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Pamela Samuels Young

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Abuse of Discretion (Dre Thomas Series Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Pamela Samuels Young (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.7 323 ratings

Book 3 of 4: Dre Thomas Series

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A Kid’s Curiosity … A Parent’s Nightmare
The award-winning author of "Anybody’s Daughter" is back with an addictive courtroom drama that gives readers a shocking look inside the juvenile criminal justice system.

Graylin Alexander is a model fourteen-year-old. When his adolescent curiosity gets the best of him, Graylin finds himself embroiled in a sexting scandal that threatens to ruin his life. Jenny Ungerman, the attorney hired to defend Graylin, is smart, confident and committed. She isn’t thrilled, however, when ex-prosecutor Angela Evans joins Graylin’s defense team. The two women instantly butt heads. Can they put aside their differences long enough to ensure Graylin gets justice?

Unbeknownst to Angela, her boyfriend Dre is wrestling with his own drama. Someone from his past wants him dead. For Dre, his response is simple—kill or be killed.

To invite Pamela to a book club meeting or speaking engagement, visit her website at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

READ AN EXCERPT!

Chapter 1

Graylin
“What’s the matter, Mrs. Singletary? Why do I have to go to the principal’s office?”

I’m walking side-by-side down the hallway with my second-period teacher. Students are huddled together staring and pointing at us like we’re zoo animals. When a teacher at Marcus Preparatory Academy escorts you to the principal’s office, it’s a big deal. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I’m a good student. I never get in trouble.
Mrs. Singletary won’t answer my questions or even look at me. I hope she knows she’s only making me more nervous.

“Mrs. Singletary, please tell me what’s wrong?”

“Just follow me. You’ll find out in a minute.”

I’m about to ask her another question when it hits me. Something happened to my mama!

My mama has been on and off drugs for as long as I can remember. I haven’t seen her in months and I don’t even know where she lives. No one does. I act like it doesn’t bother me, but it does. I’ve prayed to God a million times to get her off drugs. Even though my granny says God answers prayers, He hasn’t answered mine, so I stopped asking.

I jump in front of my teacher, forcing her to stop. “Was there a death in my family, Mrs. Singletary? Did something happen to my mama?”

“No, there wasn’t a death.”

She swerves around me and keeps going. I have to take giant steps to keep up with her.

Once we’re inside the main office, Mrs. Singletary points at a wooden chair outside Principal Keller’s office. “Have a seat and don’t move.”

She goes into the principal’s office and closes the door. My head begins to throb like somebody’s banging on it from the inside. I close my eyes and try to calm down. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s probably just—Oh snap! The picture!
I slide down in the chair and pull my iPhone from my right pocket. My hands are trembling so bad I have to concentrate to keep from dropping it. I open the photos app and delete the last picture on my camera roll. If anyone saw that picture, I’d be screwed.

Loud voices seep through the closed door. I lean forward, straining to hear. It almost sounds like Mrs. Singletary and Principal Keller are arguing.

“It’s only an allegation. We don’t even know if it’s true.”

“I don’t care. We have to follow protocol.”

“Can’t you at least check his phone first?”

“I’m not putting myself in the middle of this mess. I've already made the call.”

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B073TZXXNC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Goldman House Publishing (September 25, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 25, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2882 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 354 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #691,693 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #889 in Black & African American Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction
- #1,345 in Black & African American Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
- #1,628 in Legal Thrillers (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 323 ratings

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Pamela Samuels Young

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Attorney and award-winning author Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. The Compton, California, native grew tired of never seeing women or African-Americans depicted in the legal thrillers she read, so she made up her mind to change that.

Dubbed “John Grisham with a sister’s twist,” Pamela is known for writing fast-paced legal thrillers that tackle important social issues. Her thriller Anybody’s Daughter, provides an eye-opening look into the world of child sex trafficking and was honored with an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction. In Failure to Protect, Pamela examined the bullying epidemic and its devastating aftermath. The Law of Karma is her most recent release. In July 2024, Sounds Like a Plan, a novel she co-wrote with author Dwayne Alexander Smith, goes on sale.

Prior to embarking on a full-time writing career, Pamela worked as an attorney for O’Melveny & Myers LLP and served as Managing counsel for Toyota, specializing in employment law. A former news writer for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles and WXYZ-TV in Detroit, Pamela received a bachelor’s degree from USC and also earned graduate degrees from Northwestern University and UC Berkeley School of Law.

Pamela is a frequent speaker on the topics of child sex trafficking, indie publishing, and pursuing your passion at any age.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

323 global ratings

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Jupiter Love

Whew!

Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2023

Verified Purchase

This had to be the most stressful story I've read in a long while. The way the judicial system wanted to basically destroy this child for doing a childish thing. I loved the two attorneys that took his case; they were very diligent in proving his innocence.

Helpful

Charlie Lomax, Turning Pages Book Club

What You Don't Know Can Get You in Serious Trouble!

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent book and storyline, Pamela, you did it again and the Members of Turning Pages Book Club were educated on a subject matter that I am sure a lot of people are not aware of, "children being arrested for sexting".
In this storyline the author addresses an issue that is prevalent in todays society with social media and everything being about "sex", but the children are not educated about the consequences until it is too late!
As usually the characters are very strong and well developed, Dre Thomas and posse ( his gyrl -Angela, friend Gus and son ,Graylin), come to the recue again against the mistreatment of children in a society that is suppose to protect them. What we love about the characters in this story is that they do what ever it takes to have "Justice" show its rightful place, especially when it is needed.
All teenagers need to know about the laws surrounding "sexting" and this is a great story to read that is exciting, interesting and educating for them to learn!
Thank you, Pamela Samuels Young for your dedication to informing us and caring about our youth, and sharing this important information!

Helpful

Bichon Mom

Mischievous and impulsive childhood actions being treated as criminal behavior

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2018

Verified Purchase

The headlines are becoming all too common where zero tolerance policies in schools have resulted in even elementary age children being handcuffed and treated as criminals. Pamela Samuels Young is an excellent author and this story depicts the gravity of consequences when the letter of the law is used to overrule common sense.

This is the eighth book that I have read by this author and she doesn’t disappoint. Her writing is fast paced and the characters are as interesting as the legal action. I don’t find the redundancy that so often creeps into a series in any of her books. Each book centers on a new theme and the characters and relationships develop without rehashing the actions in prior books.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the complexities of the legal system especially as it relates to juveniles and political pressures.

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2022

Verified Purchase

The was insightful and informative. The characters were reminiscent of people you may come across in daily life. This made the overall storyline appreciatively believable.

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Vivienne Diane Neal

A First Rate Legal Drama

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

The author has done it again, writing an extraordinary, gripping, and page-turning novel filled with suspense, scandal, deception, mystery, legal shenanigans, police misconduct, and lots of prison transgressions, revenge and murder. If you read Anybody’s Daughter, protagonist Dre Thomas, and antagonist Rodney Merriweather are back, and some of the old and new multi-faceted characters come into play, drawing you into their world and creating more conflict, dark and gritty scenarios, family discord, infidelity, sharp twists and turns, secrets and lies, where nothing is quite as it seems and where money, power and influence will determine one’s fate, slowly building up to a explosive ending. The narrative leaves the reader with the following thoughts: when you make bad decisions, you will have to face the consequences, and no matter how many illicit activities law enforcement may shut down, there will always be more to follow and unawareness of the law is no excuse. The story covers vital issues affecting teens and their cavalier activities in the digital world, which makes this book a must read by every parent, teacher and anyone who works with children.

4 people found this helpful

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Kiera

Abuse of Discretion

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book grabbed my attention from the very first page, and didn't let me go until the last page, exhausted, trembling, and very emotional. I could actually feel the anguish of what Graylin’s poor decisions caused. It opened my eyes to a serious issue that is going on around us daily – sexting, and how social media is both a gift and a curse. It really made me think long and hard, because I have nieces, nephews, and grandkids. (I will be buying them a copy to read!) All through the book, the thought that it could be one of them really struck me!
This is a MUST READ for everyone with teenagers who have electronics means of communications. This happens every day, in any town to young kids who think, "It can't happen to me, I'm way too smart for that!"
Pamela Samuels Young definitely brought her A-game once again when writing this book; I'm a fan for life!!!

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CeeCee

The Devil is a Lie!!!!!!

Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2017

Verified Purchase

I pre ordered this book and I checked at 4 am and it was there!!!! I started reading at lunchtime and finished on Wednesday. I throughly enjoye this book. As I raised my son, I faced very similiar situations maybe that is why this story was so very real for me. I love the friends and family that surrounds Dre and Angela. The author made this story so real for me that there were moments I was actually sitting on the edge of my seat!!! As a parent there were times I wanted to grab Graylin and just shake him; however, this book served as a great lesson of trust and faith. I even held my breath as the verdict was revealed (literally). I especially enjoyed the character "Mama Baker" and her direct and down to earth style of communicating. I am definitely Team Pamela Samuels Young, I have read four of her books and have enjoyed each one. GREAT JOB!!!!!

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2022

Verified Purchase

I'm so happy for Angela and dre. But I'm more happy for graylin. That kid had so much pressure but it took it all in. And I like the way he stood up for himself he didn't listen to anyone.

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