Melissa is an assistant state attorney who is brought in to prosecute star quarterback Grayson on drug charges. She knows something is not right but he's not talking. Her boss wants to make an example of him.

I liked Melissa. I thought Grayson was stupid. The story was predictable. Yes, he has a brother and you can figure out the rest. There is a twist with her boss so I am glad someone was brought to justice.

She wove a good story. ( )

Sacking the Quarterback

The Characters:

Melissa St. James in the beginning is a career minded young lawyer with drive and motivation. Somewhere along the week or so this book covers this all changes. She is still motivated but her goals/priorities change.
Grayson Knight star athlete and all around boy next door trying to keep his family safe.

The Story:

Something about this book has left me… unsettled. I think it’s the way Mel changes throughout the story. Everything happens so quickly that it doesn’t feel… organic. I think the introduction to “the cartel” also didn’t really fit in the story line. It felt forced to add drama and a plot. I think we could have chosen another obstacle for the characters to overcome in such a short format.

Overall I can’t say I didn’t enjoy reading this but it definitely had some flaws that reduced my enjoyment. (I hope that makes sense.)

The Random Thoughts:

The Score Card:



2.5 Stars ( )

Quarterback Grayson Knight has a squeaky-clean reputation. So how did he manage to get himself arrested for drug possession? The answer to that question doesn’t bother assistant state attorney Melissa St. James; she’s determined to see justice served.

But when she interviews the popular athlete, it’s clear to her that he’s hiding something. And as she digs into the case, she finds too many questions and far too few facts. But he won’t budge from his initial statement, and her boss is insistent on prosecution. Will she continue to dig for the truth, even if it means sacrificing her job?

Readers will find this quick read from James Patterson’s BookShots Flames rather predictable, but interesting characters and a swiftly-moving plot make this an enjoyable tale. ( )