Patricia D. Benke

I got this book from the used bookstore for a light summer read. The author is an Appellate Court judge, I assume in San Diego, since that is where the story is set. The writing, taken one sentence at a time is good. This is an obviously intelligent writer. However, the book is all over the place. There are a number of story lines, all completely disassociated from each other, and only one of them really goes there.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

We deal with the death and funeral of her mother. This is unrelated to anything else. There was no myster here. There's nothing about how her daughter deals with this, even though her mother was living with them. What's the point here. We also deal with the death of a close friend, although when someone mentions to her how ill this friend is, she doesn't even immediately recognize the name. The friend begs her to assume guardianship for her daughter in the future if anything should happen to her husband. There is evidently some family opposition to this. However, she takes a document to the dying woman's bedside, and everyone signs and then the woman dies. End of story line. Anolther deputy district attorney is knowingly prosecuting an innocent man to get a leg up on a Superior Court appointment. He's also practicing sexual harrassment in the office. Through a number of fairly off the wall maneuvers, he finally drops the case against the innocent man. Then what? Does he go on with the sexual harrassment? Stay in the office? Get the appointment while no one says anything???????? And there are many more random loose ends. Geez!!! This author needs to do a LOT more work on plot construction and character development and a MUCH better editor.… (mere)