New Legal Thriller from Jeffrey S. Stephens Lures Readers into a Labyrinth of Corruption, Betrayal and Murder
Inspired by real cases and colleagues, the new legal thriller series from award-winning author Jeffrey S. Stephens is steeped in the authenticity and suspense that only an insider could deliver.
Jeffrey S. Stephens is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author.
Illusions of Trust introduces a young New York City attorney and a retired NYPD detective who team up for what appears to be a routine divorce case.
GREENWICH, CT, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For bestselling author Jeffrey S. Stephens, Illusions of Trust isn’t just another twist-filled legal drama; it’s a return to his roots. After decades as a practicing attorney in New York City and Connecticut, Stephens drew directly from his own experiences, cases and colleagues to inspire the story’s characters and high-stakes intrigue. The result is a legal thriller pulsing with authenticity.
“It was fun to recall my early days of practice in Manhattan and recreate some of those adventures in a modern story,” Stephens said in a recent interview. “In my view, there is simply no other city that provides the diverse settings and characters that New York offers.”
As Illusions of Trust begins, Russell Palmer, an idealistic young lawyer, takes on the divorce case of Christina Franco, a beautiful socialite desperate to leave her abusive husband. Palmer’s mentor, Robbie Whyte, a streetwise retired NYPD detective with a built-in radar for trouble, warns him to stay clear. But when Palmer learns that Christina’s husband has connections to a dangerous man he’s battled before, his interest deepens and overrides his caution.
What begins as a routine case soon pulls Palmer and Whyte into a perilous web of deceit and deadly ambition. From the suspicious suicide of a prominent attorney to a federal probe into a powerful pharmaceutical empire with political ties, Palmer and Whyte find themselves confronting corruption at the highest levels—and forces willing to destroy anyone who gets too close to the truth.
As they navigate New York City’s shadowy corners and Washington’s elite circles, the pair encounter a host of characters—Christina’s powerful father and reclusive mother, an alluring journalist with her own agenda, and others whose motives are anything but clear. With lives on the line, Palmer and Whyte must rely on each other’s strengths and learn that trust, once broken, can be as dangerous as the enemies they face.
Calling Illusions of Trust “one of the smartest legal thrillers of the year,” Jonathan Currinn of goodstarvibes.com added, “Its central mystery may hinge on crime and corruption, but its heart lies in questions of character—of what it means to trust, to defend, and to seek justice when the very concept feels compromised.”
Illusions of Trust is the first installment in Stephens’ new Russell Palmer and Robbie Whyte series, introducing readers to a duo whose pursuit of justice pushes them into the crosshairs of the powerful and corrupt.
“Russell Palmer is a lawyer who refuses to walk away from the truth, no matter the cost,” Stephens said. “This series will test the boundaries of loyalty, power and justice.”
About the Author
Jeffrey S. Stephens is the Amazon bestselling and PenCraft award-winning author of the Jordan Sandor thrillers, Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity, Targets of Revenge and Rogue Mission; the Anthony Walker murder mystery Crimes and Passion; the Pencraft First Place Award-winning novel, Fool’s Errand; and the Nicholas Reagan thrillers, The Handler and its sequel, Enemies Among Us. A successful attorney in private practice and native of New York City, Stephens has lived for more than 40 years in Greenwich, where he and his wife, Nancy, raised their two sons, Graham and Trevor.
For more information, please visit www.jeffreystephens.com, or find the author on Instagram at jeffreystephenstheauthor.
Illusions of Trust
Publisher: Post Hill Press
Release Date: October 28, 2025
ISBN-13: 979-8895653364
Available from: https://www.amazon.com/Illusions-Trust-Jeffrey-S-Stephens/dp/B0F7GJ5197
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