A former President is accused of murder….

….can his best friend prove his innocence?

Washington DC is a tough town when you’re no longer in power, as former President Jack Cutler has found out since he lost his bid for reelection. On the surface, Jack has it all…Jessica, his loving and beautiful wife, two great kids, and a rise to great heights from his Brooklyn roots. He was always the popular kid, a solid student and a great athlete, good looking and charismatic, and from a well-to-do family. All of which made his friendship with Rob Jacobson unlikely; Rob was not from a monied family, and the only way he ended up at Briar County Day for high school with Jack was through a combination of strong academics and a significant scholarship. Rob was no athlete, he was a self-professed member of the “Nerd Patrol”, but they bonded over 1960’s rock in music class and went on from there. The relationship has not been perfect, with Jack having definite anger management issues and needing to be top dog at all times in all things, and both Jack and Rob survived rocky home lives. Then there’s the fact that Jack ended up marrying Jessica, Rob’s first love, and has not always treated Jess well nor been faithful to her. Still, the friendship has lasted for decades. And when Amanda Harper, a beautiful young woman who worked in Jack’s administration and with whom Jack had had an affair, is found dead in Rock Creek Park with rope burns on her wrists and ankles and evidence pointing to Jack, it is Rob (now one of the best litigators in DC) to whom Jack turns for help. Rob, was also once involved with Amanda when they worked together at the prestigious law firm where Rob is a partner, and with whom he was still in love when she broke things off. Rob initially turns Jack down, citing the decidedly complex relationships between the two of them and both Amanda and Jessica, but Jack is insistent and Rob ultimately agrees. Jack swears he is innocent and Rob believes him, but with overwhelming evidence pointing to Jack’s guilt and the unsavory details of the salacious affair ripping apart Jack’s reputation, even Rob may not be able to save Jack from prison.
Author Lawrence Robbins is absolutely writing what he knows; he has been a successful trial and appellate litigator in Washington DC with a K Street firm, argued multiple times before the US Supreme Court, and has worked with many high profile clients including the BIden campaign. That level of experience infuses much of the book, particularly the courtroom scenes, adding authenticity to the story. There are more than a few possible candidates for Amanda’s killer….scorned and abandoned wives and lovers, a son struggling with mental illness, and more. There is plenty of backstory for both Rob and Jack that is doled out, particularly at the beginning of the book, which helps explain the emotional scars each carries and possibly even why a friendship that seems to lopsided in power has survived Jack stealing not one but two of the women who Rob had loved. As the story unfolded, I had a hard time accepting that Rob would agree to take Jack on as a client, with him assuming that his own connections to both Amanda and Jessica would remain unknown. In Washington DC, city of leaks and backbiting? When a former President is on trial for murdering a younger woman with whom he had a kinky affair? Who worked in his administration? For me, that detracted from the overall plot (others may not agree), and while there were plenty of twists and turns (including a real doozy at the end), I was able to guess who the killer was early on (although I didn’t see that doozy of a twist coming, so maybe I only get half credit). Fans of legal thrillers who like courtroom scenes and case preparation to be authentic will enjoy The President’s Lawyer, as will those who appreciate an insider’s look at the good and bad sides of life in DC; readers of authors like Phillip Margolin, William Landry Scott Turow and (of course) John Grisham may also want to give this one a try. My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me early access to the novel.

The President's Lawyer by Lawrence Robbins is an incredible legal thriller.
The story is fast paced and I found it difficult to put down.
A fantastic book and I througouly enjoyed it! The plot was a thrilling ride and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
This is an incredible story that would work well for your next book club pick.

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

I liked this engaging legal thriller, right up until the last chapter. I am not sure I would believe, however, that a lawyer who was a childhood friend of the accused and who had had an affair with the murdered woman would even consider the job. I think there was just too much conflict of interest and too much that could come out during trial and ruin the whole thing. Nonetheless, the lawyer does defend his childhood friend, the ex-president. The defense aspect of the novel was quite informative. I appreciated Robbins' attention to detail and his extensive knowledge of how to make evidence prove what you want it to.

The very last chapter was an unexpected twist. While the novel itself covered a trial in detail, the last chapter glossed a couple of years of really important action in a few sentences. While the twist was foreshadowed, I guess, I did not like it at all. I felt it sort of ruined or discounted all the preceding events in the novel.

This novel is a very informative in the details of legal procedure. There is some kinky sex mentioned but not described in detail. I think Robbins has a good future in writing more legal novels. A more traditional ending would appeal to me better than something like was done here.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

First thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Synopsis: Robby and Jack have been friends for a very long time from middle school to the White House. They shared everything including secrets and lovers. When Jack is arrested and charged for murder, he asks Robby to be his attorney even if there is a conflict if interest because he is the best defense attorney. Will he be able to defend him and did he really do it?

What I liked: this was a great popcorn thriller that I devoured in less than 2 days. Robby is the street wise rough character who went to private school on a scholarship. This is where he met Jack who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. They become fast friends but Jack does have a temper. He does pick on him but Robby and him both go on to success later in life. Jack became president and Robby a successful lawyer. There are several twists and turns as the trial begins and goes through to conclusion. It makes for a page turner and enjoyed it.

One-word review: Creepy
Emojis: 🤔🫢😳
Rating: 4 🌟s

Comp Titles:
Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow

My Top-Five-style Review:

5. The inclusion of character sessions, a unique narrative device, was a brilliant move. It not only fuels the story but also gives the reader a deep insight into the killer's mind and motivation, making you feel more connected to the plot.

4. The back story, complex and fascinating, though sometimes wordy, is a puzzle that keeps the reader intellectually stimulated. The balance of exposition to dialogue, while leaning heavily on the exposition side, is paramount in determining who the killer is.

3. I was not a fan of the real-world political commentary. However, I found the stereotyping by political parties fascinating, although it could be seen as misleading. The author's portrayal of political parties may not align with all readers' views, and this could be a potential drawback for some.

2. There are lots of twists and turns and excellent red herrings that keep you guessing, and I found them captivating and entertaining throughout the story.

1. That ending!!!! I can't say anything about it, but it was so creepy, and I loved that!

4.5 stars. All you need to know about The President’s Lawyer is this: A former U.S. president is accused of killing his mistress, and he hires his childhood best friend, a prominent D.C. lawyer, to defend him. Don’t read the blurb, don’t read plot-heavy reviews, don’t read spoilers; go in knowing only the bare bones of the plot and let this book surprise you. And I guarantee you, you will be surprised.

Lawrence S. Robbins has argued nearly two dozen cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, so he definitely knows his way around a courtroom. In The President’s Lawyer, he translates his experience into courtroom scenes that are tense, smart, scandalous, and riveting. This book delves into some salacious subject matter that had me devouring page after page of unsavory secrets, while also providing an inside look at the process of preparing a case to go to trial: discovery, jury selection, etc. The characters are fascinating, and even though this is an action-forward book, there is interesting character development that allows for thoughtful examination of several timely topics – the specifics of which I will avoid so I don’t give away too much.

One thing I will give away, though, is that this book doesn’t get too involved in political rhetoric. There are obviously mentions of the left and right, but Robbins, smartly, doesn’t dwell on the politics. Instead of focusing on the President’s political life, Robbins focuses on what the President may or may not have done in his personal life.

But of all the things Robbins does right in The President’s Lawyer, the thing he does best is the ending. I’m telling you, it’s a stunner that I NEVER saw coming. And after I finished that final page, feeling completely satisfied, I couldn’t stop marveling at how cleverly, how perfectly, Robbins set everything up.

I don’t read many legal thrillers, but The President’s Lawyer may have changed that…although Robbins set an incredibly high bar for other writers in this genre. Hopefully soon he’ll have just as many books to his name as Supreme Court cases, and I will be reading them all. Thank you to Atria Books for the early reading opportunity.

Move over Scott Turow and John Grisham there is a new litigator in town. I have not read a legal thriller this delicious since I first read Presumed Innocent! This book deserves all the stars and more!

Rob Jacobson, a powerful defense attorney in Washington, DC is tasked with defending his childhood playmate, who happens to be the former President of the United States. The ex-president is charged with murdering his mistress.

The prosecution certainly appears to have all the evidence necessary for a conviction, but is it enough to send President Cutler to jail for murder beyond a reasonable doubt? Written in the first person of the defense attorney, Rob, readers are taken from the law office to the Oval Office, and from the bedroom to the courtroom.

What I thoroughly expected, but happily did not find, was a great deal of time spent on something that is frequently found in other legal thrillers, but not here...... jury selection. A comprehensive synopsis of the process was provided, but thankfully without going into exhaustive detail. More time is spent on character development and in the courtroom on witnesses for the prosecution and defense and the lawyers' closing arguments.

There are just the right number of red herrings to make the narrative exciting and intriguing. However, there is nothing that can match the shocking ending! It is a true GOTCHA moment! I immediately went back to the beginning of the book and started reading it again to find out what I may have missed.

If there is a Best New Legal Thriller Award, it should go definitely to this author, Lawrence Robbins. I can't wait to read what he comes up with next.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me the opportunity to read this awesome book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I"m sorry- I tried but couldn't get into this one. Maybe it's all the election ads and uproar at the moment or maybe it's just that I kept thinking about recent Presidents and trying to envision the scenario but .....That said those who like this sort of novel, plausible or not, will undoubtedly find this a page turner. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

Lawrence Robbins might be the new John Grisham! An intense legal thriller that combines intense courtroom drama with a gripping murder mystery. The story revolves around Rob Jacobson, a criminal defense attorney who takes on the high-stakes case of defending his lifelong friend, President Jack Sherman Cutler, after the president is accused of murdering his former White House lawyer, Amanda Harper. As Rob delves into the case, long-buried secrets, past betrayals, and personal tensions resurface, complicating his professional and emotional life. Is his friend as innocent as he seems? Can a President get away with murder.

As Robbins is an accomplished attorney himself, he brings an air of authenticity to the courtroom scenes, which are vivid and meticulously detailed. The book explores complex themes like friendship, loyalty, and the moral dilemmas faced by legal professionals. While the pacing may stumble at times, and the novel does rely on some familiar legal thriller tropes, its twists and turns keep readers engaged until the climactic reveal.

A solid, well-crafted narrative that will appeal to fans of courtroom dramas and political intrigue.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Ron Jacobson and John "Jack" Cutler have been friends for years, since their days at an exclusive prep school where Jack was the golden boy and Ron was a scholarship student. Somehow, Ron caught John's eye and he was included in the golden circle of privilege which surrounded Jack all his life. There were some practical jokes which always seemed to find Ron as the butt, and Jack DID marry Ron's first real girlfriend, but they remained close over the years. Ron was there when Jack was first elected to the State legislature and he remained with him right up to the White House, where Jack has just been defeated for reelection to a second term as President of the United States.

But now Jack has been charged with the murder of a young attorney, another old girlfriend of Ron's, who left their firm to work in the White House during Jack's last year in office and who was having an affair with the President. But Ron knows Jack CAN'T be guilty. Can he?

At first unwilling to represent his old friend because of so many conflicts, Ron is soon persuaded to take the case. He works hard and finds evidence that the police either didn't investigate or thought not worth examining. At this point, the book reads like a Scott Turow or John Grisham legal procedural with not a lot of surprises. But the surprises DO come, and when the book is over, the ending will stop you in your tracks.

Headline: Fearless, provocative debut!

Book Review: The President's Lawyer by Lawrence S. Robbins
Published by Atria Books, October 8, 2024

★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars!)

A United States President and career politician nurtures a life long relationship with a boyhood friend, a perennial sidekick who'd end up as his attorney and lifeline in a dire present day open-and-shut DC homicide case.

Both client and attorney are forty years removed from their high school years as classmates at an exclusive Brooklyn, NY high school. The class of 1988 in fictional "Briar Country Day" to be exact. The future lawyer, now a partner in a DC firm, had then been on a scholarship based on need. Rob Jacobson commuted to school on the D train. The future president, on the other hand, was driven to school in a limo. Jack Cutler, chauffeur-driven scion, most popular kid, good student, standout varsity athlete, had, year after year, been the student government president.

A perverse and borderline incestuous relationship. Over the years, they both end up having intimate relations with the same women. Same girlfriends, same wives, same mistresses. At different times, of course. Or not.

It is one of those women who'd one day be found murdered, the crime for which the fictional president, now a civilian out of power and still married (to another woman), finds himself accused of. For that extra privacy, the former Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief of the greatest nation on earth, had long since waived secret service protection.

The trial begins.

Just then, out of the blue, a player, closely related to both the accused and his attorney decides to intervene and mete out summary justice...

-------

Lawrence S. Robbins, a high-stakes trial lawyer and appellate litigator known for having argued cases in the United States Supreme Court and in the federal circuit courts of appeals, represented accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford in the 2018 Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Inter-alia, he was on the team with Democrat House litigators in the first impeachment trial some years ago. All summed up, one would thus expect the book to be politicized, to have a far-left bend.

Far from it!

Fearless, provocative, the author pens a psychological thriller centered on what can only be kindly described as unfettered libido. Way, way over the top, but interesting light reading nonetheless.

Review based on an advanced reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

“He was born with bumpers that kept his bowling balls rolling down the middle of the lane, all the rest of us had to worry about staying out of the gutter.”

“You told me once before that the level abuse went way down after the assault. Why is that? Why? Because I killed the b@stard, obviously.”

Thanks to Atria for sending me a #gifted copy of this one. It wasn’t even on my radar but I’m so glad I checked it out. I also didn’t realize this was a debut novel. It was well crafted and written like a pro.

This book was a slower burn than I typically go for but I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. There was so much scandal and mess to unpack.

Oh and don’t even get me started about all of the unlikable characters. I mean that in only a complimentary way…promise. You know who I felt sorry for in this book?! Not a single person. I think as an author you have a real talent if you can create a world of terrible people and make your reader still enjoy the story. I also think it is very hard to find books with well defined and memorable characters when you have this big of a cast of characters. LR knocked it out of the park with this debut.

I can’t even get into the story for you because I think you should go in blind and I don’t want to spoil anything. Just know that I highly recommend it.

The President’s Lawyer lives up to its description as a twisty legal thriller. Former President Jack Cutler faces charges of murdering his mistress He calls on lifelong friend and attorney, Rob Jacobsen, to defend him. Rob is reluctant to do so due to multiple complicating relationships that might present a conflict. Despite that, he takes on the President’s case.

It is a well-written, fast-paced story that keeps you guessing. Mr. Robbins’ real-life experience and knowledge of the courts informs the story. It’s a quick, satisfying read. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy.

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

The story begins with Robbie just finishing a trial when he is met by a man telling him that Jack, the former President, needs his help. It seems that Jack is expected to be charged with murder. Robbie goes to meet and learns that Jack is to be charged with the murder of Amanda, Robbie’s former girlfriend who was also an Asst. Council for the President. Robbie explains that he can’t take the case because of his conflict being he was acquainted with the victim. Jack tells Robbie that he needs him as his lawyer and to disregard the conflict.

The story continues with descriptions of what transpired prior to Amanda’s murder. It then gets into the trial and follows Robbie and eventually Jane as they try to discredit the prosecutors. Closing arguments are finally and the case then goes to the jury.

To learn what the jury verdict was, what evidence the prosecution displayed and how Robbie and Jane worked to disprove it and what final attempt the prosecution presented in the end, then you must read this book.

The ending is one that you wouldn’t expect. Don’t miss it!

I found this book to so a fun, fast-paced read! I don’t normally read legal thrillers but I thought this was a unique take on the genre and from the second I saw it on NetGalley knew I needed to read it. The book centers on a former president of the United States who is charged with the unaliving of his mistress, and he tasks his childhood best friend to defend him in court. The majority of the book goes through the trial from jury selection through the end and the courtroom scenes felt like the reader was there experiencing the trial first hand. There was so much drama and twists that I didn’t see coming. You can totally tell that the author was passionate about this book which I always love as a reader. While the ending wasn’t totally out of left-field I didn’t love it and bet it will be a topic of conversation when this book is released and more people get to reading it. If you are interested in politics, courtroom drama, or legal thrillers I really think you would enjoy this book. It releases on 10/8. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for early access in exchange for my honest review!

4/5 Stars

I guess you can’t blame the guy?

When Rob Jacobson, one of DC’s most powerful litigators, is asked to defend the former President of the United States and his childhood best friend-accused of murdering his mistress-he knows it’s the case of a lifetime.

After all, their friendship has already survived Jack Cutler marrying Rob’s first love, Jess-and a few other nasty things that he has done along the way…

Jack has a habit of taking what isn’t his.

But, how do you defend a man who was clearly involved with the Victim and would prefer not to testify about his unconventional sexual preferences? The other defenses that Rob and his colleague, Jane Cashman could offer up, are definitely not very palatable either.

And, there lies the dilemma. Or, at least one of them.

The first 25% gives you some background information on their friendship, but at the halfway mark we are already in TRIAL-my favorite part of ANY legal thriller-the strategies, the pivots that must be made on the fly, and the surprises!

Including the shocking ending!

The story mostly unfolds in the first person POV of Rob, with a few chapters sharing the conversations between therapist and client.

This is a riveting DEBUT novel by an acclaimed trial and appellate litigator who has argued 20 cases in the United States Supreme Court, and 60 others in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, and his expertise shows. I especially enjoyed learning about jury selection. Yikes.

This case seems to take place in the not so distant future, as our two most recent Presidents are mentioned and for authenticity, you will see some parallels made between the story and the current Political environment. But, don’t worry-the mention of anything Political is minimal, and the unconventional sexual acts are only minimally described as well.

In fact, the only TW is a brief mention of a dog killed.

I read the entire book in one day.

This book definitely deserves more attention than it is getting! Add it to your TBR today if you enjoy legal thrillers!

EXPECTED PUBLICATION DATE: October 8, 2024

Thank You to Atria for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

This is the first novel by lawyer Lawrence Robbins and it's a good one. Rob Jacobson and Jack Cutler have been best friends since childhood. Jack is now the former president of the United States and Rob is a very successful attorney. When Jack is accused of murdering his mistress, he insists that Rob is the only one he will allow to represent him even though their intertwined past presents many complications. As the trial proceeds, many sordid, embarrassing details about Jack's life are revealed. There are also some thinly-veiled parallels to today's political environment. If you like legal thrillers, then I think you'll enjoy this one. Thanks to #netgalley and #atriabooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jack Cutler, the former President of the United States, has been accused of murder and is asking his best friend and powerful litigator, Rob Jacobsen, to take his case. The stress of the case, however, digs up a troubled past between the two men.

I did read this as an ARC, so edits might have been made post reading.

This debut legal thriller had all the makings of a good legal thriller with lots of twists and turns and red herrings. Unfortunately, I found the foreshadowing in the begging a little too blunt and ended up predicting all the twists and turns miles before they happened. The pacing was slow in the beginning when Robbins laid the background and historical foundations. I would have liked to have seen a different book structure utilized to sprinkle this information throughout the book. The pace picked up in the courtroom and I really enjoyed that piece. The last two twists are a great ending to the book, but because the were predicted way ahead of time, we’re not has shocking as they could have been. Overall a promising debut that might have benefitted from one more round of editing. I’m rounding down from 3.5 to 3.

The opening to the book had a lot of promise, but all the elements that were put in place came together in a sloppy manner. I guessed part of the twist of the last chapter about 2/3 of the way through the novel -- at that point, it felt like there was no other logical conclusion to explain certain story elements -- but the identity of the murderer was still a mystery until the end. Once I read it, though, I didn't feel like the book gave that "aha!" payoff. It was more of like a "huh?" only because the entire idea was severely lacking in logic. I had so many questions afterward that just weren't answered and made me wonder if I missed whole chapters. If I'd had had a hard copy of this one, I would have flipped back to see where I missed things but I don't feel invested enough to swipe back on my Kindle and see what I did.

I was really disappointed with the pedantic, plodding writing, and the chapters where one of the characters is talking to a psychiatrist were too jarring to make any sense for a long time. They completely broke the flow of the narrative and the plot; they also gave part of the surprise away, as I mentioned before. Also, the courtroom scenes, instead of being riveting and full of excitement, felt tedious. Telling this in first person was the wrong choice for this book; it kept everything one-sided so that we only get Rob's POV and have to trust his narration to give us information on everyone else.

There were also some odd choices made that made me scratch my head. D.C. as the 51st state? "Frexit" -- as in, France exiting the EU? Within the confines of the fictional world, I didn't have trouble suspending my disbelief but these choices didn't add anything substantial to the book. Why throw in details of major political consequence like that if you're not going to explore them even a little? And something about the president's entire tenure just seemed off somehow. It didn't feel real or believable.

I was hoping to find another legal thriller writer to turn to with as much excitement as I once read John Grisham. This book, though, didn't provide that for me at all.

First of all I'd like to begin this review with a shout out to my friend, Kaceey, whose review convinced me that I needed to read this. You were right!!!

I'm not going to say too much because I want future readers to discover the secrets all on their own. What I will say is that the story revolves around a former president being accused of killing his mistress. He then hires his childhood best friend, Rob, a formidable DC lawyer, to take his case.

This book is the epitome of a *juicy* read. Truly. I couldn't get enough. So many secrets get spilled that I probably looked like a slack jawed fool the entire time I was reading this.

As far as the courtroom scenes. Damn, I felt like I was sitting front and center in that courtroom. Not surprised since Lawrence S. Robbins is an acclaimed trial and appellate litigator who has famously argued twenty cases in the United States Supreme Court. It shows. This man knows his way around the courtroom and it made for an absolutely riveting and scintillating read.

The very best part was the gasp worthy ending that I never once suspected. I was so surprised that when I turned that final page it was with a smile of satisfaction. This was absolutely sensational from start to finish. Highest recommendation. 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.