I have not read the previous books in this series but that did not impair my understanding of this story. Rich Justice is a solid legal thriller with a flawed main character that is surrounded by other flawed men and women. He is accused of murdering the local main drug dealer and this accusation will force him out of his alcoholic numb state to fight for the truth and for his life. There are other mysteries that are also part of the plot: why and who was really involved in killing the guy; which are the connections that tied dealers and local law; how the law and the parallel vigilante law enforcers worked together; how Rich learned to deal with his family, his memories, his addiction to alcohol, and his profession, and what will make him move forward. Rich Justice is one of the best legal thrillers I've read so far this year.
I thank Mr. Bailey, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Book #3 in the Jason Rich series. This could be read as a stand alone but the first two books contain pieces of the over arcing story to explain how Jason Rich's life has fallen so far, so fast, that he finds himself the prime suspect in a drug dealer's murder. Robert Bailey does an excellent job of providing a story full of tension, suspense and thrills, while setting up the story line for the next book in the series. The continuing characters are almost three dimensional in their support and their disgust for Jason's plight. I've been reading alot of series lately and this one ranks right along the big name police procedurals. RICH JUSTICE and Robert Bailey have earned "followed" status.

Rich Justice is book 3 in the Jason Rich Series by Robert Bailey.
My goodness this series just keeps getting better and better.
Robert Bailey is an excellent story teller and an author I always look forward to reading.
This book caused me to lose a good nights sleep, couldn't put this book down once this story got going.
I absolutely loved the way the characters developed throughout the book.
This is a great book- flawed characters, gritty action, and a main character you believe in.
A riveting legal procedural!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

I was excited to continue the Jason Rich series, especially after that event at the end of Rich Waters. The books are available in Kindle Unlimited including audio. I would read the series in order for both the character developments and the changing issues in the small Alabama community.

Jason Rich is a lawyer. His father wanted him to be a lawyer and join his practice. Instead, he set up his own practice in personal injury and has been extremely successful. When the series begins, his father has recently died. Jason has been in rehab for alcohol for the past 90 days. In the first book, his sister, Jana, was charged with murder of her husband. Jason defends her successfully, his first foray into criminal defense. In the next book, the meth king blackmails him into another murder defense.

Jason starts Rich Justice in a rough place. He has been suspended as a lawyer. He's been on a alcoholic binge for a couple weeks. His closest friends are the veteran brothers who run the shooting range and are his neighbors. Then he is arrested for the murder of Tyson Cade.

The circumstantial evidence is strong but he didn't do it. How he navigates the investigation and trial plus several murder attempts on his life and his support team is well written. The pacing is quick and it's exciting trying to figure out who really did murder Cade. There is also the hunt for Mattie Dean, who is suspected of other murders, including a police officer. Mattie could also be the one who murdered Cade so he could take his place as head of the meth empire.

The growth of the characters, the complexities of the investigation and criminal trial, and the attacks were all excellent. I highly recommend this thrilling book and the series.

I didn’t finish this one. Not my type of read. Although, I typically really enjoy this author’s books.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC of Rich Justice by Robert Bailey.

I grew up outside of Huntsville, Alabama and reading these books is like coming home. I have read all of Mr. Bailey's novels including the prior two from the Jason Rich series.

In Rich Justice, Jason Rich has hit bottom. He has lost everything, his family, his law license and his sobriety. In addition, he is accused of killing Tyson Cade, the meth king of Marshall County, Alabama. As Jason puts forth his defense, we are reacquainted with characters from the prior books in the series and taken a wild ride full of as many twists and turns as some of the roads in Alabama. Put on your seatbelt and get ready for the adventure. It is worth the trip!

Keep turning those pages....

Will The Third Time in Criminal Court Be The Charm

This novel opens with the last chapter of the previous novel but with more detail. Tyson Cade, the meth king of San Mountain, stops by the Alder Sprints Grocery for his usual mid-morning delight with the cashier, Dooby. There is a customer at the pumps, so she refuses. Cade tells her tonight. He buys his usual Twinkie and Sun Drop soda. He leaves a $20 bill and walks out. When he almost reaches his car, Dooby yells that he forgot his change. He turns around, and his chest explodes from the bullets hitting him. He falls onto his back and dies. Tyson Cade blackmailed Jason Rich since he returned to Guntersville. Jason Rich’s vehicle is caught on a surveillance camera nearby 10 minutes after the shooting. From this start, Jason Rich heads for his third criminal trial since returning to Guntersville, but this time as the defendant.

This novel is very complex and has many different moving parts. I did not find this novel confusing or hard to follow. The main storyline consists of five threads. The first is the actions of the defense, primarily narrated by Jason Rich and the recently defeated district attorney, Shay Langford. The second is the action of the prosecution narrated by the newly elected DA Wish French and the newly elected Sheriff Hatty Daniels. The third string consists of the Sand Mountain criminal elements, primarily narrated by Matty Dean, who took over the meth activity after the death of Tyson Cade. The last thread provides the actions of the recently defeated Sheriff, who wants revenge against Matty Dean. Plot twists, turns, and red herrings kept me involved with this novel. A major literary tsunami significantly changed my understanding of the events in this novel. My interest was captured quickly and kept to the end.

The background of the Jason Rich character is quite rich. His thoughts on his situation and how he arrived at this point provide much insight into his character. Another source is when he explains himself to Satch Tonidandel and, especially, to Shay Langford, whom he must convince to switch to the dark side of being a defense attorney. More background of Satch Tonidandel is provided, which makes him a more developed character. This aspect of the novel greatly enhanced my reading enjoyment.

Elements that can cause some readers to stop reading are present in this novel. There are no intimate scenes, but there is a reference to one character committing a crime against a woman. There is a noticeable level of vulgar and rude language, but not to a level that caused me any concern and was context-appropriate. The violence is portrayed more edgy as it occurs and is not more than what can be seen in primetime police procedurals. This is the third novel in the series. It starts soon after the last novel ends. Much has happened in the previous two novels in this series. For me, the background for each reference was provided, so it should be adequate for a first-time reader of this series. If you are considering reading this novel before the other two, I suggest reading them first. As it was for me, I believe this will enhance your enjoyment of reading this novel.

There weren’t any aspects of this novel that I did not like. The beginning throws the reader into the deep end, with many narrators and multiple threads. I feel that may discourage some readers. This aspect also is what I liked the most about this novel. Having read the first two novels, I knew the characters, so I did not find the start confusing. It was like just a continuation of the second novel. This novel did keep me up late into the night as I could not stop reading. Many loose ends were closed by this novel. Some of these were throughout the whole series.

I have read the five books in this series and a previous series. Only three were obtained from NetGalley. I’ve also purchased three earlier novels that are on my to-be-read list. I bought these novels because this author is on my Must-Read list. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. I recommend reading this novel with the caveat I provided earlier. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with the death of Tyson Cade who with his dying words names Jason Rich as his killer. After the arrival of the police and with those words, Hatty, the sheriff, picks up Jason and brings him in for questioning. After Jason's last trial, he was right to perform law was suspended so now Jason spent his time getting drunk. Jason hears the sirens and winds up tossing the Glock 17 he had on his lap into the lake.

The story continues then with Matty Dean deciding that he will fulfill Tyson's wish to kill Jason and his neighbors. The initial attempt on Jason was made when he was leaving court after allowed bail. The attempt on his life was made by a sniper who wound up killing a deputy and wounding another. Further attempts would follow.

The main part of the story now comes into play as Jason, who decides to defend himself, begins trying to discover who killed Tyson so he could clear his name. Jason gets unexpected help on his team from Shay, the former D.A. The trial progresses and all of Jason's support wind up in danger.

Discover who the Tyson's killer was, what steps Matty took to complete Tyson's mission, how the judge and the current D.A. worked hard to convict Jason and what happens in the end. This a book you should definitely read.

I love this series and really enjoyed this installment. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the ARC for Rich Justice! #NetGalley #RichJustice

I had never read any Robert Bailey books and had not read the 2 before this one but don't think it lessened my enjoyment at all and I have already ordered Rich Blood so I can read it and Rich Waters too! Jason Rich is a disbarred attorney accused of murdering a Meth Ring Ringleader and there is lots of circumstantial evidence when he is arrested. He hires the former D.A. to help him represent himself after he is arrested however the new Meth Ring Leader has a hit out on him and doesn't care who else gets hurt in the process. One of my favorite series was Justified and it reminds me of this only with cocky but skilled attorneys running the show. Question is who is on the "make" with the meth ring and who is not? Thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the action, the courtroom maneuvers and the twists!!

Hang on to your hats! This is a twisty, action filled murder mystery that hooked me in page 1. It is a story that picks up right after the previous book (which I have not read) so I did feel like I had some catching up to do. There are a lot of characters to keep track of since there is a blend of past and present. I found it easier to keep track of everyone if I read for extended periods instead of a couple pages here and there. Great characterization of all the actors. I am definitely looking forward to more from this series!

This story picks up right where the previous installment left off. The previous installment ended with druglord, Tyson Cade, getting shot dead at the local gas station coming out of the minimart. In his dying breath, he said the name Jason Rich. Jason partners up with Shay Lankford, the former District Attorney, who lost not only two really important cases to Jason (the only two murder cases he ever tried), but she also lost the election to keep her job. Her mentor, Wish French, won and he’s a corrupt and pompous jerk. The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline and the first half of the story.

What the book summary doesn’t state is that Cade’s second in command, Matty Dean, and the Stone Mountain drug crew are now stalking Jason and his security team, the Tonidandel brothers, Satch, Chuck and Mickey as well as Shay and Jason’s investigator. Matty is looking for the right time to kill the brothers in order to get at Jason and he won’t hesitate to kill anyone else in Jason’s circle in order to get to Jason and the Tonidandels. All this while Matty tries to avoid getting caught by the FBI (while still engaging in his secret hookups) who are looking for him.

There is another storyline where the ex-Sheriff, Griff, who not only lost his job, but his marriage, kids, and home as well because of Tyson Cade. It’s revealed pretty early in the story that Griff has an axe to grind with Tyson as well as Matty and Jason. There is another storyline where everyone, Jason and his crew, Matty and his crew and Hatty (the new Sheriff) and her crew are looking for Dooby, the minimart clerk, who was the last person to see and talk to Tyson and who may have had her own issues with Tyson. Don’t even get me started on a few other people who had their own grudges with Tyson. Suffice it to say that there is a boatload of suspects for Tyson’s murder.

The story flips back and forth between Jason and a bunch of others: Shay, Matty, Hatty, Wish, Trudy, Dooby, etc. Most of the story revolves around finding out who really killed Tyson Cade, and how to prove it wasn’t Jason. The ending was a shocker I hadn’t seen coming and, in retrospect, I missed some seemingly irrelevant clues that weren’t. Anyway, it got a little messy at the end, which seemed like a fitting end of the series. At least for me.

At 515pgs, the story dragged in so many places, the writer, or at least the editor, should have weeded out some of the material that really had no effect on the story one way or another. The overall pacing of the story would have been greatly improved had there been a whole lot less filler material. The characterization in the series is pretty good and this installment was no different. The storyline and writing style were…..meh. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.25, which will be rounded down to a 3star rating. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer #RichJustice

Jason Rich wakes from his drunken night to find that he is holding a gun. When he hears sirens, he tosses this gun into the lake. From here, he is forced to defend himself in the murder of a local drug dealer. This book has so much adventure… a large drug ring, corruption, murder, and the mystery surrounding everything that is happening.

The writing is truly excellent, the characters are good, and the story is entertaining despite being very slow. A lot of things aren't very logical, but this is fiction. However, the nonsense with barrel length in Glocks, for example, is just too much.

Just when you think the Rich legal saga’s can’t get any better-Robert Bailey finds a way! I enjoyed the other 2 in the series but I think this is my favorite. So increasingly addictive to dive further into Jason’s ultimate highs and lowest misfortunes…while struggling to keep his sobriety in check, family and relationships together. This time he has to clear his name for the murder of drug lord-Tyson Cade is gunned down in broad daylight just after buying his go-to sundrop & twinkie😉. Jason is seen just a few miles away, Did Jason get his revenge and person justice or has he been set up? So many twists, full of action, corruption, loyalties, brotherhood… unputdownable! I was happily surprised to see the development of the character relationship with Shay & Jason. Will justice prevail? Can read as a stand alone, but there’s so much depth to the characters when you read all 3.

Thanks to #Netgalley, #RobertBailey & Thomas & Mercer publishing for the ARC.
#RichJustice

Rich Justice
by Robert Bailey
Pub Date: May 7th, 2024

I anticipated this book for so long and was excited to see it pop up on my NetGalley and immediately started reading and got buckled in for the wild ride of Jason Rich and his antics. This book starts out with a bang and I felt like I was right back in 2020 Guntersville with the all the craziness of Tyson Cade, the local meth king, being shot at Alder Springs. You start the book with Rich on a bender... he is an alcoholic who apparently has fallen off the wagon, again. It looks like Rich is the perfect suspect, Cade told a witness that Rich finally got him, Jason has no idea if he did it since he was drunk and had been driving near the scene of the murder but he knows better than to say that to the new sheriff, Hatty Daniels as she walks up to him at his home on the gorgeous Guntersville Lake. Not only is Jason unsure of his actions he can't defend himself because he is suspended as a lawyer right now and he just threw his newly purchased gun into the lake. He can't seem to catch a break.

This book is full of wonderful characters that we have all grown to love and honestly could be real people in Marshall County, Alabama. The places that the characters visit, eat and the churches they attend are beloved by the community and Bailey gives them the rightful justice in his book. I love how my favorite eateries are where are characters go to eat Crawmama's for the crawfish and cold beer, Giovannis has the best pizza, Charburger is known for their wildcat burgers & fries, Jamoka's coffee is a locals favorite and Homecoming Cafe' doesn't know how to make anything that isn't locally sourced and delicious and each establishment helped this story come to life. I love how Bailey brings in surrounding areas like Albertville, Boaz and Grant to this story as well as the history of Scottsboro in Jackson County.

Robert Bailey loves to leave us all kinds of Easter Eggs from his other books which makes me smile and wish I could read these books for the first time again. The reference to McMurtrie law book, Bocephus Haynes, the former sheriff Richard Griffith reappears and having Hatty become the Sheriff, Then there is Trudy who is still waiting tables at Top of the River and trying to get her no good son straight. I love the setting of Guntersville and can say that it is a perfect location for this series. Driving across the River Bridge I often wonder when I will see the Tonidandel brothers keeping watch and helping Jason stay safe.

The pace of this story was fun to read and I kept wondering when we would find out who the killer really was in this needed murder. I loved how characters were introduced and reintroduced from the series and how Tyson Cade had ruined many of their lives and now they have a new bad guy, Matty Dean, in charge who really isn't cut out to be the leader, he may have bit off more than he can chew. Tyson at least took care of his people even when he was using them to move product and make money. I also love how Marshall County not only has it's first female Sheriff but she is an African American as well as the first LGTBQ Sheriff, but she isn't out of the closet yet. As someone who lives in Guntersville, this is a realistic barrier that someone would have to go against in our area, sadly. We do have a female Mayor in Guntersville. Of course in the book we learn of crooked politics and how the good ole boy system is in play. Rich's dad was a respected lawyer in Guntersville and Jason carries some shame with him from his get Rich way of doing business even though he has single handedly won two big murder cases in Guntersville.

I absolutely recommend this series if you haven't already start with Rich Blood & Rich Waters then jump in to Rich Justice. Robert Bailey has a way with words that fit the setting and makes you crave a cheeseburger and fries from Charburger and a bucket of crawfish from Crawamma's and an ice cold beer. Make sure you gas up your boat and grab your suntan lotion before hitting the lake to read this action packed book full of the great characters, in a beautiful setting and wonderful twisty plot and make sure you jump off Goat Island to feel that surge of excitement as you get to solve this mystery and get really deep in the muck with all our characters we love and especially the ones we love to hate.

Find your next adventure in black and white while reading your next book. I can't wait to purchase my copy of this book to add to my collection!! #RichJustice #NetGalley #momstr
Check out my socials to see a full recap of this book and other fun reads. TikTok: @momstr Instagram: @momstrof3
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer Publishing, Robert Bailey and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

First, I love Robert Bailey's books, I've read all but one. :)
Second, if you haven't read the other two Jason Rich series books, do it now, so you will be ready for this book. Rich Justice is great. I love that we travels to more places that I know in real life and mention of some Jackson County history was cool.

Rich Justice started off strong and stayed that way. It is GREAT. I would love to see more of this series. But if not, this one ended the series the best way.

I can't wait for it to come out so I can share it with all my friends and our library patrons.

If you have enjoyed the first 2 books in this series, then you are guaranteed to enjoy this one. And when you do read this, clear your schedule, make sure you have nothing to do the next day because this is one hell of an emotional boot camp! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. If you're new to this series, please do read the first and second books to get the best overall experience.

This installment of the Jason Rich series is amazing! It's a little longer than the previous books, but it was worth it!

The storyline was fast-paced and exciting! I was so emotionally invested with this book that I was screaming at the characters, like they could hear me, LOL!

I am not sure if Mr. Bailey plans to write another installment, but if he does, I will be ready!

I encourage you allreading this review to add this to your TBR ASAP!

Jason Rich is an alcoholic. He draws danger to everyone he gets close to, putting what little family he has left in harms way over and over again. He’s been a disappointment, let them down, repeatedly turns to the bottle for solace. He’s lost the ability to practice law and now he’s on trial for murder himself. True to the adage, he has a fool for a client since he’s also defending himself. His suspended license involved a local drug kingpin who has now been murdered. There’ll quickly be someone eager to step into the dead drug dealer’s powerful position. It’s a murder case that Rich has little chance of winning, the evidence is overwhelming. He does have some friends in his corner, ones that have become as close as family to Jason. He has formed strong bonds between the most unlikely brothers, his neighbors. The small Alabama town has an honest Sheriff, the loyalty of others in the department is questionable. The newly appointed DA, even the Judge trying the case are shady characters. I quickly realized you can’t believe or trust anyone in this twisted case. I was so focused on whether Rich was going to stay sober and not be convicted of murder that I didn’t focus much on who the real guilty party was. The ending was a stunner for me, it was so unexpected. I became so entwined in the legalities that I missed some clues. Jason’s struggles with addiction were oppressive for me. I wanted to shake him and make him see the damage he was causing all around himself. A reminder that our actions and behaviors have consequences to others. I’ve read many of the author’s novels, his characters and plots are always vivid and thought provoking. I look forward to the next.
An advanced reader’s copy of “Rich Justice” Jason Rich series by Robert Bailey, Published by Thomas & Mercer, was provided by NetGalley. Expected publication date 05/07/2024. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are all my own honest personal views given voluntarily without compensation.