TEST
The heroines featured in the Bombshell line have been surprisingly diverse, including more than just secret agents and globetrotting adventuresses. From scientists to accountants to a hand-writing analyst last month, there’s no one specific type of Bombshell heroine. Carol Stephenson’s Courting Danger introduces another type, criminal defense attorney Katherine Rochelle, in the first in a new series of legal thrillers.
Kate is starting a new career as a defense attorney after leaving the U.S. Attorney’s office in disgrace. She made a lot of enemies after turning in her old boss – and former lover – for receiving illegal contributions in his campaign for attorney general. With her old colleagues badmouthing her all over town, she joined two law school classmates in their Palm Beach firm. She never expected to take on a high-profile murder case so early in her new career.
Kate comes from a prominent family that’s part of Palm Beach’s elite. An old family friend, Lloyd Silber, is accused of killing a young woman he was rumored to be sleeping with. The young woman happened to be the personal assistant of Kate’s aunt Hilary, which only strengthens the connections to her family. Both Kate’s aunt and uncle, as well as her godfather, a U.S. appellate judge recently nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, ask her not to take the case. But her conviction that the man is innocent – and that there’s more to the story than anyone wants revealed – strengthens her resolve to defend him. The decision soon puts her in danger, and several attempts are made on her life. But she has a protector in the form of the firm’s investigator, Gabe Chavez, a former cop with a past as scandalous as her own.
Readers who don’t particularly care for the Bombshell line may actually like this book more than readers who do. Kate is smart and fairly strong, but she isn’t what I would necessarily call a kick-ass heroine. This book doesn’t have as much action as most Bombshells. Instead it’s more of a legal suspense thriller, with Kate often cast in the role of the woman in jeopardy. Those looking for the more high-octane kind of read the line specializes in may be disappointed.
However, taken for what it is rather than what it’s supposed to be, this is still an above-average read that’s often enjoyable. That’s especially the case if you enjoy legal thrillers, as I do. The author is an attorney in real life, and her handling of the legalese feels nicely authentic. Readers who like seeing action in the courtroom should be pleased with what Stephenson delivers, even if it does result in an unrealistic Perry Mason-esque ending. Kate’s investigation, and how it feeds back into secrets involving her own family, is complex and intriguing. The author’s writing is generally sharp, and while the development of Kate’s character could be stronger, she is pretty likable and easy to root for.
At times I considered recommending the book, but in the end it fell just short. It’s too uneven. For one thing, it doesn’t get off to the best start. The complicated back story isn’t handled with the most grace, which made it hard to get a grasp on the complex relationships and history of the characters for a while. Gabe came across as smarmy, and while he was less obnoxious than some of this month’s other Bombshell love interests, I didn’t really like him much. I was perfectly content whenever he faded into the background, letting Kate do her thing. Certain elements of the story are either underdeveloped or not explained as well as they should be. The book also has a very abrupt ending that doesn’t really deal with the impact of the events leading up to it. This made for a conclusion that wasn’t entirely satisfying, ending the book on a jarring note. It felt like the author just ran out of room at the end and had to wrap up the book in a hurry.
Courting Danger still presents a reasonably promising beginning to this new series, and I’ll probably check out the future books. Readers who enjoy legal thrillers may find it worth a look.
Grade: C+
Book Type: Series Fiction
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 18/07/05
Publication Date: 2005/07
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.