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Book Reviews & Giveaway: Guilt by Association

Author: Marcia Clark
THE Marcia Clark?  Darn tootin’.  We all stood by while Marcia Clark did her best as a prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial.  We stood up and applauded her courage.  She is one of the women of our times that will stay with us in our memories.  Offered the opportunity to review her fist fiction novel, I stood on my tippy toes and grabbed it!  And I’m glad that I did.
With her insider’s knowledge of the prosecution’s office, Clark demands detail and her characters fall under her spell, creating a stunning portrait of the DA’s world in Los Angeles.  We fall privy to the determination that her characters feel the tense, and intense, world of 80 hour days.
Rachel Knight, spunky and outspoken deputy DA, Jake Pahlmeyer, another deputy DA and Rachel’s friend Toni all work for the DA Special Units office in Los Angeles.  Rachel’s friend, Bailey, is a LAPD detective.  The Special Trials Unit handles the most unique and high profile cases, the sensitive and important cases that land in the DA’s office.  And as an elite group of seven, they are tight.  They fill each others lives for they are so dedicated that their lives are their work. 
When Jake Pahlmeyer is found dead in a sleazy motel with a street kid named Kit beside him, the police call it a suicide-murder.  For the sleaze in the breeze says that Jake is gay, and his prints are on the gun.  The Feds and LAPD consider it a slam dunk.
Rachel, Toni and Bailey are horrified.  They know Jake to be one of the nicest and hardest working DA in the office, and they feel that something is amiss.  They know better.  The threesome decides to seek the truth on their own.  They cannot let Jake go down with the crime.
When the Head Deputy of Special Trials hands out Jake’s workload, Rachel gets the Densmore case.  Densmore is a well known and politically influential Hollywood pediatrician whose 15 year old daughter Susan has been attacked and raped while in her own bedroom.  It is obvious that someone knew the house, and the family, in order to climb the ladder to Susan’s balcony and into her bedroom.
Densmore is a large contributor to DA Vanderhorn, who is up for re-election.  And Densmore insists that Luis Revelo is the rapist.  Susan has been tutoring the gang member so he can get to college, and Susan considers him a friend.  Susan, meek and terrified of her father, insists that Luis is NOT the rapist.  Susan knows her father is wrong.  She trusts Luis.
In a switch and bait, Luis is cleared of the crime and ends up assisting Rachel in finding the true rapist.  As the two cases slide side by side, handsome Lt. Graden Hales, LAPD, heads the case on Jake Pahlmeyer.  When he and Rachel meet, sparks fly.  Graden watches, and decides to pull a few strings to help Rachel out.  He knows the risk.  Rachel has been told to stay far away from the case by her office.
As the plot weaves and struts, the two cases intersect, and Rachel is targeted and with someone destroying her car and shooting at her.  The plot soars as the friends make headway on the two separate cases – but slow headway. 
 As the cases merge into one, Rachel, Toni and Bailey with Graden’s help, prove their case.  The ending startles.  Child pornography, evil doctor, mad medical assistant, and Graden and Rachel’s feelings for each other present a great debut novel.  Rachel Knight has all the qualities we love – she’s arrogant, loud mouthed, loyal and smart as a tack.  I know Rachel will lead us to another novel, and perhaps she and Graden will do more than look at each other with swilled eyes!
I love that Ms. Clark has chosen to make lemons out of lemonade and I can’t wait for the next Rachel Knight adventure!
Guilt by Association  will be available for purchase later this month.
Ratings are based on a 5-star scale

Overall: 3.5

Review by Broad “A” – Ava

We received a copy of this title for our book review. All opinions are our own. 


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