Such a great read! I've enjoyed many of Dugoni's books and the character development is one of my favorite parts of his writing. The fast pace of this novel made it hard to put down and the twists along the way made for a quick and engaging read! Fingers crossed we get to see more of Keera and her family in books to come!

Players And Pawns…
The players and the pawns go head to head in this edgy, pacy legal suspense. A failing law firm with a need for a big win, murder for wealth, deadly sides and furious family dynamics bump heads as threads combine. Powered by a well crafted and wholly credible cast of characters and an immersive plot peppered with twists and turns, it’s anyones game.

This book was an interesting read bringing the reader into multiple areas of Keera Duggan’s life. She was a Seattle prosecutor who takes a job in her father’s law firm after her romantic relationship with the senior prosecutor goes sour and her passion for chess that ends up in the middle of a key case. Dugoni adds the all to real issues with dysfunctional family relationships that still maintain the bond of love. I thought this novel had a different plot really driving into family dynamics than most of his other ones and still just as good as his other books! I highly recommend this book and this author.

This was my first book by Robert Dugoni and I found it incredibly engaging! The writing style was great, and I loved all the different twists and turns we went down throughout the story. I was surprised after starting from the point of view of Frank Rossi, when we switched to the majority of the point of view of Keera, but I liked the juxtaposition of the defense attorney and the detective in the case. I found the pacing to be interesting, in that we had some very specific details for some points of time and others were sped up or glossed over - however there was a rhythm and a reason to this that I found to be a style I enjoyed. I also liked Keera’s character arc, and the inclusion of chess as a theme throughout. I also enjoyed the family dynamics, and how Keera’s fathers behavior changed the relationships with all of her siblings. I’m not sure if this will be extrapolated into a series, but I find myself wanting to get to know the family better, as well as Rossi and Ford on the other side. Overall I really enjoyed this! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review!

Robert Dugoni goes back to his courtroom roots with this one and I’m glad he did! This is a gripping story that will keep you guessing along with the investigation until the end. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

Her Deadly Game is a page turning legal thriller that leaves you breathless with its brilliance.
Keera Duggan left the Seattle district prosecution attorney office after a failed relationship with prosecuting attorney Miller Ambrose and is now working at her alcoholic fathers legal firm with her two sisters.
Vince LaRussa a millionaire is accused of murdering his disabled wife. He hires the Duggan firm to defend him. Prosecuting is Ambrose, he now hates Keera and she knows he will use every dirty trick he can to win the case.
Keera was a chess prodigy and always uses this strategy when building and defending a case, her father was a good teacher of both.
This is not a cut and dried case there is much to be discovered and explained.
As the court case gets underway the court dynamics between the teams are spell binding and each scene is superb and downright riveting.
There is much still to discover with this case and all is certainly not as it appears. Slowly as Keera begins to unravel secrets and lies all is revealed and brilliantly so.
Every time I read one of Mr Dugoni’s books I say it’s his best yet, well today it’s this wonderful read…..until the next!
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly

I really enjoy reading Robert Dugoni novels and especially the legal thrillers. This is a standalone legal thriller that I enjoyed from start to finish.

Seattle prosecutor Keera Duggan was building a solid career reputation until a relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. She has now returned to her families troubled defence law firm, working for her father. She hopes to restore the family’s reputation, her relationship with her father, and her career.

Keera is retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife, giving her an opportunity to get back in the limelight for the right reasons. If convicted LaRussa faces life in prison and it doesn’t look good due to the couple’s pending bitter divorce. Up against Keera on her first homicide defense is prosecutor Miller Ambrose, her former lover, who is determined to destroy her in court.

Keera and her team uncover a complicated and deadly game that turns the case upside down leaving her to decide between her duty to her client, her family’s legacy, and her own future.

As per usual the author writes impeccably and this courtroom drama had me gripped.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Great book. Characters are realistic and lots of room for the next book. I like this is a story of good people trying their best to do the right thing. I highly recommend this.

This is truly a wonderfull legal thriller. Great courtroom scenes and great family dynamics. Keera Duggan is a great character that could become bigger then the Tracy Crosswhite series.. One of the best books i read this year.

Thank you so much @netgalley and @robertdugoni for the ARC!❤️

♟️Personal Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25 / 5.

"A person in a gasoline-soaked suit should never play with matches."

Her Deadly Game is my first book by Robert. I've been meaning to read his books for a long time and finally the opportunity arrived. I stayed awake reading till 4 in the morning because there was no way I could put it down without knowing the end! The twists were unpredictable as heck and so well thought out. I was as clueless as Ambrose, the cocky, manipulative ex, when Keera along with dashing Harrison came up with a foolproof theory to explain the murder. Keera's competitive nature and willingness to bring justice to the victim, not only to win the case were commendable. I thought the portrayal of courtroom scenes were brilliant; the family dynamics, the unimaginable amount of mental pressure the attorneys have to live through, how it puts a strain on their family lives - I loved it all. Especially how he incorporated chess playing in the story. I know nothing about chess yet it felt such a significant, powerful part. I haven't read a lot of legal thrillers but among the ones I have, it's my favourite. Highly recommended!

Thank you so much Thomas & Mercer, Robert Dugoni, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Her Deadly Game. Publication date March 28, 2023

Robert Dugoni is a pro when it comes to legal thrillers and each and everyone one of them has been an amazing read for me. Her Deadly Games was no exception!

Keera Duggan is trying to make a name for herself as an attorney that isn't overshadowed by the reputation of her father Patrick "Patsy" Duggan. She's well on her way to doing so as a prosecuting attorney for the state before she gets wrapped up in the fallout of a failed romantic relationship with her superior. This fallout has her doing the one thing she didn't think she'd do, joining her father at his firm Patrick Duggan & Associates.

Keera gets the opportunity to make a name for herself when Vince LaRussa calls looking for representation following his wife's murder. Enter Miller Ambrose, prosecuting attorney and the reason Keera left the PA's office, who is trying the case for the state. Keera and Miller are both competitive and determined to win. Throw in some anonymous emails, a big Irish family that is always around, and some questionable decisions on everyone's part and I just couldn't put this book down!

I absolutely love that some of the scenery and characters from the Tracy Crosswhite series were incorporated into the story. Tracy Crosswhite is what started my love for Dugoni's books. Dugoni's courtroom scenes are also some of the best I have ever read. I really hope this ends up being a new series from Dugoni.

If you enjoy legal thrillers, this book is absolutely worth the read

“ First rule, it’s always the husband.”
Vince LaRussa Returns home after charity function to find his disabled wife murdered. So begins the trial of his life.

Keera Dugan Is fresh out of the prosecutors office, working for the family law firm, trying to establish herself as a defense attorney.

This case could make or break her career, So why is she having second thoughts about Vince’s innocence?

This is the third book I have read by the author, and I could not put this down, the twist the turns, the characters, the writing style, I loved at all!

Keera Duggan is a young lawyer now working with her father. Her father has some personal problems and is becoming less dependable. Now Keera must work even harder to prove herself and keep her fathers reputation in tact.
A case landed in her lap that will make or break them both.
Keera's using everything she has to defend a man accused of killing his wife. But everything keeps leading her down a new path and the prosecutor isn't helping by withholding information.
Do her client do it or not and if not who did and why.
This is another intense read by Robert Dugoni and if you've read any of his Tracy Crosswhite books you will enjoy this fast moving book as well.

Thank you #NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer for this ARC

This was another fun to read book from the author. A good fast read mystery. Not a lot of suspense but still an enjoyable read. This is a book which I would recommend to all who like a good mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

I requested this book as I am a big fan of the author. I don’t normally read courtroom dramas, but I have to say I really enjoyed this book.

I found it slow to start with a lot of police procedure-this wasn’t the main bulk or purpose of the story so maybe no needed.

Keera Duggan is an ex prosecutor who now works for the family law firm. Her dad Patsy ‘the Irish brawler’ was once a feared lawyer, but now is an almost functioning alcoholic. The law firm needs a win, and a good one to be able to continue.

The case begins with the murder of Anne, a cripple confined to a wheelchair. The main suspect is her husband, but is he guilty.

What then plays out is a game of cat and mouse between Keera and the prosecutor Ambrose.

This book was great. I hope it will become a series!

A new legal thriller by Robert Dugoni! How exciting is that! Dugoni is a wonderful storyteller, and in Her Deadly Game, he pulls out all the stops. We have new characters in a familiar setting, Seattle, Washington, which is the locale of his popular Tracy Crosswhite series.

Keera Duggan is an up-and-coming attorney following in her father’s footsteps. She recently left the prosecutor’s office due to unpleasant circumstances and is now employed at her father’s firm, Patrick Duggan & Associates. She has just mopped up a drunk-driving court case, making a favorable impression on those present. Now, she has a chance at a case that could make or break her career. The wealthy wife of a successful company, LaRussa Wealth Management, has been found murdered. The husband is not charged – at first. But we all know how that goes, don’t we?

Her Deadly Game did not strike me as a run-of-the-mill legal thriller/courtroom drama. Having read quite a few novels by Mr. Dugoni in the past, I expected a very good book. I didn’t know how complex this story would prove to be, however. I was intrigued by the inclusion of the game of chess, which was interesting because I’d previously read Dugoni’s The World Played Chess, which is not at all about chess. Keera Duggan is a former chess champ, taught the game by her father “Patsy,” and she still plays online against someone going by the name Dark Knight. It helps her focus. Patsy always compared working a case to playing chess. You don’t just think of your next move; you try to foresee your opponent’s move and prepare for it. As a reader who has never played chess, it was a minor distraction that was easy to skip over. I found the author’s admission that he doesn’t play chess either to be quite unexpected! I did enjoy the inclusion of chess in the plot, however.

I’d be misleading you if I told you that this book is only about the death of Anne LaRussa and the subsequent murder trial. It’s also about relationships, good and bad. Dysfunction within relationships due to alcohol, abusive language, and possessiveness, dependency, and even physical and mental illnesses that affect our choices and decisions. It’s also about the togetherness and support of family, especially in challenging circumstances.

It took me a while to feel comfortable with these new characters, but as the story developed, I started to root for Keera Duggan. I had a hard time deciding on the guilt or innocence of her client, but I was rooting for her. I loved her investigator, JP Harrison, who worked extremely hard to figure out the puzzle of Anne LaRussa’s death. I proudly state that I had come up with most, but not all, of those pieces correctly myself. I also rooted for Patrick Duggan, the old Irish Brawler. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and he proves it by supporting his daughter in a big way in her first big case. I’d like to see more of Duggan & Associates. It has the makings of another fine series.

I received a digital copy of Her Deadly Game from NetGalley in return for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks also to Thomas & Mercer and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC version of Her Deadly Game

4 stars

Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. For the competitive former chess prodigy, returning to her family’s failing criminal defense law firm to work for her father is the best shot she has. With the right moves, she hopes to restore the family’s reputation, her relationship with her father, and her career.
Keera’s chance to play in the big leagues comes when she’s retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife. There’s little hard evidence against him, but considering the couple’s impending and potentially nasty divorce, LaRussa faces life in prison. The prosecutor is equally challenging: Miller Ambrose, Keera’s former lover, who’s eager to destroy her in court on her first homicide defense.
As Keera and her team follow the evidence, they uncover a complicated and deadly game that’s more than Keera bargained for. When shocking information turns the case upside down, Keera must decide between her duty to her client, her family’s legacy, and her own future.
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
I just reviewed Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni. #HerDeadlyGame #NetGalley

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Another winner by Dugoni!! I loved this book
Keria, a prosecutor working for her families firm takes on the case of Vince LaRussa, an investment advisor who is accused of murdering his wife.
Miller, the prosecutor wants to destroy Keria after a relationship that went bad.
As Keira digs into Vince’s life, many discoveries are worriesome and then a shocking discovery takes a twist . Is Vince truly innocent? Can Keria win this case?

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Her Deadly Game.

Keera’s chance to play in the big leagues comes when she’s retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife. There’s little hard evidence against him, but considering the couple’s impending and potentially nasty divorce, LaRussa faces life in prison...

Hands down, Mr. Dugoni is one of my top three favorite authors so I was thrilled to get my hot little hands on this book! The characters were so well developed (especially Keera and her father) and the pacing was nail-biting!! I LOVED how this somewhat dysfunctional family of attorneys came together to defend a wealthy man accused of murdering his wife.

My only complaint with Her Deadly Game was with the pages describing the chess moves. There is not a doubt in my mind that chess players probably loved that part. However, knowing nothing about chess, I found them to be distracting, hence the four stars rather than five. But still, a wonderful story!

*Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer, Robert Dugoni, and netgalley for my gifted eARC for an honest review. Publication date March 28, 2023*

Rule number 1: It's always the husband or the boyfriend
Rule number 2: See Rule Number 1

Keera Duggan left the PA's office to work at Patrick Duggan and associates - her family's law firm. Keera's dad Patrick is very well known as a damn good attorney (AKA the Irish Brawler) but also a drunk. Keera is the on call attorney for the night when she gets a call that Vincent LaRussa - millionaire and owner of LMS- LaRussa Wealth Management needs a lawyer. LaRussa's wife has been shot and killed while he was at a charity benefit. Keera thought this was going to be an easy enough case for her first murder conviction and good publicity for her family's firm. She thought wrong.....for one thing she is up against her ex attorney boyfriend, she keeps getting mysterious emails leading her down different paths, and she does not know who or what to believe. Did LaRussa kill his wife or didn't he?

This was more then just a very good legal thriller - it was also about family. I definitely fell in love with the Duggan family and I wish I could be invited to their monthly dinners. The Duggans reminded me of The Reagan family from Blue Bloods except they are lawyers. I am not a chess player at all so I did not understand the moves Keera was making and why but I did like how she incorporated her strategy into the murder case. Dugoni did an amazing job of explaining everything to the T but almost too good of a job. The only negative thing I have to say is I did think some stuff was a little repetitive. We learned about everything in the investigation and then we heard about it again in the trial and in-between the trial. If you like a good mystery/courtroom/thriller with good characters this is your book!