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Blanket Immunity

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A successful prosecutor goes all in with a campaign to become a judge. After losing the race, she quits her job to open a criminal defense practice. Needing to build her practice and escape from debt, she takes an accused rapist as her first client, a drug dealer as her second, and a murderer as her third. The cases challenge her in ways she couldn’t have predicted, leading her to a perilous cross-roads. Find out if she works for or against the interests of a client to achieve justice and who should be entitled to Blanket Immunity.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2018

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About the author

Adam Van Susteren

8 books8 followers
Adam Van Susteren has been a practicing civil litigation attorney in San Diego since 2004. He started working on his first novel in 2012 because he felt too many plot-driven novels contained caricatures instead of characters. Inspired by characteristics of two friends, the protagonist of Van Susteren's series is a smart but everyday guy, Aaron Baker. Van Susteren's novels have put Aaron Baker front and center in disputes over monetary policy, immigration, and the question of whether dinosaurs were real. A consistent theme in the Aaron Baker series is the presentation of well-researched information meant not only to entertain and inform readers, but also to inspire readers to learn even more about an issue after they finish a book.

Some think Van Susteren went into writing as a creative outlet when his law practice started focusing on insurance law. Some think it was so he could use it as a pick-up line at a bar. Some think it was to satisfy his desire to entertain and provide information about important issues. Some people are probably somewhat right.

Van Susteren is happily married to the amazing Ann Van Susteren. They enjoy traveling throughout the country and the world when they can find the time. Many of the people and places they encounter have inspired characters and locations in previous books and will continue to provide inspiration. Van Susteren deeply appreciates the support of his wife, family, friends, clients, and readers; without whom he could not have his rewarding dual career as a writer and lawyer.

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5 stars
13 (52%)
4 stars
4 (16%)
3 stars
7 (28%)
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1 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for BreeAnn (She Just Loves Books).
1,388 reviews102 followers
February 19, 2020
What I Loved:
This book had a great mixture of a legal story along with what you would want out of a mystery and thriller! I didn’t feel lost in legal talk and enjoyed the entire story. The legal aspects were really enjoyable and I wanted more!

How I Felt:
This story took me on quite the ride! It was so filled with surprises, I was kept on the edge of my seat through a lot of it. There were times where I thought the case had been wrapped up, but then another twist would happen, and I would be surprised all over again.

I loved Jo, the main character. Her situation was filled with difficult decisions and I struggled right alongside her as she decided what to do. I didn’t connect well with her family, but I also don’t think I was really supposed to. Her family helped to fill out her character and her decisions.

Blanket Immunity has a bit of romance in it as well. I appreciated that it did not take over the story, but it was there as a supporting side plot. It is a new romance, budding as the story unfolds, and I enjoyed watching the two of them.

Overall, the writing in this story was really great. I found that a few times, I felt like the story went a bit fast and I had missed a few things. I would not have minded if the book had been just a bit longer to fill in some of those gaps.

Content Warnings: Blanket Immunity contains scenes or references to murder and rape.

To Read or Not To Read: This is a great book for anyone that enjoys mystery, suspense or legal thrillers!

What's This Book About Anyway?
Jo Channing has just opened her very own law office. After losing her judgeship campaign, she is starting fresh. Her first customer walks into her single room office and she is so excited! She takes Brad’s case immediately. He has been accused of rape but maintains his innocence. With an alibi Jo feels she can work with, she’s ready to take this one on.

While working through Brad’s case, she takes a quick side-job at the jail by filling in for another lawyer. This job puts her in contact with her second client almost immediately. After a few phone calls and a meeting, she starts to realize he might not be the kind of client she wants.

I received a copy of this advanced reader’s copy for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

My review will post on my blog on Jan 5. All of my reviews can be found at: https://shejustlovesbooks.com/

You can also find my onlinebookclub review at: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
Profile Image for Travis Lee.
Author 18 books9 followers
December 1, 2018
Research.

It frightens me, the idea of mixing research and fiction. So when I set a scene in say, a courtroom, I just write what comes to mind...and the research comes later. Much later.

Kicking and screaming.

It's good to see people bring their jobs into their writing--it adds a layer of authenticity. *Blanket Immunity* feels authentic from start to finish. Adam Van Susteren is a civil litigation attorney after all, and it shows--sometimes too much. There are spots where he dumps a lot info on us.

An easy read, a sound plot. We follow Jo Channing after her failed run for judge, as she tries to start her own law practice. What seems to be a simple case isn't so simple after all, and I won't spoil everything that happens, but it was nice to see her kind of "break bad", and I hope the sequel continues to explore her flirtations with the darker side of the law.

A nice, entertaining read. Recommended.
Profile Image for Ana Levley.
Author 2 books19 followers
November 27, 2018
Fantastic thrilling read!

I was really impressed by the authors ability to capture my attention for so long - I was not expecting it since lawyer novels are not usually my cup of tea. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns, as well as the strong female lead he created. I loved how many different perspectives could be taken in the novel as well so when you thought you understood it it took another turn. I highly recommend this novel if you love lawyer thrillers and it is a great story overall. I can’t wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Laura Tolomei.
Author 44 books124 followers
January 4, 2020
A bit confusing at times, but still enjoyable!

Blanket Immunity strong point isn't it's storyline, which is pretty complex and hard to navigate at times. It's rather the multi-cultural background and personal aspects imbuing the entire novel. It is the enchantment of falling in love however unrealistically fast it happens and of people supporting one another even beyond the classic family ties.

If you expect the classic legal thriller, you might be disappointed, but I still recommend this book to all crime fans who also look for a romantic twist and a sense of family in their reading.
Profile Image for Redmakesmyheartsing.
222 reviews1 follower
September 17, 2022
Blanket Immunity by Adam Van Susteren begins by introducing us to Joanna' Jo' Channing, who, after several years as a Deputy District Attorney, has run for Judge with financial help from her parents. When she is not appointed, she quits her job and sets up on her own as a Criminal Defense Lawyer. Today is her first day, and she wonders how to attract clients when there is a knock on her office door, and Brad Gecina becomes her first client. Brad, a policeman, has been suspended because a woman claims he stalked and raped her. When Jo looks into all the evidence, it seems that the rape victim is lying. Brad pushes for blanket immunity, which will protect him from future prosecution for crimes related to his testimony. When Jo achieves this by pulling strings, she thinks that is the end of the case.

Jo gains her second client when she visits Tai Nguyen for a lawyer friend. Tai is a small-time drug dealer arrested for possession with intent to distribute. Tai needs Jo's help to pass a message to Marcos Omar; he is worried that he will be killed if Omar does not get the message. When Jo gets in touch with Omar, he becomes Jo's third client. Along the way, Jo meets Dzuy Gong, a character who seems too good to be true. Within minutes of the meeting, Dzuy has offered to go with Jo to a family dinner to diffuse the tension between Jo and her younger sister Jami. Dzuy is pulled into a desperate situation with Jo, Omar, and Brad. Someone has been lying! Who? How far will Jo go to make amends?

Van Susteren's characters in Blanket Immunity are so well described that you can picture them while reading the book. I enjoyed how Van Susteren showed so many sides to the characters. Jo is a strong, independent woman but shows her soft side when interacting with her family and Dzuy. I loved how Jo struggles between helping her cash-strapped parents out, e.g., on page twenty-three, "She dreamed about helping her parents and paying off her campaign debt." and keeping her professional and moral integrity even when offered more money than she can imagine. I enjoyed how the characters jelled, and their interactions felt right. I felt throughout Blanket Immunity that Adam Van Susteren had either been in the law profession at one time or had thoroughly researched the subject. It could have been a very heavy-going book, but the author writes in such a way that I felt the subject was well explained without any unnecessary detail.

I was not impressed when I came to page one hundred and seventeen, which had a whole conversation in Spanish, I had no idea what the conversation was about, and this spoilt the flow of the story. I also found many grammar errors, e.g., on page one hundred and twenty-one, "Aaron starting writing on his pad." I did not feel that this was professionally proofread or edited.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I have taken one star off for the grammatical errors and the Spanish conversation, which I felt was unnecessary to the story as it was neither translated nor explained. Hence, it meant nothing to the reader. I was disappointed I had to reduce a star as this book is fast-paced and enjoyable. It is a book you can lose yourself in, an actual page-turner!

I would recommend Blanket Immunity to anyone who enjoys a gripping legal thriller with several stories running alongside one another. I would only recommend this to an adult audience as it has rape, murder, and drug-taking scenes.

I'd like to thank Adam Van Susteren for giving me a free copy of his book in return for an unbiased review.

You can read more of my reviews here: http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-...
Profile Image for Sudasha.
283 reviews10 followers
November 7, 2022
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

Check out the full review on the page above!

A combination of a legal thriller, mystery, and romance, Blanket Immunity is written by practicing attorney, Adam Van Susteren.

Our main protagonist, Joanna Channing has just opened her own defense law practice after years of working for the prosecution office. She made a premature run for a judgeship, which after failing spectacularly, has left her practically destitute and embarrassed. Narrated by Jo in the third person, we watch her navigate the transition from prosecutor to working for “the bad guys.” While initially worried about attracting clients, on her very first day she gets a walk-in: an accused rapist is requesting her help with receiving blanket immunity for a crime he is accused of committing. What follows is a roller-coaster of events, leading us through a fast-paced storyline with twists and turns we never see coming.

I really liked that this was not the average legal thriller. It was quite different from those in the genre I have read in the past in that there was no overuse of legalese; this allowed for a smoother reading experience, as I did not have to spend too much time wondering what I was reading about. I also really enjoyed the mixture of the suspense and legal genres; this was masterfully done by the author. Even the elements of romance added wonderfully to the book, helping me to better connect with Jo as the main female character.

I must admit that it took me a while to get into this novel. At the outset, there was a lot of world-building and character background formation happening; while it was all appreciated, it did lend itself to slower pacing. I struggled a bit getting into the story, and it took a few attempts before I finally got into the swing of things.

3.5 stars. Are you a lover of legal thrillers? Then this will not disappoint!

1 review
November 13, 2020
Wrap yourself in a delightful crime novel

I very much enjoyed this ebook. Interesting characters abound, including a likable, if dangerous street thug, Omar, and a villainous “victim.” The plot has more than enough suspenseful twists to provide an fun frolic to the reader. Kudos to the author for accuracy in portraying the legal system. Additional kudos to this male author for creating a rounded female protagonist, attorney Jo Channing. I will be following his future works.
Profile Image for Vickie Noel.
44 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2019
This was a simple, pleasurable book to read. Fast-paced and exciting, it follows Jo Channing outside of her job as a public defender to becoming a defence attorney. She meets some questionable characters and makes a somewhat rookie mistake. How she cleans this up is super impressive to me as well as encouraging. This is one of those books you jusr can't help concluding!
Profile Image for barbara pint.
193 reviews3 followers
August 8, 2019
Review

Great read unbelievable how the story spins. Loved main characters and their interactions. Recommend this book highly! Keep me reading!
May 3, 2021
Check out all of my other reviews at https://theenglishreaderreviews.wordp...

After failing to become a judge, Jo Channing decided to open her own law practice with years of both defence and prosecution experience behind her. She finds an office and begins settling in when all that’s left to do is find someone to represent. Brad Gecina is her first client and with him brings a relatively straight forward case. Brad wants an immunity deal against a potential rape charge. This should be no problem for Jo as all evidence points to Brad not having committed the crime. Jo also begins representing Omar, a mysterious man who has more secrets that he is willing to let on. Is there more to Omar than meets the eye? How deep does Brads rape allegation really go? How far is Jo Channing willing to go to deliver justice and which side of the law is she actually on? Blanket Immunity follows Jo Channing as she uncovers the shocking secrets and lies from her clients while trying to stay a straight lawyer at the beginning of her independent practice. With the help of her new boyfriend Dzuy will Jo managed to stay on the straight and narrow or will she lose her licence for good?

Blanket Immunity is a fast paced and exciting courtroom drama written by Adam Van Susteren, a genuine practicing lawyer in California. I will start by saying a huge selling point of Blanket Immunity is Susteren’s obvious extensive experience in the world of criminal law. The inside knowledge and law jargon is what really makes this book so believable. I did not doubt once that what was happening between the lawyers and defendants was not accurate.

I found it exhilarating to have a female lawyer as the lead character. Jo Channing is an incredibly strong character that has a high moral compass. Even when she makes some questionably immoral decisions, the reader can see how she is swaying between what is right and wrong. This makes for a fun and interesting character who I was routing for the whole way through the book. Another aspect of Blanket Immunity that is slightly unusual is that the romance was important but was not frustratingly tumultuous. I loved how the romantic relationship was actually fairly normal and the love interest, Dzuy, was a well-rounded character in his own right. Not only this, but Dzuy was imperative to the plot of the book and his skills and interests were needed to progress the story.

Because Blanket Immunity is set in southern California there are naturally a handful of Hispanic characters. The way in which Adam Van Susteren included these characters into the book was refreshing to read. Susteren writes what these characters are saying in Spanish and doesn’t translate immediately. Therefore, if you are like me and have very limited knowledge of the Spanish language it can be a little frustrating for a couple of sentences but then the reader learns what was said by either the characters actions or thoughts.

Even though I loved this book there are a couple of points that I think subtract from a perfect read. This is linked to my earlier comment on how the law jargon is believable. I did find myself sometimes getting a little lost in the words and couldn’t follow what was happening. I ended up reading several passages a couple of times to try and understand what was going on. This does not however mean that the language is hard to understand. On the contrary, I found that the writing flows freely but also succinctly. Not everyone will find the same problem I did as other may be or familiar with the American judicial system. Similarly, there were plot points which I found confusing and characters who I felt were unnecessary and the storyline would have remained the same without them.

Even though there are a couple of negative points I am still rating this 5 out of 5 stars purely because of how much I enjoyed this novel. Legal dramas are what I very often lean towards and I can safely say I have found a new favourite author. The editing has been done professionally and to a high standard. I found only one borderline grammatical error in the whole book. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to follow a strong female lead or who likes a gritty legal/courtroom thriller

I’ve learned a lot of things in this life, Joanna. One thing I know is we’re standing on top of the Earth. You’re feeling pressure you’re putting on yourself.

Blanket Immunity (Jo Channing Book 1) – Adam Van Susteren
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

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