A Wrongful Death

July 9, 2007
Wilhelm’s sharp ninth Barbara Holloway legal thriller (after 2006’s Sleight of Hand
) proves compelling action can take place outside a courtroom. A not entirely welcome marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Darren, inspires Barbara to head to a remote California cabin for some time to herself. Her getaway is interrupted by a boy seeking help for his injured mother. Barbara goes to get help and comes back to find that the two have vanished. They turn out to be Elizabeth and Jason Kurtz, on the run after discovering Elizabeth’s ex-husband’s family business, the Diedricks Corp., has been involved in illegal activities that could derail a planned billion-dollar Swiss buyout. When Elizabeth resurfaces in Eugene, Ore., Barbara agrees to meet her, only to find Elizabeth has been shot dead and Jason is missing. Barbara comes under increasing scrutiny from the Kurtz family and the police as she struggles to solve the bewildering puzzle. Wilhelm’s smooth style, sans graphic violence or sex, provides a cool alternative to overheated blockbusters.

September 1, 2007
In her tenth adventure, Eugene, Oregon, attorney Barbara Holloway is staying in a remote coastal cabin, where she intends to sort out her life. The plan changes when a young boy demands her help, andBarbara finds the boys mother unconscious. But when she returns with help, both mother and son have disappeared. Later she is shocked to find herself a suspect in the boys kidnapping. Barbara is a likable heroine who is not above tweaking the law to protect her clients interests. Her close relationship with her father, another attorney, and the lovingly rendered setting are reminiscent of Kathryn Walls Bay Tannerseries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)