GREENWICH, CT, UNITED STATES, January 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — An idealistic attorney, a tenacious detective and a parade of perilous villains set the stage in Jeffrey S. Stephens’ latest legal thriller, Illusions of Trust. In a revealing chat with ONNJ’s Ken Rosato (https://www.onnj.com/videos/illusions-of-truth-a-new-novel/), Stephens shared how real-life inspiration shaped the characters, the high-stakes plot and the twists that keep readers guessing.
“Good thrillers have to have good villains,” Stephens quipped. “And this particular thriller has a bevy of villains that you can get your arms around.”
Set in New York City, where wealth and influence often rewrite the rules, Illusions of Trust follows Russell Palmer, a young, idealistic attorney shaped as much by his principles as by the people he chooses to confront. Palmer is drawn to difficult cases and complicated clients, believing the truth is always worth the risk.
When the wealthy and attractive Christina Franco approaches him to handle her divorce, Palmer’s protective instincts are immediately aroused. Not only does she describe an abusive marriage and serious financial concerns, but she also mentions one of her husband’s most dangerous associates, someone with whom Palmer has battled in the past. Despite the misgivings of Robbie Whyte, a retired NYPD detective who is committed to watching Palmer’s back, the young lawyer decides to help her. Yet soon after making that decision, matters begin to spiral out of control — beginning with the apparent suicide of a prominent lawyer; then a murder for which someone is trying to frame another of Palmer’s clients; and a federal investigation into a major pharmaceutical company with ties to Christina’s husband.
Palmer and Whyte work to distinguish the truth from a web of lies, concerned that much of this is related to their beautiful client and her influential family — including her father, an influential Congressman, and her mother, a reclusive heiress. Palmer and Whyte navigate the varied strata of New York society, from the criminal demi-monde, through the rarified world of the ultra-rich, and up to the halls of Congress. Along the way, they deal with an assortment of characters, including an attractive journalist with a decidedly personal interest in Palmer, a ruthless killer and others who populate their client’s world. As the layers of deceit and corruption are peeled back, Palmer and Whyte do all they can to protect their client — and themselves — while striving to ensure that justice, in all its complexity, prevails.
K.C. Baker, Senior Crime Writer at PEOPLE Magazine, says, “Russell Palmer and his trusted associate, private investigator Robbie Whyte, are drawn down a dangerous path filled with intrigue, suspense – and murder. Their travels take them from glittering New York City to powerful Capitol Hill, coming to a stop with a shocking finale. Stephens is a masterful storyteller.”
Dean George of The Epoch Times points to the novel’s strong character work, noting that Palmer’s “integrity and sense of honor are reminiscent of Robert B. Parker’s legendary private eye, Spenser … and may remind readers of another fictional New York City attorney — Stuart Woods’s Stone Barrington.”
Illusions of Trust marks the launch of Stephens’ new Russell Palmer and Robbie Whyte series, featuring a duo whose refusal to back down forces them into the crosshairs of the corrupt and the powerful.
“Russell Palmer is a lawyer who refuses to walk away from the truth, no matter the cost,” Stephens said. “This series will test the boundaries of loyalty, power and justice.”
About the Author
Jeffrey S. Stephens is the Amazon bestselling and PenCraft award-winning author of the Jordan Sandor thrillers, Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity, Targets of Revenge and Rogue Mission; the Anthony Walker murder mystery Crimes and Passion; the Pencraft First Place Award-winning novel, Fool’s Errand; and the Nicholas Reagan thrillers, The Handler and its sequel, Enemies Among Us. A successful attorney in private practice and native of New York City, Stephens has lived for more than 40 years in Greenwich, where he and his wife, Nancy, raised their two sons, Graham and Trevor.
For more information, please visit www.jeffreystephens.com, or find the author on Instagram at jeffreystephenstheauthor.
Illusions of Trust
Publisher: Post Hill Press
Release Date: October 28, 2025
ISBN-13: 979-8895653364
Available from: https://www.amazon.com/Illusions-Trust-Jeffrey-S-Stephens/dp/B0F7GJ5197
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