Quick Synopsis

A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

Publisher’s Synopsis

When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court—she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.

Five years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she was: a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.

As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears that this time she’s telling nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

Book Review

Beyond Reasonable Doubt is the second novel in a series focusing on Keera Duggan, former Seattle prosecutor turned criminal defense attorney. Similar to the first novel in the series, Her Deadly Games, this book is set around a big case. This time, Jenna Bernstein disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company with connections to Keera’s past is accused of murdering her former partner and lover.

I want to first state that I knew not far into this book that I would not love it. So I do not think I can be as objective as I usually am in my review. The reason for this is that the case at the center of this book is an echo of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Having read Bad Blood and working in biotechnology, I have a strong dislike for Elizabeth Holmes and her actions. So there was virtually no way that I was going to like or sympathize with the defendant. Although Dugoni states in his acknowledgements that Beyond Reasonable Doubt is inspired by Sam Bankman-Fried, it was clear that Holmes’s life also served as model for the defendant.

While fact is often stranger than fiction, making fact into fiction did not work in this case. The plot of Beyond Reasonable Doubt was basic and lacked complexity. In addition, there was little mystery and few thrills, making the plot drag quite a bit. Although the pacing was steady, there simply was not the tension that made the first book a solid legal thriller. In the end, I was simply not invested in the trial’s outcome and found Jenna uninteresting.

I did enjoy that the Duggans were still at the center of this novel. I wished there was a bit more of them in fact. I wanted more character development across the board, especially as far as the Duggans are concerned. Still, I was happy that Keera’s personal life at least progressed, and that she will not remain a largely one-dimensional character.

Overall, Beyond Reasonable Doubt fell short of its predecessor, but I will likely keep with the series hoping. I would primarily recommend this book to those unfamiliar with Elizabeth Holmes and interested in courtroom dramas.

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