In this latest series installment, Nina Reilly takes a break from her Lake Tahoe law practice to clear her head and follow her heart. She’s staying with Paul in his Carmel Valley condo while teenage son Bob is in Stockholm for the summer.
Trouble follows Nina to town. An arsonist is set on destroying any symbol of progress in the picturesque village. A body is found in the latest fire and it’s thought the be that of the son of Nina’s secretary Sandy Whitefeather. When Wish Whitefeather is found alive, he becomes the prime murder and arson suspect. In support of Sandy and defense of Wish, Nina is again practicing law in Presumption of Death.
Nina Reilly left San Francisco for calmer Lake Tahoe waters in Motion to Suppress, the series debut. The sisters O’Shaughnessy, writing together as Perri, change the scenery again. However, there’s still plenty of action including an entire cul-de-sac of residents and suspects.
Presumption of Death seems longer than its predecessors, probably due to the time it takes to introduce and investigate each household on Siesta Court. Nina struggles to mount a defense and readers struggle right along with her. The pace isn’t as streamlined in this novel as in previous adventures. However, the ending leads to new and uncharted territory for Nina and eager anticipation for O’Shaughnessy fans.
