Rhonda Pollero, Knock Off

Knock Off

Rhonda Pollero

Kensington, Mar 2007, $19.95

ISBN: 0758215576

In West Palm Beach, paralegal assistant Finley Anderson Tanner, known as FAT to her adversaries, works in the Estates and trusts Department of Dane, Lieberman and Zarnowski law firm. She does enough at work to not get fired by her boss Mr. "Vain" Dane. Instead of handling estates and trusts as expected, she prefers extended lunches, coffee by the gallon, and shopping for designer clothing in discount or consignment stores, especially on the lookout for irregulars.

Dane dumps a particular pain in the butt client on Finley. Mrs. Evans believes her spouse Marcus was murdered though officially he had a heart attack that led to his death in a car accident. To quiet the nuisance client, Finley plans to do just enough to affirm it was an accident. However, with the help of private investigator Liam McGarrity, she begins to uncover strange happenings. Three members of a medical malpractice jury, including Marcus, have died in accidents in a short time. Could the accused Dr. Kent Hall be killing those who exonerated him though no motive seems apparent? In between coffee, shopping and ogling Liam's butt, Finley plans to prove Dr. Hall is a killer, but must be careful that the surgeon does not KNOCK OFF a suddenly active underachiever.

Finley is a fascinating protagonist whose efforts to keep up appearances will have the audience shaking their heads in amusement. Though at first she seems inane leaving fans to wonder what her friends see in her; she soon displays an inner strength to uncover the truth as much for herself as her client. Readers will appreciate the impatient Finley as she, while hiding the nasty spot on her designer bag outlook, shakes up the legal, medical, and private investigative worlds of West Palm Beach in this lighthearted, chick-lit mystery.

Harriet Klausner