Behind the Robe

Readers who enjoy courtroom drama, criminal justice system, will enjoy Benchmarks: A Novel. Lourdes, a passionate public defender applies to be a judge at the urging of Carlos, her husband, the boy she lived in high school who is now a veteran with a chip on his shoulder. As a Latina Lourdes believes she has not chance and is shocked when the governor calls to appoint her. Walking in to court, sitting behind the high bench, flags behind her, "Can I do this job? Can I treat prosecutors fairly? Am I a token minority? How can I deal with my friends now that I'm now longer a defender, but decider. Life goes on. Carls turns to drink to deal with his PTSD and less than honorable discharge. Will their marriage survive. Lourdes' husband, Carlos, a veteran with a less than honorable discharge . Molly, Lourdes' best friend, also a public defender and the main character in my previous book, My Name is Molly, has now been clean about six months. Will she keep her addiction to alcohol and...