Title: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree (Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series Book 1)
Author: Norm Harris
Genre: Legal Thriller, Military Thriller, Spy Thriller
Book Blurb:
***Revised Second Edition***
A female lawyer must prove a war hero’s innocence. Navy SEALs hijack a Russian warship to stop a North Korean missile crisis.
Every now and again, a unique story comes our way, a story unlike any we may have read before. Such is “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree,” author Norm Harris’s first critically acclaimed murder mystery/thriller. The story’s focal point is Faydra “Spider” Green, a dedicated Navy JAG lawyer who has lived her life in the shadows of a great and powerful man: her father, former President of the United States William Green. Green cannot heal the wound in his relationship with his daughter. His former power and influence curse Faydra and cause her to wonder if her accomplishments were her own doing.
Faydra, a lawyer by trade, is both anxious and excited as she undertakes her first homicide investigation: —the brutal murder of a Navy SEAL. She reasons that a successful investigation will provide her the opportunity to validate her sense of self-worth. Thanks to her remarkable deductive abilities, Faydra soon realizes that the accused man, a Special Ops Marine war hero, may be innocent and that the Navy is using her as a pawn in a complex cover-up.
Meanwhile, a seasoned Navy Sea Captain, Egan Fletcher, whose wife had died eight years earlier, struggles to balance his Navy career with raising a son. When the Navy purposefully pairs him with Faydra in a meeting, the two Navy officers embark on an adrenaline-pumping adventure. It is a top-secret mission- impossible that will take them halfway around the world in an attempt to avert a catastrophic act of terrorism in the form of a biological war.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Washington State’s Puget Sound and the mystique of East Asia. Fadra’s story revolves around a woman who appears to be as pure as the driven snow—yet, she is driven by an insatiable need to complete any assignment, no matter how dangerous. Along the way, she transforms into a symbol of hope, perseverance, and a woman’s ability to overcome life-threatening events.
The first novel “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree” begins the riveting Spider Green Mystery Thriller series. If you enjoy razor-sharp dialogue, strong-willed people, suspense, twists, and high-octane action, then Faydra “Spider” Green, the intrepid female sleuth and unpretentious hero in this taut, fast-paced adventure, will appeal to you.
My Review:
Living in the shadow of her father plagues Faydra as she investigates her first homicide case. Being the daughter of former President William Green is not as easy as it may seem. His power and influence dogs Navy JAG lawyer Faydra ‘Spider’ Green at every turn and she ponders if her achievements are her own or his. She’s thrilled to be investigating her first murder case but the man accused is not the killer. Instead, there’s a huge cover-up going on. What to do? Will Faydra play along or leak the cover-up? Meanwhile, when Faydra is teamed up with a navy captain on a top-secret mission, she places herself in harm’s way, but she doesn’t pull any punches. Determined to complete her mission at any cost, she defied logic and throws herself into dangerous situations. Will she succeed where men have failed? They don’t call her Spider for kicks…
Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is an addictive, heart-pounding, legal/military/spy thriller I couldn’t put down. This is book one in the series and boy, does it deliver! There are certain characters who make or break a thriller series and Faydra makes this series unputdownable. From the beginning, I connected with Faydra. She’s a flawed character who kicks butt on all levels but it’s her insecurities that make me love her even more. No one relates to a perfect character. The action scenes are high-octane and well described. The legal/military/spy vernacular is accurate and lays the groundwork for an authentic storyline. There’s a lot going on in Fruit of the Poisonous Tree but Norm Harris writes with purpose and clarity. I thoroughly enjoyed Fruit of the Poisonous Tree and I can recommend it to any reader looking for an edgy thriller. Fans of James Patterson will love Fruit of the Poisonous Tree. Brilliant from start to finish, I can’t wait to read the next installment in this series. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Norm Harris' first novel debuted on an Amazon bestseller list in 2002. It was a one-and-done, but now he's back with a plan to publish the Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series from the first mystery/thriller of days gone by.
Except for time spent in military service, he is a second-generation Seattleite (that's what they call those who dwell in the shadow of Mt. Rainier), with his legal beagle son, K-K, and five giant tropical fish. Norm's stories spring from his memories of people who he has met and places and the places he has visited as he traveled the world. Diversity, inclusion, and equality are foremost in each story. "Fay is an admirable, tough, brilliant protagonist." said one reviewer. Said another, "Lt Commander Faydra Green from the JAG Corps is a “take no prisoners” protagonist..."
Watch for his four upcoming first quarter 2022 novels, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree", "Arid Sea", "Deception Pass", and "The Girl Who Knew Death" in what he hopes to be an award-winning mystery thriller series. And in late 2022 his fifth book in the series "Rain and Wind and Fire".
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Reviewed by: Mrs. N