Joseph Amiel

Dan Lazar is a lawyer with a reputation of defending Philadelphia’s more questionable criminal element, and it is during his high profile defense of a low-level pimp against charges of being a notorious serial rapist-murderer that he is introduced to Peter Boelter, the owner and publisher of the major newspaper, the Philadelphia Herald, and his beautiful socialist wife, Susan. After successfully defending his client by breaking down a key witness, Dan suddenly finds himself the target of a baseless accusation of witness tampering and bribery that threatens his career. Meanwhile, when Susan defies Peter on a stock vote regarding the paper, she is suddenly faced with a devastating divorce suit designed to strip her of any money, child custody or dignity. Susan reaches out to Dan for help and the two become lovers. But after Peter is found dead and evidence begins to point to Susan, Dan faces a conflict of interest in defending a woman he is having an affair with. For the most part, the story is well-written, deeply complex and keeps the reader’s interest in the mystery. There are some unlikely coincidences that are designed to extend the suspense, and at times, the scales of justice are pushed a little too off-balance to create more pressure than necessary, but the main characters’ conflict over truth, justice and desire are well-explored.… (mais)