Perilous Judgement by Dennis Ricci
Perilous Judgment is a legal thriller that takes us to the forefront of the ongoing issue of immigration.
Edward Lamport is a man of great conviction and as a federal judge he exercises those convictions in his rulings. His most current case is of one of great controversy. Voters in his home state of California have voted to pass Proposition 68 concerning illegal immigration and now Edward has to rule on whether the proposition is constitutional. With his fellow judges and political contacts pressuring him, he is carefully weighing his decision.
Edward is also happily married to Jacqui. Jacqui works for the California school system and with pressure from her coworkers and peers she is becoming more and more anxious herself to find out what her husband’s ruling will be. Edward and Jacqui both know the danger they may face if he makes the “wrong” decision.
Now a woman Edward was once in love with resurfaces and begs for his help. Alana tells Edward of the son he never knew about, who is now a grown young man. This son, Carlos was born and raised in Mexico and works for Bancomex. In the course of his work he has stumbled on dangerous information involving his employers and his life is in jeopardy. Alana wants Edward to use his political connections to help get Carlos out of Mexico and into the safety of the U.S.
Edward is going to have to manage a very complex balancing act here. How will he manage to be true to the integrity his job demands while trying to get his illegitimate son asylum in the U.S.? Why are all his political connections stonewalling him? And how is he going to face his wife with the secrets of his past? Will the woman he was forced to leave behind 25 years ago stir old feelings anew? Will he be able to save his son’s life and will that son accept a father he has never known?
This is a book where we are reminded that the big issues that the talking heads on TV argue about incessantly are not as black and white as they are made out to be. No matter which way the decision goes there are real people behind the scenes who will be affected. We would like to think that the judges ruling on these issues are personally detached but what if one of them weren’t. What if something like this happened to them? Now that could be a far reach, but hey, in today’s world maybe not. It is a most unfortunate fact that political corruption, blackmail, drug running and money laundering are all alive and well.
But in this book we also see a man torn by his convictions and struggling to make the right decisions, none of which are easy. With all of his options growing slim, Edward will turn to his strong Christian faith and values for guidance. With all of the obstacles we face in this world, this is a strong reminder that in the end, it’s up to us how we handle our beliefs and act on them.
I want to thank the publisher (Waterfall Press) for providing me with the ARC through the Goodreads Giveaways program for an honest review.
Book Haunt 
Thank you for your review of my story. I’m grateful for how you captured its heart and essence.
LikeLiked by 1 person