Motion to Dismiss

This is a new author for me, but am I ever glad I made the discovery. Motion to Dismiss is a well written page-turner with depth and realistic characters. Kali O'Brien is an attorney who reluctantly represents the husband of a friend when he is accused of date rape. Rape grows to murder and she again agrees to represent him for the sake of her friend. There are several subplots - an ex-lover law partner who seems impicated in the crime, a second death - and they all tie together at the end. Pick up the book and settle in for an afternoon (or evening) of good reading. Just don't plan on getting anything else accomplished.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and I never did guess the killer, alhough I can see now that there were clues along the way. Readers who enjoy books by Perri O'Shaughnessy and Lisa Scottoline will probably enjoy this as well.

I read this book at the suggestion of a friend (I'm not a big fan of legal thrillers) and really enjoyed it. There's plenty of courtroom action, but it's presented in such a way that what you see are the people more than the legal two-step. In fact, it's the characters that make this book good and that delineate it from many others in the genre. Kali O'Brien is a complex and likable narrator I'm looking forward to seeing again.

This is a great book. I've enjoyed the others in the series, but MOTION TO DISMISS, takes Kali to a new level. The plot is intriguing and the pacing suspenseful, but what makes this book stand out in my mind are the characters. All of the main characters are flawed and complex human beings. They are very real and believably unpredictable. There are lots of weighty issues to ponder here, but they never get in the way of the story. This is an author to watch.

Kali O'Brien used to have a law practice in the San Francisco Bay area before she decided to rent out her home and relocate in Silver Creek. However, she needs to return home, so, ironically, becomes a tenant in her own home. Kali's best friend attorney Nina Barrett asked Kali to take over her Berkley-based practice because the pregnant woman has cancer and cannot start chemo until after the baby can safely be birthed. While Kali will do anything for Nina, she never liked her friend's spouse Grady. Thus, when a woman accuses Grady of date rape, Kali reluctantly agrees to represent the man. However, the situation worsens when someone murders the accuser. The police arrest Grady because most of the evidence points to his being the perpetrator. Kali begins to dig for the truth even though her quest places her in peril. Before this novel, Jonnie Jacobs deserved fame and fortune for her brilliant novels. MOTION TO DISMISS should be that break out book that provides her a best seller. The legal procedural delves into the pre-trial aspects of the justice system. The characters seem human, making readers either love or hate the individual. The flawed lead character demonstrates the inner strength of a woman with the fortitude to do what it takes to get the job done. Readers will want the likable Kali to make encore appearances.Harriet Klausner