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| Plot Summary of Unlucky In Law |
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"
Delacorte, Jul 2004 25.00, 376 pp.
ISBN: 0385336462
Attorney Nina Reilly moved from Tahoe to Carmel, California to spend time with her lover, private investigator Paul van Wagoner to see if they can make it. As Paul offers her diamonds and great sex, her mentor whom she once clerked for, Klaus Pohlmann, a terrific trial lawyer, asks for her help in court. However, Klaus is not what he once was as his mind wanders with his colleagues at Pohlmann, Cunningham, Turk wondering if the great man should retire.
The client, two-time loser Stefan Wyatt, is accused of murder, grave robbing and grave burying as he is accused of stealing valuables from one corpse and interring a fresh body, that of a fellow student. If convicted of any of the counts, Stefan would become a long time guest of the State due to California's Third Strike law. Nina leads the inquiries with Paul's' help that connect back to Tsarist Russia; she also provides much of the legalese at the trial as she acts more like first seat than her befuddled mentor.
UNLUCKY IN LAW is an interesting legal thriller due to Nina's dilemma to be married or not to be married that is the question and the deterioration of the keen mind of Klaus (even her son Bob waits breathlessly). However, the key courtroom drama seems off kilter and never quite hooks the jury (reader). Still the investigation is fun to follow with its ties to Tsarist Russia and Anastasia on top of whether Nina and Paul move on or move out.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Unlucky In Law |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Legal Thriller
Yes
Legal Plotlets
- finding out whether someone is really guilty
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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