Bad Faith

April 23, 2012
Those who prefer subtlety should avoid bestseller Tanenbaum’s 24th thriller featuring New York County DA Roger “Butch” Karp (after 2011’s Outrage). When Karp decides to prosecute Nonie and David Ellis for reckless manslaughter because they denied their 10-year-old son appropriate medical care on religious grounds, he incites the wrath of the Rev. C.G. Westlund, “God’s emissary at the End of Days Reformation Church of Jesus Christ.” Meanwhile, evil Nadya Malovo (aka Ajmaani), who’s in custody, is providing federal officials with inside information about a series of planned terror attacks at the same time she’s plotting an attack to seek revenge on Karp and escape her captors. Karp displays his ingenuity in and out of the courtroom, while his attorney wife, Marlene Ciampi, shows her grit digging into Westlund’s sordid background. Daughter Lucy’s linguistic skills and intelligence provide a key break in this relatively lackluster installment. Agent: Mike Hamilburg, Mike Hamilburg Agency.