Accountability, ownership, surrogacy, murder

There is something strange and terrible in Profit Oregon where Robin Lockwood is a high-profile attorney. In addition to her lucrative private practice, Lockwood also takes court-appointed assignments because she believes that everyone is entitled to a good attorney; even the most despicable defendants need good representation. An unimaginable personal loss crushes her, and Robin seeks refuge with her family in Elk Grove. Unfortunately, the strangeness and terribleness oozes across the miles with her.

“The Darkest Place” unfolds in several separate storylines. In Oregon, a prominent citizen is murdered; of course his wife is the initial suspect since they were in the middle of a bitter divorce. The wife is also a police officer, and the husband has a complicated past and made powerful enemies. Across the miles in Elk Grove, a couple is seeking a surrogate to carry their child. Things do not go as planned, and the surrogate with a “problematic” background forcibly takes the infant from parents. Lockwood is called upon to give legal advice. What is the difference between buying a baby and finding a surrogate mother and paying her expenses? Is it kidnapping when a birth mother retrieves her biologic child from the parents?

Margolin expertly develop these stories independently. As events evolve, the time frame is conveniently listed for readers in each section. The characters are multifaceted, and readers recognize the complexity of the situations. Details are carefully constructed, and the multiple paths converge with unexpected and tragic consequences.


“The Darkest Place” is the fifth book in Margolin’s continuing series featuring Robin Lockwood, but new readers will easily follow the gripping events and intricate stories. Any needed background information is seamlessly included in the narrative. I received a review copy of “The Darkest Place” from Phillip Margolin Minotaur Books and Macmillan Publishing. I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Thérèse Plummer. I found both versions compelling, but somewhat different. The print book experience was concise, tightly organized, and persuasive. The complex details were strong and compelling. The audio book was a more dynamic experience, one filled with emotions, conflict, and uncertainty.

Believe it or not I had not read a book by Phillip Margolin before this one. Publisher Minotaur and downloaded from NetGalley.
This is a Robin Lockwood book. She is asked if she will assist in a court case. There is many facets to this case.
Well worth your time to read this one.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I adore the Robin Lockwood series by Phillip Margolin. Robin is such a kick butt character- and there is always a twist or 2 that I did not see coming.

If you haven’t read the other books in the series ( The Third Victim, The Perfect Alibi, A Reasonable Doubt and A Matter of Life and Death) then I highly encourage you to check out this legal thriller series!

What I liked:

I adore the cover. The covers for the Robin Lockwood series are all winners.

Our heroine, Robin. She’s dealt some tough blows in this book and while she didn’t completely shake them off (nor did I expect her to)- she’s a fighter. She’s a strong female lead.

The mystery. I love how Phillip Margolin connects 2 or 3 events in ways that you might not understand at first- but when everything is revealed you are ” that’s a good book!”

Bottom line: This series is an auto read for me. I hope he continues to write more Robin Lockwood books,

Another blockbuster suspense/mystery novel by Margolin! He keeps the pace moving forward throughout the entire book and doesn't let the reader breath for a minute. I like how he weaves many stories together that end up culminating together in the end.

Book 5 in the series and an excellent addition! This book took a turn I wasn’t expecting with one of the characters and I’m not a fan of it. I’m invested in the characters and loved reuniting with them! The case was perplexing and intricately pieced together. Fast paced and shocking, it had a twist I wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed this installment and look forward to the next book! 4⭐️

In this 5th book in the Robin Lockwood series, the defense attorney defends a woman accused of assault, child abuse and other crimes. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Robin Lockwood worked her way through Yale Law School fighting in televised, pay-per-view MMA matches, where she was known as "Rockin' Robin." This adds to Robin's fame as a defense attorney in Portland, Oregon, where she has a reputation as a bright capable lawyer.

Thus Robin is tapped by Judge Harold Wright to take the VERY unpopular case of accused rapist Lloyd Arness on a court-appointed basis. The case has tragic consequences, and in the aftermath of the trial, Robin goes back to her Midwest hometown of Elk Grove to rest and recuperate. While Robin is in Elk Grove, she's approached by Stan McDermott, who has a small law firm in the area.

Stan asks Robin to help him with the case of Marjorie Loman, a woman who recently moved to town. Marjorie had been in the midst of a very contentious divorce in Portland, Oregon when her thieving husband was murdered. Marjorie was then threatened by gangsters for $250,000 her husband owed, and - since Marjorie didn't have the money - she ran off to Elk Grove to hide.

Needing an income, Marjorie agreed to be the surrogate for a childless couple named Caleb and Emily Lindstrom. Marjorie was to get $50,000 plus expenses to carry the child to term, at which time the Lindstroms would become the legal parents.

After the Lindstroms' child was born Marjorie decided she wanted to keep the baby. Marjorie threatened the parents, pistol-whipped Emily Lindstrom, and kidnapped the infant. Marjorie is now going on trial for child abuse and assault, and Stan needs assistance with the case.

Robin helps Stan mount a unique defense (which was well researched by the author) and then agrees to represent Marjorie on another very serious charge.

Much of the book consists of courtroom scenes that provide blow by blow accounts of the trials, including opening statements, questioning witnesses, cross-examining witnesses, closing arguments, judge's remarks, etc.

The book is interesting, but reads more like court transcripts than a novel. Still, fans of courtroom dramas would probably enjoy the book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Philip Margolin, and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book.

The Darkest Place
A Robin Lockwood Novel
by Phillip Margolin

I am afraid the book was not my cuppa tea. It seemed long-winded and at times confusing. Even a name changed a couple of times.

Each and every time I pick up a new Phillip Margolin book I know I will be done with it in a matter of hours so engrossing are they. The Darkest Place was not any different. It is the fifth installment in the Robin Lockwood series and still as fresh as the first one. Even though it can be read as a stand-alone I still recommend to read them in order to better understand Robin’s journey.

At the beginning of this story, Robin’s life could not be going better. Her legal practice is going great and she’s engaged to the love of her life, but a shocking event during one of her trials will put her life in tatters, forcing her to take some time off to put her life back together. To achieve this she will go back to her hometown where an old acquaintance will ask for her help defending a woman accused of assault and kidnapping in a surrogacy case, and soon Robin will discover that the defendant has ties to a murder case in Portland.

Margolin writes in such a gripping and fluid way you immediately get drawn into the story, presenting the legal arguments in such an easy way to follow you feel you are another member of the jury sitting there in the courtroom. The short, fast paced chapters contribute to the feeling of being on the edge of your seat the whole story.

With a story moving at such break neck speed, sometimes character developments remains in the background and I would have loved for a bit more development especially on Marjorie’s character. It was a little hard to feel sympathy for her when knowing so little about her persona.

Although both cases shared elements, somehow it felt liked two disjointed plot lines that could have worked even better as independent lines. Despite this, the great courtroom scenes (you know I’m a sucker for a good courtroom scene) had me biting my nails until the verdict was reached.

Robin is such an interesting lead. She’s smart, tough and resilient and it’s been nice seeing her more vulnerable side. I like how she fights till the end for the truth even though it may not benefit her clients.

Light and fast paced legal thriller with twists and turns that will keep you turning pages until the wee hours of the night.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the fifth installment in the Robin Lockwood series that I have read. I have really enjoyed all of them, and this one is good, but not my favorite. The main story is about Robin’s legal prowess, but there is a side story where she goes through some difficult times in her personal life when she experiences loss and grief. I felt like the writer handled this well, and I was cheering for her the entire time. The story was good, and Robin’s client was definitely creative and interesting. My biggest problem was the ending. It just seemed so abrupt, and I felt like there were loose ends that needed to be wrapped up. Maybe this client will show up again in Book Number 6. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

This is the fifth book featuring defense attorney, Robin Lockwood. Robin faces a life altering event that has her returning to her family home to recover. In the small town she is asked to assist a local attorney with a tricky case. What follows is another riveting legal thriller that keeps you reading until the last page.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had a very hard time liking either Marjorie or Robin as Marjorie committed a serious crime in kidnapping baby Roy, and Robin wanted to defend her! I felt like Marjorie's actions were all very unbelievable given that she was a cop herself. Shouldn't she know better? Honestly, I wanted to put the book down but I decided to stick with it. I'm glad I did because Robin grew on me, and I quickly realized that the slow, somewhat jumbled first half of the book was the setup for the second half. There was a lot going on with the characters and plot lines and Phillip Margolin brought them all back in and tied the pieces together so it made sense.. I couldn't read the second half of the book fast enough! Kudos for making me dislike characters which kept me from predicting the ending of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* pretty creepy! i have not read any of the books in this series but i will now lol, liked the mc and want to read the next book too!

This one just wasn't for me. It was easy to read but I felt the plot and character development was stagnant and hard to get into. Maybe it has something to do with not reading the other books in the series, but I was let do believe that this wasn't necessary.

I'm always ready for the next Robin Lockwood book by Phillip Margolin! This one had her working a bit out of her typical Portland setting, back in her old home town. Her client has not one but two complicated and juicy trials (wow, sometimes people are complicated!). Appreciate how she tackles them using her unique approaches. Also has her dealing with some challenging personal issues.

I have enjoyed all of Phillip Margolin's books. His legal protagonist, Robin Lockwood, is at it again. She tackles the seemingly hard cases as a defense attorney. In The Darkest Place, she is drawn back to her hometown of Elk Grove after the death of her fiancé where she is celebrated athlete. She is recruited to be the second chair in a surrogate mother/child custody case. Of course, nothing is what it seems. This book is an enjoyable quick read especially while on vacation. I always look forward to Margolin's books.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy.

I was disappointed in this book after having read the previous four books in this series with pleasure. I won’t give away what caused Robin to go home to her family but for me it was a jump the shark event and the series deserved better. The conclusion was not at all surprising and the book was extremely short. Total letdown for a serious fan of Rockin Robin.

A quick, easy read of a legal thriller. Not much depth or character development but the plot moved along fairly quickly. The dialogue felt stilted and the story wasn't very engaging. Sorry, I can't recommend this one. Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy.

Robin Lockwood's life is definitely on the right track. She enjoys difficult cases and figuring out the perfect way to help her clients. When a judge asks her to take on a hard case she agrees to it but isn't sure if she is doing the right thing. She soon learns just how bad taking the case will devastate her life and make her look at her life differently. Robin returns home trying to recover from the hurt brought on from her last case. While in her hometown of Elk Grove a local attorney approaches her about a case asking for her guidance. A woman named Marjorie was a surrogate for a couple, after having the child she decides she wants to keep it. She goes to the couples home, assaults them and steals the child. Robin has to figure out how to defend the woman and keep her out of prison. She soon learns that there is more to her client than meets the eye. Follow along and see what Robin uncovers about her client and will she be able to help Marjorie or not?

With an interesting premise, this book did not draw me in the way I had hoped. Implausible at times and with the timelines all over the place, it just didn’t flow the way it should have. The plot holes didn’t help, but Margolin has a way with the court room drama and he reeled me in when we reached the trial.

Secrets within secrets within secrets and so much more. Robin Lockwood has come a long way from her days as a champion MMA fighter. Now she's championing for her clients and her list of wins is impressive. Her life is going well but there are storm clouds in her future. When she takes a case as a favor it all goes horribly wrong. It brings her to her knees and she questions whether she wants to continue with law and with Portland. Needing to time to sort out her next move, she heads home. Soon enough a client comes her way and she decides to take on her case. More secrets from this case lead her into more personal challenges and they are tied to Portland.
So far there are five books in this excellent legal thriller series. I hope there will be many more. The writing in tight and engages the reader from the first paragraph to the last one. There are more than enough twists and turns to keep the reader off balance and wondering what next? Robin is one heck of a main character, a woman, a lawyer, a friend - the kind of person we would all like to have in our life.
My thanks to the publisher, Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.