JACKSON, Miss. – Sartoris Literary Group announces the release of Vampire Defense by James D. Bell. Vampire Defense (Trade Paper, ISBN-13: 978-0-9858852-1-2, 283 pages, $14.95) is currently available at Lemuria Books and on Amazon.com.
The debut novel by James D. Bell, Vampire Defense features protagonist John Brooks. A brilliant young trial lawyer, John Brooks is working hard – but hardly getting any notice. Admired for his work ethic, integrity, and intellect, Brooks’ friends think he needs one big case that will show off his talents and help him make a name for himself.
Defending Hal Boyd might be just the case. Charged with arson and four counts of murder, Hal Boyd, known as the Butcher of Belhaven, is the central figure in a grisly murder mystery that has gripped the nation. Eager to cover the case, media from the world over descend on Jackson, Mississippi, and it looks like the Butcher of Belhaven case might be the one to put John Brooks on the map.
But this case may well turn into a career-ender when Brooks announces his unorthodox, and highly unusual, defense: Not guilty by reason of insanity, as his client actually believed the person he killed was a vampire. The media ridicules the “Vampire Defense” rendering Brooks and his defense team the laughingstock of the legal profession.
But ridicule soon becomes the least of Brooks’ concerns when he discovers a satanic cult intent on exacting murderous revenge not only against Hal Boyd but also against his defense team. And what follows is a dangerous, deadly, and dizzying onslaught of kidnapping, rage, and murder.
Between the trial of a lifetime, a burgeoning romance, a calculating courtroom adversary intent on making his life miserable, threats, escalating danger, and the case that could make – or break – his career, John Brooks will certainly have his hands full. Can he clear his client’s name? Navigate the murky waters of romance? And will he sink or swim when he tries the case that will be either the hallmark of his career – or the end of it?
One thing is for certain: it will be a long, harried, and harrowing ride before this defense attorney rests….
With its unforgettable cast of characters, mesmerizing plot, and pulse-racing storyline, Vampire Defense bristles with suspense, courtroom drama, action and intrigue. An inventive, imaginative, and spellbinding tale, Vampire Defense is a sensational and captivating debut. Vampire Defense has been critically reviewed and is listed as a five star novel.
James D. Bell is a retired Judge who received the highest bar association approval ratings ever given to a Mississippi Circuit or County Judge. Bell, who is listed in Preeminent Lawyers and Outstanding Lawyers of America, has been involved in some of the most significant cases in Mississippi, and drew on actual experiences in writing Vampire Defense. James D. Bell is a Mississippi native who lives in Ridgeland, Mississippi with his wife Joanne. Vampire Defense is his first novel.
