The Warriors

Defense lawyer Raquel Rematti, whose arguments are used as law school how-tos, has met the first client she truly hates, Angela Baldesteri, a former First Lady and current senator. Angela might be lying on the stand in her trial on fraud and tax evasion charges and seems determined to alienate the judge. Raquel is torn. She could lose her license if she fails to rein in Angela’s behavior, but it’s hard to find a more high-profile client. Meanwhile, outside forces frighten her into staying: she’s followed in the street by men who claim to be FBI but aren’t; a former drug-dealing client targets a member of the jury and even the lawyer’s loved ones; and the body count starts to climb. Batista (Manhattan Lockdown) skillfully intertwines psychological and legal drama here, with the protagonist struggling to best an adversarial client while fighting against those who will do anything to keep the senator in the upcoming presidential race. The cutthroat politics and shadowy money behind super PACs also feature heavily. Trial lawyer Batista’s fast-paced read is a must for fans of John Grisham and Scott Turow.