Guilt by Association

Starred review from January 31, 2011
Clark, the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial, makes a triumphant fiction debut that catapults her to the same level as Linda Fairstein, her fellow assistant DA turned legal thriller novelist. Clark's alter ego, L.A. deputy DA Rachel Knight, suffers a shocking loss when a close colleague is suspected of committing a murder-suicide. Unable to reconcile her view of the accused with the official investigation, Knight persists in digging on her own, even though her office has been recused from the case. The workaholic also has her hands full with a case she inherited from the dead prosecutor—the rape of a 15-year-old girl, Susan Densmore, whose doctor father, a prominent financial backer of Knight's boss, is convinced that he knows who the assailant is. Clark (Without a Doubt with Teresa Carpenter) deftly handles the multiple plot lines. Readers will want to see a lot more of Knight, who combines strength of character and compassion with all-too-human foibles.

Rachel Knight,a smart, sassy, and dedicated L.A. district attorney, investigates the rape of a 15-year-old in a tony suburb. At the same time, she's rocked by the seedy death of a good friend whose body is found in a compromising but suspicious situation. January LaVoy's firm, fast-paced delivery is the perfect vehicle for this mystery. LaVoy's portrayals of each of the characters, especially the "homies" from the Mexican "hood," are spot-on and add to the twists and snappy one-liners. An enjoyable and entertaining listen. A.C.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 15, 2011

Former Los Angeles prosecutor Clark's debut novel is well polished, using her insider experience to create a fast-paced mystery. Surprisingly, DA Rachel Knight never enters a courtroom but must juggle the investigation of one official case and one behind the scenes as a colleague dies under suspicious circumstances. Her characters--good, bad, and at points in between--speak in believable counterpoint, with the right notes of humor and humanity. She may overdo the taciturn with some of these individuals, but she forges believable friendships and backgrounds that suggest this will be a successful series with Knight, LAPD detective Bailey Keller, and fellow attorney Toni LaCollette. Actress January LaVoy captures the female voices well and adds the right notes for an L.A. gangbanger's range of emotions. Highly recommended though not the expected legal drama. ["Employing a quick and humorous writing style, not to mention surprising plot twists, Clark most likely has a...best seller on her hands," read the review of the Mulholland: Little, Brown hc, LJ 2/15/11; the Mulholland pb will publish in March 2012.--Ed.]--Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2011

A corker of a debut novel in which a brainy, plucky female prosecutor refuses to rush to judgment.

A 15-year-old girl is raped. The Latino boy she'd been tutoring is the sole suspect. She's rich, the daughter of Frank Densmore, a prominent member of the medical profession. He's poor, a prominent member of the Sylmar Sevens, an L.A. street gang. Actually, Luis Revelo isn't all that poor thanks to modest but steady profits from various sorts of petty larceny. Still, it's the street-gang part that matters. Since he happened to be in the vicinity at the time of the crime, and since he is who he is, it's clear—to most of the cop brass, as well as to arrogant, self-important Dr. Densmore—that Luis is their perp. ADA Rachel Knight begs to differ—as does her close friend LAPD Detective Bailey Keller. Savvy women that they are, both see go-slow signs. To begin with, Susan, the victim, simply won't identify Luis as her molester. It was dark, she was terrified, but it isn't Luis, she insists, who put the pillow over her head. The fact that Dr. Densmore insists that it is does little to persuade since neither Rachel nor Bailey react positively to arrogance and self-importance. Meanwhile, closer to home, there's an equally bedeviling case, the murder of a friend and associate. Here, too—because they're forced to unsettle certain folks in high places—Rachel and Bailey, careers on the line, proceed with caution.

That the novel is marked by authenticity is no surprise given Clark's credentials—she was, after all, lead prosecutor in the headline-grabbing O.J. Simpson trial—but what may surprise some readers is the quality of the writing, plus the considerable charm of Rachel and her buddies.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from February 15, 2011
Dont be dissuaded by the celebrity-author factor: Clark, lead prosecutor in the O. J. Simpson trial, pairs her knowledge of the L.A. judicial scene with a surprising flair for fiction in a remarkably accomplished debut novel. L.A. prosecutor Rachel Knight is stunned when her office soul-mate, Jake Pahlmeyer, is found shot to death in a sleazy motel along with a 17-year-old boy, raising ugly suspicions that she doesnt want to acknowledge. Given Jakes top case to workthe rape of the teenage daughter of one of the DAs prominent contributorsRachel is warned by her boss to leave her colleagues death alone. But with her big heart and hard head, she uses her network of sources and risks career and safety to pursue both cases, teaming up with Detective Bailey Keller and following leads to Hispanic gangs and porno rings in the seamiest parts of the city. Clark offers a real page-turner here, with smart, fast-moving prose; a skillfully constructed plot; and a protagonist well worth knowing. Rachel, whose past is only hinted at, is a well-rounded character whos as tough with suspects as she is sensitive with young victims. A top-notch legal thriller that will leave readers wanting more. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Heres that rare example of a celebrity thriller author justifying a major promotion campaign by delivering a genuinely high-quality novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)