Renegade: An Anonymous Justice novel (Anonymous Justice, 1)

I loved her first four novels of the Ozark series. And then Juror #3 and Jailhouse Lawyer were fabulous. But this recent one, where her heroine is acting outside the law with a bad temper, not so much. Vigilante justice seems to be popular these days, like Marvel comic book characters. This current protagonist goes far afield from the realm of civilized behavior, upholding the law and working within the system. The author shouldn’t feel she has to trash Lady Justice in order to be trendily popular and sell more books.

Held my attention. Read in two days and can't wait for the next book. love this author and you must read her other books.

Renegade is not your typical legal thriller. I have read all of Nancy Allen’s previous books, from her Ozarks Mystery series to the books she co-wrote with James Patterson. Allen excels at creating strong but flawed female characters. New York City Assistant District Attorney Kate Stone, the main character of this book, is no exception. After a devastating loss in court, Kate is confronted with the accused who had been found “not guilty” and doesn’t hesitate to defend herself. Their fight goes viral and Kate’s boss orders her to attend anger management classes to keep her job. However, the group Kate becomes involved with leads her to unexpected dangers.I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t read the book, so I’m not going to go into detail about what happens next. I can say it’s an unusual but very engaging story. Kate has to question her ethics and what she really feels about the law and justice. There is also a storyline about the death of her father which was ruled a suicide, but Kate doesn’t believe that. The whole book moves in unexpected directions for an intriguing story. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which I don’t love, but I assume there will be a second book and things will be resolved. I look forward to reading what happens next for Kate.I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Grand Central Publishing. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

4.5 stars rounded to 5Oh, my goodness. This is a book I won’t soon forget. And it’s the first in a new series so I can’t tell you how excited I am. The story is unique, the characters flawed, and it’s a legal novel like I’ve never read before.This story captured me immediately and the pages flew. I mentioned that this is a legal novel, but if you aren’t a fan of legal thrillers, worry not. This involves characters who work in legal firms, but there are no courtroom drama scenes. Honestly, it’s in a category all of its own.When District Attorney Kate Stone losses her battle in court, she is quite upset. Her strong feelings about women who suffer abuse make the loss worse than ever. The only explanation for what she just experienced appears to be a corrupt judge. So as she walks away from the courthouse her emotions are high. When she meets Max James, who was allowed to walk free without as much as a reprimand, she is more than eager to deal with him. But when it goes viral it may have negative consequences.I won’t go any further, since if you’re like me you want all of the twists and turns to come as a surprise. The characters were well written, and at one point we are introduced to several at a time, which can be a bit much. But Allen gives us a reminder as the names come up again. She quickly reviews a bit of history that accompanies the character. Perfect for someone like me who becomes overwhelmed by too many names.Obviously, I was very impressed by her writing style and unique, though at times disturbing, story.My ConcernsThe main character, Kate Stone wasn’t someone who I fell in love with. To say she was flawed, most definitely described her. At times she acted a bit dense and certainly she didn’t have a personality that won me over. But the more I digested those facts, the more I understood. Being flawed only made her, as well as the other characters, more believable.The ending was good, but not quite satisfying. That’s where I docked it 1/2 star.Final ThoughtsYes. Yes. Yes. This is both a book and an author to check out. I always hesitate to hype a story up too much because then it’s near impossible for it to live up to expectations. So let’s leave it at this, I’ll stop writing and you can just trust me and read the book.Creative storyBelievable charactersEasily imagined settingsDialog felt true to charactersPage turner early onNice writing styleMy thanks to Grand Central Publishing for a gift copy. I was completely free of stipulations regarding my review.

Wow!! Another fantastic read from one of my favorite authors, Nancy Allen! I’ve been a fan since her Ozarks Mystery Series and then her books written with James Patterson. Renegade, like her previous books, features her signature no-holds-barred, no-nonsense storytelling. I can always count on this author for a heroine who is flawed, fierce and formidable. This tale is twisted, complicated, full of surprises and has a big dose of action (the heroine is a karate expert). Along with an insider look into the world of a prosecutor, which to me is fascinating, Renegade has some elements of a techno-thriller due to its use of cyber crime in the twisting plot. Kate, a colorful prosecutor with a briefcase full of personal problems, is the true star in a quirky ensemble cast. You won’t know who you can trust, except you feel, deep down, that you can always count on Kate. The story is gripping, a true page-turner you can’t put down, but what I love most about it is how real the story seems, how naturally it all unfolds. This author makes me feel like we just sat down on a bench for lunch, and she’s telling me a story while we’re loading up our hotdogs with mustard.

Nancy Allen has done it again. Renegade reminded me of why Allen is one of my favorite crime-fiction writers working today. Renegade is a rapid-moving freight train of a novel with twists and unpredictable turns that never fail to amaze the reader. Renegade reveals and scrutinizes the legal system and offers a detailed look at today's omnipresent technology and its use to commit computer-based crimes. The book contains many types of characters, trustworthy and otherwise. The novel is told with great panache and sophistication, which produces a thrilling and unforgettable tale.