This was my first time reading a legal thriller, but I had a great time reading Body of Evidence.
It was fast-paced, easy to get into, and the legal drama kept me hooked the whole way through. I haven’t read the earlier books in the series, but that didn’t stop me from following the story and now I definitely want to go back and read them to learn more about Daniel Raine. He’s a great main character He's smart, determined, and someone you want to root for.
The ending wasn’t predictable for me at all, which was really refreshing.
Body of Evidence kept me guessing right up to the last few page

This is a great legal thriller about a man suspected of murdering the person responsible for his daughter's death. Daniel Raine is a really fun, engaging character, can't wait to read the next book in the series.

This was my first time reading a Daniel Raine novel, and now I completely understand the hype. Raine is everything I love in a legal thriller lead: smart, sharp, witty, a little sarcastic, and absolutely relentless when it comes to fighting for the truth.

He’s hired by Jim Carpenter, who knows he’s about to be arrested for murder. A body has been found buried under his old business. Turns out, it’s Zoe, a girl who went missing ten years ago after causing the DUI crash that killed Jim’s daughter. It’s a setup that practically screams revenge, and the case looks open and shut. But Raine believes Jim’s innocence, and what follows is a wild ride of courtroom strategy, buried secrets, and twists I never saw coming.

I loved the balance between investigation and courtroom drama. The legal scenes are sharp, engaging, and easy to follow, even as the stakes keep rising. And just when I thought I had a handle on things, the story flipped in a completely unexpected direction. And I loved it!!

Throw in a power hungry prosecutor, a second murder, and the very atmospheric backdrop of Seattle, and you’ve got a legal thriller that fires on all cylinders.

If you enjoy fast paced legal thrillers with clever plots, great characters, and twists that’ll make you gasp, then Body Of Evidence is a really good pick.

Get ready to dive into this gripping legal thriller it is amazing. From the great characters to all the thrills.
The story follows Daniel Raine, who is tasked with taking the case! I loved seeing the mystery and legal procedures.
I highly recommend this to fans of legal thrillers!
Thank you NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and Stephen Penner for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review all opinions are my own.

Attorney J. Daniel Raine enjoyed his role as a Prosecuting Attorney. However, now he is assigned the task of being a defense attorney for a lovely mid-thirties defendant.

Raine is up against a seasoned prosecuting attorney who really wants to see him fail at his new role in defense, but he finds every loophole possible and ignores evidence that implicates his client.

This is a very interesting book and is engaging and interesting. I can thoroughly recommend to any who enjoy a solid mystery and legal thriller! 5 stars – CE Williams

Stephen Penner’s Body of Evidence delivers a gripping legal thriller that immediately captures attention and never lets go. The intrigue begins when a stranger approaches attorney David Brunelle out of the blue, requesting representation—an encounter that sparks a cascade of suspenseful events.

From that compelling opening, Penner expertly builds tension, offering readers just enough information to keep them guessing. The narrative unfolds with a steady stream of clues, each one deepening the mystery and adding new layers to the plot. The pacing is sharp, and the structure is thoughtfully crafted, with revelations that arrive at just the right moments.

What makes this novel especially effective is Penner’s ability to balance courtroom drama with psychological tension, creating a story that is both intellectually satisfying and emotionally engaging. Body of Evidence is a tightly woven, expertly written thriller that keeps readers hooked until the final page.

TL/DR: Hopefully you have read the synopsis and are just here to see what others thought about the book. Yes? Great. Here’s my hot take. If you are a sucker for police procedurals or legal thrillers, especially where the person being accused swears they didn’t do it? I can’t recommend this book enough. It was a crazy ride and even though this was my first book from this author, I can confidently say it won’t be my last.

I love books like this. A guy hires a lawyer because he knows he’s going to be arrested for murder, swears he didn’t do it and then you settle in for what is sure to be a book filled with twists and turns.

I really like the MMC of this series, Daniel Raine. I also love the play on words with the city where it takes place and the character’s last name.

This is a fun, quick read. I also loved the two FMC’s of the book; Sawyer, also a lawyer and Raine’s girlfriend when the lawyering doesn’t keep them apart and Sommer’s, Raine’s part-time investigator when she isn’t doing her full time job as a commercial real estate agent. They are both strong, independent women and I love their sass and no apologies attitude, especially when they are doing their job. Better yet, Raine appreciates it too.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I would like to thank the author, Stephen Penner; Inkubator Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily given. As always, I wish you happy reading!

4.5 Body of Evidence Stars🌟

Dan Raine is once again caught up in a murder, but in this case it’s a cold case and involves the accused’s neighbour who disappeared a decade ago.

Lots going on in this one and the final reveal turns out I had some of the information correct, but did not know who was responsible - though I should’ve seen it coming. A tangled web of secrets which ultimately resulted in almost two families losing everything😢

A great read and would definitely recommend this series to others who enjoy the legalities of a trial and what’s involved to a certain degree. I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and willingly leave my honest review❤️‍🩹

Body of Evidence was a gripping legal thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. I’ve only read a couple of the earlier books in the series, but now I want to read them all!
Daniel Raine is such a smart and likable attorney, and I loved following his journey to uncover the truth. The case was intense, a man is accused of killing the girl who caused his daughter’s death in a DUI years ago. The body is found under his business, and all signs point to him, but nothing is ever that simple. The search goes above and beyond for the missing daughter and I was very much glued to my kindle to find out what’s happening next and if he will manage to find her because there seems to be lots of obstacles along the way.
The courtroom scenes were well written and easy to follow, with plenty of twists along the way. Seattle makes a great setting, and the writing had a nice mix of suspense and dry humor.
If you enjoy legal dramas with strong characters and a clever plot, this series is worth checking out!
Very grateful to the publisher/author for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

This is a book that is part of a series of books with each better than the last. I look forward to reading more of this series.

In a series, the quality will sometimes go down, but not here. This is a very well written book with excellent characters and plot. Interesting, easy to read and entertaining.

My second book by Stephen Penner as I love legal thrillers. Featuring Daniel Raine as the attorney, he gets hired by Jim Carpenter who is charged with murder when his neighbours daughter's body is discovered under his business. Only one problem, the daughter disappeared over 10 years ago and Daniel does his best to find out what and the twist at the end will leave you speechless. An engrossing read.

★★★★

Daniel Raine, a Seattle attorney, is hired to defend Jim Carpenter in a cold case murder. While there is an argument that logically Jim could not be guilty, there is not much evidence to prove his innocence. The victim is a missing girl who was responsible for the death of Jim’s daughter in a DUI accident ten years ago. Though it was well known she had been under the influence, she was never charged. When she disappeared shortly after the accident, everyone seemed to assume that Jim or his wife had something to do with it—perhaps a case of revenge.

The circumstantial evidence is quite strong, considering their shared backstory, and the case against Jim does not look any better when his wife ends up facing her own murder charge…

This is my second book in the Rain City Legal series, and it is a bit more of a slow burn. However, once we get to the trial, things start speeding up, leading to an unexpected final reveal!

Stephen Penner does an excellent job portraying courtroom scenarios and behind-the-scenes legal procedures in a way that is easily digestible for readers. The character development is also well done—each character feels distinct and enhances the story. Daniel is an interesting character, and I quite enjoyed Sawyer getting in on the action while clearly separating her personal life from her professional life and entanglement with Daniel. The Seattle setting is great—it adds a certain mood and melancholy (I do not think the sun shines even once).

I highly recommend this to fans of legal thrillers!

Thank you NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and Stephen Penner for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

"Body of Evidence" is the latest book in the Rain City Legal saga! It's a "who did it" no nonsense story about 2 families and not 1 but 2 dead bodies which see Raine and Sawyer both going to trial with their clients. I love the Rain City books so much because they don't just focus on one thing, they do a deep dive into legal aspects with emotion and wit all bundled together. Highly recommend!

I am really enjoying this series. Raine is a delight, skilful, irreverent and wily and he is well supported by his team. This was a twisty plot with a surprising denouement which engrossed me from the start.

Seatlle is also heavily featured and the court scenes were well described and enthralling.

The writing style is simple and straightforward - which is not as easy as it sounds and the book is also suffused with elements of dark humour too.

All in all , a delight!

Seattle Attorney Daniel Raine is hired by one Jim Carpenter who has been charged with a cold case murder. A body has been discovered, buried under Carpenter’s business. When the remains are identified as a missing girl who was responsible for the DUI death of his own daughter, he instantly becomes the prime suspect. It’s a clear case of a grief-stricken father out for revenge! Wow fantastic legal thriller! I was definitely on the edge of my seat! Heart pounding! With some crazy twists and turns that I did not see coming! I highly recommend reading this book! It was a great read! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!