SVENGALI

In this thriller set in California, a hunky hero and a lovely heroine deal with some bad guys—but things are truly not what they seem.

Christian Sterling—first in his class at Stanford Law—is already a legend and a celebrity, having never lost a case, first as a prosecutor and now as a defense attorney. He is known, in fact, as the “Svengali of the Courtroom.” But when young Kelly Wilde, accused of killing her billionaire parents, begs him to defend her, he takes the case with strict conditions. Kelly is a hot mess, deep into drugs and booze (and herself), so until the trial, she has to stay with him at his ranch in Big Sur and clean up her act. Christian is not only a Svengali, but also clearly a Pygmalion: After three months, Kelly is sober and vibrantly happy—and the two are falling in love. Kelly’s case looks hopeless, but this is the famous Christian Sterling. She is in fact cleared, although not by the jury. The trial, while dramatic enough, is hardly the end of the story. To say more will get readers into spoiler territory. Brandon is certainly experienced in this genre. He offers readers Christian’s romantic/tragic backstory and his beautiful ranch with the loyal Mexican retainers Miguel and Rosario Gomez. The transformation of Kelly from spoiled and angry rich kid to gorgeous, confident young woman is deftly handled. The audience will like both leads, Pygmalion and his Galatea, and the clever setup. As to whodunit, that reveal is also expertly presented as the clues fall into place and extra bodies are discovered. (Mike Bristol, a cynical San Francisco Police Department cop, figures prominently here.) The gripping story will keep readers guessing until the end. In fact, the very last sentence is a zinger. The audience will either cheer or boo the final twists. But that’s part of the fun.

A bracing suspense tale with strong characters.