GOOD LOOKIN’: A Joe Turner Mystery by T. L. Bequette – Legal Thriller, Murder Thriller, Thriller/Suspense

T.L. Bequette’s debut novel, Good Lookin’: A Joe Turner Mystery, delivers a wallop from the first page to the last.

The murder mystery sucks readers in from the first page when an inmate attacks two guards and then Joe Turner – defense lawyer and protagonist. Bequette builds a high-stakes world in a gang-riddled neighborhood in Oakland for this fast-paced story. The odds and evidence stack against his client, Darnell Moore. Turner works through each witness and processes each piece of evidence, building suspense and sympathy for Darnell.

The problem centers on the power of the gang’s influence on his witnesses. Darnell claims innocence but won’t talk, afraid of backlash from the Iceboyz, a fearsome gang. Is he an initiate with a first kill gone wrong, or is he the fall guy for another gang member? He’s not talking.

With each interview, Turner sees Darnell go from a happy-go-lucky teen to a grim-faced inmate looking at twenty years behind bars.

Enter Chuck, a flip-flop-wearing old hippie P.I., and Turner’s sidekick. Chuck speaks in “a Southern drawl of movie lines and country idioms,” which adds a layer of humor to the tough court scenes. Chuck’s connections make him the valuable resource Turner needs to help him find the tiniest glimmer of hope in a case that threatens to bury Darnell alive. Bequette’s ability to develop unique and exciting characters will satisfy murder/mystery fans one and all.

Prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Nathan Didery, aka Jittery Didery, rises as another brilliant character with traits that will delight and infuriate readers. Bequette’s expertise and experience as a criminal defense attorney shine through on every page and elevates the credibility of this book. Bequette puts Turner through his paces, and the resulting authenticity is felt in every scene.

Turner’s office mate Andy Kopp, a personal injury attorney, sets him up with a woman named Edna between hearings and court proceedings.

She supposedly has a great personality. Reluctant but curious, Turner soon learns that Edna, aka Eddy, is a smokin’ hot babe, his match intellectually and in other ways. She becomes a permanent fixture until she applies for a job and gets it. The problem? The job’s in Rome, and as an archeologist, how can she refuse?

Even in the title, Bequette shows an understanding of the gang scene above the average person. The gang-slang “Good Lookin'” means to have someone’s back or to look out for them, but the double entendre is not lost on the reader when we meet Eddy.

Bequette juggles Turner’s love life and court appearances with expert craftsmanship and introduces each trial item and each relationship progression with a deft and sparing hand. We care about Joe and Eddy, and we care about Darnell, but is Darnell as innocent as he claims to be? And will Turner go to Rome with Eddy? Bequette keeps us guessing on both counts until the final pages of this extraordinary novel and very satisfying read.