(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) EINPresswire/ -- When a young New York City attorney known for taking on unusual and high-risk cases teams up with a retired NYPD detective, their unlikely partnership becomes the last line of defense against corruption, betrayal and murder in Illusions of Trust, the explosive new thriller from award-winning author Jeffrey S. Stephens.

Russell Palmer, an idealistic lawyer still learning life's harder lessons, takes on the divorce case of Christina Franco, a beautiful socialite desperate to leave her abusive husband. Palmer's associate, Robbie Whyte, a streetwise retired NYPD detective with a built-in radar for trouble, warns him to stay clear. But when Palmer learns that Christina's husband has connections to a dangerous man he's battled before, his interest deepens and overrides his caution.

What begins as a routine case soon pulls Palmer and Whyte into a perilous web of deceit and deadly ambition. From the suspicious suicide of a prominent attorney to a federal probe into a powerful pharmaceutical empire with political ties, Palmer and Whyte find themselves confronting corruption at the highest levels-and forces willing to destroy anyone who gets too close to the truth.

As they navigate New York City's shadowy corners and Washington's elite circles, the pair encounter a host of characters-Christina's powerful father and reclusive mother, an alluring journalist with her own agenda, and others whose motives are anything but clear. With lives on the line, Palmer and Whyte must rely on each other's strengths and learn that trust, once broken, can be as dangerous as the enemies they face.

Illusions of Trust is the first installment in Stephens' new Russell Palmer and Robbie Whyte series, introducing readers to a duo whose pursuit of justice pushes them into the crosshairs of the powerful and corrupt.

“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 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 , 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:

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