Burden of Proof
Some people would kill for a fresh start.
Seattle attorney Daniel Raine is going through some tough life changes; he's getting divorced, and his law partner is leaving him to become a judge. If Raine can’t find a way to stay afloat, he'll be practicing law out of his car.
Then, the perfect opportunity - a rich socialite called Abigail Willoughby arrives at his door, wanting to divorce her even richer husband.
Raine is thrilled to take the case but gets more than he bargained for when he is forced into an unlikely alliance with high-powered realtor Rebecca Sommers who has her own motives for wanting to get close to his rich client.
What seems like a straightforward case quickly turns to chaos when Abigail threatens her husband Jeremy in front of dozens of witnesses. That same night, Jeremy is discovered murdered in their home.
All the evidence points to Abigail as the murderer. But she swears she is innocent and Raine believes her. Together with Sommers, he races to find out who really killed Jeremy and to save his client from serving a lifetime behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit.
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Stephen Penner
Stephen Penner is an author, artist, and attorney from Seattle, Washington.
Born and raised near Detroit, Michigan, Stephen was writing murder mysteries and fantasy adventures while still in elementary school. In college, he studied languages and spent a year living in Europe. He attended law school at the University of Michigan and moved to Seattle after earning his law degree.
Stephen began his legal career as a criminal defense attorney in downtown Seattle, appearing in federal, state, and municipal courts throughout the State of Washington. After several years of defense work, Stephen 'switched sides' and became a prosecutor. He has been prosecuting cases for over 25 years, working his way up from misdemeanor offenses, to felonies, and finally to homicides. He has conducted over 100 criminal trials and now trains other prosecutors.
As an author, Stephen pens several series of legal thrillers. The Rain City Legal Thrillers deliver the adventures of attorney Daniel Raine and his unlikely partner Rebecca Sommers. The David Brunelle Legal Thrillers feature Seattle homicide D.A. David Brunelle and a recurring cast of cops, defense attorneys, and forensic experts. And the Talon Winter Legal Thrillers showcase tough-as-nails Tacoma criminal defense attorney Talon Winter and her closest allies. Stephen is also the author of the Maggie Devereaux Paranormal Mysteries, recounting the exploits of an American graduate student in the magical Highlands of Scotland, and several other stand-alone works.
In his spare time, Stephen enjoys painting, drawing, and spending time with his family.
Daniel Raine
Daniel Raine consists of eight books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
