The Dark Action

"A riveting legal tale..."

-Kirkus Reviews

It's 1983. And a wrongful death case looks like murder.

When the police discover a federal bank examiner dead on a deserted city street on Christmas Eve 1983, there's no evidence, no leads, and no suspects. Street-smart lawyer Connor J. Devlin, now a decade-plus into his outside-the-lines career, reluctantly takes up the case - prodded by his unconventional mentor Phil Goldberg, aka Goldie, a sexist, cigar-chomping, foul-mouthed legal genius.

To find answers, Devlin enlists the scary-smart and tenacious Sloane Monae, a former college volleyball player and an ex-cop turned private detective. As the new duo start pulling the threads of the case, they find themselves equally intrigued with each other. They also unwittingly stumble into the savings-and-loan debacle of the 1980s, one of the biggest financial scams in American history. And those running the far-reaching fraud will stop at nothing to protect their ill-gotten gains.

"Utterly compelling, entertaining and stunningly grounded in exacting details, the Devlin series by Landon J. Napoleon ventures through uncharted terrain: a jam-packed journey through the entire career arc of a trial lawyer. Plan on staying up late."

-Grant Woods, former Arizona Attorney General

"Meticulous... The core of the story is procedure, and on that front Landon J. Napoleon excels. The depth of knowledge regarding legal matters... lend this procedural a refreshing, real-world feel that seasoned mystery readers will appreciate."

-Publishers Weekly

"Landon J. Napoleon's novel aptly showcases a lawyer's hectic workload... what truly propels the tale are the meticulous steps the lawyer Connor Devlin takes to reach resolutions. The author weaves distinctive characters into myriad legal wranglings. All of these cases generate an unwavering pace... A riveting legal tale that's more true-to-life than melodramatic."

-Kirkus Reviews

"I loved this book, which is unique in the way it accurately portrays the process of being a trial lawyer outside the courtroom. I read a lot of novels in this genre, and this was right up there with the best. Can't wait for volume 3."

-Jeffrey Leon, past president American College of Trial Lawyers

"Landon J. Napoleon has nailed it with rapid-fire and intriguing plot development wrapped in crisp dialogue. The book sharply illuminates the truth all actual trial lawyers know universally: justice is won or lost long before the judge ever swears in the jury... won or lost in the dramas and drudgery of indefatigable investigation and preparation with the inevitable set-backs awaiting. A riveting work."

-A. Clifford Edwards, president (2019-2021) International Academy of Trial Lawyers