There is something irresistibly compelling about a protagonist who trades a corner office at a powerhouse law firm for a wooden shingle above a small-town art gallery. Tom Berte, the sharp-witted, deeply human attorney at the center of The Winter Verdict by Dan Buzzetta, is exactly that kind of character. He is a man who chose peace over prestige, family over fame, and a morning ski commute over a Manhattan subway ride. But in the world of the Tom Berte Legal Thrillers, tranquility is always temporary, and the past has a way of following you uphill. This second installment in the series picks up with Tom settled into life in Castle Ridge, a picturesque ski town nestled in the mountains of central New York. His small general practice handles everything from real estate closings to pro bono work for veterans. His wife Brooke runs a family counseling center, and their three-year-old daughter Aneilia fills their slopeside cabin with laughter and hide-and-seek games with Bentley, the family’s rescue dog. For readers who followed Tom’s harrowing journey …