The Bloodied Client

A Legal Thriller (Maggie Gallagher Legal Thriller Series, Book 2)

By: Peter Kirkland

Narrated by: Carrie Coello

A teenage girl is charged with the unthinkable…

The crime? The brutal murder of her own parents. The prosecution’s argument seems airtight. But small town defense attorney Maggie Gallagher senses something isn’t right…

Months earlier, Zoey Conrad had already faced her worst nightmare when two men broke into her room. In the terrifying struggle that followed, one intruder ended up dead. The judge declared it self-defense and dismissed the charges, allowing Zoey to rebuild her life in their small town. But now, with her parents found murdered under disturbingly similar circumstances, the evidence against Zoey quickly piles up.

Maggie knows Zoey and she wants to believe the girl is no killer. Yet the more she learns about the twisted life the Conrads led, the stronger her compassion for Zoey grows. But the deeper she digs, the worse things get. Especially since Maggie’s own son has gotten personally involved.

As the prosecution builds an ironclad case and the clock ticks down, Maggie must race to expose the truth. If she fails, Zoey’s fate is sealed—and an innocent life could be shattered forever.

©2025 Relay Publishing (P)2026 Relay Publishing

Captivating!

This is the second book in the Maggie Gallagher Legal Thriller series, and it’s another strong addition. I really enjoyed following Maggie through both her investigation and her personal life. The plot is intriguing, well crafted, and captivating, with plenty of mystery and twists and turns. The supporting cast adds depth to the story, especially Zoey, who stands out as an enigmatic and compelling character. Carrie Coello delivered an excellent narration that brought the story to life. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Great story

Book 1 and 2 both have great storylines with good twist
The narrator is good but sounds little whiny or strained at times
The only part of both books that bothered me were the parenting
This kid talks down to his mother and the father is so passive it’s hard to believe it’s real
He allows the son to walk all over the mother and for Maggie being such a strong character it’s disturbing to see how she allows her son to get away with anything
Maybe it’s just how parents are these days, but overall I really enjoyed both stories and love this author’s other books

Really Enjoyed It

I really enjoyed this book and have now gotten Book 1. I know I read it out of order, but that's just me. The ending had me fooled for a while. It was sort of an "ah-ha" moment. I recommend this one!

strident voice

narrator has strident voice which gets annoying and grating. she is overly performative and dramatic.

Great read.

This is such a great listen. I absolutely loved this story. I couldn't put it down. It's so good. Loved it.