Beyond Justice

Praise for

BEYOND JUSTICE

“…A riveting legal thriller…. breaking new ground with a vengeance… demonically entertaining and surprisingly inspiring.”

~PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“…hits the ground running…handled by a deft hand.”

~Adrian Phoenix, IN THE BLOOD
(Pocket Books)

“This tense, fast-paced story of outrageous injustice, insidious evil, and looming disaster has everything the savvy reader should expect, and more. [Graham] belongs to a new, emerging wave of writers who dare to color outside conventional lines. And he does so with style!”

~Glen Scorgie, THE JOURNEY BACK TO EDEN
(Zondervan)

“…a genuine page-turner with a twist that makes it stand out from most thrillers and legal dramas.”
“…What sets this thriller apart is the deft handling of religion.”
“…When Graham turns to courtroom drama, the writing is tense; when he’s inside Sam’s mind, the emotions are wringing.”

~Author Magazine

“This book was so much more than a mystery novel; it was an exercise in faith, understanding, joy and mercy in their purest forms.”
“…twists, turns and surprises to be found here.”
“…filled with so much in the way of emotion.”
“…Take the time to read this book. You will not be disappointed.”
~Suspense Magazine

…A MASTERFUL LEGAL THRILLER
…A book worthy of a feature length Hollywood movie…
…Graham has intricately woven together these elements of cyberspace and our criminal justice system in a way that keeps avid mystery readers spellbound.
…Graham’s BEYOND JUSTICE is the best mystery novel that I have ever read.
…a plot worthy of Hollywood, told by a fantastic author with a deft touch and feel for intrigue!
…a fitting climax in true John Grisham form.
…a powerful testament to faith and religion, woven into a masterful murder mystery.

~East County Magazine

“This is not a tame Christian book, it’s full of heart wrenching scenes that will make you shudder.
There’s one surprise after another and it’s a “can’t put down” thriller…the ending was brilliant!
“This is Joshua Graham’s first book and it is a doozy!!
I can’t wait to read more from this very talented author.”

~
ReadingAtTheBeach.com

“…a riveting legal thriller that has heart and a fabulous message.”
“…really intense suspense!”
“ I was…balled up with emotions and intense suspense from start to finish.”
“…a great legal thriller…”
“… great drama and romance as well.
“…tied together with a fabulous message of love and redemption.“

~
A Life in Review

“…Superbly done!”
“…a legal suspense thriller beyond any other.”
“…Filled with page turning, edge of your seat twists.”
“…most definitely a 5 star novel by an incredible author”
“… this suspense novel will pick you up in one place, carry you through thrilling turns and emotional rides, and will set you down at an unexpected place, all the while leaving you with a powerful message that will set your mind to thinking. About life. About loss. About justice. About everything.”
…Joshua Graham has become an author who I will be collecting books by for a long time to come and has made me anxious for his next book!

~
Reviews by Molly D. Edwards

“…an edge of your seat thrill ride from beginning to end.”

“…a brilliant thriller filled with unforeseen plot twists and character behaviour changes unlike any other.”

“…I quite literally was unable to set this book down…”

“…Joshua Graham is definitely a name to keep an eye on, for he is one talented writer…”

~ Rundpinne

“…the Best book I have read and reviewed this year.”

“…this book isn’t just about law and criminal justice, it is about faith and realizing that everything happens for a reason.”

“…I HIGHLY recommend Beyond Justice as a must read!”

~The Winfields-7 Book Reviews

“…right up there with the best.”

“…will tug your heart. Don’t be surprised if a tear finds its way down your cheek.”

“…more than just a mystery, more than just thriller, it’s in a word terrific!”

“If you love a good thriller then pick up this book, you will not be disappointed.”

~Reading, Reading & Life

"…fair warning before you pick up Beyond Justice by Joshua Graham–the next 24 to 48 hours of your life will be utterly consumed by this book."

"…[had] my unconditional and unwavering attention from page one to the conclusion."

"…draws you in from the first page and literally does not let go of you or your emotions until the rollercoaster conclusion."

"…a powerfully gripping legal thriller"

"…I was absolutely captivated"

"…mesmerizing would be a gross understatement."

"…absolutely nothing short of an act of God or nature would have stopped me from finishing this book."

"…unbelievably powerful and spellbinding."

"…the story will stay with you long after you finish it."

"…Do not hesitate.  Rush to get your own copy of Beyond Justice."

~PsychoticState.net

Connect with Joshua Graham at:

http://
www.joshua-graham.com

http://
www.facebook/J0shuaGraham

http://
www.twitter/J0shuaGraham

BEYOND JUSTICE

Joshua Graham

PART I

The descent into Hell is not always vertical.

—
Bishop Frank Morgan

Chapter One

THE QUESTION MOST PEOPLE ASK
when they first meet me is: How does an attorney from a reputable law firm in La Jolla end up on death row?  When they hear my story, it becomes clear that the greater question is not how, but why.

I have found it difficult at times to forgive myself for what happened.  But a significant part of the answer involves forgiveness, something I never truly understood until I could see in hindsight.

Orpheus went through hell and back to rescue his wife Euridice from death in the underworld.  Through his music, he moved the hearts of Hades and Persephone and they agreed to allow Euridice to return with him to Earth on one condition:  He must walk before her and not look back until they reached the upper world.  On seeing the Sun, Orpheus turned to share his delight with Euridice, and she disappeared. He had broken his promise and she was gone forever.  This failure and guilt was a hell far worse than the original.

My own personal hell began one night almost four years ago.  Like images carved into flesh, the memories of that night would forever be etched into my mind.  The work day had been tense enough—my position at the firm was in jeopardy because of the inexplicable appearance of lewd internet images in my folder on the main file server.

Later that night, as I scrambled to get out the door on time for a critical meeting with a high profile client, my son Aaron began throwing a screaming fit.  Hell hath no fury like a boy who has lost his Thomas Train toy.  In my own frenzied state, I lost my temper with him.  Amazing how much guilt a four-year-old can pile on you with puppy-dog eyes while clinging to his mother's legs.  His sister Bethie, in all her seventh grade sagacity, proclaimed that I had issues,
then marched up to her room, slammed the door and took out her frustration with me by tearing though a Paganini Caprice on her violin.  All this apocalypse just minutes before leaving for my meeting, which was to be held over a posh dinner at George's At The Cove, which I would consequently have no stomach for.

I couldn't wait to get home.  The clock's amber LED read 11:28 when I pulled my Lexus into the cul-de-sac.  Pale beams from a pregnant moon cut through the palm trees that lined our street.  The October breeze rushed into the open window and through my hair, a cool comfort after a miserable evening.

If I was lucky, Jenn would be up and at the computer, working on her latest novel.  She'd shooed me out the door lest I ran late for the meeting, before I could make any more of a domestic mess for her to clean up.

The garage door came down.  I walked over to the security system control box and found it unarmed.  On more than one occasion, I had asked Jenn to arm it whenever I was out.  She agreed, but complained that the instructions were too complicated.  It came with a pretty lame manual, I had to admit.

The system beeped as I entered the house, greeted by the sweet scent of Lilac—her favorite candles for those special occasions.  So much more than I deserved, but that was my Jenn.  Never judging, never condemning, she understood how much stress I'd been under and always prescribed the best remedy for such situations.

From the foot of the stairs I saw dimmed light leaking out of the bedroom.  It wasn't even date night, but I had a pretty good idea what she was thinking.  So before going up, I stopped by the kitchen, filled a pair of glasses with Merlot and set out a little box of chocolates on a breakfast tray—my secret weapon.

As I climbed the stairs I smiled.  The closer I got, the more I could smell the fragrant candles.  From the crack in the door classical music flowed out: 
Pie Jesu
from Faure's
Requiem.
  Must've been writing a love scene.  She always used my classical CDs to set her in the right mood.

A beam of amber light reached through the crack in the doorway into the hallway.  The alarm system beeped.  She must have shut a window.  It had just started to rain and Jenn hated when the curtains got wet.

Kathleen Battle's angelic voice soared.

Pie Jesu Domine
,
Dona eis requiem
,
Requiem sempiternam.

Jenn didn't know a word of Latin.  She just liked the pretty tunes.

I nudged the door open with my foot.

"Honey?"  Caught a glimpse of a silky leg on the bed.  Oh, yes.  I pushed the door open.

Shock ignited every nerve ending in my body like napalm.  The tray fell from my hands.  Crashed to the ground.  Glasses shattered and the red wine bled darkly onto the carpet.