Book Review: One Life for Another

Reviewed by Joelene Pynnonen | IBR Note: This review was written about a previous version of the book.

The nuances and contradictions of the death penalty are delved into in this suspenseful legal thriller. 

Steve Hanson is a young up-and-coming lawyer based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and he’s been appointed a capital punishment appeal case. Eight years ago, Ashley Pinkerton was stabbed thirty-eight times minutes after making a 911 call about her husband. Scottie Pinkerton, the husband, was subsequently found guilty of her murder and sentenced to death. Despite being covered in Ashley’s scratch marks, the police finding a pair of his bloodied shoes, and strong suspicions that he was unfaithful, he maintains that he did not kill his wife.

Now time is running out for him unless Steve can find a way to convince the legal system that Scottie deserves a new trial. Against the mountain of evidence, the chances seem slim, until Steve notices something that no one else has, setting him on a trail to discover what really happened to Ashley eight years ago. Secrets buried so long are not uncovered easily though, and soon staying alive will prove the more difficult task.

One Life for Another starts with a great premise. The odds stacked against Scottie seem insurmountable, and, at a glance, it’s difficult to figure out who else would want Ashley dead. As the story gathers speed, it becomes clear that there’s a lot more going on in the sleepy little town of Claremore where the Pinkertons lived. This is one of those novels where setting is an intricate part of the piece. The crime here is only possible in a small town where everyone knows each other, where old rumors hang in the air years later, and where nothing is ever truly forgotten. 

While One Life for Another is a legal thriller, it explores the philosophical side of the law quite intensely. Around the main storyline, there are discussions around the morality of prison and the death penalty. Police violence is addressed, as well as the effect of poverty on crime. Readers can ignore the arguments or engage with them, but they add zest to the story.

This novel has a strong foundation. A hook that will reel you in, a good cast of suspects, and some killer red herrings. Despite such strong features, One Life for Another fumbles occasionally in its storyline. The evidence that Steve finds is too overwhelming to have been overlooked for so long, and because it comes so easily, there’s little satisfaction in it.

One Life for Another has all the characteristics needed to create a fantastic legal thriller with a generous dose of mystery. It has a deeply atmospheric setting with a lot of local flavor sprinkled in, an attention-grabbing premise, and its own moral compass.

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