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September 24, 2001
Indianapolis lawyer Rep Pennyworth, hero of Bowen's second novel (after 1999's Collateral Damage), is a man who likes to get to the bottom of things. Rep is a modest man of limited ambition. He would rather spend time with his family, in particular his wife, Melissa, than in a corporate boardroom. Since he's a copyright lawyer, the firm asks him to handle a case they would all rather avoid. Charlotte Buchanan, the daughter of one of their richest clients, has written a novel, And Done to Others' Harm, that by virtually unanimous agreement is "dreadful." She is convinced, however, that a Hollywood studio has stolen her idea for a new film, Contemplation of Death, and she wants to sue. Rep tries to dissuade her, but she is determined. With Melissa's aid, Rep begins the job of microscopic comparison between the film and the book; this leads him to meet the film's director, Aaron Eastman, who likes to talk business at the controls of a B-24. Eastman explains why he can't just pay Charlotte off, but it appears—just appears, mind you—that Charlotte wants Eastman dead. Or is it someone else, for some other entirely unknown reason? The plot thickens, and Rep is in the thick of it. Bowen writes with knowledge and wit, tongue in cheek or rudely protruding. His cat-and-mouse corporate thriller zips merrily to a high-speed conclusion.