Hollis Morgan wakes up to fragile sunlight easing its way through the shutter slats on her bedroom window. Turning, she pats the space next to her and was reminded that John, her husband of almost a year, was on field assignment for another week.

Her eyes go to the clock on the chest of drawers across the room. It was a gift from her fellow workers for a recent difficult case well won. For her too, it was also a symbol of the months of struggle and the years of climbing out of a hole that seemed to have no bottom.

But she had done it. Hollis has finally accomplished her goal of regaining her footing as a contributor to society. She has overcome her felony conviction for fraud, served her time in prison, earned a judicial pardon and spent the last few years building a reputation as an accomplished attorney, but more importantly re-building her self-esteem. With the help and caring of her fellow ex-felon members in the Fallen Angels Book Club, somewhere along the way she dropped her skill of lying and was building a wary relationship with trust in the truth.

But enough with reminiscing, the clock is ticking and it’s time to leave for work.

A short while later, as she hurries to her office at the law firm of Dodson, Dodson and Doyle, or Triple D as it was referred to by its employees, she mentally runs through her day’s calendar. She had almost forgotten that her best friend, Stephanie, had talked her into taking on a new client who wants to contest a will, and there is a follow-up appointment this morning.

Everyone deserves legal representation—usually. But with just a little background research Hollis finds herself suspicious of this overly concerned client who wants to make sure her sister is disinherited at any cost.

Before the meeting is over, Hollis recognizes that the woman is a liar as her suspected untruths spill out. After all, it takes a liar to know a liar.

However, it isn’t long before Hollis must choose to trust. It’s not easy and it doesn’t always work.

ONE TOO MANY
Series: A Hollis Morgan Mystery, Book 7
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: April 2026
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

Hollis Morgan has accomplished her goal of regaining her status as an acceptable contributor to society. She has overcome her felony conviction for fraud, earned a judicial pardon and has spent the last few years in climbing the ladder of success in her law firm. She is respected and admired, but when her best friend approaches her with a conspiracy workplace threat – she resorts back to old habits and advises her to fight back.

About the author
Rae James (writing as R. Franklin James) won a best fiction award from Northern California Publishers and Authors. Her Hollis Morgan Mysteries series became A&E/Lifetime TV movies. The Inheritance, the first book in her applauded Johanna Hudson Mystery series, was followed by Look Twice and The Missing Link.