Date of Publication: June 8, 2021
A Texas Reckoning
In the early morning hours after a law firm recruiting party at a beachside house on Galveston Island, a female summer intern is found lying on the floor, bruised, bleeding and unconscious. Four men and one young woman attorney who were staying at the house know something terrible happened.
The woman attorney takes her to a hospital but the next day the intern disappears. All of them decide to keep silent, doing nothing about the incident in order to further their own career ambitions while the events of that night haunt the two women. Time passes and then ten years later, crime and hubris bring the former intern back into their lives. Only this time she has the power and the truth is finally brought to light, uprooting everyone’s plans.
From the power centers of Houston law and oil to the fracking fields of South Texas to the Jersey Shore and Washington D.C., this story chronicles the struggles of two ambitious young women in their quest for legal success and justice.
PRAISE FOR CRUDE AMBITION:
“Crude Ambition is a great read. It is an authentic look at big law in Houston and the Texas oil business. Patricia Hunt Holmes weaves a story of ambition, greed, romance and revenge that kept me turning the pages until all the just desserts were served.”
— Marc Grossberg, J.D., Author of The Best People: A Tale of Trials and Errors
“In Crude Ambition, Patricia Hunt Holmes shows she knows Texas in the way Grisham knows Mississippi—politics, environment, strong men and strong women, egos, oil, arrogance, influence and hunger for power. I don’t think anyone could have nailed it better.”
— Bill Sarpalius, Former U.S. Congressman, Author of The Grand Duke of Boys’ Ranch
Review
Holmes has written a terrific legal thriller set in Texas. As you know, everything in Texas is big and this story is no exception. Centering around the Houston Galveston area with its wealthy neighborhoods, country clubs, and generations of oil families, the story deals with greed, privilege, and entitlement.
This story centers around 2 highly intelligent, ambitious, empowered female protagonists that manage to get past the glass ceiling in the world of Texas oil and law. Other characters include lawyers from the biggest law firm in Houston, ranchers, a doctor, and powerful DC lawyers from various Government agencies. Holmes has created characters that struggle with their goals, the choices they have made, and the consequences of those choices. Holmes weaves a twisted tale of intrigue that keeps the reader on their toes trying to figure out who the bad guys are in a system that frequently crosses ethical lines. Writing with intensity and passion, Holmes has created a story that rivals a Grisham novel. Trust me, you will not be able to put it down.
Patricia Hunt Holmes spent 30 years as a public finance attorney with a large international law firm, specializing in nonprofit healthcare finance and rural electric cooperative finance. Consistently listed in Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers, and Top Lawyers in Houston, she was a frequent speaker at national public finance and health care conferences. Patricia has also served on the faculty of the University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Tennessee, and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She has written and published in the fields of intellectual history and law.
In addition to her legal career, Patricia has been a member and board member of several social
service organizations throughout Houston, including the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast Women’s Initiative, Dress for Success Houston, the University of Houston Women’s Studies Program, University of Houston Law Review Board of Directors, is a Trustee of the Houston Grand Opera, and Houston Justice for Our Neighbors.
Patricia grew up in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey but has lived in Houston for over 40 years. She has two daughters, Hillary and Ashley, who have successful careers as an attorney and a geologist, and three adorable grandsons. She is an avid golfer and traveler.
Patricia holds a BA in English and History, an MA in History, and a PhD in Russian and South Asian History with honors, all from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and was an editor on the Houston Law Review.
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| 8/10/21 | Review | Book Bustle |
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Julia Picks 1 
Wow! That’s high praise putting in Grisham territory! But I’m not one bit surprised– the reviews have been RAVE. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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