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  • Just Plea

Just Plea

Nate Shepherd #5 / 9
by Michael Stagg
Just Plea (Nate Shepherd #5) by Michael Stagg
Unrated

A bloody van. A motive. No alibi.

Nate’s next case is not looking great.

Attorney Nate Shepherd’s newest client stands accused of a fatal hit and run. While Nate doesn’t believe that the CEO of Carrefour’s largest charity would ever smash into a person and flee the scene, a blood-streaked van says otherwise.

A free-wheeling prosecutor is certain that Nate’s client did it and more, that the killing wasn’t an accident at all. With help from old friends and an intriguing new one, Nate uncovers incriminating acts, secret relationships, and a massive motive that has him scrambling for answers.

As the case gets worse, Nate fights to craft a defense. But as trial approaches, one risk grows until it looms over everything else:

Will Nate destroy his client’s life by saving his freedom?

Amazon: Check Best Offer

ThrillerMysteryCrime FictionSuspense Thriller
Release date: May 23, 2022

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Michael Stagg

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.

Read more ...

Stagg writes under a pseudonym, not for mystery, but to let the work speak louder than the name. He lives in the Midwest with his wife and writes full-time—though when he’s not at the keyboard, you’ll find him watching sports, reading voraciously, or perfecting something on the grill. For readers drawn to tense legal fiction with emotional bite and real-world weight, his stories offer an immersive ride into the heart of justice, consequence, and the quiet complexities of doing the right thing when it’s anything but easy.

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.

Read more ...

Set in the fictional Midwestern town of Carrefour, the series crafts a world that feels both sharply realistic and quietly haunting. The streets, the courtrooms, even the silences in Nate’s office—they all carry weight. Stagg’s storytelling doesn’t rely on flash; instead, it’s the slow-burn intensity, the layered characters, and the ethical knots that make each novel resonate. These aren’t just crime thrillers—they’re stories about people caught in impossible situations, fighting for something that resembles justice, even when the system pushes back.

With tightly constructed plots and a writing style that balances clarity with emotional depth, the series blends legal drama with human complexity. Whether it’s a client who won’t tell the whole truth, or a prosecutor with their own secrets to protect, there’s always more beneath the surface. And Nate? He’s not a white knight—just a man who knows the cost of losing and what it takes to fight smart.

Ideal for fans of suspenseful legal fiction that doesn’t just thrill but makes you think, this series offers a gripping look at the price of integrity in a world where the lines blur fast.


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.

Lethal Defense (Nate Shepherd #1)
Unrated
True Intent (Nate Shepherd #2)
Unrated
Blind Conviction (Nate Shepherd #3)
Unrated
False Oath (Nate Shepherd #4)
Unrated
Just Plea (Nate Shepherd #5)
Unrated
Lost Proof (Nate Shepherd #6)
Unrated
Swift Judgment (Nate Shepherd #7)
Unrated
Cruel Sentence (Nate Shepherd #8)
⧗ 8.00 / 1
Nate Shepherd Book 9 (Nate Shepherd #9)
⧗ 9.80 / 15


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