True Intent
When a billionaire dies, an innocent woman is blamed. One lawyer must fight a wealthy family for justice.
It seems straightforward to attorney Nate Shepherd – a middle-aged billionaire dies while celebrating at a wedding reception. The grief-stricken family lashes out, though, blaming the billionaire’s date for his death. When the family brings all of its power to bear, the wheels of local justice threaten to overwhelm the woman.
As Nate Shepherd steps in to defend her, he tries to deflect the misplaced anger that’s directed at the woman for the tragedy. But as the investigation progresses, a tangled history unravels, including unexpected ties to Nate’s own life. And with each secret that is uncovered, the stakes rise until Nate finds himself fighting for the woman’s freedom in a trial for her life.
Can Nate Shepherd protect an innocent client from a family trying to buy its own brand of justice?
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Michael Stagg
Before Michael Stagg began spinning gripping courtroom dramas, he lived them. For more than two decades, he stood before juries and judges as a civil trial lawyer, navigating high-stakes cases with the kind of nuance and strategy that now infuses every chapter of his fiction. That firsthand experience—sharp, lived-in, and often unforgiving—forms the backbone of his legal thrillers, where the pressure of the courtroom is more than just a backdrop; it’s a battleground.
His breakout Nate Shepherd Legal Thriller series introduces readers to a world where justice is rarely black and white, and the truth can be as dangerous as any weapon. Set in the gritty, fictional town of Carrefour, these novels blend legal precision with emotional depth, capturing the inner lives of lawyers, clients, and those caught in the crosshairs of both the law and their own pasts. With a writing style that’s taut, unpretentious, and razor-focused on the stakes, Stagg delivers narratives that are less about legal jargon and more about the people behind the cases.
Nate Shepherd
In a town where justice is often murky and every decision has a cost, The Nate Shepherd Legal Thriller Series pulls readers straight into the eye of the storm. At its heart is Nate Shepherd—once a prosecutor, now a defense attorney—whose cases are never just about the law. Each book opens a door into a new legal battle, but it’s the emotional fallout, moral ambiguity, and personal stakes that linger long after the verdict.
Nate Shepherd consists of eight books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

