Literary Road Trip: Conflicts with Interest by Michael Ruddy

Synopsis from Goodreads:   T.R. Morgan, a seasoned building professional, finds himself entangled in the combined corruption of the high profile law firm that is attacking him and the insurance companies that are supposed to defend him. Still enduring the painful memories brought on by the tragic death of his wife, he soon finds out, nothing involving lawyers and insurance companies happens quickly. Instead of resolution, T.R., unwittingly enters a world of human trafficking, drugs, and illicit sex taking place behind the scenes. And his story comes forward to an explosive climax that no one could possibly foresee, least of all T.R. himself. This suspenseful tale of contemporary fiction is packed with enlightenment and high-stakes characters; provoking thought on a new subject in a new light.

My thoughts:  I am constantly in search of Colorado based authors for my participation in the literary road trip hosted by Jenn's Bookshelves.  When I saw the description for Conflicts with Interest as part of a Pump Up Your Book promotion I knew I had to read it.   Michael Ruddy lives in Boulder, CO and was a perfect addition to my Literary Road Trip lineup.  He also writes about real estate, which is a subject that I have a bit of background in.

I'll admit it, I'm a fan of legal novels.  I have read and enjoyed many of John Grisham's novels.  The big difference with this one is that the story you are following is that of the clients and not the lawyers.  The story centers around a single transaction that occurred years before but has been brought to the forefront of the characters lives by a potential lawsuit. 

Having spent time working with both Real Estate and the law I was drawn into the story.  There was a lot of legal jargon, but not so much that a layperson would not be able to follow what was happening. 

It might just be a personal thing that I've developed since spending so much time reading books in a series, but I would have liked to get to know the main characters a little better.  You learned just enough to get through the story.  We are introduced to T.R.'s love interest and we get glimpses of the personal relationships outside the father/son dynamic, but not much more. The story does take some twists and turns that I wasn't expecting, but I don't want to say much more than that because I don't want to spoil it for you. 

This is Michael Ruddy's first novel and I enjoyed it immensely.  I do recommend it to readers who enjoy suspense and intrigue in a more business setting without a lot of fluff. 

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Conflicts with Interest from the author through his publicist in exchange for my honest review.  Receipt of this book did not affect my opinion in any way.