An unsolved murder. A teenager in peril. Two cases, lives in turmoil, fates manipulated by officials wielding the power to help—or harm.
In the dead of night, on the eve of New York City’s lockdown, a well-respected man is murdered, setting off a perplexing tangle of missed clues and political scandal. Former prosecutor Dana Hargrove, now an appellate judge, is determined to expose the media lies and false accusations targeting her friends and former colleagues. A limping criminal justice system fails to solve the murder by 2022 when another heartbreaking case is heard in Dana’s court. A state agency has ripped a terminally ill teenager from her home to forcibly impose medical treatment of its choice against her will.
Hindered by ethics rules, Dana carves a role for herself in these cases only to come up against her own children. Her son Travis, now a rising star in appellate advocacy, takes a legal position in the teen’s case at odds with Dana’s strongly held beliefs. Her daughter Natalie, a doctoral candidate in cognitive psychology, has a personal reason for meddling in the murder investigation. Will Natalie’s curiosity throw her into danger?
In a compelling story of families in crisis, Power Blind exposes the lure of power, blinding those in authority and control to the costs of their actions.
V.S. Kemanis is "an excellent writer" (Mystery Scene Magazine), "a talented weaver of scene and exposition" (Kirkus Reviews), "a writer of high caliber worth noting" (The U.S. Review of Books).
"Kemanis is excellent when it comes to both matters of legal procedure and human drama. She does masterly work creating multilayered, flawed characters to root for, and she certainly piles up the troubles for Dana… Intricate twists will hold readers’ thorough attention until the end. Both a precisely accurate portrayal of how things work in justice and law enforcement systems and a searing indictment of bureaucratic corruption and trade-offs, this is a stunner." — BookView Review (5 out of 5 stars)
“V.S. Kemanis’s engrossing legal novel Power Blind follows a murder in New York City [and] parallel cases [that] raise questions of whether those in power help or hurt society… A compelling procedural novel, its story takes on the criminal justice system and the nature of power.” — Foreword Clarion Reviews
“All novels, whether grounded in reality or complete flights of fancy, need a sure-handed author to guide the reader. As she has demonstrated throughout her Dana Hargrove series, V.S. Kemanis is that author. Her ultra-clear writing style, encyclopedic knowledge of the courts and the criminal justice system, and conscientious plotting are on full display in Power Blind. A smooth as silk read.” — Kevin Egan, author of Midnight
“Kemanis writes with typical elegance and control, spinning the intricacies of the law into moments of humor and drama, by turns…. With this book, Kemanis has brought Dana into roiling legal battles of the present day, dealing with issues of bodily autonomy and police violence that feel particularly urgent and timely…. An adept and timely courtroom drama.” — Kirkus Reviews
Power Blind has “likable, intelligent characters and … a well-laid-out plot. Perfect for fans of Grisham and Patterson.” — Manhattan Book Review
Power Blind “is a family saga, mystery, and legal tale all rolled into one… The author did a fantastic job drawing me into the story through compelling observations, descriptions, and dialogue. I loved getting a feel for the main character’s life and the many roles she played. The author does an excellent job of conveying the feelings she has for her family too. Frankly, there is a lot to like in this one. The look inside the court and legal system was fascinating. The investigation and mystery aspect and the family dynamics that played out through the story made this an enjoyable read.” — San Francisco Book Review
"An intricate, top-drawer legal thriller…that explores the limits of love, guilt, and punishment… Kemanis plays on relevant themes of corruption and the lure of power while exploring family ties, relationship, love, marriage, duty, and integrity. Readers will be captivated by the intricately drawn characters, but what’s even more impressive is Kemanis’s densely layered, intricately woven rendering of the law enforcement and justice systems as her heroine tries to carve a role for herself in the face of increasingly harsh circumstances. With its complex plot, atmospheric settings, and intriguing cast of multi-layered characters, the novel makes for a solid legal thriller." — The Prairies Book Review
Power Blind is “an engaging read, with plot twist after plot twist that will keep readers guessing… Readers in need of a heroine find one not only in Hargrove but also in the courageous Josefina. Cinematic in nature, the novel’s complex plot lines will remind readers of some of television’s greatest legal dramas. Fans of John Grisham and Lisa Scottoline will likely appreciate this book.” — The U.S. Review of Books
“Power Blind has everything a legal mystery should have: characters you care about, ethical conundrums, ripped-from-the-headlines legal issues, a compelling subplot, page-turning excitement, and an author who clearly knows her way around a courtroom. The action ratchets up just as the reader begins to peel back the secrets in the lives of the victim and the accused, and the tension builds in tandem with the layers of the plot. Kudos to V.S. Kemanis for this well-crafted and timely novel.” — USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amy M. Reade
