Samantha Kincaid Books In Order

Publication Order of Samantha Kincaid Books

As a professor of law and crime novelist, Alfair Burke is the creator of two powerhouse series that have given her the reputation for creating believable and likable stories and female characters such as Samantha Kincaid and Ellie Hatcher. Apart from that, Alfair Burke also grows all her novels out of real life experiences that she gained while working as a prosecutor. Apart from being a graduate of Stanford University, Alfair is also a law professor at the Horfasa Law School. Most of her works have received praise from accomplished writers such as Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Nelson Demile and many others. Apart from that, most of her works have been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, New York Times and many others. One of her most popular series is the Samantha Kincaid series which has received mostly positive reviews from readers across the globe.

Judgment Calls

Judgment calls are the first read in the Samantha Kincaid series. The story-line begins as the Deputy District Attorney of Oregon walks into her office only to find the sergeant of Police vice Unit waiting for her. A girl was attacked and left for dead on the outskirts of the city. Due to the lack of evidence many lawyers would have dismissed the case or simply settled for assault due to the lack of evidence. After being briefed about the crime, Samantha decides to look personally into the case and goes for attempted murder. While preparing for the trial, she discovers a trail that leads to a prostitution ring that deals with underage girls, death penalty case, and a serial killer. As the case develops, she is forced to put her judgment of the case and her personal life into question. Apart from the main story line there is also another secondary story that involves Samantha’s on and off relationship with Chuck Forbes her first lover.

Half way through the case, things begin to go wrong, thus making the case look a little bit complicated. All in all, judgment calls is an exceptional thriller, and since this is the debut novel in the series, it is highly commendable. By using Sam, the author takes the reader through the legal procedures as see from a District Attorneys perspective. With so many legal aspects involved this would have been a mind-numbing and boring read, the narration was nothing but entertaining. Apart from being a former Deputy District Attorney, Alafair Burke is also a law professor at the Hofrasta school of law. This in turn explains her in-depth understanding of legal matters which are evident throughout the book. Apart from that, all the characters in this book are not only well developed but also multi-dimensional. The storyline was excellent though there were several times where it appeared to drag due the extensive explanation of various legal processes. There is also the use of acronyms throughout the book which can be a little bit challenging for the reader to make sense of some statements.

Missing Justice

As the second installment of the Samantha Kincaid series, missing justice is the second intriguing story by Alafair Burke. This book begins as Samantha the main character is promoted to the major crimes division, which happens to be the team that conducts investigations and prosecution of homicide cases. Upon arriving, she is assigned to a case that throws her into the deep end as she tries to find answers. The case she is assigned egis as a missing person report is filed but what made this case stand out from the rest was the fact that the missing parson was a judge of the Courts of Appeal. After being assigned to the case, Samantha ensures the judges husband that she is going to deliver answers. After a short period of time, the judge’s body is found thus turning the case into homicide. Since this it is a judge who has been murdered, the case gains more importance while Samantha is now under an insurmountable amount of pressure to deliver.

Since she has just received a promotion, Samantha is more that determined to prove that she can conclude the case in no time. As the investigation continues a suspect is charged ad, the legal procedures get underway. While conducting the investigation, Samantha stumbles on another piece of evidence that makes her question the entire case. Determined not to sabotage the case, Samantha conducts her very own investigation since she is still unsure about how the evidence ties to the case. Since she is conducting the investigation oh her own, the progress she makes is extremely slow and at times confusing. Finding what really happened will not only affect the outcome of the case but will also reveal a secret that has been kept in Samantha’s very own family for a long period of time. This secret is going to prove that murder is not always a routine. Just like the previous installment, Samantha once again puts her life in danger.

As the case progresses, it is going to get a little bit complex especially since the author introduces a new character every now and the thus making it difficult to keep track of who is doing what. All in all, Missing Justice is an excellent sequel to Judgment Calls, combining informative and interesting court room scenes which highlight Alfair’s Burkes thrilling ending and intricate plot. Missing justice is a compelling novel of lies, murder and hidden secrets and objectives that span for several decades.

Conclusion

Many times Alfair has been compared to her famous mystery writer father though she has continued stress that she has her very own writing style. With that being said, this series is full of tightly spun plots, complex legality, and an outstanding female character. Despite Samantha’s tough outer cookie, she has a heart beneath her protective outer layer. All in all, Alfairs strengths tend to become her weakness. Many times she is carried while conveying her deep understanding of the legal system thus making her loose her emotional connection to the story. The good thing is that it happens a few times in the entire series. Hence she is still able to grab the reader’s attention. All in all, the Samantha Kincaid series is an impeccable read.