Breach of Promise http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Breach-of-Promise-Perri-OShaughnessy/9780440224730

By Perri O'Shaughnessy

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Reviews

With a compelling beginning, O'Shaughnessy's (Obstruction of Justice, LJ 9/1/97) latest legal tale seems to be heading toward the level of those by Richard North Patterson or Steve Martini. Continuing character Nina Reilly, struggling in her legal practice, accepts the impossible-to-win case of Lindy Markov, a woman who wants just desserts after the wealthy man she lived with for 20 years, never legally married, left her for a younger woman. As the story progresses, though, it fails to achieve the intensity of the beginning, leaving a long and tiresome second half with many unanswered questions, suspense that comes to a dead halt, unbelievable character developments, and overly convenient plot elements that become laughable. Somewhere in the plot, O'Shaughnessy tries to instill the moral that money is the root of all evil, but sheforgets to instill plausibility. Not recommended.ÄCecilia R. Cygnar, Niles P.L. District, IL

Nina O'Reilly, the solo Tahoe lawyer with an attitude, is back. So are her loyal but surly assistant, Sandy, and her oddly detached lover, ex-homicide dick Paul. This time the legal issue is palimony. Wealthy, aggressive Mike Markov tells his wife, Lindy, that he's leaving her to marry a young employee of the business Mike and Lindy have built together. Lindy, a maverick not averse to keeping secrets from her own attorney, hires O'Reilly to bring suit against Mike for half the businessÄreckoned in millions. Mike hires a shark, Jeffrey Riesner, who makes O'Reilly feel so outclassed that she hires smooth co-counsel Winston ReynoldsÄwho turns out to be an addicted gambler. The case is much bigger than any O'Reilly has tried before, and it plunges her into a tangle of reversals, deceits and snarly legal traps that the authorÄactually two sisters writing under the pseudonym O'Shaughnessy (Obstruction of Justice)Ähandles adroitly, snapping out plenty of twists on the legal and moral sides of a midlife crisis. Although the jury deliberations drag and the action-adventure climax in boats on Lake Tahoe is unbelievable, O'Shaughnessy's courtroom strategies and her characters' idiosyncrasies keep ringing true. Author tour. (June)

"A legal mystery for thoughtful readers . . . The surprise twists are wonderfully effective."--"San Francisco Chronicle"

"Ingenious . . . Move over, Kinsey. Nina's come to town!"--"Monterey County Herald"

"Gripping courtroom drama . . . Heart-stopping . . . Riveting."--"Booklist"

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