Publishers Weekly called Craig Parshall's Trial by Ordeal "an enjoyable romp for legal thriller aficionados." Now Parshall takes his readers to the nation's capital, where a hitherto unknown document has turned up...and turned into murder. As the Smithsonian's president examines a newly discovered account of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, an intruder steals in, kills him, and disappears into the night with the document. Vinnie Archmont, an accomplished and stunningly beautiful artist, is implicated. She hires the brilliant but secretly guilt-burdened criminal law professor J.D. Blackstone. Blackstone finds himself uncovering the Mystic Freemasons' most guarded secret. He reluctantly turns to his uncle, a Bible-quoting Anglican priest and occult-religions expert. Enemies like a sorcery-obsessed billionaire English lord, a powerful U.S. Senator, and a ruthless prosecutor force Blackstone to employ all his cunning. In the process, he is compelled to choose between spiritual counterfeit and Gospel truth, guilt and forgiveness...destruction and a new beginning. Murder at the Smithsonian over an obscure document implicates ravishing and accomplished artist Vinnie Archmont. Her lawyer, guilt-burdened criminal-law professor J.D. Blackstone, ends up uncovering the Mystic Freemasons' most guarded secret. Powerful, occult-obsessed enemies force Blackstone to employ all his cunning...and to choose between counterfeit and truth, guilt and forgiveness. Craig Parshall is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the National Religious Broadcasters Association, and the author of six legal–suspense novels: the five books in the Chambers of Justice series, and the stand–alone Trial by Ordeal. He speaks nationally on legal and Christian worldview issues and is a magazine columnist. He has coauthored five books with his wife, Janet, including the historical novels Crown of Fire and Captives and Kings.
