Part of Butch Karp, book 1
Mandeville Lewis thought he had perfected the art of liquor store robbery. His clever system worked flawlessly until the day it all came crashing down. Now facing serious charges, Lewis secures the services of New York's most skilled defense attorney. But just as his legal troubles mount, Lewis suffers what appears to be a perfectly timed mental collapse. The nervous breakdown seems almost too convenient, raising questions about whether Lewis is truly incapacitated or simply adding another layer to his criminal cunning. As the case unfolds, the boundaries blur between genuine psychological crisis and calculated legal strategy. This legal thriller explores the gray areas where criminal desperation meets courtroom manipulation, and where the line between madness and method becomes dangerously thin.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, legal-thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, unreliable-narrator
Setting: New York
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
368 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Signet
Content warnings: mental-illness