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Burnout (Jessie Black Legal Thrillers Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,112 ratings

One man's breakdown could set a killer free...

Jessie Black's successful prosecution of a serial murderer and rapist put her on the path to stardom at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Public defender Jack Ackerman represented the opposition, and his spectacular public breakdown after the trial put him in a mental institution and gave Frank Ramsey a second chance at freedom.

When Ramsey petitions the court for a new trial with a claim that Ackerman was ineffective, Jessie must step up to defend him. To keep a convicted killer off the streets, she’ll need to prove Ackerman’s sanity–a fact she’s far from sure of. As she prepares for trial, powerful forces conspire to put Ramsey back on the streets.

Jessie has one chance to keep Ramsay behind bars, and it'll be the toughest fight of her career.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Larry A. Winters's stories feature a rogue's gallery of brilliant lawyers, avenging porn stars, determined cops, undercover FBI agents, and vicious bad guys of all sorts. He is the author of the Jessie Black Legal Thriller series and the stand-alone novels Hardcore and Web of Lies.

Xe Sands is an award-winning narrator known for her authentic characterizations and intimate delivery. She has more than a decade of experience bringing stories to life through narration, performance, and visual art, and she has been recognized for her engaging romance narrations.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HDEEQA6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ; 1st edition (December 16, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 16, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3629 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 408 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,112 ratings

About the author

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Larry A. Winters
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Jessie Black Legal Thriller Series in chronological order:

Burnout (Book 1)

Informant (Book 2)

Deadly Evidence (Book 3)

Fatal Defense (Book 4)

False Justice (Book 5)

Silenced Witness (Book 6)

Lethal Innocence (Book 7)

Conviction (Book 8)

Murder Charge (Book 9)

Return of the Prosecutor (Book 10)

Last Stand (Book 11)

Blood Oath (Book 12)

Other books featuring Jessie Black:

Grave Testimony (prequel to the main series)

Web of Lies (side story)

Witness Hunt (short story set between the events of Lethal Innocence and Conviction)

Larry A. Winters’s stories feature a rogue’s gallery of brilliant lawyers, determined cops, and vicious bad guys of all sorts.  When not writing, he can be found living a life of excitement.  Not really, but he does know a good time when he sees one: reading a book by the fireplace on a cold evening, catching a rare movie night with his wife (when a friend or family member can be coerced into babysitting duty), smart TV dramas (and dumb TV comedies), vacations (those that involve reading on the beach, a lot of eating, and not a lot else), cardio (generally beginning upon his return from said vacations, and quickly tapering off), video games (even though he stinks at them), and stockpiling gadgets (with a particular weakness for tablets and ereaders).

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,112 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging with its twists and turns. They describe the book as an enjoyable, fast-paced read with believable characters. The writing quality is described as well-written and edited. Readers appreciate the insightful policing and trial strategies in the book. Overall, customers consider it a great start to the series that doesn't disappoint.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

248 customers mention "Suspenseful story"236 positive12 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story with its twists and turns. They find the plot excellent, with good character development and an interesting situation. The ending is surprising. Readers appreciate the fast pace and can't wait for book two.

"...The real ending to this story will blow you away. This story has more twists and turns than a sidewinder’s path through the desert sand...." Read more

"...The plot is complex enough to keep a reader guessing and has enough twists to keep it interesting. This is a really good legal thriller...." Read more

"Excellent twisty, taut legal thriller. Well written, well edited and riveting story. Great end of summer read." Read more

"...Characters were strong, well-fleshed out & believable. I love legal thrillers and this author certainly has a good grasp on it...." Read more

187 customers mention "Readability"187 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They describe it as a great read for the end of summer. The writing is well-crafted and grips readers from the start.

"Burnout. A book so nice that I’ve had to read it twice. This is the book that turned me into a Larry A. Winters fan. A Jessie Black fan...." Read more

"...wraps up neatly but I definitely plan to read more in this very entertaining series." Read more

"...Well written, well edited and riveting story. Great end of summer read." Read more

"I thought this was very interesting and pretty good for a first book. Characters were strong, well-fleshed out & believable...." Read more

92 customers mention "Character development"86 positive6 negative

Customers find the characters believable. They also mention that the thriller has good and bad characters, suspense, and horror elements.

"...Characters were so lifelike that I felt like they were all people that I had known in the real world...." Read more

"...It is fast paced and action filled with well developed characters...." Read more

"...Characters were strong, well-fleshed out & believable. I love legal thrillers and this author certainly has a good grasp on it...." Read more

"Good character development. Excellent plot. Well.written. I'll definitely read more of his books. I look forward to following Jessie Black." Read more

80 customers mention "Writing quality"77 positive3 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book. They find it well-written, edited, and readable. The characters are well-developed and realistic. Readers appreciate the fluid storytelling and engaging plot.

"...The dialogue, the settings, the action so realistic that the temporary suspension was never an issue for me...." Read more

"...This is a well written and very well plotted story. The characterizations are excellent and both dialogue and actions ring true...." Read more

"Excellent twisty, taut legal thriller. Well written, well edited and riveting story. Great end of summer read." Read more

"...Characters were strong, well-fleshed out & believable. I love legal thrillers and this author certainly has a good grasp on it...." Read more

49 customers mention "Pacing"35 positive14 negative

Customers find the book's pacing engaging. They describe it as a fast-paced read that keeps them hooked until the end. The story is described as an exciting page-turner that keeps readers engaged and focused.

"...This is a really good legal thriller. It is fast paced and action filled with well developed characters...." Read more

"...Burnout" is a well written, and the fast-paced, believable plot has twists and turns. It is difficult to stop reading...." Read more

"The author wrote a very engaging legal drama. Very slow build up, playing loosely with some facts and details, but pulling the reader in if they..." Read more

"A very interesting quick moving read. The characters were interesting, and generally fleshed out well and believable...." Read more

11 customers mention "Policing"11 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's research on how police and DAs work together. They find the policeman conscientious and the prosecutor believable. The book provides an interesting insight into trial strategy and highlights the danger of being wrongfully convicted.

"...I loved the courtroom drama. The judge is a piece of work. All of Winters' novels are stand alone books. There are no "cliffhangers."..." Read more

"...Leary is a great example of a conscientious policeman. i liked the storyline and the surprise ending." Read more

"...to eye-witnesses who are victims of a heinous crimes and drives its point home...." Read more

"JessieBlack is a believable prosecutor with intellect and tenacity somewhat flawed by her stubbornness...." Read more

10 customers mention "Series quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the series. They find it engaging and say they are hooked on the series after reading this book.

"After reading this book, I am hooked on this series...." Read more

"...This series didn't disappoint! I read them all back to back they were that good...." Read more

"I absolutely love crime and mystery books. This book did not fail me at all. I was sucked into the storyline from the very beginning...." Read more

"Great book, great series, am on the third one. The author is new to me, but I will definitely be on the lookout for more of his books!..." Read more

9 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and hard to put down. They appreciate the well-written story and characters.

"...Maybe, but that's what a climax is about, and this one is hard to put dow. Enjoy." Read more

"...Will now start reading the rest of the series. Very hard to put down" Read more

"Burnout kept me reading late in the night. Couldn't put it down. Looking forward to the next book. Recommended reading!" Read more

"Absolutely riveting. Virtually impossible to put down. Great plot, believable characters, twists and turns aplenty...." Read more

High Recommendation!  -- from a retired prosecutor
5 out of 5 stars
High Recommendation! -- from a retired prosecutor
As a retired assistant district attorney, I'm always on the lookout for solid legal thrillers focused on the prosecutor. This is a top-notch, tense, and very well written tale in which both the ADA and the defense attorney from a high profile murder trial cope with irrational behavior rising from the pressures of their careers catching up with them in the course of that trial. The story is well woven with no detail being unimportant in the end."Burnout" applies to both -- in the case of the defense attorney, describing his nervous breakdown shortly after that contest, leading to a national hotshot lawyer riding into town demanding a retrial.The lead character is a passionate advocate for victims of heinous crimes and her own burnout creating a vulnerability shadowy forces take advantage of. But make no mistake: she's a warrior in the courtroom and a tough smart investigator in the field.The reader gets a keenly accurate glimpse into the world of high-pressure prosecution through the eyes of a compelling main character. I'll definitely keep reading the Jessie Black series.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2022
    Burnout. A book so nice that I’ve had to read it twice. This is the book that turned me into a Larry A. Winters fan. A Jessie Black fan. I first read Burnout nine years ago, right after it was published. Now I’m reading the ten-volume series for the second time. There are eleven volumes counting the prequel.

    In Burnout, we meet Assistant DA, Jessie Black, Detective Mark Leary, Warren Williams, Jessie's immediate supervisor, the boss of the DA Felony Division, and the DA, Jesus Rivera, the main cast of characters. The main characters that will appear in all the Jessie Black books to follow. Characters were so lifelike that I felt like they were all people that I had known in the real world. The dialogue, the settings, the action so realistic that the temporary suspension was never an issue for me. I didn’t feel as if I was reading a book. I felt as if I was right there with them, experiencing what they were experiencing. Perhaps that was because, back in the day, I had lived that lifestyle.

    Burnout, at 424 pages, is also one of the longest books in the series, but, as with all the Jessie Black books, it’s nonstop action, a roller-coaster thrill ride from the first page to the last, so they seem much shorter. For me, they often seem to end too quickly, leaving me wanting more of Jessie.

    In Burnout, a man on death row for multiple murders and rape that he did not commit wins an appeal for a new trial. A jury of his peers at the new trial finds him not guilty and given his freedom, but this story doesn’t end there. The real ending to this story will blow you away. This story has more twists and turns than a sidewinder’s path through the desert sand. Read this story and it will better prepare you for what you will encounter in all the Jessie Black Legal Thrillers.

    Larry A. Winters reminds me a great deal of John Grisham because both write legal thrillers where the action takes place both in and outside of the courtroom/
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2022
    A trial a year ago was a nightmare, and with a surviving witness she got a guilty verdict. Now a new trial was granted, and if certain ones are brought in, they could rattle the witness. Along with the lawyer having a breakdown afterwards, was another key factor. Jessie along with the lead detective before on the case was asked to help her. The attraction was mutual for her and Leary..Without the foul language would be better Good courtroom drama and a look behind the scene of what goes on.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2022
    Burnout, the first in the series of Jessie Black Legal Thrillers, had been sitting in my to be read queue for a few years when a subsequent novel caught my attention. Since I enjoy reading books in order, I went looking for this first one and was caught up in the story from the first page to the last.

    This is a well written and very well plotted story. The characterizations are excellent and both dialogue and actions ring true. There is not only office politics but also a good amount of courtroom drama.

    The plot is complex enough to keep a reader guessing and has enough twists to keep it interesting. This is a really good legal thriller. It is fast paced and action filled with well developed characters. Burnout is a stand alone story and wraps up neatly but I definitely plan to read more in this very entertaining series.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2024
    Excellent twisty, taut legal thriller. Well written, well edited and riveting story.
    Great end of summer read.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2022
    I thought this was very interesting and pretty good for a first book. Characters were strong, well-fleshed out & believable. I love legal thrillers and this author certainly has a good grasp on it. I definitely would be interested in reading more.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2024
    Good character development. Excellent plot. Well.written. I'll definitely read more of his books. I look forward to following Jessie Black.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2023
    I don’t really know how to describe this book but I feel like the description does a good job.

    This book was amazing if your into the legal triller type stuff. It kept me interested through out the whole book and the author made the characters feel real so it was really easy to connect to them. I found myself emotionally invested in the story and I loved the ending. The book kinda tries to lead you to root for the DA and their case but I found myself from the very beginning taking the accused side. This book really makes you think about how everything isn’t how it always appears and facts aren’t always facts. I would be cautious reading this book PLEASE check the trigger warnings this book deals with some heavy stuff.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2023
    I you love Stephen Penner and Robert Bailey, you are going to love Larry A. Winters too! Larry A. Winters is one of my favorite authors! Legal thrillers are my fave. I wanted to be an attorney, but my daughter is living my dream. "Burnout," is the first in the series of Jessie Black Legal Thrillers, I previously read "Murder Charge" and was HOOKED! Since I enjoy reading books in order, I ordered the entire Jesse Black Series.
    "Burnout" is a well written, and the fast-paced, believable plot has twists and turns. It is difficult to stop reading. The characters are believable and "JESSE BLACK is my fave. I loved the courtroom drama. The judge is a piece of work. All of Winters' novels are stand alone books. There are no "cliffhangers." Now on to the "Informant."
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Clifton
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new favourite author!
    Reviewed in Canada on September 20, 2022
    A legal procedural with twists and turns loaded with action both in and out of the court room. A truly engaging read and one that leaves you wanting more. Larry A. Winters ramps up the suspense and action throughout and keeps you guessing until the very end. This is a great read and highly recommended.
  • Eleanor
    5.0 out of 5 stars WOW
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2021
    What a story, absolutely fantastic. A well written story with a great case of characters and lots of twists and turns. Need to read more of Jessica Black
  • Sharon F
    5.0 out of 5 stars Jessica Black is worth following!
    Reviewed in Australia on July 13, 2019
    I love finding the first book in a series that I really like, knowing there’s more to come. Jessica Black is definitely a character I’m going to enjoy following. I took a few chapters to get to like her but as the author skillfully wound his way through a plot that I thought I had all worked out, I liked her more and more and was wrong more often than not. Great story, great characters, full of intrigue and a talented author.
  • M A D
    4.0 out of 5 stars Recommend.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2022
    More than A fast paced court room drama. Full of great characters, with a flowing narrative, that makes this book a very descriptive read. The twists and turns throughout will keep you engaged from start to finish.
  • Ms. U. ZUBAIRU
    5.0 out of 5 stars It kept me hooked
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 31, 2024
    I read the book in three sittings. I really enjoyed this book. I will be reading more in the series.

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