Latest Books CONSPIRACY IGNITED with Raymond Paul Johnson

“Drop the case!” Bashed over the head and tossed overboard into the cold, dark water of a Los Angeles marina, combat veteran turned litigator Eric Ridge struggles to stay alive— and discover who is trying to kill him. And why.No matter the answer, one thing is certain: Eric Ridge does not abandon his clients and will not drop the case. The question is, what case was his assailant yelling about?

Working with his legal team— including his best friend and his computer-whiz wife— Ridge is ultimately drawn into the sinister world of the Raven Society, a secretive cabal that controls the courts by coercing or killing judges. And anyone else who gets in their way. In a race against the clock, will Ridge and his team survive to use the evidence they’ve developed? Or will they suffer the same fate as others who have dared to confront The Raven Society?

Raymond Paul Johnson recently sat down with The Big Thrill to discuss his debut legal thriller, CONSPIRACY IGNITED.

Raymond Paul Johnson

A novel is such a major undertaking; there’s the writing of it, of course, then you’re spending months and months revising, polishing, and then promoting it. How did you know this was the book you wanted to spend the next couple of years on?

I’ve read thrillers all my life, love (what I consider to be) realistic ones (like Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series and Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt adventures) and longed to write one myself. This was my first.

Can you pinpoint a moment or incident that sparked the idea for this book?

Reading the last “Lincoln Lawyer” novel by Michael Connelly and wishing someone would feature a civil-law trial attorney (as opposed to a criminal defense or corporate lawyer) as protagonist.

Were there any particular books, movies, or songs that were knocking around in your head while you were writing this one?

The Scarecrow and The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly and the “Dirk Pitt” series (like Sahara) by Clive Cussler.

When you first created your protagonist for this book, did you see an empty space in crime lit that you wanted to fill? What can you share about the inspiration for that character?

I saw three empty spaces in crime lit that I wanted to fill: (1) a civil-law trial attorney as protagonist; and (2) a paramilitary CIA combat pilot as a protagonist–and so Eric Ridge (my protagonist) was born. The third empty space (in my opinion) was antagonists trying to take control of America by terrorizing the third branch of our government (the judiciary) as opposed to the executive branch (e.g., by kidnapping the President or a member of his/her Cabinet) or a Senator or other Congressional member from the legislative branch–and so the Raven Society came into being.

In addition to a great read, what do you hope readers will take away from this story?

Entertainment, new experiences and perhaps provoked thoughts in especially three areas: (1) the crucial role of judges in the American system of government; (2) the life and times of a 21st-century trial lawyer/civil litigator; and (3) what military combat veterans go through both during and after war.

What can you share about what you’re working on next?

The second Eric Ridge thriller. Since I’m a pantser, all I can say is I’m halfway to first draft (50,000 words).