“It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one.” — Voltaire


I read Dugoni’s first book about Keera, Her Deadly Game, a couple years ago, not knowing if it was planned to be a series. I’m glad we get more time to get to know Keera and Patsy.

Dugoni is pretty good at creating formidable characters. I loved his Charles Jenkins series and always read the newest installments of his Tracy Crosswhite series.

Keera reminds me a little bit of Tracy— but the lawyer version.

Tracy has her things: her shooting ability, her past trauma with her sister, her family and her dogs.

Keera has the same dogged, stubborn attitude as Tracy, but her battles are less physical and more intellectual. Her thing is chess and the lessons she has learned dealing with an alcoholic (but apologetic) father. She is in the courtroom in a battle of wits and strategy.

Vic and Del from the Crosswhite series were in book one, so Keera’s ‘world’ is the same one as Tracy’s and I’m really looking forward to Dugoni writing a mash-up where Keera and Tracy are working the same case! *fingers crossed*



Beyond Reasonable Doubt is definitely a legal thriller. A good chunk of the book involves the courtroom examinations and dialogue as Keera tries the case. There’s not a lot that happens outside the office or courtroom other than tracking down some witnesses.

Her Deadly Game had a heavier chess vibe than this book and it’s probably good that Dugoni didn’t give the same move-by-move chess playing in this book. It was a good introduction to the type of person Keera was in the first book and understanding how chess would continue to influence her courtroom strategy. Dugoni still employed chess language or maneuvers in this book, but in a more underlying way, which I thought worked well.

I went into book one not realizing it was a legal thriller; I think my first impressions reading Beyond Reasonable Doubt were more positive from the very start because I knew what I was getting into.



This book definitely focuses the most on Keera and her relationship with her client. Her dad is in the picture, but he falls off the sobriety wagon and is forced into rehab which gives us the chance to see how Keera does on her own— she stands as her own flavor of ‘Irish brawler’ and risk-taker.

Rossi is also still in the picture, though he’s on the opposing ‘team’ in this book. His and Keera’s ‘relationship’ continues to move forward as I suspected might happen after the first book. There is still a ways to go, but we’re making progress!

The other main character, and the foil to Keera, is Jenna Bernstein.

“Trouble always follows that girl.”

Five years ago she was on trial for the murder of a whistle blower to her company. He accused the company of falsifying documents and misrepresenting to investors what their medical drug could actually do. The night after he revealed to Jenna his intentions, he was found dead. Keera’s dad got her off— he created reasonable doubt, the only thing you need as a defendant in a criminal case.

Even though her company was dissolved and she was found not guilty, Jenna is now back on the stand for another murder— Sirus Kohl, the biggest investor of her company, former lover, and father of her company’s legal advisor, Adria. Sirus was planning to bring evidence against Keera to the US Attorney. The morning after he texted Jenna about it, he’s found murdered.

But Patsy is not in a state to try Jenna’s case. Keera takes it on with serious reservations. She and Jenna have known one another since childhood and, from personal experience, Keera is convinced Jenna is a psychopath and could very well be the murderer in both cases. Can she really defend a guilty person to this degree?

“she couldn’t help but think, were she to take the case, that this time she’d be flying on the trapeze, high above the crowd, without a net. And this time she’d be representing a client who was most likely a sociopath, possibly a psychopath, but most certainly a pathological liar.”

All she has to do is create reasonable doubt in the mind of the jurors and Jenna doesn’t get convicted.

I thought it was interesting to watch Keera struggle with how to defend someone like Jenna. My personality usually swings toward siding with prosecutors, but after reading the book Reforming Criminal Justice, I realize all the ways defenders help the accused get fair trials and not get taken advantage of when it comes to bail and plea bargains, etc.

I like that Patsy has told Keera it’s not her job “to get anyone off.” Her job is to “defend the accused’s constitutional right to a fair trial— that the jury found guilt or innocence.”

It’s easy to just view defenders as ‘accomplices’ to the ‘bad guys’ and think they don’t really care about justice, but it’s probably more likely that they care very much about justice and without them, the whole ‘innocent until proven guilty’ would go by the wayside.

And so I liked the way this dilemma played out for both Keera and Jenna.

I think it will be good to continue on this journey of Keera’s— former prosecutor— who is now defending people and figuring out how to do it honorably. Like the quote at the top says, it’s better to risk letting a guilty person go than to condemn an innocent one.

If I liked chess, I’m sure I’d learn more about that too, but I just can’t do it. Maybe I need a chess-lover to explain to me why they love it so much.



One thing this book made me think about was the impact of the Covid shutdowns on those in the court system.

“overcrowding in the jail continued to be a trigger issue since the Covid outbreak, which had shut down the court system for nearly a year.”

Because they couldn’t hold court, so many people— many who were innocent— were forced to be in jail longer than they should have been while they were waiting for things to open up again. It’s just another reason why the shutdowns were so detrimental to people everywhere and another reason to shake our heads at the overreaction and mishandling of the Covid pandemic.

I can’t imagine what that was like for people experiencing that and not knowing when they would even get their day in court!



A couple small critiques. I wish Keera had had more interaction with Jenna’s parents. We learn a lot about Jenna but then I was like- well what are her parents thinking about all of this? How are they viewing this situation for Jenna or for themselves? I would have liked to get more from them.

Just like book one, the word ‘intimated’ kept sticking out to me. Maybe that’s typical verbiage in the law field, but sometimes word frequency is something that bothers me for some reason.

There were a few times where I found it hard to keep straight who knew what information. The prosecution would discover something and then I was like— was this supposed to be shocking? Did Keera already know this information? Who knew which things first? Not a big deal, but probably some of the aha! moments didn’t hit as hard for me because I didn’t realize that it WAS an aha! moment.

Similar to the first book as well, there were times of overexplanation. I didn’t mind it for some of the legal things, but there was even a reference to the Truman Show. And Dugoni writes, “Keera knew the movie. Jim Carrey lived inside a fake reality where everything was convenient.” To me, if you are going to reference a movie like that, it needs to be able to stand on it’s own. You shouldn't have to explain it because ‘everyone knows.’ And if you have to explain it, then you probably shouldn’t use it. I feel like The Truman Show is pretty common and Dugoni could have trusted his readership to get the reference.


One last random comment. I don’t know if anyone else had this flashback but when they were studying the bullet and commenting on the grooves and lands and the spiral-shaped impressions, I instantly thought of The Great Mouse Detective when he is comparing two bullets under the microscope and spinning them and then sees that they match! So yeah. I already completely understood bullet forensics…



Recommendation

Dugoni is almost always an author I recommend. If Keera’s not the character for you, I would recommend trying his other books.

But especially if you enjoy legal thrillers, I would give this series a try— though I would probably start with Her Deadly Game for more character context.

This isn’t a thriller that’s going to keep you up at night, but it’s still entertaining, and I’m down with following Keera around to see what other messes she has to clean up with her unique strategies.


[Content Advisory: 1 f-word, 20 s-words; no sexual content, just one disclosure of a woman sleeping with another woman]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

She saw the chessboard pieces sliding, like they did in a chess match when an opponent surprised her, and she had to think of alternatives.

Seattle attorney Keera Duggan is asked to by her father to defend her nemesis Jenna Bernstein. Her father Patsy who has a firm of his own is trying to breath life into. He knows his daughter is the only one who can win the case. However, Jenna is not the best client and she has not been truthful in the past. She got away with murder once, will she get charged with murder she did not commit.

Keera is finding out that this case is not what it seems and that she is missing a playing piece.

A good read and you can never go wrong with Dugoni.

A special thank you to Thomas Mercer and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

I really love Robert Dugoni's books. His writing style is engaging and fast paced but includes great details and brings the characters and settings to life. This book - second in a series was as good as the first and can be read as a standalone because the author gives you enough details in his opening of the novel.

The book gives us great insight behind the scenes of transitioning from prosecuting lawyer to defense lawyer and I also thought the balance of the inside the courtroom and outside the courtroom was well done. Love the relationships of the many characters - police, friends, family and neighborhood bar patrons!

A thriller and a courtroom drama combined with all the family dynamics makes it a recommend from me!

Thank You to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted ARC provided through Net Galley.

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Robert Dugoni for the eArc of Beyond Reasonable Doubt.( Keera Duggan Book 2)

I read this as a standalone book and even though it worked well, there is an undercurrent of Keera's story in the background that weaves nicely with the main narrative. Courtroom drama's isn't really a genre Ive really ventured into but after reading the synopsis of Beyond Reasonable Doubt, I thought Id give it a whirl. I have read a few of Robert's books before and I really like his world building, that is, the places his books are staged. His writing is descriptive and you get a very good sense of the surroundings that envelop his characters. It almost felt like my home town, that I could see where everything was, roads, buildings and of course, the courts. Even though it's a small snippet, it felt like a real place that I may have visited.

I also like Keera, one of our main characters and Jenna. This two characters have history back in school, Jenna being a bully and also used to bully Keera. The dynamics between them, that Keera knew this women as a teen, knows that leopards very rarely change their spots. Jenna is a high powered CEO of a Biotech company, disgraced and accused of murdering her partner. Keera, a defence attorney is requested to defend this Women. Is Jenna guilty? Has she still got the power over her victim of bullying? Has Keera changed enough not to succumb to Jenna's bullying tactics? This makes for a very interesting read to see how these 2 women navigate what was a power struggle and turn it into something that the Jury will see as innocence. Because, after all. Jenna is innocent? isn't she.

I found this book both engaging and without realising, binge read this medium paced book within a day. I was eager to find out what was happening and some nice twists cropped up along the way. I am hoping to read more of Roberts books in the future.

4.25 starts for Storygraph. 4 Stars for other review sites.

Investigation, family drama, suspense, and courtroom drama. This is book 2 of the previous 5-star book, Her Deadly Game. ( can be read as a standalone)

This is, unfortunately, less than your typical legal thriller, and that is to say only the last about 30% was the trial and the actual fun stuff, but the rest was a bit too dragged out for my liking. The first about 70% or slightly less was more discovery, and the lawyers were trying to interview people to get the full story and understand the scenario better.

The story held true and delivered. The plot was good, but you can easily guess who did it from the first few chapters. The discovery and understanding the motive and how everything falls into place, and what the lawyer would do in that specific scenario was worth the read

This talks about the murder fo 2 whistleblowers about a biotech company and all the crazy things that happen beyond science, and the same woman is accused of both- mind you ,they were years apart!

We get a hint of what a power-hungry, narcissistic, and selfish woman would do to whom and why in order to get what she wants. we also get a good backstory that adds depth to the characters,

i liked the first book way better, but that is not to say that this one is bad
also, note that you can read this as a standalone; you would literally need NOTHING from the previous book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC in exchange for my honest review

This book involves two court cases, years apart, with the same defendant, Jenna Bernstein. Jenna Bernstein and the two men that she was accused of murdering all worked for the same company: Ponce de Leon Restorative Technology. PDRT was supposed to be like the fountain of youth, where people could appear to be younger, but it was also touted to cure a wide spectrum of disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

Patsy Dugan had been Jenna's attorney for the first trial, and she was acquitted of the murder of her then boyfriend, Eric Wei. Eric was the chief scientist, the head of the company. Eric had met with Jenna and let her know that LINK, their product, wasn't ready to be put on the market. Jenna did not take this well as it didn't mesh with what she had been telling the investors. Then Eric was found dead. Jenna was tried for his murder and acquitted.

Years later, a second employee of PDRT has been found dead: Sirus Kohl was the CFO of Ponce de Leon Restorative Technology. Jenna is on trial for his murder, and this time, Keera, Patsy's daughter, will be her attorney. Keera is reluctant since she grew up with Jenna, and doesn't trust her.

I received an e-arc from NetGalley and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Keera Dugan has her hands full with this murder mystery. Not only is she resentful of this woman she must defend but her dad, once the premier trial lawyer, is drinking again and Keera is dealing with a plethora of memories of times good and bad with him and the issues of what is to become of him. Keera has had some successes of her own, but this one challenges her common sense and her knowledge of the accused. This is the second in the series of Keera Dugan mysteries and one of the best. Fans of Robert Dugoni will not want to miss this one. Thanks to #RobertDugoni#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Robert Dugoni is one of those rare beings: an author who can write brilliantly across multiple genres. From crime procedurals and spy thrillers to literary and historical fiction, his books never fail to impress. And with this Keera Duggan series, he has added another string to his maestro’s bow: that of the legal thriller.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt is the second book featuring the Duggan family law firm, with a case that sees Keera take over the mantle of her alcoholic father Patsy, the ‘Irish Brawler’, to defend a childhood friend charged with murder.

What makes the case so challenging (for Keera) and intriguing (for the reader) is that there’s no love lost between Keera and Jenna, who is a compulsive liar with sociopathic traits. Keera has serious doubts about her innocence but chooses to defend her anyway, a conflict that Dugoni mines brilliantly.

The procedural elements of the plot, as Keera and PI Frank Rossi undertake their own investigation, are satisfyingly detailed and labyrinthine in scope, but it’s the courtroom battle itself that had me on the edge of my seat.

As a former child chess prodigy, Keera has a brilliantly strategic mind and can always see two or three steps ahead: the possible outcomes of one move versus the implications of another. Watching the prosecution trying to outmanoeuvre her while tying themselves up in knots is the stuff of the best courtroom dramas.

The question of Jenna’s guilt remains shrouded in uncertainty until the dying minutes of the trial, leaving open the possibility that Keera, with her superior advocacy skills, may end up helping a murderer go free. It honestly couldn’t have been more suspenseful.

I loved that Dugoni uses the opportunity of this second book to further develop the complex relationship between Patsy and Keera, the youngest by a large gap of the Duggan siblings, as well as the broader family dynamic. Characters are as important to me as plot and vital if I’m to get invested in a series. Suffice to say, this one has me hooked.

Keera is on vacation when she gets a call from her sister to come into the office. Begrudgingly she goes only to find out they have been hired to defend Jenna Bernstein, a disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, who is accused of murdering her former partner and lover. Keera doesn't want to take the case. She has known Jenna since they were children and she believes she is a sociopath. She lies about everything and Keera isn't sure if she wants to work with her. Patsy convinces her it is their job to provide a defense, so she agrees with the stipulation that Jenna can't lie to her. The main evidence is the story from the victim's daughter, and some camera footage that shows Jenna in the area at the time of his death, but again, it is circumstantial. Five years earlier Keera's father defended Jenna in a murder trial and she was acquitted, but many believe that she was the killer, but there wasn't enough evidence. Is she a double murderer?

Once again, Keera has to put all her skills to work to find enough information to create reasonable doubt. Jenna is not a very nice person. She has defrauded investors, maybe killed someone, lived with her partner while having affairs with others, and lying is second nature to her. We learn about her and Keera's relationship while teenagers, and I have to give Keera credit for taking on her case. Keera and her investigators begin asking questions and interviewing people to find out what others think happened and what kind of relationship Jenna had with the victim and his daughter. Keera has excellent intuition and reasoning and is able to put together a plausible story. The only thing is, Jenna has to be willing to play along and tell the truth. Will Keera get Jenna off on another murder charge? Is there enough Reasonable Doubt? With several twists, the story plays out with unsuspecting results. If you enjoy a good legal fiction story, then I recommend you pick up Beyond Reasonable Doubt in whichever format you prefer.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!
I have enjoyed every single book I have read from Robert Dugoni, and this is no different. The legal thrillers with the background, the build up, and the climaxes continue to impress me.

My main criticism is it is obvious to me, as I have mentioned in previous reviews, that Dugoni is on Amazon's payroll with Thomas & Mercer publishing, as simple things like "Alexa" are worked into the narrative. I think such distractions deter from the power of the story and what Mr. Dugoni has created.

For that, I have given 4 rather than 5 stars.

Keera's job as a criminal defense attorney is to ensure her defendant's constitutional guarantees are respected. It must be challenging to defend someone you dislike or believe is guilty. This is the situation Keera finds herself in as she defends Jenna Bernstein, a disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, who is accused of murdering her former partner and lover. It requires a lot of skill to outsmart a sociopath.

Dugoni is an expert in courtrooms and legal stories. The writing is excellent, well-planned, and books hard to put down. An excellent read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Robert Dugoni for an ARC of 'Beyond Reasonable Doubt'.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt is the second book in the Keera Duggan series. I read the first in the series and was very happy to be given the opportunity to read the second.

Keera Duggan is a former prosecutor and now works and has been working in her father's firm. Her father is a famous defense attorney with a reputation as the 'Irish Brawler'. Keera's father might be famous for his skills as an attorney, but he is also an alcoholic which has caused the form to be struggling.

While on a staycation, Keera gets a call to come to the office with no details from her sister Maggie. Once she arrives, she sees that a new client and her parents are in the conference room with her father. Jenna Bernstein disgraced and previously tried unsuccessfully for murder is about to be charged once again for another murder. 'Patsy' wants Keera to defend her., but she is not sure that she wants to mount a defense for the former childhood bully.

Keera agrees to think it over until 'Patsy' relapses and goes into rehab. Now, Keera will have to do this alone without her father's wise counsel. The more she delves into the murder, the more concerned she is about Jenna being honest with her and being able to provide a proper defense she can live with.

Keera and her father have been playing chess since she was young. She uses the strategies from the game he has taught her while hearing his voice comparing the two. Will Keera be successful ensuring Jenna gets the justice she deserves.

This was a fantastic story. Dugoni is a master storyteller. He expertly weaves a tale drawing the reader in and not letting go until the riveting conclusion. I have to admit, I had my suspicions and was rewarded in the end. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I hope this series is a long one. There are plenty of crazy things to keep us in the courtroom with Keera.

While this could be read as a standalone, you'd miss some important background information regarding Keera's relationship with her father if you skip the first book. I had read the first book several months prior to starting this one and quickly remembered most of the key information from it. Robert Dugoni's books are typically five star reads for me, but Beyond Reasonable Doubt felt a little slower in pace than some of his other thrillers.

Keera, after winning her first significant case, she reluctantly takes on another when her childhood frenemy and rival reappears. Despite being acquitted of murder the first time, Jenna is accused again when a second whistleblower and former lover turns up dead. Keera, haunted by her past, doubts her innocence. However, as she delves deeper into the investigation, the truth begins to unravel.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and couldn’t resist reading this continuation. Keera’s feisty, stubborn, and loving makes her a compelling protagonist, and I couldn’t help but root for her. The exploration of family dynamics adds depth and emotional resonance to the story. I eagerly anticipate the third installment in this captivating series.

Quando vi que esse livro era um thriller de tribunal, fiquei com os dois pés atrás, normalmente essas histórias são bem paradas, mas não é o que acontece por aqui...

Tudo começa quando a Keera Dugan é chamada as pressas pelo seu Pai, e bem no meio das suas férias, mas ela não tem como recusar, e segue para o escritório, chegando lá ela vai dar de cara com a última pessoa que ela imagino Jenna Bernstein, uma figura não muito querida do seu passado, as duas meio que cresceram juntas, e sempre que a Jenna estava por perto algo ruim acontecia !

Dessa vez, ela esta envolvida em mais um assassinato, digo mais um porque o Pai da Keera já livrou ela de um, e agora ela volta correndo pedindo socorro, e vai sobrar para a Keera resolver esse caso.

E a gente vai acompanhar tudo, tim tim por tim tim, e a cada nova revelação mais confuso e complexo essa caso fica.

Acontece que a nossa querida Jenna, é a principal suspeita da morte de um dos seus investidores, sim ela tinha uma Start-up voltada para a cura do Mal de Parkinson, e o mais interessante é que no outro caso, a pessoa que foi assassina também fazia parte da empresa !

A cada capitulo novo mais suspeita ela fica, até que a Keera resolve deixar o juri com uma pequena dúvida, e vai ser isso que vai salvar a pela da Jenna pelo menos nesse caso !

I love a good courtroom drama and this didn’t disappoint. This story had many twist and turns but it was very repetitive at times. Once the courtroom stuff started it was great and I would highly recommend.

4.5 stars
Great court room mystery drama. (I love the court room questioning. )
I would have given a 5 star but the first 75% of the book disappointed me. It was slow a repetitive. First Keera (attorney) would interview someone and in the next chapter Frank Rossi (detective) would interview the same person and ask the same questions.
But once the court room part started the story started to bloom. Many twists a turns.
Dugoni is one of my favorite authors. He makes interesting characters that you relate to and care about. The stories always keep you guessing or on the edge of your seat.
And usually you will be sad that you have reach the last page. And hope for a sequel.
That's how I felt about this one. I hope to see more of Keera Duggan stories.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I think I may have found a new favorite author! I loved this book I devoured it in one day!
After a difficult case all Keera whose a lawyer is dreaming about is some time off her staycation, She’s even told the office not to call her - but that lasts all of one day!!
While on a run she is called and said to go into the office asap. Upon arriving She finds that her father whom she works for in their family law practice, wants her to defend Jenna Bernstein who is being accused of killing her former partner and lover. Jenna is claiming innocence. Keera has know Jenna since her childhood, and they didn’t get along. Jenna was manipulative and always lying and would do anything to get her way. Not happy she reluctantly agrees but being a master chess player as well she is planning on staying one step ahead of Jenna. As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

Wow, this was a wild one! And I loved it! This was my 2nd book by Robert Dugoni and it will not be my last! I am adding all his books to my TBR AND adding him to my always-read list! I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in this series! Keera kicks some serious ass.

#BeyondReasonableDoubtKeeraDugganBand2
#NetGalley