False Accusations - Hardcover

Jacobson, Alan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 067102678X ISBN 13: 9780671026783

Publisher: Pocket Books, 1999

Synopsis

Dr. Phillip Madison's privileged life is turned upside down when he is charged with double homicide in a brutal hit-and-run that takes the lives of a young couple, a crime that is linked to him by forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony and for which he has no alibi. A first novel. 50,000 first printing.

About this title

Review

"A gripping, fast-paced thriller..."
Professor Joseph Taylor, former Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney, Sacramento County

"A compelling read that rivals Crichton, Cornwell, and Turow - you won't put this down till the end"
Fred Wynbrandt, former Assistant Director California Department of Justice and Liaison to Congress and the FBI

From the Author

Have you ever thought what would happen if you were accused
Have you ever thought what would happen if you were accused of murder? You'd be exonerated, of course, becausethe evidence would bear witness to your innocence, right? Everything would be fine, right?

Don't be so sure. What if the evidence IMPLICATED you, and the very support systems you thought you could rely on-the police, the district attorney, your friends and family--all treat you as if you're guilty until proven innocent?

This is the situation Dr. Phillip Madison faces early one morning when detectives show up at his home with an arrest warrant. In writing "False Accusations," I wanted to explore the emotions a falsely accused individual experiences, the pitfalls of our criminal justice system, and what happens when a confluence of events makes it impossible for such a person to defend him or herself. I was intrigued by how an innocent person would react. How his spouse might react, his children. How the media or law enforcement would treat him.

"False Accusations" can be read as a straight-forward psychological thriller, or viewed more deeply, as a reflection of the weaknesses that permeate our criminal justice system. After spending several months immersed in research, I came away with a different view of our judicial system. The most frightening aspect of what I learned is that despite all the safeguards built into our courts and juries and judges, the end result is not always one of justice. And that means that innocent people can be sucked into a vacuum of guilt even when they're innocent. It can happen. Worst of all, it can happen to you. "False Accusations" demonstrates just how easily it can occur.

For that reason, "False Accusations" has been called "Riveting" and "Terrific" by bestselling author John Saul, "Chilling," (Booklist), "A fantastic reading experience" (Midwest Book Review), "An edge-of-the-seat thriller" (Review Publishing), and "Unnervingly plausible" (Tucson Weekly). Radio host Bert Lee called it "Fascinating," and The Mystery Reader said it was "A slick thriller, fast-paced..." with "several surprises." See for yourself why Library Journal called "False Accusations" "Essential for suspense and thriller collections." Then write me and tell me what you think. As the readers who've been writing me daily can attest to, I do write back!

Edition details

• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 067102678X
• ISBN 13: 9780671026783
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 405