Recoil of Justice

A Houston lawyer takes on a thieving tech company and an even greater menace in Elder’s novel, the first in a series.

Ryan Wolfe’s client, Baron Tech, has developed the “most secure data-sharing and storage software ever produced.” The data is safeguarded deep on the dark web, yet someone still manages to steal it by getting their hands on the software code. The likely culprit is Bidwell Technologies, which essentially hijacked Baron Tech’s billion-dollar contracts with the U.S. and Mexican governments. That’s tortious interference, if Ryan can just prove that Bidwell knew of the existing contracts. But as he digs further into the case, Ryan unearths something much more sinister involving dangerous people, more than one serious crime, and the very real possibility of someone being killed. Luckily, he has friends who can help, most notably Charles James Bednerik, a helicopter pilot who has his own chopper. Elder’s taut novel straddles genres—it’s both a legal thriller and an action story. The former aspect is quietly engrossing as Bidwell and its attorneys are depicted as being relentlessly underhanded; they hit Ryan’s firm with a “discovery dump” (boxes of useless documents burying the few that Ryan wants) and may have compromised those suddenly forgetful witnesses. Then, there’s a clear shift to action as Ryan, Charles, and others fight to rescue someone in unmistakable peril. This material, while entertaining, isn’t quite as appealing as Ryan’s legal battle. The backstories give the narrative a solid foundation: Ryan, for example, has tragically lost loved ones in the past and has built a sturdy, years-long friendship with Charles, while one of the principal villains gets an unexpectedly sympathetic spotlight. This first installment in Elder’s series ends with a gratifying resolution.

Energetic characters headline this riveting, occasionally bumpy legal/action thriller.