Fresh Start by Mark Shaiken is a legal mystery story. Quincy Witherspoon, a prominent developer, has followed his family’s long practice of putting their assets in Switzerland, away from the taxman. When his creditors come knocking at the door and bankruptcy is the only way to save his company, he hires a bankruptcy lawyer called Josephine Jillian Jones, better known as 3J. The problem is, Quincy has secrets – he never told the IRS about his Swiss assets, nor did he tell 3J, the bankruptcy court, even his bankers. All could see him do time in time in jail, but both 3J and Stacy Milnes, a so-called friend of Quincy’s and a banker, know something is badly wrong, and now Witherspoon is running. Can they catch him? Or will fate and family history intervene? Bankruptcy is supposed to give you a fresh start, but it doesn’t always work that way.

Fresh Start by Mark Shaiken is a well-written legal novel packed with action in a well-paced story. The constantly shifting perspectives between the main characters keep you on your toes and ensure you get every aspect of the story from all the different points of view. Mr. Shaiken explains the bankruptcy procedure very well and writes in a way that makes you feel part of the story. It starts as it means to go on, taking you on a twisting journey from the courtrooms in Kansas through the murky underworld of generational legacies. The characters are real people, developed well, and with plenty of background to help you learn who they are. This is a novel where the line between right and wrong is sometimes blurry, where the good guys might be the bad guys and vice versa – very much like real life, where perception plays a big role. A very enjoyable thriller; I'm looking forward to more 3J books.

Mark Shaiken's novel Fresh Start is a legal mystery about a bankruptcy case. Quincy Gunn Witherman is a savvy and successful real estate developer, originally from Philadelphia, now living in Kansas City, Missouri. His family has been in the real estate business since the 1700s. Quincy inherits assets hidden in a secret Swiss bank account, a practice started by an ancestor, Gunnther Witherman Jr., in the 1800s. Quincy owes $520 million in outstanding loans from various banks. He hires Josephina Jillian Jones, or 3J, a bankruptcy attorney and a partner in the Greene Madison law firm, to file for bankruptcy protection. He reveals nothing about his hidden Swiss bank account. But 3J has a gut feeling that something is amiss, a hunch shared by Stacy Milnes, Quincy's bank officer. As the bankruptcy court hearings begin, the story twists and the tension intensifies.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mark Shaiken's Fresh Start for its compelling and unique characters and strong bankruptcy theme. I liked the character development through details of characters' professional and life journeys and how these relate to bankruptcy's financial and legal aspects. I thought the characters came vividly to life through the dialogues, the interpersonal dramas, and action both inside and outside the courtroom. I felt the story gained a great deal of depth by including the Witherman family history, revealing its strong grip on the character and decisions of Quincy Witherman, the real estate developer who files for bankruptcy. I liked the sharp contrasts among the characters, particularly 3J, Quincy's bankruptcy attorney, and Stacy Milnes, Quincy's bank officer. I could imagine the tension-filled drama in the courtroom scenes and video conferences. I was intrigued as I read on. Would Quincy get a bankruptcy discharge, a fresh start, or would the hidden assets come to light, unraveling his life? A gripping and thought-provoking bankruptcy legal mystery, well-crafted and well-written!