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If Thy Right Hand
When her autistic son is accused of abusing two young boys, an impassioned prosecutor's world falls apart. She becomes caught between his claim of innocence and her lifelong dedication to putting sex offenders behind bars. Things take a deadly turn when Ilene Hart discovers that someone is killing sex offenders with a biblical sense of retribution. In her pursuit to keep her son from becoming the next victim, she must confront her misperceptions about herself, her children, and the sometimes cloudy line between abuser and abused.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2011
About the author
Robin Lamont
5 books119 followersBroadway actress - private investigator - Assistant DA - and now novelist.
Robin Lamont worked as a Broadway actress and singer, playing lead roles in Godspell, Grease, and Working. Her original cast recording of "Day by "Day" and her film version of the song have drawn fans from around the world. Utilizing her acting experience she became an undercover investigator for a PI firm in New York City that specialized in investigations into counterfeiting. During that time she went to law school and later practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in New York.
Now an award winning novelist, Robin draws on these diverse careers for her work, infusing suspenseful plots with character-driven drama.
Her work has garnered awards and recognition, including Suspense Magazine’s Best of the Indies and a Gold Medal in the Independent Publishers Book Awards for If Thy Right Hand. Her novel The Chain, which introduced Jude Brannock to readers, was a Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalist.
Robin Lamont worked as a Broadway actress and singer, playing lead roles in Godspell, Grease, and Working. Her original cast recording of "Day by "Day" and her film version of the song have drawn fans from around the world. Utilizing her acting experience she became an undercover investigator for a PI firm in New York City that specialized in investigations into counterfeiting. During that time she went to law school and later practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in New York.
Now an award winning novelist, Robin draws on these diverse careers for her work, infusing suspenseful plots with character-driven drama.
Her work has garnered awards and recognition, including Suspense Magazine’s Best of the Indies and a Gold Medal in the Independent Publishers Book Awards for If Thy Right Hand. Her novel The Chain, which introduced Jude Brannock to readers, was a Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalist.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
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July 12, 2011I don't read mysteries very often, because for the most part they offer very little in the way of substance. Robin Lamont's If Thy Right Hand is an exception. Even as it kept me turning the pages, it explored the difficult subject matter of child molestation and Asperger's. I loved that it centered around relationships,and did so well-brother to brother, mother to son, father to daughter, and lovers who have to work together. Waiting for her next one! I don't read mysteries very often, because for the most part they offer very little in the way of substance. Robin Lamont's If Thy Right Hand is an exception. Even as it kept me turning the pages, it explored the difficult subject matter of child molestation and Asperger's. I loved that it centered around relationships,and did so well-brother to brother, mother to son, father to daughter, and lovers who have to work together. Waiting for her next one!
May 20, 2021
Best mystery I've read in quite awhile. Fast read, chilling twists and a rather personal touch when a teacher is mentioned with same name as mine. Loved it!
May 29, 2013
great suspense novel...couldn't put it down
January 2, 2013
An informative, thought provoking story that includes very sensitive subjects. The main character is likable and identifiable. It stays with you!
April 30, 2012
From a Broadway career to law enforcement and then to the literary world, Robin Lamont has definitely been on a long journey to become a novelist. After college, she worked as a Broadway actress and singer, playing lead roles in Godspell, Grease, and Working. Utilizing her acting experience she became an undercover investigator for a PI firm in New York City that specialized in investigations into counterfeiting. During that time she put herself through law school and later practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in New York, where she now lives with her family. If Thy Right Hand is her debut and certainly a great starting point.
A Brief Summary:
When her autistic son is accused of abusing two young boys, an impassioned prosecutor's world falls apart. She becomes caught between his claim of innocence and her lifelong dedication to putting sex offenders behind bars. Things take a deadly turn when Ilene Hart discovers that someone is killing sex offenders with a biblical sense of retribution. In her pursuit to keep her son from becoming the next victim, she must confront her misperceptions about herself, her children, and the sometimes cloudy line between abuser and abused.
Author Robin Lamont worked as a Broadway actress, playing lead roles in Godspell, Grease, and Working. Her original cast recording of "Day by Day" and her film version of the song have drawn fans from around the world. Following an eight year stint as an undercover private investigator, she earned her law degree and practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in New York, where she lives with her family.
Our Take:
This is a splendid debut novel from a promising author.
When we started reading Robin Lamont's debut novel, we could clearly see that the author's experience with the DA office has come handy: The characters were very believable and the conversations and investigation and legal procedures all rang true. Lamont uses the story to shape a debate on the issue of sex abuse. On one side, we meet Ilene Hart, the passionate prosecutor, and Dr Paradiz, the head of a center which is dedicated to working with sex offenders. On the other side, some other characters are presented who, because of the social beliefs, have aggressive positions on sex offenders. The interactions between these two groups are mixed with the main serial killer plot and the author leaves the final conclusion to the readers.
Even though we had seen similar plots and settings in the past from some other authors, the way the author crafted the final work and the realistic details in the story made the book very appealing to us. We believe this is a good and entertaining read for readers of suspense and serial killer novels.
Our Rating: 4.0
Go to mysterytribune.com for more reviews or comments
A Brief Summary:
When her autistic son is accused of abusing two young boys, an impassioned prosecutor's world falls apart. She becomes caught between his claim of innocence and her lifelong dedication to putting sex offenders behind bars. Things take a deadly turn when Ilene Hart discovers that someone is killing sex offenders with a biblical sense of retribution. In her pursuit to keep her son from becoming the next victim, she must confront her misperceptions about herself, her children, and the sometimes cloudy line between abuser and abused.
Author Robin Lamont worked as a Broadway actress, playing lead roles in Godspell, Grease, and Working. Her original cast recording of "Day by Day" and her film version of the song have drawn fans from around the world. Following an eight year stint as an undercover private investigator, she earned her law degree and practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in New York, where she lives with her family.
Our Take:
This is a splendid debut novel from a promising author.
When we started reading Robin Lamont's debut novel, we could clearly see that the author's experience with the DA office has come handy: The characters were very believable and the conversations and investigation and legal procedures all rang true. Lamont uses the story to shape a debate on the issue of sex abuse. On one side, we meet Ilene Hart, the passionate prosecutor, and Dr Paradiz, the head of a center which is dedicated to working with sex offenders. On the other side, some other characters are presented who, because of the social beliefs, have aggressive positions on sex offenders. The interactions between these two groups are mixed with the main serial killer plot and the author leaves the final conclusion to the readers.
Even though we had seen similar plots and settings in the past from some other authors, the way the author crafted the final work and the realistic details in the story made the book very appealing to us. We believe this is a good and entertaining read for readers of suspense and serial killer novels.
Our Rating: 4.0
Go to mysterytribune.com for more reviews or comments
November 8, 2011
Ilene Hart is the Chief of Special Prosecutions in the DA’s office, specializing in the prosecution of pedophiles. When a teenage boy she has recently prosecuted is found shot to death, she begins to make connections with suspicious deaths of other sex offenders.
As a single mother with two sons – one an autistic nineteen year old and the other a rambunctious eleven year old, she struggles to balance the demands of family and career. Then her older son is accused of molesting two young boys at an elementary school where he is working on the computer system.
At the same time, parents are up in arms over the presence of a rehabilitation facility for young, low risk, convicted sex offenders that has opened in the community. Their protests take on the character of a witch hunt as several parents with fanatical religious beliefs incite the others against Ilene and her son.
The novel explores the difficulties of a single mother with a demanding career and her relationship with the Chief of Police, a relationship made more difficult by the accusations against her son. Her two sons, one autistic and one “normal,” who have always been close, also struggle to define their relationship when the older is accused of deplorable acts.
Author Robin Lamont has created characters who struggle with their own inner demons and try to come to terms with what is “normal” for any individual. The tendency for a parent to protect his or her child at all costs often conflicts with the rights of the community at large, and only when the truth is revealed, do we learn the source of the evil.
Lamont has treated a painful and difficult subject within the context of an enthralling mystery. If Thy Right Hand is a superb first novel. Lamont has created a seamless murder mystery that also serves to educate the reader about autism, a condition afflicting many children today.
July 30, 2012
From its shocking opening to its intense conclusion, IF THY RIGHT HAND is one of the most enjoyable, suspenseful novels I've ever read. Robin Lamont's rich prose and vivid imagery are captivating. Furthermore, she has a genuine gift for creating real flesh & blood characters that draw the reader in. The heroine of the novel, Ilene Hart, is a single, working mom raising two sons, one of whom (Sam) has Aspergers. I was thoroughly impressed by how brilliantly Ms. Lamont captures not only the intelligence, literal-mindedness and behavioral patterns of young adults with autism, but also their innermost feelings about their affliction. Sam will break your heart with his yearnings and blow your mind with his depth of understanding.
As if raising two sons alone is not stressful enough, Ilene's career is not for the faint of heart. She is the Chief of Special Prosecutions in the DA'S office, where she specializes in the prosecution of child molesters. Ilene is a complex character and not at all cliched. She's flawed in many ways, yet she can own up to her shortcomings, and admit her mistakes. As the novel progresses, she begins to see the grey area in situations that she once saw solely as black and white.
Without giving too much away, it's when the murders of several pedophiles begin to follow a pattern (at the same time Ilene's family life and career intersect) that the "nail biting" begins. I simply could not put this book down! I guarantee that you won't either.
As if raising two sons alone is not stressful enough, Ilene's career is not for the faint of heart. She is the Chief of Special Prosecutions in the DA'S office, where she specializes in the prosecution of child molesters. Ilene is a complex character and not at all cliched. She's flawed in many ways, yet she can own up to her shortcomings, and admit her mistakes. As the novel progresses, she begins to see the grey area in situations that she once saw solely as black and white.
Without giving too much away, it's when the murders of several pedophiles begin to follow a pattern (at the same time Ilene's family life and career intersect) that the "nail biting" begins. I simply could not put this book down! I guarantee that you won't either.
May 30, 2011
If Thy Right Hand, a debut novel by Robin Lamont, is a fast paced novel of suspense that grabs the reader and does not let go. Assistant District Attorney Ilene Hart is a single mother who prosecutes child sexual abuse cases. Her oldest son Sam is a young adult trying to achieve a measure of independence while coping with Asperger’s Syndrome. Ilene’s younger son Frankie navigates the difficult territory of life with a single mom and a disabled sibling. When one of the defendants Ilene prosecuted is murdered, she is drawn into a conflict in which she and her family become the targets of community hysteria regarding child sexual abuse. The author explores the complexities of the roles of criminal and victim while offering up a story that moves briskly and is driven by interesting characters, especially Sam. The book is a real page turner.
January 15, 2012
This book definitely did not disappoint. When you read as much as I do, books that you have a hard time putting down start to become few and far between. This book delivered on every angle for me. I found myself wanting to stay awake just a little longer, let dinner go a few more minutes so I could get a couple more pages in. This is definitely an author I will be following from here on out for her next books!
Previous review while reading.
Oh this book has me in such a quandry...to knit or read???? I am on the 18th chapter and it has me so intrigued. AWESOME writing and story line. So far I am ranking it up with Jodi Picoult, Tami Hoag, Tana French, Jillian Hoffman, all my favorites!
Previous review while reading.
Oh this book has me in such a quandry...to knit or read???? I am on the 18th chapter and it has me so intrigued. AWESOME writing and story line. So far I am ranking it up with Jodi Picoult, Tami Hoag, Tana French, Jillian Hoffman, all my favorites!
July 9, 2011
Oh, I don't know. I liked this book's clear and appealing description of life with a teen on the autistic spectrum, and the false accusation plot turn was okay...and it was well enough written...but the next big plot turn felt false and left me behind. It's billed as a novel of suspense but it became predictable. I think if the author had expanded on her interesting and nice insights on parenting an almost adult special needs child and left out the "suspense" turn she chose I would feel more positively.
July 14, 2011
I loved this thriller that was both thought-provoking and sensitive to so many different modern day issues. "If Tht Right Hand" was full of suspense at every turn. Robin Lamont did a fabulous job of bringing each charachter to life in a unique and thoughtful way. Thank you Ms. Lamont for getting me into a genre of book I don't normall read. Can't wait for your next page turner!
Want to read
October 25, 2011I received this book in the mail today as a Goodreads Giveaway. It sounds great from the back cover. I can't wait to get started on it! I recently had surgery, so I'm not able to read as much or as fast as I'd like. I will write a review soon.
September 28, 2013
I got into this book quickly. It was well-written and really kept my interest. The story is packed with details and plot, and has very little filler. I look forward to reading more of Robin Lamont's work.
January 11, 2012
A combination of social commentary and mystery that sets in motion both contemplation and entertainment.
January 1, 2015
I finished this book over two years ago, but never got around to writing the review. I'm not a mystery book guy, but Lamont knows her stuff. An engaging page-turner all the way through.
September 5, 2012
Great story that kept me guessing. Very sensitive subject matter that is written well.
November 21, 2012
This book reads like a Jodi Picoult or Kristin Hannah book...nice twist at the end.
January 24, 2013
This was a good book, but sometimes hard to read because of the content. It did make me consider my black and white view on some issues, which I love a book that can do that.
April 11, 2016
Captivating and intriguing. Made me think about the world of autistic children and their parents. How complicated and tough it is...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews