Attorney/client privilege is a cornerstone of American jurisprudence. In the course of defending his client, a young district attorney learns of the other attorney’s inability to disclose certain facts in a case, resulting in the client being sent to death row for a crime he did not commit. Jose Alvarez spends over thirty years on death row- an innocent man.

Robin Lockwood is contacted 30 years later to help resolve the case with the then much older district attorney. He resides at Black Oaks Manor, a desolate mansion in an even more desolate region of Oregon.

Jose is released because papers have surfaced that proved he was innocent.

Who is responsible for these untimely deaths at Black Oaks Manor? Throughout the novel’s plot line, the story leads to false trails and impossible outcomes.

This novel harkens back to some of the older great mystery writers. As the body count mounted, I found myself on quicksand trying to ferret out the culprit. Facts are not presented until the end which exposes the killer and still I found myself in disbelief as to the capacity of the exposed killer. 4 stars - CE Williams

Fans of Agatha Christie's classic murder mysteries will thoroughly enjoy Phillip Margolin's newest thriller, "Murder at Black Oaks." Defense Attorney Robin Lockwood is asked to join retired DA Frank Melville at his mansion, Black Oaks, to discuss a legal matter. Tucked into the Oregon mountains, Black Oaks is rumored to have a cursed past. Robin learns that Frank was in a terrible car accident which left his wife dead and Frank paralyzed from the waist down, confined to a wheelchair. Intrigued, Robin accepts and finds herself in the middle of murder, lies and betrayal.

At her initial meeting with Frank Melville, Frank recounted a case thirty years prior in which he prosecuted a young man, Jose Alvarez, who was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend. A couple of years later, his client, Archie Stallings, confessed to the murder of Alvarez's girlfriend but Frank was bound by attorney-client privilege and couldn't say anything. Since learning of Stallings' death, Frank seeks Robin's help in overturning Jose's sentence.

Due to Robin's diligence, Jose is acquitted and Frank feels vindicated. He invites everyone to Black Oaks for a celebratory dinner. The dinner guests are an eclectic set of characters including a very resentful Jose Alvarez. After dinner, Frank is discovered dead in the cage elevator stuck between floors. What ensues is a locked room mystery which turns into mayhem.

As the deaths mount, Robin Lockwood tries to string the clues together to solve these heinous crimes. Set in a cursed mansion during a dark and stormy night, Phillip Margolin delivers another exciting thriller. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While this book is the 6th in a series, but fine as a stand alone!

Robin Lockwood is looking into an old case for a new client. Years ago, the lawyer had no choice but to defend a guilty client. He believes that someone else is paying for the crime and hopes that Robin can help.

The lawyer, believes he is cursed and lives in a haunted mansion! There is murder and mayhem and the homage to Agatha Christie is apparent. The first half is legal thriller and the second is murder mystery! If you are a Phillip Margolin fan, Agatha Christie Fan or just love a good legal thriller, you will love Murder at Black Oaks! #STMARTINS #Minitaur

Alright, this one was a smidge better than the last two, but partly because it was such a quick read. I truly can’t get over how the exposition is so repetitive and superfluous. The writing feels very sophomoric, and I laugh how every person needs to be described down to their skin color, multiple times. Is it really necessary?

I’m sure I’ll tune in to the next one, but Robin’s antics seem to be getting a little dull, especially since she’s still in mourning.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

''Defense Attorney Robin Lockwood is summoned by retired District Attorney Francis Hardy to meet with him at Black Oaks, the manor he owns up in the Oregon mountains. The manor has an interesting history - originally built in 1628 in England, there's a murderous legend and curse attached to the mansion. Hardy, however, wants Lockwood's help in a legal matter - righting a wrongful conviction from his days as a DA. A young man, Jose Alvarez, was convicted of murdering his girlfriend only for Hardy, years later when in private practice, to have a client of his admit to the murder and to framing the man Hardy convicted. Unable to reveal what he knew due to attorney client confidence, Hardy now wants Lockwood's help in getting that conviction overturned.''

This was the first book I've read telling the story of Robin Lockwood and I'm absolutely interested into knowing more from this character so you don't really have to have read all the previous books to enjoy this one which is great and it shows how good of a story it is.

This book starts a little slow but trust me stick to it because it keeps getting better and better. The story has a lot of elements that makes a great suspense/murder mystery: an old mansion in a creepy area with a very sooky history, a murder, a family/enemies reunion in the middle of a rainy night and the feeling that something really bad will happen - it does happens.

The story it's fast paced, filled with interesting characters (which at this point anyone can be the killer) and with one narrator only (my favorite kind). It was spooky, catching, page turner and the ending is a plot twist that you won't guess!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to Phillip Margolin for the opportunity.

Murder at Black Oaks by Phillip Margolin is a mystery with many facets. Black Oaks is the re-creation of a famous manor on the moors in England complete with a curse and werewolves. Frank Melville, the owner of Black Oaks, orchestrates a select group of people to be his guests at the same time. Robin Lockwood, an attorney, finds herself at the center of a series of mysterious events that occur in this manor. The novel is a roller coaster of suspense that leaves your head spinning with the number of potential suspects and how the characters are connected to each other. Phillip Margolin is a talented writer who makes his readers feel like a part of the story. His characters are well developed and very realistic. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great mystery.

Number six in the Robin Lockwood legal mystery series takes a road trip from Portland to a  cursed mansion, the Black Oaks on Solitude Mountain. The creepy European replica Black Oaks castle plays a significant part in the plot. The curse will rear its ugly head with another murder.
Robin is going to meet the former deputy district attorney, now retired, Frank Melville. Thirty years ago he tried the case which convicted and sentenced to life Jose Alvarez.
Jose was accused of murdering his girlfriend. The primary eye witness testimony is now in question. Archie Stallings was a witness who testified about seeing Jose at the scene. There are statute of limitations in play along with attorney-client privilege information. It is a complicated legal dilemma.
Frank now works on the opposite side, trying to free the wrongfully convicted through an innocence project. His daughter, Nelly, and his assistant, Sheila, also lives at Black Oaks. There are many interesting staff members living on site as well.
The legal aspects of the case were intriguing,  thought provoking and timely. It was a compelling case. You will find yourself holding your breath for justice for Jose. The castle was a bit over the top, but made for a fun and easy read. There were plenty of well described suspects with opportunity, making it difficult to guess who committed the crime.
This could be read as a standalone but, background from previous books is always helpful. This is an author I've read before and will again.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of "Murder at Black Oaks" by Phillip Margolin, and to Minotaur Books. These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

The author herself summarizes the story the best in the words of one of her characters: "Spooky mansion, escaped madman and locked room mystery". And for Robin Lockwood fans, this newest novel delivers all of those, and more, in a story full of twists and turns. Robin is invited to a dinner to remote mansion of an eccentric retired district attorney. The night is stormy, and Oregon-style mud slide makes return to civilization impossible. In that time, three people are murdered. How are those murders connected to each other and what they have to do with the curse hunting of the mansion? Or do they? You will have to find out for yourself.

The sixth Robin Lockwood book finds Robin trying to clear the name of a wrongly imprisoned man. 30 years ago, Frank Hardy helped put away Jose Alvarez for murder. Soon after, he heard the confession of the true culprit but it was protected by attorney-client privilege. Robin is successful and goes to Frank's supposedly cursed home with Jose to celebrate. However, Frank ends up murdered. What follows has a locked room mystery, an escaped psychopath, and more murders!

This was my first Robin Lockwood book but I really enjoyed it! I was surprised the mystery didn't really start until halfway through the book (the first half was getting Jose out of prison and more like a legal thriller), but I ended up enjoying both parts. I definitely will go back and read more of these!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was given this book by NetGalley for my honest review.

This book started out with legal thriller attributes and then moved into a cozy reading mystery. It was a pleasant read and enjoyable. I am not much of a "cozy" reader, but this kept my attention throughout and Phillip Margolin is a top flight writer.

Good read, part courtroom part Clue mystery. I liked the story, lots of twists that were not expected. I have read other books based on this character and enjoyed this one and the others.

This will have you on edge of your seat! But the strange things happen. Forgiveness is hard to earn after years! Not everyone is what they seem? Family does the most harm sometime.

This book was phenomenal!! Margolin blends the classic murder authors with his personal touch and writes a true old fashion modern mystery.

Thank you #NetGalley and #PhillipMargolin for this ARC, in the closed door tradition of an Agatha Christie murder mystery. Definitely, a page turner of the first order. .

Again, we meet Robin Lockwood and her team as they investigate the conviction of a death row inmate hoping to exonerate and free him. Their client, a disabled former prosecutor and a bit of a recluse, has them at his unconventional and spooky home where murder and mayhem ensues.

By the time Robin and her investigator untangle this complicated knot of a mystery, you’ll be completely tied up in the story. .

Phillip Margolin is a master craftsman never failing to surprise and entertain. He writes Robin particularly well and has crafted her back story in a unique, but believable way. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of an MMA fighter turned attorney. It makes for an Interestingly tough, but sympathetic character.

You need to give this and other Robin Lockwood cases a read. They’re worth the time. A solid slap on the back to PM and RL for a job well done.

It is difficult to put a new spin on a well told tale. Murder at Black Oaks gives a nod to the mysteries of Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen by having a seemingly impossible murder take place at an isolated estate - one of the people present must be the murderer but who could it be? The only trouble I had with the story was the dialogue, at times being banal. This is something that can easily be rectified. I guessed who did it, but there were enough twists and turns to keep my interest.

This book is an homage to the nostalgic movies and books of Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen. It involves a spooky mansion, an escaped madman from the local psychiatric hospital and a locked -room mystery. As you read this book, you can hear the creaky doors, smell the damp, moldy secret passageways and see the shadows lurking just around the corner. And just like in the horror movies, the killer is inside the house!

I have read most of the Robin Lockwood series. This one is quite different than the others, but it was a fun, quick read.

Thank you to author Phillip Marjolein, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC for my honest opinion and review.

"Murder at Black Oaks" was a good locked-room murder mystery. There were some pretty obvious plot twists, but also some rather creative and surprising twists. Having the story involve the exoneration of a man on death row who was wrongfully convicted, as well as investigations into other possible wrongful convictions, was an interesting twist. Frank Melville (who is the murder victim at the heart of the story), was the prosecutor who helped convict Jose Alvarez, who was then sentenced to death. Years later, while in private practice, he learned the identity of the real killer but legally could not say or do anything about it (attorney-client privilege). As a result, Jose spent thirty years in jail, when the travesty of justice, if circumstances had been different, could have been rectified years earlier. The author does a good job of portraying Jose's anger at his situation, including his anger at Frank Melville, who wants to make amends, as well as Jose's confusion being back in society, as so much has changed in the thirty years he was incarcerated and as he has spent the last thirty years with his days regimented and almost all decisions made for him (when to eat, sleep, shower, exercise, etc.), so being able to make his own choices is unsettling. The cast of characters is rather eclectic -- including attorney Robin Lockwood, who used to be an MMA fighter. This is actually the sixth book in a series featuring Robin Lockwood, although it is the first book in the series that I have read so far.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Captivating and suspenseful. This was truly a not to be put down read. Defense Attorney Robin Lockwood is back again. One of my favorites, the story brings back the TV show Murder She Wrote combines with Agatha Christie. A true legal thriller.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

Unfortunately this book didn't do much for me. I found the writing style to be more expository than descriptive (more telling than showing), and never felt drawn into the story.