The Contempt Series · Three-Book Legal Thriller
The novel that started
a bestselling series.
Wrongfully imprisoned lawyer Thane Banning returns to the courtroom to face the corrupt prosecutor who put him on death row. In order to clear his name and find justice, Thane must throw out the legal rulebook and use the survival skills he learned behind bars.
4.5-star rating
7,000 Amazon reviews
- Amazon Bestseller
- Top 10 Legal Thriller
The Contempt Series
One trilogy. Three verdicts.
A compelling legal thriller series following defense attorney Thane Banning, with over 40,000 copies sold, rave reviews, and available for movie and series adaptation consideration.
Book One · Featured
Contempt
Sometimes there’s a difference between what’s legal, and what’s right
4.5-star rating
Nearly 7,000 Amazon reviews
- Amazon Bestseller
- 7,000 Amazon reviews
Playing by the rules landed lawyer Thane Banning on death row. Now, released on a technicality, he’ll have to break those same rules to clear his name and find justice.
Continue the series
Book Two
Conviction
Thane returns to the courtroom to defend a man he knows for a fact is innocent, but evidence keeps appearing to the contrary.
Book Three
Confession
Thane represents a young sex worker accused of murdering a successful and popular football coach, and quickly learns the power that college athletics wields.
Standalone Novel – A Paranormal Thriller
Our Trespasses
Deliver us from evil
- Silver Falchion Award Winner
After his twin brother is murdered, Matt realizes that the life-long psychic connection they shared is still intact…and his brother is in hell.
About Michael
Author, Screenwriter, Playwright
Michael Cordell is an award-winning, best-selling novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. He has sold three screenplays to Hollywood, including the action-thriller “Beeper”, starring Harvey Keitel and Joey Lauren Adams.
Michael transitioned from screenplays to novels to explore greater depth and scale in his storytelling. Critics note that the cinematic style found in his novels would translate naturally to the screen.
His novels have earned over 7,000 Amazon reviews, bestseller status, Top 10 Legal Thriller recognition, 4.5 star average reviews, and a Silver Falchion Award for his standalone paranormal thriller, “Our Trespasses”.
He taught screenwriting at the University of Virginia, and currently teaches screenwriting at Writer House in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he lives. He also provides screenplay critiques to help writers make their work more marketable.
You can reach Michael at michaeljcordell@gmail.com
Interviews & Appearances
In conversation
Podcasts, YouTube interviews, and written Q&As covering craft, novels and screenplays.
Podcasts
The Danny and Park Good News Podcast – Interview:
https://www.podpage.com/the-danny-and-park-novels-1/michael-cordell-author-and-screenwriter/
The Writer’s Story: EPISODE 29, interview starts around at 7:50 mark
https://www.virginiaaudio.com/podcasts/thewritersstory-kmz2x
YOUTUBE
Conversation with TCK Publishing – How To Write A Captivating Story
https://www.youtube.com/live/77DvEKVkE8k?si=Uu6duHERxc8KXNi1
ONLINE PRINT INTERVIEWS
The Art of Words – Author Interview
https://suanneschaferauthor.com/interview-michael-cordell/
John’s Notes – Author Interview
https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/2022/03/14/author-interview-michael-cordell/