Silent Appeal
Where justice falters, truth fights back.
A gripping legal suspense novel about power, truth, and the secrets people will bury to win.
The New Legal Suspense That Everyone's Talking About
Defense attorney Claire Duval lives by one rule: control the narrative before it controls you. But when she takes the case of a young mother accused of a high-profile murder, she uncovers evidence too polished and players too powerful to ignore. As the city watches and the stakes turn personal, Claire must decide how far she will go—and what she's willing to lose—to tell the truth.
"Justice has a heartbeat. Truth has a price."
"Power hides the truth. She exposes it."
"Some secrets don't stay buried."
The Claire Duval Series
Intelligent, female-led legal suspense set in Seattle—read as standalones or in order.
Silent Appeal
Some truths don't stay buried. Neither does she.
Defense attorney Claire Duval takes a case that looks open-and-shut—until the neat evidence unravels. As a quiet conspiracy surfaces and her buried past claws back into the light, Claire must choose between the life she built and the truth that could destroy it.
Veil of Doubt
At the top of the ladder, every secret has a price.
A professor is murdered. A graduate student stands accused. Inside a legacy institution built on prestige, Claire finds sealed files, whispered threats, and a culture of silence that looks unsettlingly familiar. Exposing the truth means challenging the system—and the version of herself she left behind.
False Testimony
Power plays dirty. She plays to win.
When a beloved senator dies and his aide is charged, Claire collides with a dynasty that manufactures truth. Secret money, disappearing records, and a private network where loyalty is currency—plus a name from Claire's past that changes everything. In a battle designed to crush her, she refuses to bow.
Justice has a price. She knows the cost.
Meet Alexandra Sterling
Alexandra Sterling writes gripping legal suspense rooted in emotional truth and moral complexity. Based in Seattle, she blends courtroom strategy with atmospheric Pacific Northwest settings to explore where power meets consequence—and what it costs to tell the truth. Her Claire Duval novels have earned a loyal following for their layered female leads, high-tension trials, and the human stories beating beneath every verdict.
When she isn't writing, Alexandra is haunting bookstores, mapping plot twists over strong coffee, and walking the waterfront in the rain.
Behind the Books
Inside the Courtroom
The law reveals who we are when we stand to lose everything. These stories draw on authentic legal strategy—not procedure for its own sake, but power, pressure, and choice.
Emotion at the Center
Justice isn't cold. It cracks, bleeds, breaks, rebuilds. Claire Duval fights for truth while facing the parts of herself she'd rather keep buried.
A City of Shadows & Secrets
Seattle isn't a backdrop—it's a pulse. Waterfront fog, courthouse marble, rain-lit glass. Setting as tension you can feel.
Reader Praise
"Smart, sharp, and deeply human—Sterling writes suspense with soul."
"Emotionally potent courtroom tension. Impossible to put down."
"Atmospheric and addictive—legal suspense with heart."
"Claire Duval is the attorney we all wish we had—brilliant and unbreakable."
"Sterling's Seattle is as much a character as Claire herself."
"Legal thrillers don't get better than this."
Events & Signings
Elliott Bay Book Company
Seattle — Jan 18, 7:00 PM
Live Virtual Q&A
Online — Feb 3, 6:00 PM PT
Third Place Books
Lake Forest Park — Mar 9, 2:00 PM
Press & Media
For reviewers, booksellers, librarians, and event organizers.
Featured in
"A riveting courtroom drama that showcases Sterling's deep understanding of the legal system and human nature."
— The New York Times
"Sterling's legal thrillers are masterfully crafted, with twists that keep you guessing until the final page."
— Publishers Weekly
"Claire Duval is a protagonist readers will root for—brilliant, flawed, and utterly compelling."
— Library Journal
Author & Book Media Kit
- •Author bio (short & long versions)
- •High-resolution author headshots
- •Book cover assets (all three titles)
- •Fact sheet with ISBNs and publication details
- •Quick pitch and series overview
- •Press contact: press@alexandrasterling.com
Need something specific? Email press@alexandrasterling.com
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