The Last Chance Lawyer

Daniel Pike would rather fight for justice than follow the rules. His unique ability to "connect the dots," to observe what others do not, has made him the most notorious criminal lawyer in St. Petersburg. But when his courtroom career goes up in smoke, he fears his lifelong purpose is a lost cause. A mysterious job offer from a secretive boss gives him a second chance but lands him an impossible case with multiple lives at stake...

To protect a young orphan from a horrifying fate, Pike must save the girl's guardian from a charge of first-degree murder. Dan uses every trick he knows in a high-stakes trial filled with unexpected revelations and breathtaking surprises as he uncovers a trail of deceit from Florida to El Salvador. When blood-soaked threats arrive, Dan realizes that winning the case might be a death sentence for him—and everyone he hoped to protect.

Can Pike protect the girl and get the charges dropped before his race for the truth proves fatal?

The Last Chance Lawyer is a gripping legal thriller. If you like courtroom suspense, page-turning plot twists, and rebel attorneys, then you’ll love William Bernhardt’s riveting drama.

Book club questions for The Last Chance Lawyer by William Bernhardt

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

This novel concerns immigration and the chaos created by conflicting instructions from presidents, judges, and administrators, which ICE must somehow turn into action. Did you feel the novel treated immigration issues fairly? Why or why not?

Daniel Pike is obviously motivated by a strong desire for justice, for ensuring private citizens aren't railroaded by powerful forces. Did you feel he was true to his mission?

The central case in this novel arises from street violence involving people of color, a topic which has become a focus of much attention for our nation. Daniel Pike blames law enforcement and poverty, which as described in the book, has been systemic in the Southside of St. Petersburg. Do you agree? What solutions are suggested by the novel?

Pike eventually joins a small law firm composed of a mix of people of different races, gender, and sexuality. The end of the novel echoes a familiar political phrase when Pike says, "We're stronger together." Do you agree? Why or why not?

During the trial section of the book, Pike suggests that many forms of evidence often considered conclusive—like fingerprints and DNA—are not nearly as ironclad as some believe. Did you find this interesting? Surprising? What does it suggest about the criminal justice system?

Mayor Perez' involvement in the case and her relationship with the prosecutor, Jazlyn Prentice, raise questions about the proper role, if any, that the executive branch should have in criminal investigations and prosecutions. Did you find this relationship troubling? Can law enforcement ever be completely separate from the executive branch?

Daniel Pike is a complex character with a troubled background that unfolds over the course of the six books in this series. Did you find him interesting? Realistic? Do you wish more lawyers were like him—or are you glad they are not?

The Last Chance Lawyer Book Club Questions PDF

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