When a dead man is discovered behind Theresa Winkle’s bar, she’s charged with his murder. Darren Fletcher and Issabella Bright immediately set out to discover the identity of the real killer. But doing so quickly uncovers dark secrets from Darren’s past-secrets that have been hidden from him by those he most trusts. While he struggles to unravel the truth and see his friend cleared of murder, Issabella must confront a question that has been mounting ever since partnering with Darren: how far will she go to keep him whole? The answers lie waiting in a remote, high-security mansion guarded and watched over by a trained killer. But who the killer is keeping safe may very well be a secret best left uncovered.

Issabella Bright has had it with bailing her handsome-but-unpredictable, boyfriend-slash-partner out of the drunk tank, with him messing up their court schedule, and with his buttinski female best friend. But Darren’s latest story is no flustered excuse – the glad-handling stranger who blew into his office is none other than Mister Unreliable himself: Issabella’s long-absent father. And the only thing he’s brought with him is trouble. No sooner does Howard Bright appear than a psychopath begins waging a campaign of terror aimed directly at Darren…and Issabella. Stalking the stalker to discover his motive – nevermind his identity – could very well mean lights out for Bright & Fletcher. But Darren will put his safety, reputation, and personal fortune on the line if it means protecting Issabella.

Darren Fletcher and Issabella Bright don’t mingle and gossip with the other lawyers around town. The criminal attorneys might be a bit mismatched, but they fight to win and always stand by each other. Their latest case involves a retired Supreme Court Judge: his nephew’s been murdered on his private island. He needs someone who’ll put ethics aside to protect him and find the cold-blooded killer. Judge Prosner is hiding a sinister secret. And that he’s more concerned about protecting his sterling reputation over seeing his nephew’s killer is prosecuted. As they chase a sword-wielding killer across Michigan, they both find they must answer a question: what if the murderer they’re hounding is the one person they genuinely want to help?

Darren Fletcher, once the rising star of Detroit’s criminal justice system, has fallen far. All the way to an office in a smoky dive bar on the wrong side of the city. But a single phone call could be the key to climbing out of his downward spiral: a police brutality victim needs his help, and the family’s willing to pay. Issabella Bright’s never thought she’d resort to ambulance chasing, until the story about a SWAT raid gone wrong proves too intriguing to ignore. But Issabella’s not the only one after the job. As the case deepens and it becomes clear the Detroit PD is concealing a much bigger conspiracy, Darren and his weird methods may be all that keep her alive.