I really like this book. One of those books that stays with you after you have read it. Great plot and characters. I recommend it if you like crime mystery books. This was a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

I really enjoyed this book, from the strong female lead and the incredibly intriguing mystery, I could not put this down. I loved the dynamics between Keera and her family, the side story of her families struggles and Keera's struggles to live up to her father "the Irish Brawler" made the book even more interesting to me because it brings a humanity to Keera that you don't get in a lot of mysteries. I also really enjoyed the accuracy of the investigation and court proceedings - for me this added to the suspense of the entire mystery and you felt like a part of the jury. I also found it incredibly unique having a chess game, almost, following along with the investigation and although I don't understand chess much I did enjoy reading it because not only did it add another layer to Keera's character I think this also added to the suspense of the investigation and possibly could be seen in future books.

I was on the edge of my seat reading this, it truly left me guessing until the last moment. I hope there will be more books following Keera and her career. I strongly recommend this for any fans of a good mystery/thriller with a strong female lead.

Robert Dugnoi has done it again! I loved having another strong female lead character and hope that he is not done with the story of Keera Duggan and her family. Although not a chess player myself, I did enjoy the connection between the game of chess and being a successful defense attorney. I also enjoyed getting to know the perfectly imperfect Duggan family. I felt the effects that alcoholism can have on a family was very true to life and I read in the Acknowledgements how serious the issue of addiction is in the legal profession. Having read all of the Tracy Crosswhite books, I liked the crossover of characters mentioned and could totally see a book with Keera and Tracy working together. This book had great character development, a fast paced plot, and was hard to put down. I enjoyed every twist! Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”Her Deadly Game” in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was given an advance copy to review early. All opinions are my own and honest. A PAGE TURNING MUST READ OF THE NEW YEAR! it has all the elements for me. Only flaw I found but is what originally drew me to request the book, was the title. I thought at one point the chess game would be the answer but it really fizzed out. Left me wondering I would like to see all that in another book? This was not only a murder mystery but also a legal thriller. Patriarch of the Dugan law firm and family of lawyers.Patrick “Patsy” Dugan known in the legal community as the Irish Brawler because he could be counted on to put up excellent argument skills on cross examination.He also has the reputation as an alcoholic which has become a problem to the firm bottom line. And his reputation. He is often too inebriated to show up to court dates.. And has been a blight to the family that has plagued the family for years. Sunday family dinners had become a chore for everyone to attend siblings constantly fighting over who had it worse. Dad passed out on the couch, mom trying to make everyone happy. The middle daughter, Maggie, has begrudgingly become the one to get dad out of the bars and bring him home. She also oversees office operations. Ella, eldest daughter, graduated from dad’s alma matter earned her law degree, as did youngest daughter, Keera. Two older brothers had taken after father. Dad had taught Keera how to play chess as a good way to learn good gamesmanship which would translate to being a great lawyer. Being able to see the entire field and to not get caught up in any one area. Have to see the plays in offense and defense to be able to assess the next play and to not become cornered. The core of the story is a murder case. Keera has been chosen to handle it. And Patsy would second chair. Patsy would become his old self preparing for trial and during trial.m No drinking for two weeks. Do they win the case, really? I would highly recommend this book. One you won’t want to put down. I look forward to the next installment. An author I will be following. Two arms straight up. Jazz hands. Ten fingers, two thumbs up. Special thanks to the following:
#NetGalley
#AmazonPublishing
#RobertDugoni
#HerDeadlyGame

A solid, back-to-the-basics legal thriller from New York Times bestselling author & ex-lawyer Robert Dugoni.

I did not particularly like the title - it doesn't fit the content of the book, in my opinion, and makes readers anticipate something that the book can't deliver, which is some high-stake, edge-of-the-seat suspense. This is more of a Sunday afternoon puzzle that keeps its audience guessing, although the solution (especially the why behind it) is a bit outlandish.

What I enjoyed most about the book were the family dynamics in between the court proceedings. They felt real in a way most other books don't manage. I also liked the fact that the protagonist is playing an actual chess game that can be reenacted on a chess board at home.

Overall, an entertaining read, although I wished the reasons behind the case had been altered. It's not very believable that someone would go to such lengths to - well, to find out what I mean, you will have to read the book yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the advance copy!

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @amazonpublishing for sending me an early copy of Her Deadly Game by @robertdugoni. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Her Deadly Game is a legal thriller about Keera Duggan, a previous Seattle prosecutor who has returned to her family’s criminal defense law firm to work for her father, Patsy. She gets a chance to restore her family’s reputation, her relationship with Patsy, and her career when she handles the murder case of Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wife. With the couple’s impending divorce and evidence against him, he faces life in prison. As a chess prodigy, Keera handles the investigation one calculating move at a time and discovers a lot of shocking information that would make her question her duty to her client, her family, and her own future.

To be honest, I initially found this novel quite intimidating as I am no expert on legal jargon, but Dugoni wrote this very well – it’s very easy to understand and is very fast-paced and straightforward. At first glance, the case seemed so simple – a wealthy husband decides to kill his sick wife. I loved the storytelling and how each piece of evidence and information uncovered and revealed put together created a darker picture you wouldn’t expect.

I also loved each main character’s development, especially Keera’s father, Patsy. He was the Irish Bowler, a great defense attorney back in his glory days, but he was losing his touch and always was leaning towards alcohol and failed to show up during his last DUI case. His absences and dependence on alcohol have strained his relationship with his family, especially with Keera, who stopped playing chess competitively when Patsy humiliated her during one of her last competitions, showing up drunk. The LaRussa case had them working together – harmoniously together – to defend their client. I loved how they were able to bond during the case with Patsy giving his insights and advice to Keera and helping her gather information and evidence.

Rating Her Deadly Game ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. Releases March 28th, 2023. I can’t wait to read more of Dugoni’s works!

Robert Dugoni's first book in a new series, Her Deadly Game, is an absolute winner!

Keera Duggan is a defense attorney in family's legal firm. Her father Patsy Duggan is known as the Irish Brawler and was an defense attorney to be feared until alcoholism and his court behavior got him crosswise with some judges. Keera had had a successful career as a prosecutor until an ill advised romance made her the target of the ex who just happened to be a co-worker, who made staying in the prosecutor's office untenable, and continued to haunt her out of sheer spite. The Duggan family put the "fun" in dysfunctional both in and out of the office. And Keera has a lot to prove. When a high profile murder case lands in her lap, things get even more interesting. The client, Vince LaRussa, a well known and wealthy investment manager, is accused of killing his wheelchair bound wife to avoid her divorcing him and taking all their assets. On the surface, Vince is a loving husband concerned about is wife and there is no hard evidence tying him directly to the murder. However, the prosecutor is Keera's former lover and the judge on the case has no love for Patsy. But Keera is dogged and persistent, and with the help of her father and her the trusty investigator, little by little they find that nothing is exactly what it seems, including the prosecutor's case.

Keera is a fiesty, creative, flawed human that is easily identified with as she battles her own demons: the relationship with her alcoholic father, her workaholic sisters also in the family firm, the cheap tricks played by the former lover and the unyielding judge who loves making life difficult for the attorneys. The book is fast paced and it's easy to keep reading until you're done. Each chapter brings a new scenario and I just had to know what was going to happen. I hope to see Keera and the other characters in many more books soon; start writing now Mr. Dugoni! Definitely a five star read!

Keera Dugan is defending a client accused of murdering his wheel chair bound wife. Keera works in the firm founded by her Father, an accomplished defense attorney who is also an alcoholic. His alcoholism has started to affect his practice. Keera is up against DA Ambrose who she had an affair with and has a grudge against her. He will do anything to win. The case takes multiple paths and we don’t see until the end of the book how they tie together. This one will keep you turning the pages. One of the best legal thrillers I have read. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni is a mystery/thriller surrounding a defense attorney, Keera Duggan, a recent prosecutor in Seattle. Keera works with her father, a powerful defense attorney, and her two sisters, one a managing partner and the other a receptionist. The story follows Keera defending a wealthy man, Vince LaRussa, against allegations he murdered his disabled wife. As she represents her client, Keera must grapple with the prosecutor, a former lover with no scruples, and her father’s alcoholism.

As fan of Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite series, I was immediately drawn to this book. Instead of viewing the crime through the lens of a police investigation we follow the crime from a legal perspective. As with the Crosswhite series, Dugoni includes a host of interesting characters including an English private investigator, and the victim’s best friend, an Oncologist. In addition to the new characters, there are brief cameos of some of the investigators in the Crosswhite series. A nice surprise!

Overall, Her Deadly Game was exciting and enjoyable, I recommend this book any fan of mystery and/or legal thrillers! Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

"Never ever play games with a girl who knows how to play them better. I'm not waiting for the Karma train. I'm driving it." (Unknown)

Nothing wounds greater than a love affair on the skids. Keera Duggan found out the hard way. Her former lover, Miller Ambrose, keeps turning the knife. But Keera cut all ties with Miller. Doesn't seem like Miller can read a Stop sign.

Keera even left the law practice in Seattle where she and Miller worked. Her only option was to fall into the open arms of her family's law firm headed by her famous father, Patrick Duggan, known as "Patsy". At seventy-two, he's still a force to be reckoned with. Her sisters, Ella and Maggie, work there as well.

High Point: Keera is approached by Vince LaRussa, a successful investment adviser. Upon returning home from a charity affair, Vince came upon his wife, Anne, dead from a gunshot wound in their kitchen. Anne had been relegated to a wheelchair for some time which made the crime even more gruesome. Suspect #1 is the husband. Vince is gonna need a top-notch lawyer.

Investigating Detectives: Frank Rossi and Billy Ford of Seattle's Violent Crime Division step into this circle. Both have years of experience under their belts. This is no suicide with a shot to the back of the head. No other suspects but Vince.

Gasoline On the Fire: Miller Ambrose has been assigned as the prosecuting attorney. He will try to lay bear traps along the way for Keera. It's personal.

Trick Up the Sleeve: Keera was a Chess prodigy for years. She and Patsy played non-stop and she continues to enter games online. Strategy is always key. But is it enough to, once again, sharpen her skills when a man's life is at stake and your ex is lobbing grenades around every turn?

Needless to say, if you've read Robert Dugoni in the past, you know he's should to shoulder with even John Grisham when it comes to courtroom tactics and scenes. The man holds your attention taut throughout. And with a lead female character like Keera Duggan who is well aware of her potential for checkmate, you're in for a mighty good read. Buckle up and let's set up the board.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented Robert Dugoni for the opportunity.

Enjoyed reading the latest by Robert Dugoni. A complex case, explained in a way you'll never imagine! Touches on abuse and alcoholism. Strong female lead (she's smart AND a chess player)! I could see this become a series.

This book is the start of a series about Keera Duggan, a former prosecutor turned defense attorney. Dugoni is one of my favorite authors and he has outdone himself with this book. Once I started I simply could not put it down and I finished it the next day. The book is exciting from the first page to the last. It is first and foremost a legal thriller with a good dose of courtroom drama. Keera is strong and likable yet humble. I am not a chess player but I found the chess dialogue was easy to understand. I highly recommend this book.

In Her Deadly Game we meet Keera Duggan, a young Prosecutor working in Seattle for her family's failing firm. Her father was once a leading light in the field but is now too fond of the bottle and is losing his edge. As a consequence Keera, although inexperienced, finds herself taking the lead in the defence of an accused murderer.

This is a court room thriller with a side of police work accompanied by a family drama. Something for every one and I loved it! The characters are written excellently well, and Keera in particular stands out as smart, determined and no one's fool. I especially liked the theme of a chess game running parallel with and reflecting the action in court.

The book starts well, moves at an excellent pace and finishes in great style with an unexpected twist. Highly recommended.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni, a propulsive, mind-bending legal thriller that is razor sharp.

As a rule, I don’t read legal thrillers as much as I once did and had never read Robert Dugoni until I picked up Her Deadly Game. I saw the book was available for review, was intrigued by the book summary, and requested it. And I’m so pleased I did. I think the epigraph Dugoni uses at the beginning and mentions again in the narrative fits the novel perfectly.

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” ─ Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

Keera Duggan, the main character, is a young Seattle trial lawyer, a former prosecutor now working as a defense attorney in her father Patrick “Patsy” Duggan’s law firm. Keera is struggling to get out of her father’s shadow and to make a name for herself as a lawyer. Patsy, nicknamed the Irish Brawler, earned the moniker because he had “knocked out” so many prosecutors in the courtroom using not only his razor-sharp legal mind, but every other inventive tactic he could think of. Finally, when someone murders the disabled wife of a prominent and rich Seattle wealth manager, Vincent LaRussa, and the authorities zero in on him as the prime suspect, Keera gets her chance. LaRussa hires her to defend him when the Seattle police arrest him for murdering his wife. Keera Duggan, also a keen legal mind, proves she is her father’s daughter, quite a legal brawler in her own right. She provides LaRussa the vigorous defense he’s paying her for. Keera undergoes several transitions during the buildup to the trial and then the trial itself. First, she isn’t sure whether her client is innocent, as he claims, and doesn’t care. Then, she feels certain LaRussa is innocent of his wife’s murder. But as the trial unfolds, Keera has reason to feel there is something sinister about Vincent LaRussa that may or may not involve his wife’s murder.

There was so much I liked about this book, but it was Dugoni’s direct, concise writing style that truly made the story sing for me. Dugoni didn’t offer any fluff. It seems each word and each sentence play an integral part in his narrative. Another thing I enjoyed was that Dugoni offers an important clue early in the book. But reminiscent of a stage magician, he cleverly pulls the reader’s attention away from the revelation by presenting the reader with many other bright, shiny objects that cause the important clue to be all but forgotten. Then Dugoni springs the trap much deeper in the story, creating a most unexpected twist.

Robert Dugoni’s writing style proves the truth that less is often more in descriptive writing. He wasted no time with extensive descriptions, yet provided enough detail to allow my mind to fill in any blanks. That allowed me to visualize each particular character and setting with ease. I found this especially effective with his characterization and had visual images in my head of each of the principal characters.

Something I enjoyed when I used to read more legal thrillers was that the better written ones, though fiction, offered much insight into the law, lawyers, and the courts and made me think. That is another strength of this book. It’s an unflinching look at the American criminal justice system, particularly the adversarial legal system used in our common law country where two advocates, a prosecutor and defense attorney, represent their parties’ case or position before an impartial judge or jury. For all its positives, it’s also easy to see the flaws of the system in that Americans often get the amount of “justice” they can pay for. In the case presented here, we have a wealthy defendant claiming innocence paying six-hundred-dollars per billable hour for a highly competent and resourceful defense attorney. That immediately made me think about how much justice an average person, perhaps relying on an overworked, underpaid public defender, might get in a similar situation.

Fans of legal thrillers and crime thrillers will enjoy this tense, pacy page-turner. It begins with a bang and doesn’t let up until the gripping and dramatic conclusion.

Just finished "Her Deadly Game" by Robert Dugoni. I really this book. One of those you think about until you read again. Great plot and characters. Comes out in a few months. Read it if you like crime mystery books. This was a very enjoyable read!

A defense attorney is prepared to play. But is she a pawn in a master’s deadly match? A twisting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

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.
It was a great. Highly recomended.

Book Title: Her Deadly Game
Author: Robert Dugoni
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: March 28, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars

This is my seventh Robert Dugoni novel, I have read most of the novels in the Tracey Crosswhite series and always enjoyed them. Yep Dugoni is one of my fav authors.

Keera Duggan's father is a famous defense attorney with his own firm Patrick (aka Patsy) Duggan & Associates. Keera had a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, until her romantic relationship with Miller Ambrose also a prosecutor ended. She joined her father’s firm and will be defending her first murder case.
Vince La Russa, a millionaire investment banker who is accused of murdered his wife. And guess who will be prosecuting the case? Yep Miller Ambrose he is determined to destroy Keera in court.

Background info ~ Keera is a former Chess prodigy and loved to strategize which has helped her in her law career. She only plays online on. She considers not just what her opponent will do next but also the two or three moves which may follow. Her opponent is the “Dark Knight” and his chess moves can be applied to strategies in this case. She knows the “Dark Knight” is her dad.
In this case, she has another opponent Jack Worthing. She doesn’t know who he/she is but knows that Jack Worthing is a fictional character; he was the protagonist in Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Ernest” - Ernest is the fictitious brother and does nasty things Jack wouldn’t do.
Now someone using Jack’s name is sending Keera emails with clues that may help with this case.

I love good court drama and this is one of the best. Plus love the chess strategies. As [author: Robert Dugoni] mentioned in his acknowledgements ~ ~I truly hope you, Loyal readers, enjoy the game within the game. ~
Speaking of “Acknowledgement” which I always love reading ~ Robert Dugoni tells us his motivation and of course acknowledged those who helped him with this story; including his research on chess playing.
As I mentioned I read several of his other novel but this is now my #1 favorite!

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this granted me the pleasure of reading this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 28, 2023

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
Robert Dugoni’s latest is a legal thriller with a new main character. Keera Duggan has recently joined her family’s law firm after leaving the prosecutor’s office after an affair gone wrong with her boss. The firm isn’t doing well as her father, a functioning alcoholic, is starting to slip and lose his confidence. She’s the lawyer on call when a wealthy investment advisor calls. His wheelchair bound wife has been murdered while he was at a charity function, but as the spouse, he’s still the prime suspect. As you would expect, she ends up going against her ex-lover as the prosecutor on the case and he makes the case a personal vendetta to boot.
Keera was a chess prodigy in her youth and still plays online to relax. In fact, chess was a major focus of this story. I don’t play and don’t really understand the game and the moves involved. But Dugoni did a good job of giving someone like me an understanding of the logistics of the game.
It’s a strong plot and I was bamboozled up until almost the end. I did figure out the big secret about the defendant early on but it didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the story. I hadn’t realized that Dugoni was originally a lawyer before switching to writing. He wasn’t a criminal attorney, but his understanding of the mindset shines through.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni is a great legal thriller. Keera Duggan is a defense attorney in Seattle. She has returned to her family’s firm after a failed affair with a senior lawyer.
She is a chess champion and uses those skills in the courtroom. She is trying to repair the reputation of her family’s firm.
I have read several of Mr. Dugoni’s series and this one was particularly good. I loved the story and how Keera maneuvered the action to not only get her client justice, but also to get back and her adversary. I recommend this book.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advance reader copy. This has not influenced my review.

I'm already a huge Robert Dugoni fan, and had previously devoured his Tracey Crosswhite series. Because of this, my expectations for this book were incredibly high. This book did not disappoint! As always, Dugoni drew me in with the way he writes intrigue and mysteries, and I was kept guessing until the very end. Thriller fans will not be disappointed!