Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey—the plot—fails. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt reveals the secrets that will keep readers riveted to the page. He explains the importance of matching character to plot and the key distinction between surprise and coincidence. Bernhardt discusses how to enrich your story by layering three levels of conflict and, in the final chapter, analyzes the primary plot structures that have delighted readers since the first story was told. The book also includes exercises designed to help writers apply these ideas to their own writing.

He writes gunfights and ticking time bombs. But when he’s kidnapped and forced to plan a real-world crime, every plot twist will be explosive… Dylan Taggart channels his demons through the keyboard. Knocked around by a father who believed weakness was failure, the bestselling suspense author grabs a measure of peace in his gorgeous girlfriend’s arms. But he sees fiction come horrifyingly to life when masked fanatics break in demanding he put his brilliant mind to work and help them steal a secret military super-weapon. Dylan tries to refuse, but his resolve shatters when they leave his lover for dead and punish him mercilessly. Torn between terror and grief, he starts writing the heist scheme as ordered…while feverishly building a cunningly disguised sabotage. Can this tortured artist use his own ingenious plotting skills to prevent the death of millions? Plot/Counterplot is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like resourceful characters, intense drama, and endless surprises, then you’ll adore William Bernhardt’s clever caper. “A man on the run... a woman on the run... in a thriller that hits the ground running... then running faster... then absolutely flying. And you're flying, too, flying through the pages with one of the masters of the modern thriller at the controls. William Bernhardt knows when to soar and when to dive, when to make you sweat and when to let you breathe, when to throw this flying machine into a barrel roll that will absolutely shock you and when to bring you home safe and satisfied. A terrific entertainment.” -- William Martin, New York Times-Bestselling Author of The Lincoln Letter and December '41

Daniel Pike faces Kenzi Rivera in the ultimate courtroom cage match—but death may render the final verdict. Florida defense attorney Daniel Pike (The Last Chance Lawyer) is dragged into his first civil case to represent a comic-book writer suing to recover the rights to a character that makes billions—while he lives in poverty. Pike’s opposing lawyer is Kenzi Rivera (Splitsville), representing a former flame who claims those rights should go to her. Everyone wants control, but powerful forces are willing to do anything—absolutely anything—to get it. The first indication? A decapitated head found at an airport baggage drop, a horrifying murder pointing directly to this case. The more Pike learns, the more he realizes that nothing is what it appears to be. He will need all his courtroom skills, every trick and tactic, to prevail. After a bloody confrontation on the courtroom steps proves just how dangerous this case is, he is drawn into a longstanding conspiracy. Can Pike uncover the secrets before he becomes the next victim? Gripping for newcomers and fans, Justice For All pits The Last Chance Lawyer's Daniel Pike against Kenzi Rivera, the protagonist from the author’s Splitsville series. If you like spellbinding courtroom drama, unexpected revelations, and fast-paced action, you’ll love William Bernhardt’s thrill-packed courtroom showdown. Take a stand! Read Justice For All today!

He has one chance to find the facts he’s searched for his entire life. All he has to do is prove his Number One enemy is not a killer… Daniel Pike has devoted his legal career to ensuring no innocent person dies in prison like his father did. But he’s still no closer to uncovering his painful family secrets. And after a terrible twist of fate, he’s hired to defend his arch-nemesis who’s been charged with a gruesome murder… With a string of grisly clues placing his client squarely in the frame, Pike’s investigations incur the fury of a powerful and callous cartel. After a key defense witness is brutally slain, not even this talented attorney stands a chance of convincing the jury that his client’s hands are not blood-stained. And the cartel’s next target is Pike…and everyone he loves. Will Pike’s most challenging assignment destroy everything he’s struggled to achieve? Final Verdict is the sixth book and the riveting conclusion to the Daniel Pike Legal Thriller Series. If you like spellbinding courtroom dramas, startling revelations, and jaw-dropping action, then you’ll love William Bernhardt’s edge-of-your-seat finale. Get Final Verdict to bring the gavel down today!

A struggling lawyer. A bitter custody battle. A deadly fire. This case could cost Kenzi her career—and her life. Kenzi Rivera is furious. Passed over for promotion at her own father’s firm, the talented divorce lawyer is tired of fighting chauvinism every single day. When a desperate scientist begs for help getting her daughter back, Kenzi can’t resist… even though this client is involved in Hexitel, a group she calls her religion but others call a cult. Kenzi uncovers evidence of disturbing practices at Hexitel involving large sums of money, servitude, and sex. She also learns her client’s lab has been plagued by death threats and cutthroat competition. After the workplace burns to the ground and her client is charged with murder, the ambitious attorney knows there is much more at stake than a simple custody dispute. Can Kenzi find a path to the truth before she’s trapped in a maze of death? Splitsville is the dramatic first book in the Splitsville Legal Thriller series. If you like gutsy heroines, diverse characters, and page-turning suspense, then you’ll love William Bernhardt’s twisty tale. Buy Splitsville and strike a blow for justice!

The Grim Reaper is coming to the courtroom—where Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid may face their final judgment. In Florida, defense attorney Daniel Pike is stunned when his legal files are ransacked and his lover, Maria Morales, disappears. In Oklahoma, semi-retired attorney Ben Kincaid is horrified when his connection to this apparent abduction endangers the people he loves most. Desperate for help, Pike seizes Kincaid and hauls him on a cross-country road trip to discover what happened to Maria…and why a killer is so interested in a California murder case. During the journey, Dan and Ben encounter Roswell aliens, San Diego cosplay, snowstorms, barroom brawls, assassination attempts, a cartel rubout, and an old acquaintance now behind bars. But someone dressed as the Grim Reaper is leaving a bloodstained trail of victims from one coast to the other. Every new clue points to a West Coast murder conviction—and a pending motion that might prevent a major injustice. Reluctantly, Dan and Ben agree to represent the defendant who might hold the answers they seek—or might make them the next victims. Will this be the capstone to their distinguished careers—or the final ride into the sunset? Enthralling for newcomers and fans, Partners in Crime launches a new Daniel Pike series and also features Ben Kincaid, the author’s first fictional attorney returning after more than a decade. If you like spellbinding courtroom drama, unexpected revelations, and jaw-dropping action, you’ll love William Bernhardt’s thrill-packed legal road trip.

“This book sparkles like a jewel in a cosmic clockwork—an uplifting gift to readers everywhere.” — Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior Why are the churches closed on Christmas Eve in Florence’s San Frediano district? This mystery perplexes an acclaimed American poet who journeys to the fabled city seeking inspiration. The proprietor of his hotel, raconteur Alberto Giannotti, reveals that it has nothing to do with the holiday—and everything to do with poetry. With charm and Tuscan flair, Giannotti relates the story of Pietro Begnini, he who was born with the sign of the sonnet. He wants to become a poet and marry his beloved Sophia—but a devastating blow from a jealous enemy, the Grand Inquisitor for the Academy of Poetic Arts, sends him reeling throughout Italy and beyond. Pietro meets the great genius Leo (from Vinci), the doomed beauty Lucy (eventually a Borgia), the publishing pioneer Aldus Manutius, the poetry instructor Vito (the Vituperative), and the renowned pirate Jean-David Neu, the Italian Flail. He is even tempted by The Evil One. But eventually, Pietro returns to Florence for one last chance to achieve his dreams. If you cherish passion, perseverance, or poets, you’ll be enthralled by this enchanting story of what one man can achieve for love. The Florentine Poet is bestselling author William Bernhardt’s masterpiece, illuminated by Brian Call’s delightful illustrations.