Nina Reilly has made a name for herself in Lake Tahoe. Her one-woman law practice is running smoothly and positive word of mouth is earning new business. She's also gaining enemies as she steals the spotlight from Tahoe's more prominent attorneys.
Nina's work hits a snag when confidential client files are stolen from her car parked outside her home. The dedicated attorney is devastated as her clients' safety may be at risk.
Developments related to the cases suggest that someone is trying to sabotage Nina's career. There are plenty of suspects including a disgruntled police officer and long-time legal nemesis Jeffrey Reisner. Even Nina's clients themselves can't be ruled out.
Theft-related events take a more serious twist when three separate complaints against Nina are sent to the California State Bar. This time Tahoe's gutsy lawyer finds herself on the other side of the courtroom. Ex-husband Jack is her lawyer as the court determines if Nina Reilly is Unfit to Practice.
The tables are turned in the eighth installment of the popular Perri O'Shaughnessy series. Nina is the one who needs a defense this time. The regular cast is back for this adventure. Nina's son Bob, boyfriend Paul, ex-husband Jack, amusing secretary Sandy, and Sandy's son Wish all play key roles in the tale.
Nina Reilly has really grown since first hanging her shingle in Motion to Suppress. The sisters O'Shaugnessy (writing together as "Perri") are in top form in Unfit to Practice. The cases tied to the stolen files are interesting and readers will have to sort through plenty of suspects to find who has it out for Nina.
The climax of Unfit to Practice doesn't quite fit with past events in the novel. Even with the mismatched drama, this is one of O'Shaughnessy's best yet. Without giving anything away, I'll just say several issues are resolved. Be prepared for some HUGE surprises in the epilogue. Once again, O'Shaughnessy leaves readers hanging on the edge, wondering what's next for their favorite Tahoe attorney.
