Her Cold Justice

I have been a massive fan of Robert Dugoni's for a long time. Her Cold Justice is the third book in his legal thriller series featuring defense lawyer Keera Duggan. In this latest book, Dungoni takes his readers on quite the ride as Keera and her team defend a young man against a charge of double homicide.

Keera is a main character readers can easily get behind and her background as a child chess prodigy is put to good use when she's pitted against a worthy adversary. Kim Tran is a District Attorney whose legal prowess and many successes on behalf of the state are legendary, even if the proof is often only circumstantial. 

I love Keera's character. She's strong, gritty and knows she has big shoes to fill since her father, known in Seattle's legal landscape as the 'Irish Brawler', made a big name for himself (and an enemy or three) over the years.

This is a complex story with lots of time spent on courtroom drama. It's perhaps a bit too much legal focus and jargon for my taste but once the story gets going, I thought it was an entertaining ride with good twists, building tension and a dollop of corruption with only a dash of family drama. 

If you're looking for a new-to-you author, Dugoni is it! I'd recommend reading both this series and the Tracy Crosswhite police procedure series in order.

Note: Dugoni has recently stated that Keera and Tracy Crosswhite (police detective from his other series) will never meet in future books. I'm stubborn like both of these characters so I'm still hoping he changes his mind (even if they just meet in passing)! I caught the ever-so-brief nod to the Crosswhite series when Faz's son's Italian restaurant is mentioned.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the complimentary digital advanced copy which was given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3.75 stars

Author: Robert Dugoni

Genre: Suspense

Series: Keera Duggan 3

Type and Source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

First Published: January 27, 2026

Read: Dec 29, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026

Book Description from GoodReads: To save a client accused of murder, defense attorney Keera Duggan must fight a complex web of corruption in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

In a quiet South Seattle neighborhood, a suspected drug smuggler and his girlfriend are murdered in their home. When a young man named Michael Westbrook is accused of the brutal double homicide, his uncle JP Harrison turns to Keera Duggan to defend him. JP is Keera’s trusted investigator, and he desperately needs Keera to save his nephew against escalating odds.

The evidence is circumstantial—Michael worked with one of the victims, drugs were found in his possession, and he bolted from authorities. Ruthless star prosecutor Anh Tran has gotten convictions on much less. With the testimony of two prison informants, the case looks grave. But Keera never concedes defeat. To free her client, she must dig deep before Tran crushes both of them.

As the investigation gets more twisted with each new find, Keera is swept up in a mystery with far-reaching consequences. This case isn’t just murder. It’s looking like a conspiracy. And getting justice for Michael could be the most dangerous promise Keera has ever made.