Paul Nelms' quiet life is thrown into turmoil when his wife, Katherine, returns home late one night shattered and barely able to speak. What she reveals will test the very limits of Paul's love, his faith in justice, and his understanding of what it truly means to protect someone. Struggling to make sense of the nightmare Katherine has endured, Paul faces a chilling dilemma: seek vengeance on his own or honor her desperate plea to keep the police out of it.

As days pass and unanswered questions pile up, Paul's simmering anger turns into a dangerous obsession. Unable to let it go, he digs deeper into what really happened that night - and each revelation pushes him closer to a line he never thought he'd cross, ultimately drawing him into a moral and legal quagmire that threatens his life, sanity, and everything he holds dear. In the end, a stunning moment in the courtroom forces all secrets into the open.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Detroit, The Burden of Evidence is a twist-filled legal thriller that masterfully blends psychological suspense with gripping courtroom drama. It's a haunting exploration of trauma, silence, and the murky boundaries of morality, perfect for readers who crave flawed characters, escalating tension, and slow-burning secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Paul must ultimately confront the most harrowing question of all: When justice fails, how far will he go to make things right?

Brian Pederson