David Brunelle Legal Thriller Books

LEGAL THRILLER. Homicide prosecutor David Brunelle faces the most difficult case of his career. An innocent young girl is murdered in a heinous, unforgivable way. The only evidence against the killer is the full confession of his accomplice--another young girl he also victimized. But the accomplice is charged with the murder as well, which means she has the right to remain silent. And she's so scared of the killer, she refuses to take a deal to testify against him. Brunelle can't just let the murderer walk, but how can he get a conviction when he has no admissible evidence and the killer is protected by the PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE?

LEGAL THRILLER. A man is murdered in Seattle's Pioneer Square. The killer is caught just blocks away, blood still on his hands. When it's discovered that both killer and victim belong to the same Native American tribe, the Tribe asserts jurisdiction and homicide D.A. Dave Brunelle has to prosecute the case in their Tribal Court.It's bad enough when the defense attorney claims the killing was justified under the ancient custom of "blood revenge." It gets worse when blood revenge turns into a blood feud. The bodies start piling up and it looks like Brunelle may be next.Can he stay alive long enough to win the case?

LEGAL THRILLER. Sometimes the easiest cases are the hardest. The defendant absolutely, positively murdered her own mother. She's also absolutely, positively mentally ill. Homicide prosecutor David Brunelle is tasked with holding her responsible despite the best efforts of her defense team, which includes a psychologist who's convinced she's innocent. As the case proceeds, the pressures mount and Brunelle begins to question his own sanity. Will Brunelle crack the case, or will the case crack him?

LEGAL THRILLER. Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle has spent his entire career prosecuting criminals. But when his girlfriend, medical examiner Kat Anderson, asks him to go to California to defend her ex-husband on a murder charge, he just can’t say no to her.Brunelle has to fight not only his prosecutorial instincts, but also a smooth-talking D.A., an unhelpful detective, and--worst of all--a client who won’t give him a straight answer. As the evidence piles up and the case unfolds, Brunelle waits for the other shoe to drop, but this time the shoe is on the other foot.

SHORT STORY, set several years after PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE. A woman is brutally murdered, and it's district attorney Dave Brunelle's job to put the killer away. The defendant fled barefoot, abandoning her shoes in the pool of blood under the victim. It looks like an open-and-shut case, but Brunelle should know better. If he doesn't figure out the truth--and fast--it's his blood that might be spilled next.

SHORT STORY. Assistant D.A. David Brunelle has a problem: a woman and her child have been murdered, a killer is in custody, but something doesn't add up. Namely, the bullets. Either the cops botched the crime scene, or there's more going on than Brunelle knows. He'll need to figure it out quick, before the defense attorney walks a murderer out the door.

A RECKLESS MAN CAN HURT THOSE HE LOVES A sex club. A dead "submissive." A "dominant" in custody.Homicide D.A. Dave Brunelle barely understands the terms. How can he ever hope to understand the bondage subculture well enough to hold a killer responsible for the apparently accidental death of his own girlfriend? Brunelle embarks on a voyage of discovery, both of himself and things he never even knew existed. In so doing, however, he risks losing not only his case, but everything--and everyone--dear to him. STEPHEN PENNER IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR WITH OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD Substantial Risk is Book 5 in the top-rated legal thriller series featuring Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but also follows the personal and professional growth of Brunelle and his friends and foes. "David Brunelle may or may not win his case, but Stephen Penner has definitely created a winner here." --Amazon Reader Review If you're looking for an authentic legal thriller with plenty of twists and turns, Substantial Risk is for you!

A murder case without a dead body. Even on his best day, Assistant D.A. Dave Brunelle would have trouble winning a homicide case where the police could never find the victim's remains. But it's been a while since Brunelle has had a good day. His love life is a mess and his best friend doesn't want anything to do with him. Throw in a top-notch defense attorney and a defendant with ice in his veins, and it will take everything Brunelle has to hold a killer responsible.

There is no honor among thieves. But what about murderers? Seattle homicide prosecutor David Brunelle faces a prosecutorial nightmare. A drug addict-turned-police informant is found murdered, his body dumped publicly as a warning to others. The prime suspect is the drug lord the dead man was snitching out. And the only witnesses to the murder were also accomplices to it. Decisions have to be made, and deals have to be cut. Brunelle struggles through a maze of coconspirators and defense attorneys to answer the questions at the core of his dilemma: Who deserves a break? And who deserves the full punishment of the law? Will a collection of scared drug addicts and loyal hangers-on be willing to testify against a man who already killed one police informant? And even if they are, will the jury believe anyone whose testimony was purchased with a plea bargain? Brunelle encounters new friends and past opponents as he tries to hold a killer responsible, both aided and hindered by the doctrine of ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY.

Motive, means, opportunity. The solution to the classic whodunit. But what if the person "who done it" had no motive at all?Tech mogul Neil Rappaport had everything any person could want: fame, riches, a mansion on the shores of Lake Washington. So why would he murder some nameless drifter in a parking garage under the booming downtown of Seattle's most affluent suburb? His lawyers argue he wouldn't, and therefore he didn't. But the admittedly grainy surveillance video seems to say otherwise.Homicide D.A. encounters new friends, old flames, and a relentless defense attorney as he tries to hold a killer responsible. But how can he convince the jury that Rappaport committed the crime when he has to admit there's a complete LACK OF MOTIVE?

A man shot to death under a freeway overpass.A suspect who flees into the night.And a witness no one can find.Homicide D.A. David Brunelle must figure out the connection between these three people in order to hold a murderer responsible. But how can he, when he has no idea who the witness really is or how to find her?To prevail against a theatrical defense attorney, and win over a dubious judge, Brunelle enlists the help of his usual allies, plus a newbie prosecutor and a mysterious woman who seems to know everyone—except the missing witness.It will take all of his abilities to put the pieces together in time to solve the puzzle and convict a killer.

BOOK 10 OF THE TOP-RATED LEGAL THRILLER SERIES“I couldn’t help myself.”Hot blood. Uncontrollable impulse. Temporary insanity. Different names for the same idea: Sometimes, you just lose it.Who can honestly say they’ve never done something they later regretted? Certainly not Dave Brunelle, homicide prosecutor and all too fallible human being. But not all bad decisions are made equal. When Brunelle finds himself standing over the remains of a murdered homeless man, his head stomped into a train rail, he vows to hold the killer responsible.But the killer claims mental illness, arguing the legal doctrine of “diminished capacity” to assert he had no legal intent to kill the victim. And Brunelle’s own mental capacity will be tested by an old flame and the ghosts of his own bad decisions. Can Brunelle keep his head together long enough to convince the jury that sometimes, no matter why the killer did it, murder is still murder?

LEGAL THRILLER. Sometimes you get lucky. And sometimes luck isn’t enough.The body of a murdered woman is found hidden behind some abandoned warehouses in one of Seattle’s grittier neighborhoods. A surveillance camera from a nearby business captures the license plate of a vehicle leaving the scene. A suspect is arrested and identified. Only then does Homicide D.A. David Brunelle realize what they’re really dealing with: a serial killer who finally got caught, but only on the thinnest of evidence.The killer makes an offer. Give him a slap on the wrist and he’ll tell the police about all the other murders he committed and where to find the bodies—solving a clutch of unsolved cases and giving closure to countless family members. Or turn down the offer and risk losing the trial, knowing the killer will be released to murder again. And again. And again.

A VACATION TO DIE FORDave Brunelle, Seattle homicide prosecutor, and his new girlfriend, police detective Casey Emory, fly to Berlin for a romantic getaway. But these two can't seem to get away after all. On their luxury spa day, they discover a dead man floating in one of the therapeutic pools. The next thing they know, they're mixed up in a case that doesn't add up.They encounter a cadre of local characters, including a friendly detective, an unfriendly prosecutor, and an enigmatic defense attorney. The case seems open and shut, but Brunelle and Casey just can't stop themselves from opening it up again.Will it be a Pandora's Box or a treasure chest of international justice? Join your favorite homicide D.A. and his favorite lady friend on a tourist de force as they tackle a HOMICIDE IN BERLIN.

THE BEST-LAID PLANS LEAD TO MURDER David Brunelle, homicide prosecutor, confronts murder in a whole new, and very personal way. As he sets out to prosecute his latest homicide, a case from his past rears its deadly head again. An open-and-shut case of domestic violence murder threatens to come apart at the seams when the defense attorney accuses the lead cop of misconduct. Suddenly, the confession and murder weapon are in danger of being suppressed, and Brunelle’s case goes from airtight to gasping for air. Meanwhile, a man Brunelle convicted of murder decades earlier finishes his sentence and is released from prison. When the jury found the man guilty, he swore to kill Brunelle when he got out, and it quickly becomes clear he intends to execute his plan to execute Brunelle. Brunelle must battle to keep his focus, win his case, and save his life, all at the same time. Will he hold a new killer accountable or become the victim of an old killer’s long-simmering Premeditated Intent ? STEPHEN PENNER IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD Premeditated Intent is Book 13 in the top-rated legal thriller series featuring Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but also follows the personal and professional growth of Brunelle and his friends and foes. "David Brunelle may or may not win his case, but Stephen Penner has definitely created a winner here." --Amazon Reader Review If you're looking for an authentic legal thriller with plenty of twists and turns, Premeditated Intent is for you!

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE WHEN EVERYONE HAS A REASON TO LIE? A young man is murdered in his apartment in a very personal and unique way. The evidence leads to an unlikely suspect, and soon everyone involved has a different, conflicting alibi. They can't all be true, but which ones are false, and why? Homicide D.A. David Brunelle must put the pieces together to build the prosecution against the true killer. The case will test his best professional skills, as well as his closest personal friendships, all to overcome the murderer's Alibi Defense . STEPHEN PENNER IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD Alibi Defense is Book 14 in the top-rated legal thriller series featuring Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but also follows the personal and professional growth of Brunelle and his friends and foes. "David Brunelle may or may not win his case, but Stephen Penner has definitely created a winner here." --Amazon Reader Review If you're looking for an authentic legal thriller with plenty of twists and turns, Alibi Defense is for you!

THIS TIME, IT'S PERSONAL One of Seattle's most flamboyant and successful criminal defense attorneys is murdered in his office, and the case lands on the desk of homicide prosecutor David Brunelle. Brunelle isn't about to shed a tear over the death of a longtime rival, but he has a job to do. The only things standing between him and a conviction are the facts and the law. Once apprehended, the killer tells a story that, if true, would let him walk out the door. The dead man was everything Brunelle suspected: amoral, craven, unhinged. The killer and a friend went to him for legal help but things went sideways. Things were said. Tempers flared. The lawyer attacked his friend. He had no choice. The law of self-defense extends to defending others. If what the killer says is true, he's not guilty of murder. Brunelle is ready to believe everything he said about the victim, so why shouldn't he also believe him about how the killing happened? Brunelle embarks on a voyage of discovery about his late opponent, and himself, to try to bring justice to a man who made a career of obstructing it. STEPHEN PENNER IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD Defense of Others is Book 15 in the top-rated legal thriller series featuring Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but also follows the personal and professional growth of Brunelle and his friends and foes. "David Brunelle may or may not win his case, but Stephen Penner has definitely created a winner here." --Amazon Reader Review If you're looking for an authentic legal thriller with plenty of twists and turns, Defense of Others is for you!

THE GREATER OF TWO EVILS A woman kills her boyfriend, shooting him six times in the back as he walks out their front door. The woman's attorney calls her a hero. Homicide prosecutor David Brunelle calls her a murderer. The legal doctrine of necessity excuses a crime, even murder, if the harm inflicted is less than the harm prevented, so long as there was no alternative. The killer tells the cops that her boyfriend had a psychotic break and was on his way to shoot up the neighborhood elementary school, intent on slaughtering countless innocents. Brunelle is certain she's lying, but how can he prove it when the only other witness to what truly happened is dead? It's a race against time as Brunelle battles challenges both personal and professional to find the evidence he needs to refute the killer's story and prove his case, before the jury finds the killer 'Not Guilty' because of the legal defense of NECESSITY. STEPHEN PENNER IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD Necessity is Book 16 in the top-rated legal thriller series featuring Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but also follows the personal and professional growth of Brunelle and his friends and foes. "David Brunelle may or may not win his case, but Stephen Penner has definitely created a winner here." --Amazon Reader Review If you're looking for an authentic legal thriller with plenty of twists and turns, Necessity is for you!

ARE SOME PEOPLE ABOVE THE LAW? A child is killed by a stray bullet at Seattle's largest summer festival. The young man who pulled the trigger comes from an old family with power and connections. He's used to getting away with his mistakes, and his father is one of the city's richest attorneys. When homicide prosecutor David Brunelle charges the man with first degree murder, his father's law firm takes the case and tries to bury Brunelle in a mountain of legal motions and professional attacks. Brunelle must fight against top-tier attorneys, unscrupulous defense experts, and even personal health challenges to avenge the senseless murder of an innocent child. An acquittal would be proof the system is rigged in favor of the rich and powerful. Brunelle is determined to fight for justice. But can he win? STEPHEN PENNER IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD The Interests of Justice is Book 17 in the top-rated legal thriller series featuring Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but also follows the personal and professional growth of Brunelle and his friends and foes. "David Brunelle may or may not win his case, but Stephen Penner has definitely created a winner here." --Amazon Reader Review If you're looking for an authentic legal thriller with plenty of twists and turns, The Interests of Justice is for you!