J.F. Freedman is significantly better at plot and character development, than Grisham.
I truly couldn't turn my pages fast enough, as I read "Key Witness."
And from the first page, I could envision, feel and hear the plot.
I especially related to the the lead attorney, who though he had no experience in criminal cases, he was willing to put his multi-millionaire corporate practice on hold for 6 months, to defend, pro bono, a miss-guided, 18-year-old defendant.
The 6 months taught this attorney about life, through the eyes of people who he would have never otherwise be intimate with.
His 6 months also influenced change in many who had previously put their aspirations on hold.
This is a wonderful novel.
Wyatt is so naive, you wonder how he ever got so far in life, and he shows appalling lack of judgment. The female characters are one-dimensional. The plot - which for the most part has an air of plausibility - hinges on unlikely favors and coincidences, as if the author doesn't trust his protagonist to pull off the defense on his own. The subplot regarding the effects of Wyatt's decision on his family is cumbersome (and family therapy sessions should never be depicted in a thriller).
Having said all that... I literally could not put this book down! As the plot threads come together the story becomes more engrossing until you can't turn the pages fast enough. If you're looking for in-depth, subtle characterizations, you won't find them here. But if you are looking for an engaging legal thriller - with lots of action outside the courtroom, and some effort at addressing the social and political context in which the story takes place - then you will enjoy this book.