Jake Lassiter

9 primary works • 10 total works

False Dawn

by Paul Levine

Published 1 April 1993

Mortal Sin

by Paul Levine

Published 1 February 1994

Riptide

by Paul Levine

Published 27 January 2017

Flesh and Bones

by Paul Levine

Published 1 January 1997

Lassiter

by Paul Levine

Published 13 September 2011

Eighteen years ago, Jake Lassiter crossed paths with a teenage runaway who disappeared into South Florida's sex trade. Now he retraces her steps and runs head on into a conspiracy of Miami's rich and powerful who would do anything to keep the past as dark as night and silent as the grave. In this tale of redemption and revenge. Jake Lassiter, second-string linebacker turned low-rent lawyer, is cynical about the law, but if you hire him, he will take a punch for you and maybe a swing at the prosecutor, too. Amy Larkin, beautiful, angry, and mysterious, accuses Lassiter of involvement in the disappearance of her sister eighteen years earlier. What does Lassiter know about Krista Larkin, the runaway teen turned porn actress? More than he is saying. Seeking to atone for his own past, Lassiter follows the cold trail of the missing Krista and butts head with the powerful men who also knew her: a former porn king turned philanthropist, a slick Cuban-born prosecutor who would love to be governor, and an aging mobster who once worked for the infamous Meyer Lansky. The evidence leads to a long ago night of kinky sex, designer drugs, and possible murder. But before Lassiter can nail the truth, a gun goes off, a suspect falls dead, and Amy is charged with murder. The state has an eyewitness and a slam-dunk case. Lassiter has a client he does not trust and a case he cannot win. Did Amy shoot the man who killed her sister? Or the wrong man? And what really happened to Krista? The answers, buried under years of deceit and corruption, are revealed in an explosive courtroom finale proving that rough justice is better than no justice at all.

Last Chance Lassiter

by Paul Levine

Published 22 January 2014

Bum Rap

by Paul Levine

Published 1 July 2015

NFL linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter has had it with shifty clients, dirty prosecutors, and a legal system out of whack. It’s enough to make a man want to leave Miami and never look back—until he gets a call from Victoria Lord, the better half of hot local legal team Solomon & Lord. Her partner in life and law has been arrested for murder. What’s worse: the only person who can clear him has fled the city. Now it’s up to Jake and Victoria to track down the witness—a stunning “Bar girl”—before she’s roped in by the feds…or eliminated by the Russian mob.

Jake knows that if he doesn’t get to the witness first, his client’s case is lost. Luckily, he’s got some good advice from his college football coach: “Buckle your chin strap and hit somebody.” And sometimes, the only way to win a tough case is to do just that.

Bum Luck

by Paul Levine

Published 28 March 2017

Thirty seconds after the jury announced its verdict, I decided to kill my client.

Second-string linebacker turned trial lawyer Jake Lassiter squares off against his toughest, most unpredictable adversary yet: himself.

The downward spiral begins when Jake’s client, Miami Dolphins’ running back Thunder Thurston, is cleared of murdering his wife. Jake didn’t expect to win, didn’t want to win, since he is sure his client is guilty. When Thurston walks free, Lassiter vows to seek his own kind of justice. Street justice. Vigilante justice.

Law partners Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord can’t believe their friend has become so deeply, inexplicably obsessed with killing Thurston. Convinced Jake’s unhinged behavior is due to concussive brain injuries suffered during his pro football career, they beg him to seek treatment. But as Lassiter’s raging fixation on vengeance grows, Solomon and Lord wonder if they’re too late to help. Is it game over for Jake’s career…and his life?

Bum Deal

by Paul Levine

Published 12 June 2018

They don’t call us sharks for our ability to swim.

Second-string linebacker turned disillusioned defense attorney Jake Lassiter finally switches teams. Appointed special prosecutor in a high-profile murder case, he vows to take down a prominent surgeon accused of killing his wife. There’s just one problem…or maybe three: no evidence, no witness, and no body.

But Lassiter’s used to fighting impossible battles on the gridiron and in court. After all, he’s not totally burned-out—just a little scorched.

Standing in Lassiter’s way are the defense lawyers: slick-talking Steve Solomon and blueblood Victoria Lord, who have their own complicated history with the defendant. Not to mention the specter of CTE, the lethal brain disease Lassiter may have contracted banging heads in the NFL. Drained of his mental edge just when he needs it most, Lassiter must do whatever it takes to win this case—even if it costs him his life. Because law is a contact sport, and you don’t get trophies for trying.

State vs. Lassiter

by Paul Levine

Published 28 August 2013