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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
First in the Rachel Knight legal thriller mystery series and revolving around an L.A. prosecutor. In this story, she's investigating a fellow lawyer's death while working on the Densmore case about a daughter who was raped.
My thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for providing this ARC for my enjoyment.
My Take
Just like Brian Freeman's The Bone House, people are leaping to salacious conclusions. Hey, what fun is it to wait for the truth when you can start judging without the facts? Take the easiest way out.
That said, Clark goes to town on this, dragging us around in circles with the evidence mounting and only Rachel's belief in her friend holding on.
This is a fun and exciting combination of life outside work and the work itself. It's pretty much 24/7 for Rachel and Bailey; they're prepared to leap up and go whenever the call arrives. When they're not working, they're partying with Toni and enjoying the convenience of Rachel's hotel room — and that lovely room service! Ooh, here's a new perspective from Graden on the J.D.-Toni dance!
It makes me so sad and depressed to see what happens to kids whose parents are such losers. Well, losers or jerks. If we could provide more support to these kids when they're kids, we'd cut back on the adult criminals and abusive parents so many of them become. Then there are the foster parents just in it for the checks. These kids can't get a break.
Fortunately, there are some fun moments, like that exchange over lunch at Graden and Rachel's first date:
Rachel's attitude with the rape victim was so soft and non-threatening. A very nice sensitivity on her part. I love that Rachel wants, no, demands the truth and doesn't allow anyone to roll over her. You know what else I like about this story? The cooperation between cops, techs, and lawyers. Sure there are those who don't — makes for a better story, *grin*, but I like Graden offering to help out, listening to Rachel's concerns. Of course, there are the clues that Rachel and Bailey follow. It always amazes me how cops can start with almost nothing and keep pulling threads and trying different casts.
Very nice with the ganger sentence structure. Clark "said" a lot with Luis' grammar and his corrections. An excellent example of show. Yep, I am gonna like Luis. He's got spirit, ambition, and chutzpah, lol.
The Story
Coming off a court victory, Rachel is finally heading home when she runs across a very busy crime scene some lieutenant tries to chase her out of. Rachel very quickly discovers why when she sees Jake being wheeled out on the gurney.
Murder-suicide. Star lawyer kills his seventeen-year-old male lover and then kills himself in a rathole of a motel.
Rachel refuses to believe it. She won't believe it. And she'll do everything in her power to prove it. Meanwhile, she has to dodge the gang members who are hunting her down.
The Characters
Deputy District Attorney Rachel Knight is with Special Trials and lives at the Biltmore Hotel — a gift from a grateful client. Romy is/was Rachel's older sister, kidnapped when she was eleven. Carla "the Crone" is a friend and Rachel's childhood therapist. Daniel Rose is a "world-class criminal defense attorney … sought-after Strickland expert. And for a brief time, he was the paranoid Rachel's boyfriend until she kicked him to the curb. Now he's back in town… Beatrice Danziger is a friend who'll help out. "Prally" a felony! Lucky for Luis that his cousin, Enrique, looks a lot like him.
Special Trials is…
…"a small elite unit that handled the most complex and high-profile cases". The angelic Jake Pahlmeyer is a kindred spirit for Rachel; they both see prosecution as a mission to balance the victim's suffering with a measure of justice. Toni LaCollier is another Special Trials prosecutor and another of Rachel's best friends. Eric Northrup is the head deputy; Melia Espinoza, a.k.a., Gossip Central, is his useless, tabloid-reading secretary. District Attorney William Vanderhorn is in charge, but clueless.
The gay Kevin Jerreau is a deputy in charge over at Juvenile; he was a baby DA with Rachel.
The Judges
Judge Tynan does not tolerate bad language. J.D. Morgan is Toni's off-again, on-again boyfriend. Attorneys on both sides like him because he's fair. A former cop and "whip-smart with life experience … and an infectious laugh", he's commitment-phobic.
The LAPD
The brilliant Detective Bailey Keller is with Robbery-Homicide and one of Rachel's best friends. Lieutenant Graden Hales is Bailey's boss at Robbery-Homicide; he was into creating video games as a kid and one went off after his brother Devon worked up Code Three. He catches Jake's suicide. Detective Hughes "Useless" Lambkin is in charge of the Densmore case.
Coroner's Office and Scientific Investigation Division (SID)
Scott Ferrier is a coroner's investigator and a friend of Rachel's, one who'll do her special favors. Dorian Struck is "one of the few veteran female criminalists" and has been around for twenty-two years. I do like her. She's abrupt and abrasive. And very good at her job. Ben Glosky is another criminalist and almost as good as Dorian. Fukai does DNA testing. Dr. Loujian is the coroner.
Jake's death
Kit Chalmers was the boy found with Jake, and he's got a long rap sheet, all misdemeanors. Including the prostitution charge. Kit went to school at Marsden High where Ms. Wilder is the counselor holding up on the cell phone. Eddie and Dante are Kit's friends with information. Olive Horner was his last foster-mother. T'Chia Arendt was Kit's girlfriend, although Rachel has her own interpretation. Adam is a new foster kid with Olive, and he knows the dirt on Jake Pahlmeyer and Kit.
Jake's sister, Jennifer, is a psychologist doing research. Perfect since she's not into people.
Clive Zorn heads up a vigilante group, PedoAlert, that focuses on capture pedophiles and child pornographers. He's on the up-and-up with good tips on what to look for.
The Densmore case
Dr. Frank Densmore has an ego to beat the band (I wanna smack him around!) and commands everyone to leap to his bidding, including the cops whom he informs as to the identity of the perpetrator. Susan Densmore is his daughter, and she was raped one night in their home. Janet is his wife. Esperanza is the housekeeper.
Norman Chernow is head of security for the neighborhood. Deputy Duane Pickleman has some questions to answer. Amy Pickleman, a runaway, and Deandra Scorper live with Duane. Carl Stayner is Aryan Brotherhood and getting all chummy with the kids. Fred Goins is a deputy district attorney in Florida. Miley Barone is a personal trainer.
Luis Revelo is the gangbanger Susan was helping through a program at school. His gang is the Sylmar Sevens, and he's their shot-caller. Manny and Hector "Droopy" Amaya, arrested for burglary a few doors from Susan's, are two of the boys. Tyrone Jackson is Luis' parole officer.
The doc has a string of health centers: Evelyn Durrell is the office administrator at the Beverly Hills clinic, and the Hollywood Children's Health Center is run by Sheila Houghton.
The Biltmore Hotel
Rachel lives at the hotel through a deal with its CEO. Angel is the doorman. Rafi is the valet annoyed with Rachel for her lack of car use. Tommy is the night manager. Drew Rayford is another friend of Rachel's and her favorite bartender. Elan is hotel security. Zoey runs the hotel office. Desiree is a frequent tranny who makes Rachel smile.
The Cover
I like the simplicity of the new cover. A white background with the typical wooden court chair off-center and cocked with a long shadow being thrown behind it. Hmmm, the long arm of the law reaching out...? The author's name is huge at the top, but the darker gray helps it blend back while the red of the smaller title at the base of the cover gives it a bit more oomph.
I think the title is a reflection and judgment on the cops, feds, and lawyers who believe the worse of Jake as well as Dr. Densmore. As far as they're all concerned, it's Guilt by Association.
My thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for providing this ARC for my enjoyment.
My Take
Just like Brian Freeman's The Bone House, people are leaping to salacious conclusions. Hey, what fun is it to wait for the truth when you can start judging without the facts? Take the easiest way out.
It's Kevin Jerreau who puts it in perspective, asking Rachel why she hasn't asked if he knew Jake was gay. Her answer is a truth that most people ignore.
That said, Clark goes to town on this, dragging us around in circles with the evidence mounting and only Rachel's belief in her friend holding on.
This is a fun and exciting combination of life outside work and the work itself. It's pretty much 24/7 for Rachel and Bailey; they're prepared to leap up and go whenever the call arrives. When they're not working, they're partying with Toni and enjoying the convenience of Rachel's hotel room — and that lovely room service! Ooh, here's a new perspective from Graden on the J.D.-Toni dance!
It makes me so sad and depressed to see what happens to kids whose parents are such losers. Well, losers or jerks. If we could provide more support to these kids when they're kids, we'd cut back on the adult criminals and abusive parents so many of them become. Then there are the foster parents just in it for the checks. These kids can't get a break.
Fortunately, there are some fun moments, like that exchange over lunch at Graden and Rachel's first date:
"'I sell dope on the side,' he said with a grin.
'Oh good. I was worried you might be doing something sleazy. Like movie-set security.'"
Rachel's attitude with the rape victim was so soft and non-threatening. A very nice sensitivity on her part. I love that Rachel wants, no, demands the truth and doesn't allow anyone to roll over her. You know what else I like about this story? The cooperation between cops, techs, and lawyers. Sure there are those who don't — makes for a better story, *grin*, but I like Graden offering to help out, listening to Rachel's concerns. Of course, there are the clues that Rachel and Bailey follow. It always amazes me how cops can start with almost nothing and keep pulling threads and trying different casts.
Very nice with the ganger sentence structure. Clark "said" a lot with Luis' grammar and his corrections. An excellent example of show. Yep, I am gonna like Luis. He's got spirit, ambition, and chutzpah, lol.
The Story
Coming off a court victory, Rachel is finally heading home when she runs across a very busy crime scene some lieutenant tries to chase her out of. Rachel very quickly discovers why when she sees Jake being wheeled out on the gurney.
Murder-suicide. Star lawyer kills his seventeen-year-old male lover and then kills himself in a rathole of a motel.
Rachel refuses to believe it. She won't believe it. And she'll do everything in her power to prove it. Meanwhile, she has to dodge the gang members who are hunting her down.
The Characters
Deputy District Attorney Rachel Knight is with Special Trials and lives at the Biltmore Hotel — a gift from a grateful client. Romy is/was Rachel's older sister, kidnapped when she was eleven. Carla "the Crone" is a friend and Rachel's childhood therapist. Daniel Rose is a "world-class criminal defense attorney … sought-after Strickland expert. And for a brief time, he was the paranoid Rachel's boyfriend until she kicked him to the curb. Now he's back in town… Beatrice Danziger is a friend who'll help out. "Prally" a felony! Lucky for Luis that his cousin, Enrique, looks a lot like him.
Special Trials is…
…"a small elite unit that handled the most complex and high-profile cases". The angelic Jake Pahlmeyer is a kindred spirit for Rachel; they both see prosecution as a mission to balance the victim's suffering with a measure of justice. Toni LaCollier is another Special Trials prosecutor and another of Rachel's best friends. Eric Northrup is the head deputy; Melia Espinoza, a.k.a., Gossip Central, is his useless, tabloid-reading secretary. District Attorney William Vanderhorn is in charge, but clueless.
The gay Kevin Jerreau is a deputy in charge over at Juvenile; he was a baby DA with Rachel.
The Judges
Judge Tynan does not tolerate bad language. J.D. Morgan is Toni's off-again, on-again boyfriend. Attorneys on both sides like him because he's fair. A former cop and "whip-smart with life experience … and an infectious laugh", he's commitment-phobic.
The LAPD
The brilliant Detective Bailey Keller is with Robbery-Homicide and one of Rachel's best friends. Lieutenant Graden Hales is Bailey's boss at Robbery-Homicide; he was into creating video games as a kid and one went off after his brother Devon worked up Code Three. He catches Jake's suicide. Detective Hughes "Useless" Lambkin is in charge of the Densmore case.
Coroner's Office and Scientific Investigation Division (SID)
Scott Ferrier is a coroner's investigator and a friend of Rachel's, one who'll do her special favors. Dorian Struck is "one of the few veteran female criminalists" and has been around for twenty-two years. I do like her. She's abrupt and abrasive. And very good at her job. Ben Glosky is another criminalist and almost as good as Dorian. Fukai does DNA testing. Dr. Loujian is the coroner.
Jake's death
Kit Chalmers was the boy found with Jake, and he's got a long rap sheet, all misdemeanors. Including the prostitution charge. Kit went to school at Marsden High where Ms. Wilder is the counselor holding up on the cell phone. Eddie and Dante are Kit's friends with information. Olive Horner was his last foster-mother. T'Chia Arendt was Kit's girlfriend, although Rachel has her own interpretation. Adam is a new foster kid with Olive, and he knows the dirt on Jake Pahlmeyer and Kit.
Jake's sister, Jennifer, is a psychologist doing research. Perfect since she's not into people.
Clive Zorn heads up a vigilante group, PedoAlert, that focuses on capture pedophiles and child pornographers. He's on the up-and-up with good tips on what to look for.
The Densmore case
Dr. Frank Densmore has an ego to beat the band (I wanna smack him around!) and commands everyone to leap to his bidding, including the cops whom he informs as to the identity of the perpetrator. Susan Densmore is his daughter, and she was raped one night in their home. Janet is his wife. Esperanza is the housekeeper.
Norman Chernow is head of security for the neighborhood. Deputy Duane Pickleman has some questions to answer. Amy Pickleman, a runaway, and Deandra Scorper live with Duane. Carl Stayner is Aryan Brotherhood and getting all chummy with the kids. Fred Goins is a deputy district attorney in Florida. Miley Barone is a personal trainer.
Luis Revelo is the gangbanger Susan was helping through a program at school. His gang is the Sylmar Sevens, and he's their shot-caller. Manny and Hector "Droopy" Amaya, arrested for burglary a few doors from Susan's, are two of the boys. Tyrone Jackson is Luis' parole officer.
The doc has a string of health centers: Evelyn Durrell is the office administrator at the Beverly Hills clinic, and the Hollywood Children's Health Center is run by Sheila Houghton.
The Biltmore Hotel
Rachel lives at the hotel through a deal with its CEO. Angel is the doorman. Rafi is the valet annoyed with Rachel for her lack of car use. Tommy is the night manager. Drew Rayford is another friend of Rachel's and her favorite bartender. Elan is hotel security. Zoey runs the hotel office. Desiree is a frequent tranny who makes Rachel smile.
The Cover
I like the simplicity of the new cover. A white background with the typical wooden court chair off-center and cocked with a long shadow being thrown behind it. Hmmm, the long arm of the law reaching out...? The author's name is huge at the top, but the darker gray helps it blend back while the red of the smaller title at the base of the cover gives it a bit more oomph.
I think the title is a reflection and judgment on the cops, feds, and lawyers who believe the worse of Jake as well as Dr. Densmore. As far as they're all concerned, it's Guilt by Association.
amcurban's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mrsbear's review against another edition
4.0
I have to admit, I almost passed on reading this book because Marcia Clark is not my favorite person. Then I thought if the old saying "write what you know" is true, she should be able to write a damn good book. I tried it and I was very surprised at just how good it was.
Ms. Clark does write what she knows and writes it in such a way that keeps up glued to the pages. The 'big' story is that of DA Rachel Knight finding out that her partner and friend Jake has been found dead and possibly was involved in some horrible things. She does not believe it and decides to poke around and find out the truth.
While doing that she also must take over his biggest case which involves the rape of a young girl. Again, things are not as clear cut as they seem.
I really enjoyed the characters. The friendship between Rachel, Tori another lawyer and Baily a policewoman was fun. Outside of work they are just girls hanging out and having a good time. They really clicked with me. It's great to have a bunch a girlfriends to be yourself with.
I don't want to give away any of the book so you just need to read it. I was floored by the ending. I had in my mind who I thought it was and things seems to point there but that was Ms. Clark's way of messing with our minds. I never would have guessed.
If you enjoy legal thrillers give this one a read. I actually hope there is more to come from Marcia Clark and that maybe I will be able to visit my new friends in another book.
Ms. Clark does write what she knows and writes it in such a way that keeps up glued to the pages. The 'big' story is that of DA Rachel Knight finding out that her partner and friend Jake has been found dead and possibly was involved in some horrible things. She does not believe it and decides to poke around and find out the truth.
While doing that she also must take over his biggest case which involves the rape of a young girl. Again, things are not as clear cut as they seem.
I really enjoyed the characters. The friendship between Rachel, Tori another lawyer and Baily a policewoman was fun. Outside of work they are just girls hanging out and having a good time. They really clicked with me. It's great to have a bunch a girlfriends to be yourself with.
I don't want to give away any of the book so you just need to read it. I was floored by the ending. I had in my mind who I thought it was and things seems to point there but that was Ms. Clark's way of messing with our minds. I never would have guessed.
If you enjoy legal thrillers give this one a read. I actually hope there is more to come from Marcia Clark and that maybe I will be able to visit my new friends in another book.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
3.0
A special thank you to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for a complimentary reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Famous as lead prosecutor in the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, Marcia Clark still works as a lawyer, but she's also an author. First came 1997's "Without a Doubt," a memoir of the case, and more recently, a series of legal thrillers.
Clark's first four novels starred the same main character, Rachel Knight. Like Clark, Knight was a prosecutor in the Los Angeles district attorney's office, an ambitious, hard-charging lawyer who took her job very seriously.
Having read Marcia Clark’s The Competition (Rachel Knight #4) when it came out in 2014, Killer Ambition (Rachel Knight #3), and some of her newer books, the publisher sent me copies of the earlier books in the series to read at that time. They kind of got pushed further down the pile, and failed to write my review at the time, since they were older books, and my blog features only, new and upcoming books.
I do love legal thrillers, so wanted to revisit. When I picked up the audiobooks, read by January LaVoy, the first two books in the series, GUILT BY ASSOCIATION and GUILT BY DEGREES, wanted to write a quick review.
BTW, Congrats Marcia! Marcia Clark Finally Has a Moment to Savor at the Emmys (2016).
If you have read Blood Defense (#1 May 2016) it centers on defense attorney Samantha Brinkman. Unlike Rachel Knight, she's more than willing to bend the rules to get what she wants. Moral Defense (Nov 2016) will follow up with Samantha Brinkman #2.
In a recent online interview from Clark: “I was a defense attorney before I was a prosecutor, and I'm doing defense work again now. So I wanted to write a character who was a little more wild and woolly than Rachel." LA Times (2016)
Rachel lives at the Biltmore Hotel (not too shabby), due to prosecuting a case involving a wealthy client for a great room rate. She is living life and working with a hand -picked group of prosecutors and elite among the LA cops.
The first in the series, readers get to know Rachel. She is witty and tenacious. She is working on two crimes. When her colleague, Jake, is found dead at a grisly crime scene, Rachel cannot believe he was involved.
She has to take over his toughest case: the assault of a young woman from a prominent family, a rape. The father is politically connected and quite the bully. He wants to control and manipulate the investigation. An affluent family.
At the same time, she has to dig into Jake’s death which puts her reputation and life in danger. They were best friends and worked in the same office. It appeared it was a murder suicide and another victim which was supposedly Jake’s lover.
Rachel is determined to solve the case with the help of her homicide friend Detective Bailey Keller and clear Jake’s name, even though she has been warned to stay clear. With some supporting characters, the series takes off with a lively start!
Fans of Lis Wiehl will enjoy Clark’s style, and this riveting thriller. With Clark’s background--a former LA, California deputy district attorney, who was the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder case and a frequent media commentator and columnist on legal issues—she knows her stuff and is reflective throughout her books.
Her fans and new readers who enjoy crime thrillers, cop procedures, and legal thrillers will relate to the series.
Famous as lead prosecutor in the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, Marcia Clark still works as a lawyer, but she's also an author. First came 1997's "Without a Doubt," a memoir of the case, and more recently, a series of legal thrillers.
Clark's first four novels starred the same main character, Rachel Knight. Like Clark, Knight was a prosecutor in the Los Angeles district attorney's office, an ambitious, hard-charging lawyer who took her job very seriously.
Having read Marcia Clark’s The Competition (Rachel Knight #4) when it came out in 2014, Killer Ambition (Rachel Knight #3), and some of her newer books, the publisher sent me copies of the earlier books in the series to read at that time. They kind of got pushed further down the pile, and failed to write my review at the time, since they were older books, and my blog features only, new and upcoming books.
I do love legal thrillers, so wanted to revisit. When I picked up the audiobooks, read by January LaVoy, the first two books in the series, GUILT BY ASSOCIATION and GUILT BY DEGREES, wanted to write a quick review.
BTW, Congrats Marcia! Marcia Clark Finally Has a Moment to Savor at the Emmys (2016).
If you have read Blood Defense (#1 May 2016) it centers on defense attorney Samantha Brinkman. Unlike Rachel Knight, she's more than willing to bend the rules to get what she wants. Moral Defense (Nov 2016) will follow up with Samantha Brinkman #2.
In a recent online interview from Clark: “I was a defense attorney before I was a prosecutor, and I'm doing defense work again now. So I wanted to write a character who was a little more wild and woolly than Rachel." LA Times (2016)
Rachel lives at the Biltmore Hotel (not too shabby), due to prosecuting a case involving a wealthy client for a great room rate. She is living life and working with a hand -picked group of prosecutors and elite among the LA cops.
The first in the series, readers get to know Rachel. She is witty and tenacious. She is working on two crimes. When her colleague, Jake, is found dead at a grisly crime scene, Rachel cannot believe he was involved.
She has to take over his toughest case: the assault of a young woman from a prominent family, a rape. The father is politically connected and quite the bully. He wants to control and manipulate the investigation. An affluent family.
At the same time, she has to dig into Jake’s death which puts her reputation and life in danger. They were best friends and worked in the same office. It appeared it was a murder suicide and another victim which was supposedly Jake’s lover.
Rachel is determined to solve the case with the help of her homicide friend Detective Bailey Keller and clear Jake’s name, even though she has been warned to stay clear. With some supporting characters, the series takes off with a lively start!
Fans of Lis Wiehl will enjoy Clark’s style, and this riveting thriller. With Clark’s background--a former LA, California deputy district attorney, who was the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder case and a frequent media commentator and columnist on legal issues—she knows her stuff and is reflective throughout her books.
Her fans and new readers who enjoy crime thrillers, cop procedures, and legal thrillers will relate to the series.
crimyami's review against another edition
3.0
Only giving this 3 stars because it was HARD for me to finish this book. While it is interesting for some of it, it just didn't hold me to it. I like mystery with flare, and I just didn't sense any of the flare for me. Their was too much focusing on the food, and clothing and alcohol. While I know some law enforcement do drink, it is not a daily thing, and it's not high expensive things either. So this was a little aggravating to see and how the main character talks down about the defense and others.
The main character is trying to figure out who killed her coworker, rather than what the FBI think is a simple blackmail situation. Again it sounds like it would be a solid and interesting case but there's just too much focusing on food and clothing and alcohol to even make the plot stand out. Even though it's a decent plot, it's also some what predictable. We do get to see what involvement the DA has in cases which is sort of interesting.
The main character is trying to figure out who killed her coworker, rather than what the FBI think is a simple blackmail situation. Again it sounds like it would be a solid and interesting case but there's just too much focusing on food and clothing and alcohol to even make the plot stand out. Even though it's a decent plot, it's also some what predictable. We do get to see what involvement the DA has in cases which is sort of interesting.
emilyisreading2024's review against another edition
4.0
As some others have mentioned, I don't think the writing is top-notch but this was better than I expected and definitely an entertaining story.
melissadelongcox's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Marcia Clark's Blood Defense, so I've anxiously been waiting on the Rachel Knight series to be available through my library. This type of book - crime and investigative fiction with a side of law - is right up my alley, so I wasn't surprised at all to love these.
jesslroy's review against another edition
4.0
Please bry surprised with the read as a solid crime thriller. Much better written than the Evanovich novels. Overly descriptive on inconsequential items like food, outfits etc but a minor annoyance to overall enjoyable story.
hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
3.0
I wish they had half stars! I'd give this a solid 3.5.
Fairly intricate plot, interesting characters, and real feeling pace. I liked how Clark walked the reader through the crime solving process and included the boring, repetitive stuff as well as the critical "ah-ha!" scenes.
This is a totally plot driven book but if that's what you're looking for it's a decent one. She does do some set up of background storylines with minor characters and the romantic angles that I suspect will carry through future books.
I'll read the next one.
Fairly intricate plot, interesting characters, and real feeling pace. I liked how Clark walked the reader through the crime solving process and included the boring, repetitive stuff as well as the critical "ah-ha!" scenes.
This is a totally plot driven book but if that's what you're looking for it's a decent one. She does do some set up of background storylines with minor characters and the romantic angles that I suspect will carry through future books.
I'll read the next one.