Tick Tock

Tick Tock, by Gail Ramsey, is a legal drama tied to defending a young woman who was accused of murdering her two-timing lover. The premise of the novel drops a who-done-it mystery in the reader’s lap, by the second chapter. Speigel Cullen is an attorney who is struggling to piece together a credible defense to free her client from a murder charge in Bermuda. The author reveals the delicate ties that the defense has to the parties involved, and speckles it throughout the story. It does involve a matter of the heart, and this introduces a new component to boiling pot: sexual tension. Additionally, the dilemma is further complicated, given that the accused is the daughter of a well-known Congressman. Toward the end of the trial date, a few more twists of fate are thrown toward Speigiel’s direction and causes the reader to empathize with her situation. In fact, this provides a human element to an attorney’s character, which proves to defy typical assumptions that lawyers are often disconnected from emotion. We are able to see that Ms. Jordan is human, struggling to juggle several issues in her personal life, as well.  

As the novel’s pace began to increase, we witness Ms. Ramsey cleverly weaving the behind the scenes aspects of the legal process into the storyline. The author’s writing style is succinct; her wording flowed well throughout the body of the work, despite the hurdle of simplifying various legal elements and concepts. The reader follows Ms. Cullen through various stages, leading up to the trial date, including fact gathering, witness evaluation, and the seemingly impossible struggle to create a sturdy defense that could stand up well in court. By the end of the search for clues to beat the ticking clock, a twist ties the remaining loose ends together, regarding what truly occurred late one night on a deserted beach. Lies fall apart, and mistruths are exposed during the eleventh hour.

The closing argument scene was most gripping, and appears to be the highlight of the book, or is it? After leaving Bermuda, Ms. Cullen returns to the states where additional turmoil is awaiting her, upon her welcome home return. The new issue is just as taxing as her initial conundrum—what unfolds next evokes a completely different human emotion. When all matters are resolved, we witness the arrival of Ms. Cullen’s epiphany that is sparked by a series of tumultuous events. Anyone who has interest in the law may find this story of particular interest. Is Breanna Jordan guilty of murder? Tick tock, the clock is ticking. If you’d like to know, read the novel and find out!

Reviewed By: Andrea Blackstone, Black Butterfly Review