Emancipation: Pen Pals and Serial Killers – Story One by Jo Michaels is an exhilarating, suspense-filled thriller. Tobias (Toby) Butler is a convicted killer, trying to stay alive in a prison with its own hierarchy of guards, thugs and gangs. Toby has a new pen pal - a young, beautiful and determined attorney, Jessica Phang. Jessica studied his case during law school and is committed to an appeal to overturn his conviction for the murder of a married couple and their two young children. Although Toby has doubts about this pen pal, he receives her photo and agrees to a meeting. The sparks fly and soon a loving relationship is formed. Although Toby is a master manipulator, solely focused on what atrocities he will commit if freed, Jessica does not see this part of his personality.

The lives of lifelong prisoners, as well as their thoughts and actions, are presented realistically in Jo Michaels’ novel, Emancipation: Pen Pals and Serial Killers – Story One. Be aware the book is gritty; it has strong profanity, sexual fantasies and horrific torturous acts. This novel is not for the faint-hearted reader. The intriguing plot, however, outweighs these aspects, and the reader is compelled to find out what will happen if Toby is freed, or if his conviction is upheld by the court. Ms. Michaels aptly portrays the sociopathic personality of Toby through his thought processes and the letters he writes to Jessica – as well as the letters he throws away. There are plenty of twists and turns, and surprises in store, creating a mesmerizing page-turner. It is a book you will not soon forget.

Tobias Butler had already served some of his sentence while sitting on death row when a novice lawyer, Jessica Phang, contacted him through his profile on a pen pal website, offering him a chance at freedom. It seems too good to be true, but the temptation of getting out has him starting a mail correspondence with the young lawyer. Soon, the two are meeting and going over the case to have Tobias proven innocent and freed. Tobias killed a family of four, landing him on death row, and he knows he did it - so how will Jessica prove Tobias’ innocence in Emancipation by Jo Michaels?

Emancipation by Jo Michaels is a thrilling read with a unique and stimulating plot. It was twisted and scary but very gripping, a true page turner. The only book I have read with an antagonist for a protagonist that looked like the character won’t turn by the end. The only book with the main character so hateful, but still I was curious to see how he would end up. The crime Tobias committed was so gruesome and horrible I wondered why anyone would want him out of prison. Jessica was hard to like, but her intelligence and cunning made her a credible character. She seemed obsessed with the case and proving him not guilty of the sins he'd committed. The lies were told convincingly and the scenes were written in excellent detail; it was like watching the story unfold. I loved how the plot developed and the unexpected twist in it; even the ending was suspenseful.