started slow and then just never slowed down. One thing after another kept popping up as a surprise in the trial and case. Very good book.

Tatum Graham is a super alpha male defense attorney, easily destroying the opposition with his keen intellect, experience, and a win at all cost attitude. But the last client he got acquitted of murder has just killed again--using the same MO. He is SO disgusted and crushed he quits the law firm of Gordon & Graham, gives away his house and its contents and loads his car to head west.

Arriving at River Falls, Utah (just over the Nevada line), he discovers little has changed. Not the town. Not the people. His estranged father is still there albeit suffering from cancer and is refusing treatment. It isn't long before he reconnects with a former teenage sweetheart, Gates Barnes, who is now the elected county attorney.

Unfortunately, there has been a recent murder of a seventeen-year-old. Gates gets him to switch sides (defense to prosecutor) as she doesn't want the rich kid's son in jail to walk. Tatum gets entangled in the case whether or not he wants to and is introduced to two fresh young deputy county attornies, Jia and Will.

Tatum studies the case and the pictures and is positive he'll have no problem. He enlists the help of the deputy attorneys, but the deeper he gets into the investigation, the more complex it becomes. Red herrings send the reader into misdirection, along with twists that further develop the characters, both main and support. Who is telling the real story and who isn't? In court, it's worse. He's waylaid big time.

He is dealing with his father's advancing illness and his case is falling apart. The underlying layer of reawakening romance is hard to figure as it difficult to understand how she can put up with his arrogance. Still, it's a well-plotted legal thriller, engaging, and holds your interest. This looks to me like a series in the making; an attorney you dislike but has some intricate cases and the plot MOVES.

I received this digital download from the publisher and NetGalley and fully enjoyed the fast-moving novel. I'll be looking forward to another.

This book was different from the other books because it has views from lawyer vs prosecutor. This main character is likable throughout the entire book, I hope there's more books with Tatum as the main character.
By the way, the amount of quotes I highlighted in this book is unbelievable.

Tatum goes through a bad case, as a very successful lawyer. decides to quit his job and drive off, ending up home to a past he left behind. Ending up on a case taking a job as a prosecutor for a murder that has happened in his small, childhood town. You end up loving Tatum, knowing his secrets, how knowledgeable he is in criminal justice and you also get a little love story thrown in there.
I do have to point out Tatum acted more as a cop than a lawyer/prosecutor but that's ok, he fit the bill.
Definitely recommended for anyone who reads crime, mystery novels.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

I really enjoyed this book. This is a new author for me and I look forward to reading his other novels.
Tatum Graham is a big time big city defense lawyer who goes back to his small home town that he left as a teenager and never looked back. Reluctantly he ends up prosecuting a murder against a big city sleezy defense lawyer. Lots of twists and turns and good old small town secrets and politics. Interesting characters and a good storyline. Leaves you wanting to know what's next for Tatum.

An absolutely grabbing novel that will not allow the reader to put it down until finished. The book deals with a high powered and very successful lawyer practicing in Miami that suddenly finds himself dissatisfied with his work when a client that he had successfully defended on a charge of murder walks out and immediately kills someone else. Tatum Graham the lawyer just decides to give up the big bucks in Miami and go home to small town Utah where his roots are. Arriving there he meets an old flame of his who is working at the county attorney's office and asks him as a favor to take on the role of a prosecutor in a murder case. Tatum knows the people involved and most importantly the girl killed and her father who is a friend of his father. In addition he visits his father with whom he has been estranged from for many years and who isnow suffering from cancer.
To round out a fascinating group of characters one of the two boys accused of the murder comes from a wealthy family and his father hires a top tier attorney to defend him. Not surprisingly Tatum has gone against that lawyer several times in court and the trial shapes up as a battle between titans. The depiction of the trial is just that; one expert attorney versus another as gifted as he is. The maneuvers between the two become a fascinating study of the reality of a trial where one man and than the other come out with twists and turns.
On the side is the rekindling of the romance between Tatum and his old girlfriend and the feelings each has harbored for many years. A very well done portrait of Tatum's dad who is fighting his disease and trying to explain his attitude towards the son that he has kept at bay for a long time. This is one of the better handlings of a flawed individual and the treatment of the man adds to the story and what transpires. A very well done novel and without doubt a five star story.

Having read all of the author’s previous novels, I was looking forward to still another great story. I was not disappointed, but I was surprised. A different direction is taken in this story in more ways than one. A stand-alone features a top tier defense lawyer who has become disenchanted with his practice and decides to go home. Instead of escaping, he finds himself soon on the other side, serving as a prosecutor. Family, personal relationships, and local politics are interwoven with the courtroom drama to create an excellent read.

This is the first of Victor Methos’s books that I’ve read but it definitely won’t be the last. His story telling is spot on and his writing takes the reader into the characters and their motivations in ways not often experienced in the legal thriller genre. I appreciated his slightly sarcastic approach to a serious set of subjects, and hope someday to read The Art of Jury Trial as War. The Hallows is a fast and fun read, and while the outcome won’t be a surprise to the careful reader, the road to the solution is a rewarding one.

This was really excellent! I love Victor Methos’ courtroom dramas, and this one was no exception. A high powered criminal defense attorney finds out that someone he defended and got off has killed another woman, and he can’t do it anymore. He pulls up stakes and leaves California for his old hometown in Utah where he ends up working for an old friend as a prosecutor this time. This was one if the best books I’ve read recently and I look forward to more of Mr. Methos’ work.

First Sentence: "Murder."

Tatum Graham is a successful, wealthy defense attorney who has never lost a case. Discovering his newly acquitted client really was guilty of murder sends Tatum off on the road from Miami without an apparent destination in mind. Or was there when he ends up in the small Utah town of his birth. There he finds a father dying of cancer, and an old girlfriend now the town's sheriff, and himself the prosecutor in the murder trial of a young girl.

One can't always judge a character by the opening. Just when one thinks one has a bead on him, he surprises you. And isn't it nice when that happens?

Tatum is something of a study in contrasts. On one hand, he is the no-holds-barred attorney; abrasive, egotistical, even rude. Then the man within the shell shows up and draws one in to see what a well-constructed, fully developed character he is. The excerpts from "The Art of Jury Trial as War," a book only being written in Tatum's head so far, are interesting and thought-provoking. The occasional flashes of humor, and the dog, are a lovely diversion.

Methos really knows how to twist a plot. The best part is that the protagonist is as surprised as are we. And twists and turn there are galore. Yet there is also an excellent balance between the legal information, which is fascinating, and the personal aspects of the story, which is relatable and can touch one's heart.

"The Hallows" is an excellent legal mystery filled with great characters which make one almost wish this wasn't a standalone. However, it also proves Thomas Wolfe wrong. One can go home again.

THE HALLOWS (LegalMys-Tatum Graham-Florida/Utah-Contemp) – Ex
Methos, Victor - Standalone
Thomas & Mercer – July 2019

Thank you to Victor Methos, his publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book, “The Hallows,” in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start off by saying, I love Victor Methos’ writing style. I love that he comes up with great stories that draw you in and keep you intrigued. I have loved each and every book that I have read of his.... but this one missed the mark a bit for me. I still love the writing style, The story was intriguing and it was a decent read, but I was put off by the personality of main character, Tatum. The arrogance and ego, and the fact that he was throwing money around like it grew on trees got to be too much for me. Then when you add in the other lawyer and his arrogance/ego, it just didn’t keep me intrigued as much.

To sum it up: I liked the book, but not the characters.

I will still continue to read Victor Methos’ books because I don’t expect perfect five star books everytime, and most importantly, I believe that his stories are worth reading.

I have read almost every book that Victor Methos has written and I have to say, he is one of my favorite authors in the Legal Thrillers genre. His stories are interesting and ‘human,’ although some of them go a little deeper into the dark side of human nature. I think that THE HALLOWS is my favorite book so far. I live in a small Utah town so the story resonates with my lifestyle. The characters are very true to the way of life described in this book. The story is about a very wealthy defense lawyer from a small town who makes it big in Miami. Then something happens regarding one of his clients and he begins to think about what he really wants from his success. He finds himself back home in Utah and becomes involved helping a prosecuting attorney with a case involving the death of a young girl. The story moves and flows and it is never quite clear who committed this heinous crime, but the blame shifts throughout the story and each person is believable as the perpetrator. The ending was a surprise for me as I didn’t see it coming. As with all of Mr. Methos’ books, this one is a good read from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book. Believe me, it is worth your time.