Conflict of Interest

This book, like all of the books I have read by Nancy Taylor Rosenburg, is awesome. I couldn't put it down! She has a way of making a leisurely activity into a full-time job. Kudos to the author.

The painful part of the story does not refer to writing or plotting but to the abuse of a developmentally disabled young adult by two hoodlum "friends" and his poor treatment by the justice system.The story revolves around the trial of Ian Decker, the developmentally disabled adult and his friends, the Rubinsky brothers for the robbery of a convenience store. Decker's attorney tries to convince the Assistant DA, Joanne Kuhlman, the heroine of the story, that Ian was an unwilling dupe. Kuhlman, who recently spent all her funds to successfully find her two children who were abducted by her ex-husband for two years, has to face her own issues with re-establishing a relationship with a rebellious pregnant 15 year old and a 12 year old who looks 16.The story proceeds on several parallel lines, following the Decker/Rubinsky story as well as developments in Joanna's own life. The manipulation of Decker by his friends--including stealing his credit card, getting him expelled from his subsidized housing, stealing cars from his family business is difficult to watch happen. When it appears that Decker has been murdered, all join in to find his body and murderer. I enjoyed the development of the characters and Joanna's personal story. Despite the quick way many of the loose ends were resolved in a "happily ever after" way in the end, this is still a worthwhile read.

Legal thrillers often top bestseller lists due in large part to the can't-put-down yarns spun by popular author Nancy Taylor Rosenberg. Here's a can't-stop-listening-to reading of Rosenberg's seventh page-turner by gifted voice artist Laural Merlington. She doesn't miss a cue or a clue in her rendering of this suspense filled law and order tale. Joanne Kulman has enough problems - she's about to divorce her jailed husband and her two teenage offspring are, well, teenagers. Her job as a prosecutor in California's Ventura County has always presented challenges, but this is the biggest of them all. When a convenience store is robbed some young lawbreakers are soon arrested. They're identified by witnesses, and will stand trial. However, Ian, one of the young men is developmentally disturbed, and it soon becomes clear to Joanne that the other boys tricked him into being a part of the robbery. Then, quite suddenly, Ian disappears. Something else is going on besides a plain vanilla heist. She is obligated to try the case, and she is attracted to Ian's good looking lawyer. Conflicts abound in "Conflict Of Interest." - Gail Cooke

Joanne Kuhlman, an assistant district attorney in Ventura County, California, is not having an easy time of it personally or professionally. Two years ago her husband became so involved in gambling that he stood to lose everything they jointly owned. He ran, taking their two children with him and giving them all different IDs so they couldn't easily be traced. It took a private detective two years to find them and return the children to Joanne While the threesome struggle to bring a bit of normalcy into their lives following the trauma, Joanne is assigned a robbery case that led to the arrest of three defendants. Since none of them have a violent background they are released on bail. One of the defendants Ian Decker is mentally disabled and a loose cannon. After he vanishes, everyone including Joanne thinks that the co-defendants, brothers who also dropped out of site, killed him. A shattered Joanna takes step beyond that required by law to see that Ian receives justice. Nancy Taylor Rosenberg does an astonishingly keen, but believable job of misdirecting the audience on several different levels. CONFLICT OF INTEREST features a protagonist who is strong enough to hold herself together during the worst of times yet remain honest and true to her values when seeking justice in her personal and professional endeavors. This latest Rosenberg work deserves best selling status, as legal thriller fans will relish every delightful reading moment.Harriet Klausner

In the Acknowledgements section of this book, the author states: "I would like to express my gratitude to the many people, angels, family members, doctors and heaven-sent muses for providing me with the strength and inspiration to tell this particular story...The underlying issue in this novel -- the plight of the mentally disabled within the criminal justice system -- seemed to be of such great significance that the majority of this book was written in tremendous pain. I am almost now completely recovered, and eager to begin my next project."CONFLICT OF INTEREST is, at its core, the story of Ian Decker a mentally challenged man who becomes involved in the California judicial system, with disastrous results. Nancy Taylor Rosenberg knows her way around a courtroom and her main character, Assistant District Attorney Joanne Kulhman, is one tough cookie. Joanne has survived losing her children for two years after her ex-husband kidnapped them and went on the lam. Now reunited with the children, Leah and Mike, Joanne is trying to put the pieces of her life back together.She is assigned the case against Ian and his two running buddies, but she sees something in the young man's eyes that connects with her softer side and she winds up walking a very fine line between her job as an ADA and her desire to get to the bottom of Ian's disappearance. There are several sub-plots and a very interesting "private investigator" named Eli, but this book is ultimately the story of a young man's travails and triumphs despite his shortcomings. Enjoy!