Book Review: Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark

Guilt by Association
Author: Marcia Clark
Series: A Rachel Knight Novel
Publication: Mulholland Books; Reprint edition (March 1, 2012)

Description: Los Angeles D.A. Rachel Knight is a tenacious, wise-cracking, and fiercely intelligent prosecutor in the city's most elite division. When her colleague, Jake, is found dead at a grisly crime scene, Rachel is shaken to the core. She must take over his toughest case: the assault of a young woman from a prominent family.

But she can't stop herself from digging deeper into Jake's death, a decision that exposes a world of power and violence and will have her risking her reputation--and her life--to find the truth.

With her tremendous expertise in the nuances of L.A. courts and crime, and with a vibrant ensemble cast of characters, Marcia Clark combines intimate detail, riotous humor, and visceral action in a debut thriller that marks the launch of a major new figure on the crime-writing scene.

My Thoughts: Rachel Knight is a prosecutor for the DA in Los Angeles. She is smart, tenacious, and smart-mouthed. When her colleague is found dead in a compromising situation, Rachel isn't content to turn the case over to the FBI. She and her friend police officer Bailey Keller begin their own investigation. Meanwhile, Rachel also has to deal with one of the cases passed on to her after her colleague's death - a young girl in an affluent part of town is raped. Her father, a prominent physician and political supporter of Rachel's boss, wants the crime solved immediately.

Investigating Jake's apparent death in a murder-suicide possibly having a child pornography twist and investigating the rape, takes Rachel and Bailey all over LA interviewing people from all walks of society. Could the rape have been done by Luis, the gangbanger the rape victim was tutoring? What about the skinhead who was seen in the neighborhood? Or was it the security guard who missed a number of check-ins on the fateful night?

Soon it becomes apparent that the two cases are not as unconnected as they might first appear. Rachel was an interesting character with all the tenacity one would expect from someone in the DA's office. But she also had her vulnerabilities, notably in the area of relationships. A tragedy in her past and the presence of an ex-boyfriend she still has feelings for tell us something about her. We also see her make tentative forays into dating again with the police lieutenant who has Jake's case.

The story was entertaining and suspenseful. I would eagerly read more books in the series to learn more about these interesting characters.

Favorite Quote:

Just because it was obvious didn't mean Luis wasn't our rapist. I'd long since learned that criminals generally aren't the brightest bulbs in the chandelier—if they were, we'd never catch them. And, as my old mentor used to say, "When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras."

I hit the READ NOW button when I got an email from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.