DESCRIPTION:
“A sensationally good crime and legal thriller . . . This is exactly what a book should be.”—Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of the Reacher series
It’s the night of November 4, 2008. America’s first Black president has just been elected. And fifty-three-year-old Hollis Montrose—a Black ex–police officer from the suburbs of Chicago—has become the latest victim of a brutal attack. As the result of a traffic stop gone wrong, Hollis is shot ten times in cold blood, by four white men who could have been his colleagues back in his police days.
Beau Lee Cooper was born serious, as if on an urgent mission with little time to waste. Raised in the tumultuous world of 1970s Texas, he always dreamed of becoming a lawyer and fighting for what’s right, ever since he was a little boy reading To Kill a Mockingbird. And now, ten years into running his own law firm with his best friend and partner in crime, Nelson “Nellie” Rivers, and his suave right-hand-man, Brent “Cape” Capers, he feels he’s finally making a difference. When Beau Lee learns about Hollis’s situation, he’s determined to help.
Miraculously, Hollis survives the encounter, but the Chicago police department has already spun the narrative in its favor, and Hollis is given a wrongful prison sentence with an unreasonable bail. What really happened that night the car was pulled over? Was it random or was Hollis targeted? Beau Lee knows he’s treading in dangerous waters, and finding evidence of the truth will be his biggest challenge yet, but with troubling powers at play, one innocent man’s life hangs in the balance.
From a young age, Beau Lee Cooper was known as the “serious child.” After reading To Kill a Mockingbird dozens of times, he knew with certainty that he wanted to become a lawyer. Inspired by the moral courage he found in those pages, Beau Lee grows into a man determined to stand for justice. It is now 2008. Barack Obama is in office, symbolizing hope and change for many. And yet, systemic racism remains pervasive that is very much alive and well.
After briefly meeting the adult Beau Lee, we are introduced to Hollis Montrose, a hardworking police officer who has worn his badge honorably for twenty-five years. One night, while driving home and passing the residence of a younger officer he works with, Hollis is pulled over. What follows is tragic and infuriating and an all-too-common case of racial profiling. Hollis is violently thrown to the ground. Officers, along with backup who quickly arrive, refuse to hear his pleas that he is one of them. That they have the wrong man. His badge means nothing. His years of service mean nothing. In that moment, only the color of his skin matters.
The injustice is heartbreaking. I was in tears for Hollis. Even after surviving a brutal shooting he is miraculously clinging to life. Sadly, that is not the only battle Hollis will be experience. Several officers close ranks, twisting the narrative to protect themselves. They manipulate reports and align their stories so that Hollis, the victim, appears unquestionably guilty. The betrayal cuts deep. The corruption feels suffocating.
Beau Lee, aware of the system’s treatment of his own, is reluctantly tasked with handling this fabricated case. Beau Lee and his small team confront an entrenched system determined to safeguard its interests. Despite the mounting evidence of dishonesty among some law enforcement officers, Beau Lee accepts the challenge and files a multi-million-dollar lawsuit. As the legal battle unfolds, the blatant dishonesty becomes increasingly apparent. And quite frankly, it is disgusting. While we, as readers, are privy to Hollis’s innocence and the truth, proving it in a court of law remains a formidable task. The burden of dismantling the lies rests squarely on Beau Lee’s shoulders.
Because Ben Crump is himself a celebrated civil rights attorney, Worse Than a Lie carries undeniable weight. The authenticity in the legal maneuvering and the emotional gravity of the case make the story feel urgent and real. This novel delivers a powerful message about systemic racism and its devastating impact on Black and Brown communities. It does not shy away from discomfort, as well it shouldn’t. .
I love that this is the first book in a series because I am eager to follow Beau Lee as he continues to fight the battles that matter. The cases that make me feel. Make me think. Make me cringe. Make me feel seen. Make me feel vindicated. That is exactly what this book does.
