Title: Guilty Until Innocent
By: Robert Whitlow
Pub. Day: Feb. 4, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Christian, Mystery, Legal Suspense,

Trigger Warnings:
None- This is a clean, Christian read.

Summary/Review:
Ryan Clark, a young associate working at his distant cousin’s law firm, and his wife, Paige, are settling into their new life in a small town in North Carolina. Paige, still finding her place in town, begins to form connections and finds herself on a personal faith journey. Together, Ryan and Paige navigate their new surroundings and spiritual growth. Ryan’s path intersects with Joe Moore, a man who has spent 25 years behind bars. Joe’s grandmother wants Joe out! Joe’s family requests Ryan’s firm reopen Joe’s case and prove his innocence. While incarcerated, Joe has found faith and now shares hope with fellow inmates, becoming a quiet source of strength behind the prison walls.

Robert Whitlow perfectly blends the legal fight for justice with the emotional and spiritual power of forgiveness and redemption. With unexpected twists and rich character development, the story draws readers in from the first pages. Though the resolution may feel slightly predictable, the emotional weight and depth of the narrative linger long after the final chapter, making this a compelling and heartfelt read. This is my first novel by Whitlow, but I can guarantee this won’t be my last! Highly Recommended!

Special Thank you to Robert Whitlow, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my personal review.

#RobertWhitlow
#ThomasNelsonFiction
#NetGalley
#advancedreadercopies
#ReluctantReaderReads

This story was so well done and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading from this author and I'm looking forward to the next book. The plot was really well explored and I enjoyed the overall story. The characters were great and I was able to dive myself into this book. It was well done and I highly recommend.

What would you do if you were charged with a crime you didn't commit? Joe uses his situation to get the message of Jesus to others. Ryan and Paige find themselves tangled in a very dark web of deception and murder. I recommend this book, I couldn't put it down!

I’ve come to look forward to my annual visit with Robert Whiltow. His novels have become a type of comfort read with an interesting legal dilemma, well-rounded characters, and an entertaining, page-turning story. His latest story, Guilty Until Innocent, may be one of his best in recent years. And, as I seem to say every time I finish one of his recent stories, it’s a world and characters I wouldn’t object to visiting again if he should feel so inclined.

Ryan Clark has been fired from his last two legal jobs. Starting work at a small-town legal practice, Ryan seeks professional redemption. When his firm takes on the cold case of Joe Moore, who is serving a life sentence for a double murder in prison. Joe’s family believes him innocent of the crime (he was in a meth-induced haze when the murders happened) and wants to use some of the family’s fortune to try and get him out of prison for the last few years of his life.

It takes a bit of convincing for Joe, who believes that he’s been led by a higher authority to make an impact on the prisoners’ lives. Joe loves working in the prison garden and seeing the seeds bear fruit. This parallels his work in the prison in the lives of men there, who are coming to know Jesus through Joe’s life, witness, and Bible studies.

As with all of his novels, Whilow creates authentic characters with a fascinating, moving spiritual journey. Ryan’s wife Paige begins her journey on spiritual matters when she finds out she’s expecting their first child, and there could be complications. Ryan struggles a bit more due to some issues with his father’s death from his childhood. Joe struggles between his desire to be free physically and the freedom he knows on a spiritual level. Throughout four hundred plus pages, I became fully invested in all of these characters, their relationships, and the intersection. As with all of his books, it’s the characters where Whitlow shines.

That’s not to say that’s all there is to this story. Ryan doesn’t realize that by taking Joe’s case, he’s opening up some old secrets in their small town.

All in all, Guilty Until Innocent is another winning story from Robert Whitlow.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a digital ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Witlow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Defending the underdog when your career is hanging by a thread and, meanwhile, uncovering deep, dark secrets of the town is what Ryan accepted. He and his wife, Paige, moved so that Ryan could work for his uncle, as his newly begun law career was failing. His uncle soon faced some major health problems, so Ryan had to tackle the endeavor of running the law firm and defending a criminal, Joe, who had been imprisoned for many years.

He uncovers profound corruption and doesn't know how to handle it. His wife and Joe, the person he is defending, support him and teach him life lessons in the meantime.The beautiful difference in this book, as opposed to many other legal stories, is that faith is interlaced within the dilemmas.

I found myself drawn to the characters right away. I enjoyed Joe's deep-rooted faith and wisdom. Paige was an incredibly faithful and supportive wife. The storyline kept me gripped. What a GREAT story!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, for the advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #GuiltyUntilInnocent #Crime #Law #Suspense #Faith #Christian #GeneralFiction

A legal fiction novel set in the south filled with unexpected twists, solid and relatable characters and a surprising ending. Well worth the read! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have come to love books by Robert Whitlow. His writing style and the thread of faith and God’s love that is woven throughout the pages makes them a “must read” for me. While a legal mystery, it is not so much an exploration into who did the crime. Though that does play a part. The characters are so well developed and I enjoyed getting to know them and watch how one man whose life was changed when convicted of a crime he assumed he committed. Joe Moore is an amazing man who has turned tragedy into a lifetime of bringing people into God’s kingdom and helping them to find the love and peace that God can bring into their lives. Praying and witnessing to others throughout the prison system is Joe’s primary goal. In fact so much so that he would turn down the opportunity to be relocated to another facility so that he could continue ministering to the other inmates. Now that I have absorbed the last word and turned the final page, I am left with a sense of how would I respond if I was put in this same position. A story that will have you thinking deeply about your faith. The theme of faith, grace, justice, love, and redemption will stay with you for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Christian
Christian Fiction
Contemporary
Fiction
Mystery

**Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction for giving me an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!**

I enjoyed this book! I loved how central the Christian themes of redemption and forgiveness were and all the mentions of Christ, church, Bible studies, prayer, and more. I've found a lot of "Christian" books that are Christian nominally but really are just clean with no or very little mention of God. God is definitely the forefront of this book, which is amazing!

I think the plot was a little wandering and lacking in some parts. You really have to like the characters to be motivated to keep reading (plus this book is probably longer than it needs to be). I found the ending to be a little quick and shockingly uninteresting. It wrapped up a little too quickly, and I think some plot points needed to be expanded upon.

Overall it was a really solid, clean, Christian book about justice!

Do you like legal thrillers? You will devour Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow. This reader was drawn in at the first chapter between Ryan trying to pull his career out of the toilet and doing what is right, and Joe, who has accepted his life in prison even though he knows he is innocent. The characters are very believable, and the plot has many twists and turns to keep any reader quickly turning pages. Ryan and Joe demonstrate characters who are grounded in their faith and making decisions that line up with their faith, but at the same time make their lives uncomfortable. Robert Whitlow is a master of legal thrillers with characters walking out their faith in a very challenging world.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, in exchange for an honest review.

Robert Whitlow is known for his legal fiction with a strong Christian message. GUILTY UNTIL INNOCENT is not exeption. While you might expect the strong message of faith to come from a prison chaplain or main characters from the "outside," it comes from Joseph Moore, an inmate convicted twenty six years ago of a double murder. Filled with a strong faith, Joe sees his place at Lower Piedmont Correctional Center as a time to share his beliefs with others burdened with guilt and shame. He finds daily peace working in the center's garden and holding Bible study groups at night. At first when he is contacted about his sister and niece seeking an order for post-conviction relief (a way of getting out of jail or in a lesser confining environment), Joe refuses, but then he meets the young lawyer Ryan Clark and changes his mind. Ryan, whose own past is a struggle, digs into the old case and when a brick is thrown into his home, begins to question the truth of the murders.

Thirty years as a published writer, along with more than thirty years as a practicing lawyer, has placed Robert Whitlow firmly in the winner's circle. Like many of his previous legal thrillers, Whitlow sets the novel in the rural South. Contrasting a well-established firm with a family-run practice, and a young lawyer against a more seasoned practitioner, Whitlow also contrasts the life of an attorney with that of a "lifer"—a person serving time for a murder that happened a generation ago. Both central characters, Ryan Clark, the young lawyer, and Joe Moore, the prisoner, are men with a mission.

Whitlow focuses on Joe Moore, opening the book with the trial where the verdict was guilty on both counts. Twenty-five years later, Moore has transformed from a soul lost in drug addiction to a man committed to living a faith-based life. He leads Bible study groups in his cell block and offers, when asked, advice to anyone who might be in spiritual or emotional distress. Clark, on the other hand, is at a career crossroads. Several "newbie" mistakes arising from inexperience have caused him to leave two well-regarded law firms. Practicing under a cloud of anxiety, Clark hopes to remain in the shadows, taking cases that are at best mundane. All this changes when a relative of Joe Moore requests that the firm reopen his case. The senior partner, Tom Clark, was the attorney of record, thus he agrees to revisit the trial. Unexpected events force Ryan to take over as the lead, and to his dismay, Joe Moore has no interest in pursuing this. He is fine with the verdict and truly believes in his guilt.

Why, then, are both men's lives threatened? "Let sleeping dogs lie" seems to be the warning here. What follows is a testimony of faith. Ryan and his wife meet devout members of the Christian community who offer comfort and support. As mentioned, Joe Moore is also following a path of faith and courage, somewhat reminiscent of Daniel in the Lion's Den. More emphasis is placed on the narrative of redemption. However, the mystery carries the reader along, hoping for the best for Joe and Ryan. Like all good mysteries, there is a satisfying plot twist and a need to discover if the search for truth is worth the price of potential failure.

Recommended for lovers of faith-based Christian mysteries. Suitable for all audiences from YA through adult. Some violence.

Full disclosure: I received the ARC from netgalley.com and Thomas Nelson Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

Life in prison is often a nightmare, but Joe Moore believes he is just where God intends him to be. Twenty-five years ago, he is found guilty of the brutal murder of a young, influential couple. Today, Joe is a radically different person, thriving in his role as a ministry leader and role model to his fellow inmates. After being fired from two previous law firms, young lawyer Ryan Clark and his wife, Paige, have settled into a small North Carolina town. Hired by a distant relative, Tom Clark, Ryan is committed to connecting with the right clients and handling the mundane tasks while his cousin Tom takes on the high-profile cases. Then critical health issues land Tom in the hospital, Ryan is forced to take the helm at the law firm-Joe Moore's niece has been doing some digging and, convinced that her incarcerated uncle is innocent, insists that Ryan relaunch the investigation immediately. After Ryan meets with Joe, both men receive threats that put their own lives--as well as the lives of those around them--in danger. Is the cost of defending Joe worth the risk?

In this gripping legal drama, Whitlow expertly weaves themes of grace, faith, and the law with a plot that is sure to keep you guessing. I was introduced to Whitlow in my church book club ad have since read several of his books in which he weaves the law into a story with under currents of faith and family. This one has more references to the Christian faith and the Bible than others I have read and I really liked it and recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request to read this book by and author that is becoming one of my favorites.

Let me start out by saying, this was my first Robert Whitlow book. I know, right? How can I call myself a reader? Guilty Until Innocent was a great way to start, though, and listening to the audio only enhanced the suspense.

Joe Moore has spent 25 years in prison for two murders he was too high to remember committing. While in prison, Jesus found him, and changed him into a prayer warrior and one of the leaders of several prison Bible studies. All of the men know to take their prayer concerns to Joe because his prayers see results. His family never believed in his guilt, and asks his former lawyer, Tom Clark, to look into getting him released. Content tending the prison gardens and tending the inmates' souls, Joe initially turns their offer down, but before Tom can leave the prison grounds, Joe feels a prompt in his spirit to see where the investigation can go. The evidence against him was all circumstantial, and the crime occurred before DNA evidence could be examined. He was too stoned to remember anything that happened and sees no way that anyone could find anything new. He thinks it is a wild goose chase, but God keeps prodding him to just believe.

Lawyer Ryan Clark has lost his job twice now, once because of his own error, and the second to his firm's downsizing. Now an associate at his cousin's firm in Cranfield, North Carolina, he is anxious to show he is capable of being a good addition to the firm. Learning his wife is expecting their first child puts added pressure to succeed on his shoulders. When Tom asks for help researching an old case, Ryan is just thrilled not to be fired again. Tom's heart attack makes him the lead attorney on the case. As he begins to uncover dark secrets that the local community wants to keep buried, can Ryan keep everyone safe, including Joe?

While this story started out a little slow, it ramped up quickly. I loved the character of Joe Moore. This man made a complete 180 in prison, and became a leader - for the good - among the inmates. He not only led many inmates to faith, but he also pointed his lawyer, Ryan and his wife, Paige, to a relationship with the Lord. His prayers saw results, from healed marriages to healed pregnancy issues. Anytime Joe was "on screen", it seemed like God stepped in, too. I also liked Ryan and his earnest need to do his job well. It is his persistence that eventually cracks the case, and the result was a shocker!

Readers who enjoy courtroom drama with a hefty side of faith, will love Guilty Until Innocent. If you are already a Robert Whitlow fan, you don't need me to tell you this one is well worth the read! I listened to this one on my NetGalley app, and the narrator did a great job with the "Carolina good-old-boy accent." I definitely recommend!

Attorney Ryan Clark had found a job working for his cousin Tom after being fired from his last two positions. The small North Carolina town seemed quiet, and Ryan wondered about his future, both with the firm and in his personal life. His wife Paige had recently announced her pregnancy, putting even more pressure on Ryan. When a young woman came into the office, asking Tom to reopen her uncle’s case, Ryan was assigned the task. Freeing Joe Moore from a murder conviction was going to be a daunting task.

Joe Moore was a model prisoner, well respected, and worked hard in the prison gardens, tending the vegetable gardens and teaching Scripture to anyone willing to listen. He accepted responsibility for the murders and was content to continue doing the Lord’s work in bringing men to Jesus. Initially, he resisted his niece’s efforts to have him pardoned, but as more information came to light, Joe realized he might, in fact, be an innocent man.

I enjoyed this book, and liked seeing the transformations of the people around Joe. He was able to not only survive prison, but thrive through his biblical studies and prayer groups. The characters were realistic and continued to grow and change throughout the story.

The characters are likable, and the story line moves along at a good pace. The ending is well told and not too quickly. The book tells of God's grace and purpose in our lives. I have known people who were incarcerated that should not have been, but God used them in that place to bring others to Him. Very impactful story.
I haven't read Robert Whitlow in years. Now I'm sorry I haven't. This book was amazing. About 2/3 of the way through I thought I knew how the story would end. Surprised me!

This is my second book by author Robert Whitlow. I paired the ebook ARC with an audiobook ARC. The audio complemented the story in a positive way. Guilty until Innocent was narrated by Jason Keller. I listened at 1.75x speed.

This legal thriller packs a punch with relatable characters and ultimately a story full of hope and redemption. The Faith element is the cherry on top.

Loved this. Could not put it down. Loved the characters and felt all the feels right there with them. I’ve recommended this book so many times. My first by this author but definitely not my last.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow
Joe Moore is serving a prison sentence for killing 2 innocent people while under the influence of meth. He has come to terms with his guilt, accepted God’s forgiveness and begun to minister to his fellow inmates. God is using him greatly to influence the other prisoners. When his aunt decides she wants to re-open his case to see if he can be released early from prison, he isn’t sure what to think. As the story proceeds, events begin to accelerate, and forces begin to conspire to keep Joe’s case closed.
This book held some unexpected surprises and plot twists, but it ended in a very satisfying manner. The characters were worthy of admiration: Joe, Ray and Deshaun for their faithful Christian witness in prison and Paige and Ryan for their spiritual journeys. Even though Robert Whitlow’s writing style (and legal thrillers in particular) is not my favorite, I found much to like in this book. Readers who want to read a clean, suspenseful story will enjoy this book. I am grateful to the publisher for the complimentary arc in return for this, my honest review.

What an absolutely intriguing story this was! This one took me a little bit in the beginning to get into, but the further into the story I went, the more I found myself unable to walk away from the story.
Characters that totally immerse the reader into their lives.
It was a great book for discussion and so intriguing

Guilty Until Innocent by Robert Whitlow was so intriguing and hard to put down once I continued to read. I love thrillers whether they be legal thrillers or any other type. Joe Moore was a great character. The story as a whole was so well written. I highly recommend.