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Erin Larson is running out of options. In the wake of her father's death, she found a slim piece of paper--a deposit slip--with an unbelievable amount on it. Only the bank claims they have no record of the money, and trying to hire a lawyer has brought only intimidation and threats. Erin's last chance is Jared Neaton.
How Far Will One Lawyer Go to Find the Money?
When Jared wearied of the shady ethics of his big law firm and started his own, he never expected the wheels to fly off so quickly. One big loss has pushed him to the brink, and it's all he can do to scrape by.
And How Far Will Someone Go to Stop Him?
He's not sure if Erin's case is worth the risk, but if the money is real, all his problems could vanish. When digging deeper unleashes something far more dangerous than just threats, both Jared and Erin must decide the cost they're willing to pay to discover the truth.
"Johnson writes vividly... With an irresistible set-up, suspense, a subtle love triangle, strong dialogue, characters, and a focused plot, Johnson makes a strong first literary case." --Publishers Weekly
"This involving, well-written debut
novel is a character-driven legal thriller...
a page-turner worth reading." -- St. Paul Pioneer Press
drew_johnson
Posted August 27, 2012
This is a wonderfully complex story about a young, ambitious trial
attorney who takes on a difficult and dangerous case in rural Minnesota.
Once I was able to wrestle the book away from my wife, I couldn't put it
down. Kudos to Mr. Johnson on a fantastic debut novel.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I found this book to be captivating from beginning to end. Never boring, the suspense only gets better from chapter to chapter. The author did a great job creating this story. The unexpected always presents its self. As more and more people become involved in uncovering the mystery behind the deposit slip and the efforts to maintain secrecy, the more dangerous it becomes, and an attorney who fights until the end. Even though he is at a financial disadvantage, overwhelmed by the large amount of documents received for review, yet, he has the determination to keep moving forward. Desperation and hardship leads to unfavorable results for one character in particular. I enjoyed reading this book at times becoming very anxious about the mystery behind the millions and it was not as I anticipated. As I mentioned earlier, the unexpected always presents its self and I am a bit confused about how Paul Larson was paid such a large sum. Overall, great book. Thanks Bethany House Publishing for allowing me to review this book at no charge.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.JustineVS
Posted August 19, 2012
This book was an excellent summer read! The beginning, while seemingly
disconnected webbed itself into a tale of mystery, murder and deceit.
The character development was outstanding, unlike many other books that
I have read, Todd Johnson created a world where each characters
motivations, fears and reasoning was revealed to you as you read making
the characters relatable and more real. The plot kept me on the edge of
my seat and unlike many books, the twists and turns were not always
predictable. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone
looking for a thrilling mystery or even an example of great writing. I
will definitely keep my eyes open for more of Todd Johnson's work and I
can't wait for the series to continue.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.IBELIEVE2BK
Posted August 16, 2012
Reviewing THE DEPOSIT SLIP by Todd M. Johnson Reviewing THE DEPOSIT
SLIP by Todd M. Johnson. Question is... what would YOU do if your
father had died, and when going through the 'estate' you find a deposit
slip showing he had deposited over TEN million dollars you knew nothing
about? The subject is intriguing, and the author does a masterful job
of writing an interesting story. My initial reaction was
"FINALLY a Christian novel that can compete and hold it's own with
the NY Times legal thriller best-sellers... BUT as I neared the end of
the book, I wondered 'where is the Christian witness?' I found none,
except toward the end when someone was asked if they ever prayed while
working in a garden on their knees!!! I don't think something is
"Christian" just because it doesn't contain swearing or
immoral sex. There should be a 'witness'. So I am wondering why
Bethany Publishers were the ones to publish this book. Frankly, even
though I liked this book, I have found a bigger Christian witness in
John Grisham's THE TESTIMENT, or David Baldicci's books! As you read
this book, you will walk through legal monsters ganging up on
financially strapped honest attorneys and feel your heart tug at the
emotional situation between the father and son, but there is no
Christian witness as one would expect from a 'Christian publisher'. I
was given this book free from Bethany Publishers for review and am not
required to give a possitive opinion. I would recommend the book,
because it is very interesting and well written. I Believe2 Posted
by IBELIEVE2
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 10, 2013
This novel is a compelling read. It is a real page turn and is hard to put down. It would be 5 stars without several problems with the writing. The author also did a good job of summarizing the long, technical conversations about some legal or accounting matter as well as summarizing the vital data discovered in long legal documents; this kept the story moving. The editing was well done; I found no typos in the book, which is unusual in any published work.
For a first time writer, the author did well but there a several problems. The most grievous is that several times information was withheld from the reader to keep the mystery going. One or two instances of withholding what the character has discovered can keep the mystery going without frustrating the reader, but more than that makes it a 'contrived' mystery. The lack of descriptions leave the reader without visualizations of the scene. I had difficulty discerning the season, whether the action was taking place in a northern or southern state, and the specific location of the action such as in a house, office, business, or outside. There are some passages which apparently would tell a Minnesotan something of the scene, but it leaves all readers not familiar with the state in the dark. Beginning scenes of chapters and chapter sections, usually leave the reader guessing as to the scene and sometimes even the characters. Many times pronouns are used in the beginning sentences, so all the reader knows for sure is gender. But which character is speaking? There are a couple of minor inconsistencies which should have been caught by the editor. There is a conflicting description of the vehicle driven by one character. In one 'thought' passage of the main character, he thinks of his dad by his first name which he did not do at any other time. Good job for a beginner. I would read another of Todd Johnson's novels despite the problems, but I would hope that he would work on his writing style.
jebsweetpea
Posted April 17, 2013
Erin Larson is running out of options. In the wake of her father's death, she found a slim piece of paper -- a deposit slip -- with an unbelievable amount on it. only the bank claims they have no record of the money, and trying to hire a lawyer has brought only intimidation and threats. Erin's last chance is Jared Neaton.
When Jared wearied of the shady ethics of his big law firm and went out on his own, he never expected the wheels to fly off so quickly. One big loss has pushed him to the brink, and it's all he can do to scrape by. He's not sure if Erin's case is worth the risk, but if the money is real, all his problems could vanish. When digging deeper unleashes something far more dangerous than just threats, both Jared and Erin must decide the cost they're willing to pay to discover the truth.
A fantastic read that had me up until the wee hours of the morning wondering how in the world this book would end. Not a fru-fru-white-puffy-all-sparkly-sunshine book by any means. And that's what I loved about it. Good meat and potatoes story that has substance and depth to it. The flow was smooth and I had to slow down during the lawyer jargon as it was foreign to me, but all in all, a fantastic book. Those that like solid mystery/suspense books, this is for you!
Bethany House sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. The opinions above are my own.
Anonymous
Posted April 11, 2013
I just finished reading Deposit Slip! What a wonderful book. I haven’t been so enthralled by a book in many, many years. Johnson's style and creativity (how he handled description and dialogue in so many different ways) was so refreshing.
I was totally psyched to have it end the way it did. My appetite has been whetted.
I'm so glad his family supported him in his mid-life career expansion. It is so heartening for me to see his success.
Anonymous
Posted September 6, 2012
Great book. Fast read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged. When Erin empties her father’s safe deposit box after his untimely
death, she doesn’t expect to find anything of value. All of his adult
life, he had scraped to keep his small Minnesota farm, often having to
borrow funds for the next the crop. So Erin is totally unprepared to
find a tattered deposit slip to an unknown account hidden at the bottom
of the box. Dated several years before, the slip has more zeros than her
mind can grasp – is it really over 10,000,000 dollars? How did he get
that much money? Why didn’t he tell her? Where is the money? Her
questions all lead to the local bank who swears there is no money, no
account with those numbers, but Erin wants answers and when trying to
hire a lawyer brings threats and intimidation, Erin looks to Twin City
lawyer Jared Neaton in desperation. Unknown to Erin, Jared is actually a
hometown boy. He left Mission Falls right after high school, wanting to
escape the shame of his father’s embezzlement conviction, and he’s never
looked back. However, his recent attempt to leave a big name law firm
for his own practice has been rocky. Lately, he’s several steps BEHIND
the bill collectors. His office assistant Jessie is sure he needs a few
surefire cases with clearly defined fees, so she is not pleased when
Jared takes off for Mission Falls and another hopeless case. This legal
thriller offers all aspects that a good thriller should – backroom deals
with unidentified villains, myriad of suspects, an irritable judge, and
of course, courtroom confrontations and dangerous chase scenes. I think
that even readers of secular legal thrillers will enjoy the pace and
details of this story. Christian readers will hone in on the
reconciliation story between Jared and his father. This story is not a
flashy, quick fix put in the book to make it “Christian,” but a quiet
revelation of a man living out his opportunity for forgiveness. I have a
list of reasons why I like this book— 1. Plenty of suspense. Jared’s
maturation 3. Realistic rural setting but with detours to other places
4. Jared’s father and his story 5. Doesn’t have one of those quick, one
night stand’s that so many thrillers do 6. And the FINAL REASON, I think
the ending hints that there will be more Jared Neaton books!!<br />
I received a review copy of this book from Bethany House publishers.
All views expressed are my own.<br />
Ewwlegal
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Deal_Sharing_Aunt
Posted August 16, 2012
The Deposit Slip by Todd M. Johnson book review What would you do for
$10 million? What would you do if your parents left you a deposit slip
with a $10 million deposit on it? What would other people do to get your
$10 million? I asked myself these questions as I read this book. This
book is about a woman who finds a Deposit slip on it from her fathers
safe deposit box in the amount of $10 million. However when she goes to
the bank they tell her it is a fake. She left town only to come back
and deal with all this drama. She starts looking for an attorney and
someone recommends the account to lawyer Jared Neaton. Jared is not
financially stable and has just lost a very big case. He was also from
the same town where the bank is, but he took left only to come back for
this deposit slip. If Jared can win the case, then he will use the
money to stabilize his firm. Jared uses everything his has in his reach
to win, he even moves back in with his estranged father. As the judge
allows a trial and the trial gets closer, the town's web of lies starts
to come undone. Jared stays awake many many night to prepare for
depositions. Finally Jared's secretary finds a huge break in the case,
but will everyone survive to prove it to the judge? I liked this book.
It was a good mystery and I never thought of what the big break was. I
was surprised. I also liked that there were no loose ends and the end of
the book answered all of the questions I had. I was given a copy of
this book by Bethany House to review. However all opinions are my own.
It took me a few chapters to really get into this book since there are a lot of characters and backstories presented in the beginning. However, once I got into the book, it quickly turned into a "can't put it down", fast-moving and intriguing story. It's a great legal thriller with messages of honesty and forgiveness, as well as lots of plot twists and turns. Although this book is published by Bethany House, there isn't much discussion of Christianity or faith, beyond a few mentions of prayer. However, given that it's published by a Christian publishing house, it is free of bad language and there are no sex scenes.
I really enjoyed The Deposit Slip and hope that the author writes more books featuring the same main characters!
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review for myself. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review and all opinions posted here are mine and mine alone.
Jani417
Posted July 31, 2012
This debut novel, by attorney Todd M. Johnson, rivals John Grisham and David Baldacci for white-knuckled, clock-ticking suspense and non-stop action. It is nearly impossible to put this book down.
Set in a small town in Minnesota, the story centers around a deposit slip for $10 million found in a safe deposit box. Erin Larson, the young woman who finds the slip, wonders where her late father got so much money. When she inquires at the bank, she is told that there is no record of the money. A chain of events is set in motion that forces Erin to seek an attorney who is not afraid to go face to face with a high-powered law firm with unlimited resources. Jared Neaton is the man for the job.
Characters are genuine, with a variety of strengths and human failings. It is easy for the reader to make friends and trust these people. Locations, weather, and emotions are all well-described. Readers will feel as if they are in Ashley, Minnesota. Old friendships, old grudges and gossip abound, some helping Jared’s case, others preventing his legal team’s progress.
The reader will feel the suspense build as efforts are blocked and the sand runs down, moving ever closer to the trial date deadline. As efforts are thwarted and motions blocked, Jared’s desperation is almost tangible. Will the team find enough evidence to prove their case? Readers may find themselves gripping the book tightly or holding their breath as the plot races to its finish.
This is a story about greed, trust, forgiveness and the lengths to which some people will go for money. Jared and the cast will have questions and will find answers. Is full disclosure necessary for justice to prevail? Is it possible or even advisable to forgive someone who may be undeserving? Where is the line drawn and when has one stepped over it?
Readers will be clamoring for more books from Todd M. Johnson. This author has a bright future with legal thrillers.
I was given a free copy of the book by Bethany House Publishers to read and review. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy good mysteries and suspenseful legal thrillers.
This is a page-turner; I liked it! Fast paced writing with short chapters, makes this a good "beach book." A good plot with many twists and turns--along with surprises--kept this reader's attention. It's the tale of an one lawyer's struggle against a large, legal corporation--a David and Goliath.
The novel is authored by an attorney, who I hope decides to continue to write. If you like John Grisham, you'll like this one.
Thank you to Bonnie at Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishers for my copy.
Just when things can't possibly get any worse for her, Erin Larson discovers a deposit slip in her father's safe deposit box dated for February 10, 2008, three years earlier before her dad died. It's drawn on Ashley State Bank for the amount of $10.3 million dollars and Erin has no idea where the money is or how her father obtained it.
As she begins to inquire to the whereabouts of the funds through the bank, she is only told that no such deposit was ever made, and there is no account with that number at the bank. Yet what Erin can't figure out is why her father would have kept this deposit slip if it was worthless. As she tries to hire lawyers to represent her and begin to dig into the location of the money, she finds herself on the end of threats, harassing phone calls and even vandalizing of her car. Now she learns that the Paisley Law Firm is handling the case from bank's interest and she doesn't have the funds or even an attorney that seems interested in dealing with a high power law firm.
Until Jared Neaton is called by a former high power attorney by the name of Clay Strong. He advises Jared of the potential this case could do for his own struggling firm and has offered to front him $30,000 of expense money if he'll consider taking the case. Strapped and barely making ends me because of a failed trial that almost left him bankrupt, Jared is trying to keep his head above water since leaving the Paisley law firm where he met and was mentored by Clay.
Without any other proof other than a deposit slip, Jared wonders if this will be a repeat of the previous case he lost or will he be able to find the evidence he needs to go up against some of the best attorneys and possibly win. Things aren't looking too good, but what God uses best in circumstances like this, is when the odds are against us and it looks like we are at a dead end. That's when things begin to look up!
I received the debut novel, The Deposit Slip by Todd M. Johnson compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and literally read this one in a few hours. It's compelling, page turning, edge of your seat, all the way through the book and one you simply will not be able to put down. If you love novels where the high power attorneys are looking to take out the little guy, this is the perfect novel for you. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars for it's exceptional writing and it's ability to keep the reader engaged at a constant pace from beginning to end.
JDC75
Posted July 6, 2012
I am an avid reader and have just completed reading this outstanding novel. Full of twists, turns, excitement, elation, despair and pathos. I couldn't wait for the finale and at the same time didn't want the story to end! This author with his first novel has to rank with the best of the best mystery story tellers.
Cannot wait for his next creation.
JDC
Anonymous
Posted October 31, 2012
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Posted February 14, 2013
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Posted March 26, 2013
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Overview
Erin Larson is running out of options. In the wake of her father's death, she found a slim piece of paper--a deposit slip--with an unbelievable amount on it. Only the bank claims they have no record of the money, and trying to hire a lawyer has brought only intimidation and threats. Erin's last chance is Jared Neaton.
How Far Will One Lawyer Go to Find the Money?
When Jared wearied of ...