The Boulevard Trial

The Boulevard Trial tells the story of three women who confront an unforgiving past during a New York prostitution case. It is a story of lawyers and clients, mothers and daughters, and the redeeming power of unconditional love.

Attorney Helena is on the verge of losing her job, and her sanity, after her boss discovers a secret from her law school days. Before then, she will defend prostitute Francesca. When powerhouse prosecutor Alexandra hints that she also knows Helena's secret, Helena must decide whether to expose Alexandra's German, post-war past to save her client and herself.

"In clear, often compelling prose, Stephanie Laterza's debut novel, The Boulevard Trial, offers us a contemporary story of moral dilemmas, confused intentions and missed connections that frequently result in disappointing resolutions and, at times, even tragic consequences. The traumas of the novel's characters bleed into their ongoing personal experiences like an unchecked, gaping wound. On a larger scale, they mirror disturbing issues in the very fabric of our society and the ramifications of our actions in a greater perspective. The Boulevard Trial takes place mainly in New York with some flashbacks to Boston and Germany. Laterza captures much of the city's raw, often ruthless vibe, the indifference of overpopulated urban compression, images of media hounds and grueling corporate competition and an apathetic environment where ambition overrides compassion. The main character, Helena, is a young attorney struggling with a secret from her past that could ruin her career. Her boss, a partner in the prestigious law firm where she's employed, assigns her a pro bono case defending Francesca, a prostitute, while he considers her future at the firm in light of this past information that has come to his attention. Helena is up against a tough, renowned prosecutor, Alexandra, whose zealotry in persecuting morally compromised women masks her own demons...The Boulevard Trial is a good, fast-paced read with more than a few lessons to impart."---Poet, Writer Karen Corinne Herceg, Compulsive Reader, July 2018