Color of Justice by J. Leon Pridgen II

Color of Justice by J. Leon Pridgen II has a very high rating on Goodreads and that was what attracted me to this book. I was under the impression that it is a legal thriller, so I was expecting to be treated to exciting court trials. On that front, I was in for a big disappointment. The novel is at heart a story of family and loyalty. And it succeeds both as a heart-warming and heart-breaking tale.

James Pruitt was adopted when he was just a baby by William and Mamie Pruitt who showered him not only with love but also with careful guidance and nurturing. William and Mamie never revealed to him who are his real parents and that he has a half-brother Warren.

Twenty-seven years later, James is starting to make waves as a prosecuting attorney, having just won the biggest case of his career. Life seems to be smiling on him. He has a beautiful girlfriend, Denise, who is a news anchor.

On his deathbed, William uttered to James his final words: Have brother….help him. Things started to unravel after that as his family skeletons begin to come out of the closet. James learns that his foster parents are really his paternal grandparents and that he has a half-brother, Warren, who is currently on death row for the rape and murder of a white woman. His father’s dying wish was for him to help his brother. Warren is only two and a half weeks away from execution.

Warren Johnson isn’t pleased when James comes to see him in prison. Warren resents the easy life that James has had and he thinks that the man who raised him, Geoffrey Taylor, is doing all that can be done to save him. James has a bad feeling about Taylor, and his prosecutor’s instincts won’t let him accept Warren’s case at face value. James and his friend Chuck race against time to clear Warren’s name, no matter what the cost.

James’ search for the truth makes for an excellent read. Can he rescue his brother from death row before it’s too late? I won’t reveal the outcome as that would be a huge spoiler.