Book Review: Pursuit of Justice

Reviewed By: Carl Brookins - RAM

Pursuit of Justice     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Mimi Latt
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character
1999, Pocket Books, 448 pages

Author Mimi Latt is a former trial lawyer. Maybe this book is somewhat autobiographical. That could explain a lot. It is the story of a young, impossibly naive attorney, Rebecca Morland, whose husband disappears off the luxurious yacht of a major personage in the power circles of Los Angeles during a fund-raising party. Is he dead, Ryan Morland? Was there an accident? Was he drunk? Or, was he murdered, and if so why?

Ryan Morland was recently elected partner at one of the top legal firms in the city, he had a good marriage and he was just named manager for the U.S. Senate seat campaign of the senior partner in his firm. It appeared he had everything going his way. So why would he commit suicide?

The police and everyone else involved seem anxious to clear the case and write it off as an accident or suicide. Ryan was, moody and out of sorts in recent days. Only Rebecca balks. She's convinced her loving husband was murdered and sets out on a lonely quest to prove it, taking on big- time politics, big time law and assorted criminals in the bargain.

The book is lush with detail, well-written if over-long, and moves along acceptably. However, in order to make the book work, author Latt has cast attorney Rebecca as so young and inexperienced, or dim, that she ignores obvious clues, and makes bad decisions than even an ordinary citizen would question. Hence, willingness to suspend disbelief is stretched to the limit, resulting, ultimately in dissatisfaction, at least for this reader.

Carl Brookins - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carl Brookins - RAM

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