Local Attorney Releases New Wisconsin Legal Thriller Spare the Rod
A gripping Door County mystery inspired by real cases from a Milwaukee criminal defense lawyer.
MILWAUKEE, WI – December 2025 — Local attorney and award-winning novelist Russell J. A. Jones, writing under the pen name Lewis Allan, will release his highly anticipated second legal thriller, Spare the Rod, on December 15, 2025. The book will be available on Audible, Kindle, and paperback, with Kindle pre-orders now open at: https://www.amazon.com/Spare-Rod-Lewis-Allan-ebook/dp/B0FRJPD121/
Jones is a longtime Milwaukee-area criminal defense attorney known throughout Wisconsin courtrooms for his work on high-profile and complex cases. His novels draw deeply—though fictitiously—from the emotional and psychological terrain of his real legal career. His full professional biography is available at: https://www.cleghornjones.com/attorney/jones-russell-j-a/
About Spare the Rod
Set against the quiet beauty of Door County, Spare the Rod begins when a young boy goes missing during an October blizzard. Former Milwaukee defense attorney Mason Mitchell—now semi-retired and trying to escape the memories of his past—is pulled unexpectedly into the investigation. As the case deepens, Mitchell discovers that the peaceful surface of a small community often hides its darkest truths.
A powerful blend of courtroom tension, emotional depth, and mystery, the novel explores themes of justice, guilt, redemption, and the lasting consequences of the choices we make.
Early praise for Spare the Rod:
“Part redemption story, this is that beautiful, layered novel that never strikes a false note. Lewis Allan is a storyteller to watch.” — New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni
A Follow-Up to the Acclaimed Mouse in the Box
Jones’ debut novel, Mouse in the Box, introduced readers to defense attorney Mason Mitchell and the gritty, morally complex world of Milwaukee’s criminal courts. The book earned praise from Kirkus Reviews, IndieReader, Reedsy Discovery, and Independent Book Review, won a Feathered Quill Award, and became a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist.
Set during a record-breaking year of violent crime in Milwaukee, Mouse in the Box follows hard-charging defense attorney Mason Mitchell as he juggles a justice system strained by corruption, racial tension, and rising violence. By day, he represents drug dealers, killers, and gang members; by night, he tries to numb the emotional toll with vodka and denial. When two explosive cases collide, Mason is forced into a volatile mix of dangerous criminals, crooked cops, and moral crossroads that threaten both his clients and his own survival.
Like Spare the Rod, the story was inspired by Jones’ real-world experiences inside Wisconsin’s criminal courts — written as fiction, but grounded in the emotional truth of the justice system. This first novel established the raw, character-driven style that readers will recognize and appreciate in the next chapter of Mason Mitchell’s journey.
Mouse in the Box is available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C56SJ1JZ.
About the Author (Lewis Allan)
Lewis Allan is the shared pen name of lifelong friends Russell J. A. Jones and Jason Wrubell. Jones is a Milwaukee-based criminal defense attorney who has represented defendants in some of Wisconsin’s most challenging cases, trying more than 300 jury trials across state and federal courts. Wrubell is a well-traveled freelance writer whose narrative craft and storytelling instinct help shape the emotional depth and structure of the Mason Mitchell series.
After more than thirty years apart, the two reunited to create legal thrillers that merge the grit of real courtroom experience with the artistry of crime fiction, giving readers an authentic and deeply human look inside the justice system. While the cases in their novels are entirely fictional, the world they depict is grounded in truth — and one character, Clyde, is 100% real.
Learn more at www.lewisallan.com
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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