Another excellent legal thriller by Robert Bailey. After graduating at the top of his University of Alabama law school class, Bocephus Haynes returned to Pulaski, Tennessee to seek justice for his father, who was lynched in 1966 when Bocephus was five. Shortly thereafter, his mother disappeared and he was raised by his aunt and uncle. Drinking heavily at the local bar, the man Bocephus knows is responsible for his father's death shows up and some threatening words are spoken. The man ends up shot to death, hung on the same tree, and set afire. Bocephus cannot remember a thing after the bar except going to look at the tree, and is arrested the next day and charged with capital murder by a very aggressive prosecutor, who never loses. Bocephus calls his friend, the Professor (Tom McMurtie), who is the only one he trusts to defend him, and Tom comes to town to help in what appears to be an open and shut case. He finds a local attorney, with deep roots in the community, but is not well liked by many, including Bocephus. Together, they organize a defense while an old adversary targets Tom and other members of the defense team for personal and professional reasons. Of course, the black versus white trope brings out the KKK and tensions are high. Several surprising turn of events at the end, starting in the courtroom, moving to the streets, and eventually back to the famous tree. Recommended, but start with the first book in the series. ( )

Good legal thriller. The twist was unexpected! ( )

Friend and colleague of McMurtrie, Bo Haynes, was five when he watched the KKK lynch his father. Now, 45 years later, he still wants to see justice done to all of those who took part in the brutal murder. What he doesn't expect is to be charged with the murder of Andy Walton, the leader of the group who killed his father. The evidence is stacked against him as racial tensions mount in the small town of Pulaski, the birthplace of the KKK. ( )

I am NOT into legal novels.They bore me. This is a legal THRILLER, AND ONE OF THE VERY BEST!! It is emotional from page one, when Bocephus Haynes' father is taken from his home when Bo was very little and killed. Bo had to live with that nightmare for 45 years. Trouble is, he wants justice from each of the men involved with his father's murder. People were led to believe that Bo is a cold-blooded murderer.

This book has its emotional moments. I also love the other characters: Rick Drake and Thomas McMurtie (who make up the McMurtie and Drake legal thrillers), Raymund (Ray Ray) Pickarue, and the District Attorney, General Helen Lewis. I love when Rick had to drive a guy 9 hours to question a witness in Destin, Florida. This book will not disappoint!!

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer, publishers, and NetGalley for giving me a free ARC copy of this book to read and give my honest review. ( )

After reading "The Professor" by Robert Bailey I was ready to jump into "Between Black and White" when I received my copy from Net Galley. A lot of the characters returned again in the new book and I think even though one could read this book as a standalone novel, reading the "Professor" first would tie everything together better. The book like the first was full of suspense and many surprises. Kept me guessing till a great unexpected ending. Court room drama plus a great mystery are my favorite type of books (John Grisham type) and this book did not disappoint. I am looking forward to, I hope, many more books by Robert Bailey. Another 5★ read. ( )