This May, coinciding with National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15, 2025, a gripping new true crime book is set to hit shelves—one that suggests justice may be delayed, but it is not always out of reach.
A Second Shot: The Pursuit of Justice in Maryland’s Oldest Cold Case Murder, by Michael F. Weisberg, M.D., tells the riveting story of a 1971 murder that haunted a family—and a community—for over five decades. Blending the narrative tension of a police procedural with the emotional depth of a family memoir, the book follows the murder of Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff James Tappen Hall and the persistent efforts that eventually brought his killer to justice more than 50 years later.
Hall was found face down in the parking lot of the Manor Country Club in Rockville, Maryland, on the night of October 23, 1971. He had been shot in the head. He died three days later. Despite a full-scale investigation, no suspect was arrested, no charges were filed, and the case went cold.
But Hall’s family never gave up. His daughter, Carolyn, and son-in-law, Bob Philo, who later settled in Dallas, Texas, spent decades advocating for justice. In North Texas, they met Dr. Michael Weisberg, a respected Plano-based gastroenterologist and novelist, and asked him to write the story that had shaped their lives. Moved by their unwavering devotion and the significance of the case, Weisberg agreed.
The result is a compelling book that reads like a thriller, unfolds like a legal drama, and resonates like a eulogy. Weisberg carefully traces the original investigation, the setbacks that followed, and the unexpected 2021 breakthrough when cold case detectives secured a confession from the long-suspected killer. During questioning, the man revealed that Hall had been shot not once, but twice—a detail never released to the public. That fact, known only to the killer and the original investigators, played a pivotal role in closing the case.
The title A Second Shot is drawn from that confession, but it also symbolizes the renewed investigative efforts—a new opportunity for justice, for closure, and for truth. The book arrives at a moment when public interest in unsolved cases is soaring, and law enforcement’s work on cold cases is receiving increasing recognition.
Perfect for readers of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, The Innocent Man, and Cold Case Files, A Second Shot is a gripping true crime story about justice delayed but not necessarily denied. With the emotional depth of Michelle McNamara, the legal insight of John Grisham, and the investigative suspense of Michael Arntfield, Dr. Michael F. Weisberg brings to life the decades-long pursuit of resolution in the murder of Deputy Sheriff James T. Hall—and the remarkable Texas family who refused to give up.
Weisberg, the author of two previous novels, is no stranger to storytelling. But this book marked a personal turning point: during the writing process, he faced a life-threatening illness that nearly took his own life. That experience—his own “second shot”—deepened his connection to the material and the people behind it. It also highlighted the book’s central message: that time may erode evidence, but it does not necessarily erase truth.
The emotional engine of A Second Shot is Carolyn Hall Philo, whose quiet strength and moral clarity anchor the narrative. She and her husband Bob emerge not just as advocates for justice, but as symbols of endurance, grace, and faith. Their journey with Weisberg is a testament to the power of collaboration between ordinary citizens and the justice system.
The book also casts a well-deserved spotlight on the Maryland cold case detectives whose perseverance made the confession possible. Weisberg’s portrayal of law enforcement is nuanced and respectful, capturing both the frustration of working with limited evidence and the hard-won triumph of finally solving a case that had once seemed unsolvable.
With its blend of narrative drive and emotional gravity, A Second Shot offers more than just the facts of a murder. It asks urgent, timeless questions: What do we owe the victims when cases go cold? What role does memory play in justice? And how far are we willing to go to honor those we’ve lost?
Weisberg answers these questions not with easy platitudes but with lived experience, meticulous research, and deep empathy. His clinical background brings a sharp analytical lens to the forensics and investigative process, while his literary instincts ensure the human story remains front and center.
In a true crime genre crowded with sensationalism and spectacle, A Second Shot stands out for its heart, restraint, and moral resonance. It’s a story of loss, yes—but also of love, loyalty, and the enduring belief that even the oldest wounds can sometimes find healing.
A Second Shot: The Pursuit of Justice in Maryland’s Oldest Cold Case Murder will be published May 5, 2025 by Intelligentsia Books. It will be available in trade paperback and eBook formats on Amazon, Apple Books, Kindle, and other major retailers.
Published by Joseph T.
