Praise for Return of the Sphynx
An A. J. Hawke Legal Thriller
Nail-biting legal thriller. A scrappy lawyer must use sophisticated science, and his fists, to aid a client. Sharp-witted lawyer A. J. Hawke uses an unusual genetic condition to defend a client against rape in this sequel to The Sphynx Murder Case. Great for fans of Scott Turow, Phillip Margolin.
— Publisher’s Weekly Booklife Reviews
Praise for The Sphynx Murder Case
An A. J. Hawke Legal Thriller
The Sphynx Murder Caseby Donald E. McInnis is a legal thriller that infuses the intrigue of ongoing investigations and local [San Diego, California] politics with the suspense of courtroom proceedings. It draws readers in with covered-up corruption and more than one ongoing case to solve. Lawyer A. J. Hawke is clever and crafty in the courtroom [as he exposes] police interrogation tactics.
— Booklife Report
Praise for She’s So Cold
Second Edition
A powerful read. . . . Donald E. McInnis does an outstanding job of pinpointing the problems of juvenile prosecution methods. . . . No reader of true crime or juvenile rights should be without this outstanding book. . . . Law professors will find She’s So Cold [second edition] holds much fodder for classroom discussion and debate.
— Midwest Book Review
Praise for She’s So Cold — First Edition
It is unimaginable what our justice system does with juveniles. I hope the changes you have suggested are made. —Linda Starr, Executive Director Northern California Innocence Project
An eye-opening and shocking insight into the inner workings of a complex case that sent three innocent young boys to criminal court for murder. —Crime Traveler
Painful to read as a parent. Fortunately, the truth came out. Five Stars. —Nikki V. NetGalley
This is a fascinating look at a broken justice system, interrogation tech-niques, false confessions, and the rights of the accused in general and children in particular. —Littoral Librarian
It was never going to be rated anything BUT fi ve stars! . . . An absolutely fantastic read. Up there with In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. I enjoyed it THAT much. —Yassemin T, NetGalley
McInnis uses clear, descriptive language to describe all aspects of the case. That makes the book read more like a novel than a work on nonfiction. I think that those who like true crime or legal works will enjoy this book. —Amy’s Scrap Bag
So who killed Stephanie? I will leave this to the reader to discover. Hers actually becomes a secondary crime to that perpetrated on these boys. In defense of the police, they must deal every day with the dregs of society who all declare their innocence. The detectives must have methods and ways to tenaciously get at the truth. However, to use what falls dangerously into the realm of torture is surely not the answer, particularly on teenagers. —Book Loons
If you like real-life drama and suspense this is may be a read for you. —Book Pleasures
This was an enlightening book that would be good for true crime readers, and those interested in police procedure and the law. —Book Zone
As I was reading this book, I did feel and experience injustice as well as anger. The type of harassment that the three boys endured was horrible. It is no wonder that they would and did say anything that the authorities wanted them to say. The whole process was very speedy and not well researched. It is lucky that Mr. McInnis was assigned to represent one of the boys. If not, the boys may never have been released. —Cheryl Book Nook
She So Cold is one of the most harrowing stories I have read. . . . This is a gripping tale of law enforcement gone lawless. —English Plus Blog
Even though the events of this book are highly maddening, I recommend this book. It is extremely interesting to read about all of the things surrounding Stephanie death, the investigation, the trial, and the outcome. —Grandma Ideas
I learned a lot from this book. I recommend those that like true crime read the story. They will get so much more from it than just the mess that the police and others made trying to get a confession. —J Bronder Book Reviews
This was one of those cases the mass media love and for which they effectively convict the accused in the minds of the public. This was in 1998 in San Diego, and the original victim name was Stephanie Crowe. But there were more victims, including Stephanie brother, two of his friends, and the three boys families. The trauma willfully and knowingly inflicted on them by the police and prosecutors was limited by the fact that so-called confessions by two of the three boys were videotaped. I haven’t watched the videos, but reading them is like watching violence in slow motion. —Let’s Try Democracy
This is a fascinating look at a broken ‘justice’ system, interrogation techniques, false confessions, and the rights of the accused in general and children in particular. —Littoral Librarian
If you enjoy mysteries you will love this. If you want to see why we need more people like DonaldMcInnis working for us, you will enjoy this. . . . Mr. McInnis does a wonderful job of laying out the facts without prejudice. He simply states what happened. Fascinating read! —Maria’s Space
She So Cold shows in excruciating detail how fragile the human psyche is and the power law enforcement wields to manipulate us. Its an excellent case study in how, under the wrong circumstances, fact can become fiction and fiction fact. Thanks to Donald McInnis for an unsettling but necessary look at the dark and sometimes obscure motivations that produce misbehavior by the police and false confessions to crime. —Men’s eNews
The unethical psychological and emotional manipulation of three young boys that coerced false confessions establishes groundbreaking need for change. If you are interested in true case studies of the wrongfully accused or an advocate for children rights, maybe even a newly appointed attorney, this is a must-read. It changed the lives of fifteen people and it might even change yours. —My Shelf
With a perfect balance between dialogue and description, the story flows through the pages and is easy to follow and understand without complicated police jargon. —Examiner