Book 2 of 2: Secrets to Keep
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
When a popular college student is murdered, her international roommate, Anneliese, becomes a prime suspect. But law professor Margeaux Robbins doesn’t believe that the quiet, lonely German girl in her class is the killer.
Chase Crandall is a burned-out defense attorney ready to extricate himself from the grind of criminal law. After he loses a client to tragedy, he’s ready for an in-house corporate position.
When Chase is assigned to Anneliese’s case, Margeaux is horrified. She doesn’t want him to provide legal counsel—not after what happened to his past client. And not with the evidence incriminating Anneliese.
Despite their mutual misgivings, the lawyer and professor pair up to find the killer and prove Anneliese’s innocence. Will they be able to untangle the mystery—and navigate their growing interest in one another—before the wrong person is charged with murder?
- Publisher: Kregel Publications
- Publication Date: April 15, 2025
- Paperback: 360 pages
My Thoughts
First, I love legal thrillers with courtroom drama, so when I got the opportunity to review The Accused, I was delighted.
When a popular college girl is murdered, and her international German roommate is the suspect, the girl’s law professor, Margeaux Robbins, stands by her side. However, Chase Crandall, a burned-out defense attorney who blames himself for a tragic mistake with his client, is assigned the case. Robbins is aghast at the thought that her quiet German student will be in the hands of Crandall.
While I couldn’t wait to start reading, I soon discovered that it wasn’t going to be my cup of tea. Although some parts were interesting, the book ultimately proved disappointing. Here are some of the reasons:
1. I found it slow-moving, and the writing didn’t capture my interest. Only toward the end of the book was I happy to keep reaching for it. Things were beginning to happen.
2. Though I’m perfectly fine with Christian fiction, this aspect felt forced into the story.
3. For a person who loves courtroom scenes, it offered too little too late.
4. While the plot and the relationship between the lawyers sounded promising, I needed the story to be tightened and the relationships to feel less flat.
Final Thoughts
In retrospect, I may have made assumptions after reading the blurb that this was a legal thriller. In my opinion, this book is more of a mystery and Christian romance novel with international vibes than a legal thriller. Would I still rate it the same? Yes. But I do believe my expectations were incorrect.
If you enjoy Christian mysteries, I recommend trying The Accused by Cara Putman. This review is in the minority, so you’re apt to really like the book.
My thanks to Kregel Books for a gifted review copy of the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cara Putman is the award-winning, best-selling author of more than 35 books. She graduated college at 20 and completed her law degree at 27. FIRST for Women magazine called Shadowed by Grace “captivating” and a “novel with ‘the works.’” Cara is active at her church and a full-time Clinical Associate Professor on business and ethics to undergraduate and graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management.
Putman also practices law and was a second-generation homeschooling mom for twelve years. Putman obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from Krannert and her J.D. from George Mason University Antonin Scalia School of Law. She serves on the executive board of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization she has served in various roles since 2007. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana. You can connect with her online at: caraputman.com.
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