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Novel by Donald McInnis
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh
September 4, 2025 (San Diego) --Blood in the Water, though fictional, exposes a flaw in the United States’ tripartite federal government structure as established in the Constitution.
The third branch of government, the Judiciary, cannot enforce its rulings, even when those rulings are necessary for protecting an individual citizen’s rights or the constitutional powers of the United States Congress.
In this fifth fiction story of the A.J. Hawke Legal Thriller series, attorney A.J. Hawke runs headlong into a presidential abuse of power when the DEA is ordered to kidnap two teenaged children of a Mexican cartel leader. With the government declaring a national emergency, Hawke, who is forced to take a case from the drug lord,must find a way to win the release of the children or die.
If you enjoy a legal thriller with a main character who does amazing feats of heroism, you will love Blood in the Water.
Below is an excerpt from the novel:
“‘Drew, it looks like a blown afternoon,’ Carl Wakehurst lamented. “I thought it would be better. Yesterday had great four- and five-footers with an occasional seven. All well formed.”
“‘Not to worry, Carl,’ Andrew Hawke declared. “This has been a great day. The water is really warm, even for late August. Look at how clear it is. You can see twenty, nearly thirty feet down.”
“‘For sure,’ replied Carl. “What a day, man. Bathtub water, ninety-degree air, and the clearest water I’ve ever seen.”
“‘No shit,’ affirmed Carl’s college friend Matt Van Dryden. “Hey, Drew,” yelled Matt, Hawke’s law office file clerk and buddy surfer, “did you see that dolphin when we first paddled out?”
“‘Nah, sorry. Where was it?’ “About fifty yards further out. I’d say a hundred to a hundred twenty yards from shore. I only saw a fin. It was moving fast and then dove.”
“Just then Drew starred down into the deep water. “Ah, guys . . .” he said in a dead serious low voice. “Slowly, and I mean slowly, lie down on your boards. And keep your feet out of the water.”
“‘What’d you say?’ shouted Matt.
“‘Guys, do as I say. Slowly lie down and get your feet out of the water,’ Drew instructed again as he leaned forward onto his board. “There’s a big shark right underneath us.” “Holy shit,” yelled Carl, almost falling off his board as he lay face down.
“‘Quiet, guys,’ Drew commanded.
“‘I’m paddling in,’ declared Carl.
“‘Don’t move. You’ll just draw him to you.’
“‘Drew’s right,’ Matt said softly.
“‘Best we lie quiet and not move. Looks like it’s just checking us out,’ came Drew’s weak effort to reassure everyone.
“‘God damn,’ exclaimed Carl, “it’s right beneath me. It’s got ta be ten feet long.”
“‘Don’t panic Carl. Drew’s right we’re too far from shore. We need a wave to have a chance.’
“‘A chance,’ exclaimed Carl.
“‘To get to shore,’ replied Matt.
“‘Damn he’s big,’ muttered Carl as he desperately looked about for the animal.
“Just then Drew called out, “Look, a wave is forming and a bigger swell behind it.”
“You’re right,’ affirmed Matt. “It could be big enough to ride in.”
“‘Let’s wait, guys, and see how it forms,’ Drew urged.
Suddenly the shark surfaced, its dorsal fin and unusually big tail fin stood tall out of the water as the creature moved toward the three.
Donald E. McInnis, California litigation attorney and the author of the fictional legal thriller series A.J. Hawke, Attorney at Law. Early in Mr. McInnis’s career, he served as a Research Attorney for the California Superior Courts. Later, he became a Deputy District Attorney for two different counties in Northern California and a Deputy Public Defender in San Diego County. He has also served as a Superior Court Judge Pro Tem, has been an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and a referee/arbitrator for the California Superior Courts.
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