{"title":"Martin Clark - Local Author","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMartin Clark—nationally acclaimed novelist and longtime judge here in Southwest Virginia—crafts sharp, witty, deeply human legal thrillers shaped by the landscapes and voices of our region. His books blend courtroom intrigue with unforgettable characters, earning praise from reviewers nationwide and a devoted following here at home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrowse our selection of his novels below, including signed copies when available. Clark’s work is a favorite among readers who enjoy smart storytelling, Southern settings, and a touch of mischief woven into every case. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSigned Copies Available\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-legal-limit-vintage-contemporaries","title":"The Legal Limit (Vintage Contemporaries)","description":"\u003cp\u003eGates Hunt is a compulsive felon, serving a stiff penitentiary sentence for selling cocaine. His brother, Mason, however, has escaped their bitter, impoverished upbringing to become the commonwealth's attorney for their rural hometown in Virginia, where he enjoys a contented life with his wife and spitfire daughter. But Mason's idyll is abruptly pierced by a wicked tragedy, and soon afterward trouble finds him again when he is forced to confront a brutal secret he and his brother had both sworn to take with them to the grave, a secret that threatens everyone and everything he holds dear.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntricately plotted and relentlessly entertaining, The Legal Limit is an exploration of the judicial system's roughest edges, as well as a gripping story of murder, family, and the difficult divide that sometimes separates genuine justice from the law.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48410663387273,"sku":"9780307388667","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/7519\/6809\/files\/9780307388667.jpg?v=1790095263"},{"product_id":"the-plinko-bounce-a-novel","title":"The Plinko Bounce: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003eA New York Times Best Thriller of 2023 • A New York Times Editors' Choice 2023 • A high-stakes legal thriller about a small-town public defender saddled with an impossibly complicated case.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Martin Clark injects life into a topsy-turvy murder case in rural Virginia as only he can in this propulsive tour de force, which had me riveted from beginning to end.\" —Beth Macy, bestselling author of Dopesick and Paper Girl\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor seventeen years, small-town public defender Andy Hughes has been underpaid to look after the poor, the addicted, and the unfortunate souls who constantly cycle through the courts, charged with petty crimes. Then, in the summer of 2020, he’s assigned to a grotesque murder case that brings national media focus to rural Patrick County, Virginia—Alicia Benson, the wife of a wealthy businessman, is murdered in her home. The accused killer, Damian Bullins, is a cunning felon with a long history of violence, and he confesses to the police. He even admits his guilt to Andy. But a simple typographical error and a shocking discovery begin to complicate the state’s case, making it possible Bullins might escape punishment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuty-bound to give his client a thorough defense, Andy—despite his misgivings—agrees to fight for a not-guilty verdict, a decision that will ultimately force him to make profound, life-and-death choices, both inside and outside the courtroom. With its unforgettable characters, spot-on blueprint of the justice system, intricate plotting, and provocative, no-holds-barred ending, The Plinko Bounce demonstrates once again why Martin Clark has been dubbed “the thinking man’s John Grisham” (New York Times) and praised as “hands down, our finest legal-thriller writer\" (Entertainment Weekly).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48410663157897,"sku":"9798217010363","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/7519\/6809\/files\/9798217010363.jpg?v=1790095263"},{"product_id":"the-substitution-order-a-novel-1","title":"The Substitution Order: A novel","description":"\u003cp\u003eA NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKevin Moore, once a high-flying Virginia attorney, hits rock bottom after a tumultuous summer leaves him disbarred and separated from his wife. Short on cash and looking for work, he lands in the middle of nowhere with a job at SUBstitution, the world’s saddest sandwich shop. His closest confidants: a rambunctious rescue puppy and the twenty-year-old computer whiz manning the restaurant counter beside him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKevin’s determined to set his life right again, but the troubles keep coming, including a visit from a mysterious stranger who wanders into the shop armed with a threatening “invitation” to join a multimillion-dollar scam. Before long, Kevin will need every bit of his legal savvy just to stay out of prison.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn The Substitution Order, Martin Clark—hailed by Entertainment Weekly as “hands down our best legal-thriller writer”—takes readers on a remarkable tour of the law’s tricks and hidden trapdoors and delivers a wildly entertaining novel that will keep you guessing and rooting for its tenacious hero until the very last page.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vintage","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48410782957705,"sku":"9780525566564","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/7519\/6809\/files\/9780525566564.jpg?v=1790096235"}],"url":"https:\/\/chapterhearth.com\/collections\/author-martin-clark.oembed","provider":"Chapter \u0026 Hearth Booksellers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}