May 29, 1995
Graced by an appealingly sordid cast of sultry barmaids, crafty ex-cops, smarmy con men and venal lawyers, this courtroom drama maintains a swift pace. Attorney Nina Reilly, her marriage shattered, leaves San Francisco with her small son for Lake Tahoe. Encouraged by a feisty secretary with strong ties to the local women's movement, Nina takes on the case of Michelle ``Misty'' Patterson, an admittedly promiscuous barmaid accused of bludgeoning her abusive husband to death. But Misty, who has a long history of emotional problems, has no memory of the night of the murder. Nor can she remember anything that happened before she was 10. Her psychiatric treatment dictates much of the trial procedure: Can records of her therapy be used as evidence? Shrewd Nina's legal skirmishes with psychiatrists pave the way for some explosive revelations. O'Shaughnessy barely keeps the fireworks under control; indeed, some sensational scenes in this first novel offer more dazzle than illumination. Keen detective work, smoldering romance and ongoing consciousness-raising, however, create a Roman candle of a novel that just may rocket O'Shaughnessy to pop-lit fame. Major ad/promo; author tour; British, translation, audio, electronic, performance rights: Lowenstein Associates.
July 8, 1996
Debut legal thriller about a barmaid accused of killing her abusive husband.