Dean Lincoln left South Carolina to build a legal career in Chicago. He now finds himself back in the “Lowcountry” along with his wife to tend her sick mother. They’ve committed to at least a year and he takes a job with a local attorney where he is assigned two cases, one murder and one arson. Reckoning Hour is a really good legal thriller. Beaufort is a small town with its idiosyncrasies and characters provides a great backdrop for the story and, definitely, a challenge for a “big city lawyer”.

This is particularly fun for me as I live in the Lowcountry and its portrayal is spot on. Thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to a new author whose Dean Lincoln series I will definitely be following.

From the very first page, I knew I was in for a quality read. I was completely engrossed in the story right away. I chose this book because I love stories set in the deep South of the USA, and it delivered on every front.

The author beautifully immerses you in the slow-paced life, vivid scenery with hanging moss, and charming Southern atmosphere. The cases the main character tackles are intriguing and have a Lincoln Lawyer-style vibe, which I really enjoyed.

I loved it so much I’m starting the second book in the series immediately!

This is a cracking read! A real page turner packed with a host of great characters, a clever plot and a beautiful sense of place. When Dean Lincoln leaves his lucrative career in Chicago to return to his home towm of Beaufort, he is immediately drawn into a web of small-town corruption. Working alongside his old mentor, Dean takes on two cases - a boy from an affluent family charged with murder, and a young man from the wrong side of town accused of arson.

As Dean's investigations get underway, he finds links between the two cases he couldn't have forseen.

This is the first in a new series by Peter O'Mahoney and I'll certainly be looking out for the next ones. A crackingly good summer read!

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

This is my first novel by Peter O'Mahoney and I enjoyed it very much. It's a courtroom drama with the odds stacked against the main character, the defence lawyer. These odds include American deep South, small town prejudices and biases. There are twists and bits of humour and these all add up to an easy satisfying read.

Reckoning Hour by Peter O’Mahoney This was a hard book for me to read due to the the characters and their mindset. I feel it to my core when even reading about arrogant obnoxious misogynistic people. I am glad for the champion in this mystery never giving up and pushing people to be better.. Overall worth the effort to finish and thankful to NetGalley for the early read.

This new series by Peter O'Mahoney did not disappoint.

If you enjoy courtroom drama, then this book is for you.

Dean Lincoln is an honest defence lawyer who is not scared to take on the corrupt police and politicians of his home town - who like to sort things out before a case goes to trial.

Dean stands up to them when he takes on the case of a man charged with murder, and a young man charged with arson. Even though Dean and his wife have been threatened, Dean fights for justice despite his mentor and Boss trying to get him to accept plea deals for his clients.

This book was a page turner, thoroughly enjoyable. And I can't wait to read the next the next one in the series.

Thank you for the opportunity of an advance copy.

Thank you for giving me an advance copy of this book.

Dean Lincoln returns home after being away for 10 years, his wife is to care for her sick Mother. Dean returns to work for his mentor and takes on a corrupt town. His has two cases to deal with, one a murder charge, the other an arson.

Great read, loved it.

An excellent new series by Peter O'Mahoney set in the Lowcountry of Beaufort, South Carolina (pronounced "Buford" I believe). If you followed the news and trial in South Carolina of Alex Murdaugh, this is his home territory.. I can clearly picture them all in this book. After all, the motto of Beaufort seems to be "that's the way things work around here". I'm sure Murdaugh and his family felt the same way.

Dean Lincoln returns to his hometown of Beaufort with his wife to take care of her ailing mother and agrees to work for an old attorney friend, long time lawyer and former mentor, Bruce Hawthorn. Bruce believes in doing things the way they've been done for years around Beaufort legal circles- plead it out. He never wants to go to court and reminds Dean "things work here because everyone knows their place. You don't disrupt how things are done, because things work." Dean, who has moved from a very high profile practice in Chicago wants to seek justice for his clients. When the murder of a young female journalist stuns the town, Bruce agrees to take on the case but is horrified when Dean approaches the local DA without the certain deference given to prosecutors in Beaufort. "You ain't in Chicago now, boy. You're in South Carolina. Home of real people and real justice... South Carolina justice. Not your justice." Growing up in North Carolina in the 50's and 60's I knew plenty of these good old white boys who believe in their rightful power bestowed on them via their heritage.

As Dean digs deeper into the case he begins to unearth the rats scurrying around the pluff mud of the Lowcountry and gets Bruce on board with trying to save the client from any plea deal even though the town rebels against both Dean and Bruce for putting their noses where they don't belong. The courtroom dramatics are fascinating and tightly written, so I felt like I was right there.

I've read all of O'Mahoney's Joe Hennessey books and enjoyed every one. They are all well written, move smoothly with good dialogue and descriptions. I would just as soon read one of Peter's books as I would John Grisham. This book is a great start to another series!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the pleasure of advance reading of this title.

4* Makes me grateful that I live in the UK, because that kind of justice is effing messed-up, frightening, and endemic of the US's current 'leadership'.

This book had me feeling uneasy just from the second or so page when the protag and his wife met a LEO, and I use the latter loosely, who tried to intimidate them with veiled threats, and an attempt at what could've become physical, too. It had me on edge, had me feeling disgusted that the current 'leadership' in 2025 USA likely has given growth and empowerment to this version of 'justice'. It made me glad to be a Brit in a country where there's respect, dignity, and not-crazy politicians.

Back to the actual tale - maybe a bit of the original Lincoln Lawyer film to it, because if the southern setting and prejudices. And corrupt people in positions of power that they have no business being in. Justice in that town was non-existent and I'm hoping that book 2 finds Dean staying in town and celebrating his victory by bringing about change and taking down the corruption, and stopping the 'this is how we do things round here' brigade. I wasn't sure how he'd get the accused off, but justice rearing its head was satisfying. There's a showdown that needs to happen, and that's the right kind of justice considering what someone did. Here's hoping, with book 2 already preordered.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer, for my reading pleasure.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Lawyer Dean Lincoln returns to his hometown of Beaufort after a number of years in Chicago. When Dean agrees to defend a local boy accused of murdering his girlfriend he encounters resistance from the local population who have no time for big city lawyers. They make it clear that they have their own way of dealing with things and it will be in his own best interests not to rock the boat.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I enjoyed it. I would recommend it to others particularly those that like a good courtroom drama.