Crucial Judgment

Product Details

Crucial Judgment by Al Blanchard, A Steve Asher mystery, 307pages, jacketed soft cover. ISBN: 0-9741685-3-X.

Steve Asher spends his summer learning more about the judicial system than he ever wanted to know, being the only one who believes in Elena Thompson's innocence on a jury of seven other men and four women. But two weeks later, after the murder trial is dismissed because of his not-guilty vote, a letter arrives from Elena thanking him.

Questioning his motives and unwilling to listen to his better judgment, Asher sets out to prove to himself, and everyone else, that he'd made the right decision. But the citizens of the small seaside town where Elena lives will go to any lengths to prove him wrong. Including murder.

Steve Asher seems to get into a lot of trouble for an eighth grade history teacher. Steve is bright, inquisitive, and thinks he's much funnier than most other people do. Steve is divorced, dating his ex-wife, surrounded by eccentric, kooky friends and trying to be a darn good teacher. The last thing he wants to do is solve murders. Steve first appears in Murder at Walden Pond discovering a student's sister's body floating in the pond. He barely knows the woman but when her diary is released to the media naming Steve as her secret lover and the father of her unborn child Steve reluctantly realizes he must do something to clear his name. The second book in the Asher series is The Mad Season and the third is Crucial Judgment.

"Asher joins Spencer, Scudder, Gunther, Kinsey and Carlotta as welcome company." -David R. Surette, author of Malden.