The Devil's Chaplain

By: Bruce Hartman

Narrated by: Neal Arango

"Brilliant... A highly entertaining mystery." (Ken Bruen)

Disillusioned with her corporate legal career, attorney Charlotte Ambler volunteers to handle the final appeal of Christopher Ritter, a Florida death row inmate whose execution is imminent. Ritter had been a prominent biologist before being convicted 10 years earlier for the brutal murder of a prostitute. He denies killing the woman but is tormented by guilt for other, secret transgressions. The only appeal he will allow is to prove that he is innocent - a kind of appeal which is almost impossible to succeed.

As Ritter relates his sordid life story, Charlotte discovers that innocence is more complicated than she thought. Ritter claims to have been framed by a shadowy figure named Craft, but as Charlotte studies the evidence she concludes that he is a dangerous psychopath who should not go free. Then a piece of evidence turns up that confirms a key part of his story. Pursuing her investigation, she is thwarted by hidden forces that seem determined to see him executed. In a race against the clock, she searches for the elusive Craft and fights to save Ritter in spite of himself.

The Devil's Chaplain is a legal thriller in the tradition of Scott Turow and John Grisham - a gripping tale of deception and self-deception, betrayal and violence, in which lawyer and client find common ground in their quest for justice and human values.

"A riveting story that hinges on clues so elusive that the tension is exquisitely drawn." (Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review)

©2018 Bruce Hartman (P)2018 Bruce Hartman

This would make a great movie

Kept me on the edge the whole time. Felt compassion for the characters. Great thriller.

A good thriller

This was a good thriller about a death row inmate, his lawyer trying to prove his innocence, and an unknown killer with interesting motives. The story had good twists and the narration was not bad. I recommend.


I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Philosophical study on right, wrong, and justice

This is much more than the story of a man on death row and the lawyers trying to save his life - it's a look at human mortality, the ethics of right and wrong, guilt and innocence, and justice.

Chris Ritter is on Floridia death row awaiting his appointed date with lethal injection. When lawyer Charlotte Ambler volunteers to handle Ritter's final appeal, even though it seems like a truly lost cause. As the story unfolds, we learn the series of events that led to Chris' conviction while taking a journey. Charlotte begins her investigation and soon finds herself racing against the clock when new evidence surfaces.

This story is much more than the thriller I expected. Hartman creates a space to explore some difficult philosophical questions.

The narration is excellent! The voices of different characters are handled expertly and the reading adds to the mystery and tension.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

COMPELLING & SUSPENSEFUL!

Great story! Very suspenseful and filled with twists & turns, it kept my interest throughout. I'm really into forensic psychology and psychiatry and these types of stories are so interesting, getting into their mind to try and figure them out. That's why I LOVE Stephen King, no one can get into someone's head better than he.
Thought this book was awesome, really enjoyed both writing/story and narration, and would definitely read/listen to more from both in the future, really good stuff! :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Gripping

I loved this book! The characters are well developed, the story detailed and intriguing, I was hooked from the first page and I wasn't let go until the book ended. Just when I thought I had everything figured out a new twist would occur that changed something important. The planning this book must have taken is impressive.

Beautifully written the story, the story pulled me in and held me emotionally captive, I felt for and with the lead characters.

The narration is well done, the delivery was dynamic and well paced, I liked the character voices, they were clear and distinct, however Charlotte's voice doesn't match the authors description of it.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

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