Praise for
Path To Atonement
“A United States attorney leads a task force targeting an international human
trafficking ring in this third installment of a thriller series.
“Nick Drummond’s Money Laundering Task Force now has its first human trafficking case. A 17-year-old Nepali girl has escaped captivity from a trafficking ring centered in Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California. She provides details on numerous individuals involved, most notably two Americans known as Mister Steve and Mister Rick. These men are linked to a private corporation that owns spas and hotels in the U.S. and other countries. At these businesses are youngsters from places like Nepal and Tanzania forced into sex work or severely underpaid for manual labor. The task force, which includes government agents, gathers intelligence so that Nick can take the fight to court, beginning with a grand jury hearing. Making charges stick will entail someone wearing a wire and facing a culprit with a reputation for violence. Nick hopes to put a lot of people away, even if everyone pleads to a deal. But the attorney himself may be looking to make reparations—he’s still burdened by guilt over a crime he committed years ago. Like preceding series entries, this volume moves at a steady clip. Task force members sometimes find themselves in dangerous circumstances (for example, up against a hidden shooter). Nick utilizes the legal system with skill and promptness: overseeing testimonies, discovery, and motions. With his pithy writing, Dutton distinctly establishes scenes and new characters. In the case of villains Steve and Rick, they seem like typical adventure-seeking men, but the few overt signs of their depravity make them truly horrifying. The story caters to new readers joining the series, but it’s especially edifying for returning fans, who will recognize several characters and subplots. The enjoyable novel ends on a sharp and unexpected note.
“An engaging legal tale with plenty of action, suspense, and courtroom flair.”
“Nick Drummond’s Money Laundering Task Force now has its first human trafficking case. A 17-year-old Nepali girl has escaped captivity from a trafficking ring centered in Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California. She provides details on numerous individuals involved, most notably two Americans known as Mister Steve and Mister Rick. These men are linked to a private corporation that owns spas and hotels in the U.S. and other countries. At these businesses are youngsters from places like Nepal and Tanzania forced into sex work or severely underpaid for manual labor. The task force, which includes government agents, gathers intelligence so that Nick can take the fight to court, beginning with a grand jury hearing. Making charges stick will entail someone wearing a wire and facing a culprit with a reputation for violence. Nick hopes to put a lot of people away, even if everyone pleads to a deal. But the attorney himself may be looking to make reparations—he’s still burdened by guilt over a crime he committed years ago. Like preceding series entries, this volume moves at a steady clip. Task force members sometimes find themselves in dangerous circumstances (for example, up against a hidden shooter). Nick utilizes the legal system with skill and promptness: overseeing testimonies, discovery, and motions. With his pithy writing, Dutton distinctly establishes scenes and new characters. In the case of villains Steve and Rick, they seem like typical adventure-seeking men, but the few overt signs of their depravity make them truly horrifying. The story caters to new readers joining the series, but it’s especially edifying for returning fans, who will recognize several characters and subplots. The enjoyable novel ends on a sharp and unexpected note.
“An engaging legal tale with plenty of action, suspense, and courtroom flair.”
Kirkus Reviews
PATH TO ATONEMENT
“In Jim Dutton’s shocking legal thriller Path to Atonement, an attorney confronts the realities of human trafficking.
Nick Drummond, an assistant US attorney, is contacted by Elin…, the fiancée of a man whose death was partially brought about by Nick’s actions. Through Elin, he meets Binsa, a Nepalese teenager who escaped sexual slavery. He also becomes embroiled in the fight to dismantle the human trafficking ring that took Binsa.
“…In the novel’s second half, the characters become dynamic, and their exchanges take on wry wit, helping to leaven the heavy subject matter….Once the legal proceedings begin, the story becomes suspenseful and interesting, portraying human trafficking and its consequences in an authentic manner. The victims suffer from deep and abiding PTSD, but they do not lose the defining traits that make them human and individuals. Their character arcs are satisfying, albeit heart wrenching. They’re treated by Nick and his teammates with kindness and compassion,…The story’s ending is shocking and involves some controversy, but is gratifying.
“The legal thriller Path to Atonement goes inside of courtroom practices to treat its painful subject matter with sensitivity and respect.”
Nick Drummond, an assistant US attorney, is contacted by Elin…, the fiancée of a man whose death was partially brought about by Nick’s actions. Through Elin, he meets Binsa, a Nepalese teenager who escaped sexual slavery. He also becomes embroiled in the fight to dismantle the human trafficking ring that took Binsa.
“…In the novel’s second half, the characters become dynamic, and their exchanges take on wry wit, helping to leaven the heavy subject matter….Once the legal proceedings begin, the story becomes suspenseful and interesting, portraying human trafficking and its consequences in an authentic manner. The victims suffer from deep and abiding PTSD, but they do not lose the defining traits that make them human and individuals. Their character arcs are satisfying, albeit heart wrenching. They’re treated by Nick and his teammates with kindness and compassion,…The story’s ending is shocking and involves some controversy, but is gratifying.
“The legal thriller Path to Atonement goes inside of courtroom practices to treat its painful subject matter with sensitivity and respect.”
Clarion Reviews
PATH TO ATONEMENT
“…[T]he main character, Nick, finds himself on page one at a disadvantage. But
despite this brief nod to convention, the book doesn’t follow the standard cookie-cutter plot. A web of crime has been taking place in the shadows and beyond
the protagonist’s interest. Events that took place before the narrative force him
to seek redemption. The author discusses his main character’s process and
decisions in a dynamic third person. The logistics of both criminal activity
and fighting are presented in vivid detail.
“It is a world populated by men and women on both sides of the law, those well familiar with the consequences of faulty decisions, and who are distinctly casual about the violence of the entire process. It is a culture of men like Nick, who struggle to make amends for past wrongs and strip themselves of old wounds that their distinct brand of justice has manifested on their souls. It is a tale that hints at the darker possibilities of the criminal mind and the handicaps imposed on law enforcement that restrain them from crossing the line. Ultimately, it’s a compelling story about individuals finding the courage to stop compromising their morals, quit bending their badges, and seek a path towards humility and forgiveness.”
“It is a world populated by men and women on both sides of the law, those well familiar with the consequences of faulty decisions, and who are distinctly casual about the violence of the entire process. It is a culture of men like Nick, who struggle to make amends for past wrongs and strip themselves of old wounds that their distinct brand of justice has manifested on their souls. It is a tale that hints at the darker possibilities of the criminal mind and the handicaps imposed on law enforcement that restrain them from crossing the line. Ultimately, it’s a compelling story about individuals finding the courage to stop compromising their morals, quit bending their badges, and seek a path towards humility and forgiveness.”
The US Review of Books by Robert Buccellato
PATH TO ATONEMENT
Praise for
Path To Atonement
“A United States attorney leads a task force targeting an international human
trafficking ring in this third installment of a thriller series.
“Nick Drummond’s Money Laundering Task Force now has its first human trafficking case. A 17-year-old Nepali girl has escaped captivity from a trafficking ring centered in Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California. She provides details on numerous individuals involved, most notably two Americans known as Mister Steve and Mister Rick. These men are linked to a private corporation that owns spas and hotels in the U.S. and other countries. At these businesses are youngsters from places like Nepal and Tanzania forced into sex work or severely underpaid for manual labor. The task force, which includes government agents, gathers intelligence so that Nick can take the fight to court, beginning with a grand jury hearing. Making charges stick will entail someone wearing a wire and facing a culprit with a reputation for violence. Nick hopes to put a lot of people away, even if everyone pleads to a deal. But the attorney himself may be looking to make reparations—he’s still burdened by guilt over a crime he committed years ago. Like preceding series entries, this volume moves at a steady clip. Task force members sometimes find themselves in dangerous circumstances (for example, up against a hidden shooter). Nick utilizes the legal system with skill and promptness: overseeing testimonies, discovery, and motions. With his pithy writing, Dutton distinctly establishes scenes and new characters. In the case of villains Steve and Rick, they seem like typical adventure-seeking men, but the few overt signs of their depravity make them truly horrifying. The story caters to new readers joining the series, but it’s especially edifying for returning fans, who will recognize several characters and subplots. The enjoyable novel ends on a sharp and unexpected note.
“An engaging legal tale with plenty of action, suspense, and courtroom flair.”
“Nick Drummond’s Money Laundering Task Force now has its first human trafficking case. A 17-year-old Nepali girl has escaped captivity from a trafficking ring centered in Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California. She provides details on numerous individuals involved, most notably two Americans known as Mister Steve and Mister Rick. These men are linked to a private corporation that owns spas and hotels in the U.S. and other countries. At these businesses are youngsters from places like Nepal and Tanzania forced into sex work or severely underpaid for manual labor. The task force, which includes government agents, gathers intelligence so that Nick can take the fight to court, beginning with a grand jury hearing. Making charges stick will entail someone wearing a wire and facing a culprit with a reputation for violence. Nick hopes to put a lot of people away, even if everyone pleads to a deal. But the attorney himself may be looking to make reparations—he’s still burdened by guilt over a crime he committed years ago. Like preceding series entries, this volume moves at a steady clip. Task force members sometimes find themselves in dangerous circumstances (for example, up against a hidden shooter). Nick utilizes the legal system with skill and promptness: overseeing testimonies, discovery, and motions. With his pithy writing, Dutton distinctly establishes scenes and new characters. In the case of villains Steve and Rick, they seem like typical adventure-seeking men, but the few overt signs of their depravity make them truly horrifying. The story caters to new readers joining the series, but it’s especially edifying for returning fans, who will recognize several characters and subplots. The enjoyable novel ends on a sharp and unexpected note.
“An engaging legal tale with plenty of action, suspense, and courtroom flair.”
Kirkus Reviews
PATH TO ATONEMENT
“In Jim Dutton’s shocking legal thriller Path to Atonement, an attorney confronts the realities of human trafficking.
Nick Drummond, an assistant US attorney, is contacted by Elin…, the fiancée of a man whose death was partially brought about by Nick’s actions. Through Elin, he meets Binsa, a Nepalese teenager who escaped sexual slavery. He also becomes embroiled in the fight to dismantle the human trafficking ring that took Binsa.
“…In the novel’s second half, the characters become dynamic, and their exchanges take on wry wit, helping to leaven the heavy subject matter….Once the legal proceedings begin, the story becomes suspenseful and interesting, portraying human trafficking and its consequences in an authentic manner. The victims suffer from deep and abiding PTSD, but they do not lose the defining traits that make them human and individuals. Their character arcs are satisfying, albeit heart wrenching. They’re treated by Nick and his teammates with kindness and compassion,…The story’s ending is shocking and involves some controversy, but is gratifying.
“The legal thriller Path to Atonement goes inside of courtroom practices to treat its painful subject matter with sensitivity and respect.”
Nick Drummond, an assistant US attorney, is contacted by Elin…, the fiancée of a man whose death was partially brought about by Nick’s actions. Through Elin, he meets Binsa, a Nepalese teenager who escaped sexual slavery. He also becomes embroiled in the fight to dismantle the human trafficking ring that took Binsa.
“…In the novel’s second half, the characters become dynamic, and their exchanges take on wry wit, helping to leaven the heavy subject matter….Once the legal proceedings begin, the story becomes suspenseful and interesting, portraying human trafficking and its consequences in an authentic manner. The victims suffer from deep and abiding PTSD, but they do not lose the defining traits that make them human and individuals. Their character arcs are satisfying, albeit heart wrenching. They’re treated by Nick and his teammates with kindness and compassion,…The story’s ending is shocking and involves some controversy, but is gratifying.
“The legal thriller Path to Atonement goes inside of courtroom practices to treat its painful subject matter with sensitivity and respect.”
Clarion Reviews
PATH TO ATONEMENT
“…[T]he main character, Nick, finds himself on page one at a disadvantage. But
despite this brief nod to convention, the book doesn’t follow the standard cookie-cutter plot. A web of crime has been taking place in the shadows and beyond
the protagonist’s interest. Events that took place before the narrative force him
to seek redemption. The author discusses his main character’s process and
decisions in a dynamic third person. The logistics of both criminal activity
and fighting are presented in vivid detail.
“It is a world populated by men and women on both sides of the law, those well familiar with the consequences of faulty decisions, and who are distinctly casual about the violence of the entire process. It is a culture of men like Nick, who struggle to make amends for past wrongs and strip themselves of old wounds that their distinct brand of justice has manifested on their souls. It is a tale that hints at the darker possibilities of the criminal mind and the handicaps imposed on law enforcement that restrain them from crossing the line. Ultimately, it’s a compelling story about individuals finding the courage to stop compromising their morals, quit bending their badges, and seek a path towards humility and forgiveness.”
“It is a world populated by men and women on both sides of the law, those well familiar with the consequences of faulty decisions, and who are distinctly casual about the violence of the entire process. It is a culture of men like Nick, who struggle to make amends for past wrongs and strip themselves of old wounds that their distinct brand of justice has manifested on their souls. It is a tale that hints at the darker possibilities of the criminal mind and the handicaps imposed on law enforcement that restrain them from crossing the line. Ultimately, it’s a compelling story about individuals finding the courage to stop compromising their morals, quit bending their badges, and seek a path towards humility and forgiveness.”
The US Review of Books by Robert Buccellato
PATH TO ATONEMENT