Seraphim

(Paperback)

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Two young lawyers, Ben and Boris, arrive in the New Orleans public defender's office determined to represent those most in peril- kids who are to be prosecuted as adults. When 16-year-old is arrested and charged with murder, the two set about constructing his defense, with Ben taking the lead. But years of heavy cases spark a burning recklessness in Ben. He does what he believes- what he knows- must be done. And in his fervor to absolve Robert, Ben spins a web to bend the narrative in his favor, one in which everyone is expendable- even those his young client loves most. A riveting story of loyalty and grief that cross-examines an unjust criminal legal system, SERAPHIM combines the grit and realism of Richard Price's Clockers with the empathy and psychological complexity of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union. Set in New Orleans during the bleak years after Hurricane Katrina, SERAPHIM tracks a murder investigation by a defense attorney who is driven to exonerate his client at any cost. Two young lawyers, Ben and Boris, arrive in the New Orleans public defender's office determined to represent those most in peril- kids who are to be prosecuted as adults. When 16-year-old is arrested and charged with murder, the two set about constructing his defense, with Ben taking the lead. But years of heavy cases spark a burning recklessness in Ben. He does what he believes- what he knows- must be done. And in his fervor to absolve Robert, Ben spins a web to bend the narrative in his favor, one in which everyone is expendable- even those his young client loves most. A riveting story of loyalty and grief that cross-examines an unjust criminal legal system, SERAPHIM combines the grit and realism of Richard Price's Clockers with the empathy and psychological complexity of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

Author Bio

Joshua Perry was a public defender in New Orleans for ten years, including stints as head of the city's youth public defender and as General Counsel to the Orleans Public Defenders. Since then, his civil rights cases have included representing immigrant children separated from their parents at the Mexican border and suing the FDA to preserve access to abortion medication. As Solicitor General of the State of Connecticut, he leads a team representing the state in complex cases in federal and state appellate courts. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, CNN.com, and Slate. A graduate of Harvard College and New York University Law School, he lives in New Haven, Connecticut with his wife and three daughters.