Green-Eyed Lady

Political chicanery provides the backdrop for Greaves’s amusing sequel to Hush Money (2012), which introduced Pasadena, Calif., lawyer Jack MacTaggart. A clever setup involving a sexy redhead and an art theft lands former Los Angeles mayor Warren Burkett, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, in a scandal just weeks before the election. This crisis may be enough to erase Burkett’s poll lead and assure the victory of his Republican opponent, Larry Archer. Burkett hires MacTaggart, now the head of his own law firm, and partner Marta “Mayday” Suarez to undo the damage. As Burkett and Archer jockey for advantage, MacTaggart struggles with the machinations of Archer’s wife, a contemporary art museum trustee who “could have passed for one of the Real Housewives of New Jersey.” With a Senate seat at stake, it doesn’t take long for murder to enter the picture. Colorful characters, snappy dialogue, and some nifty twists lend credence to MacTaggart’s mantra: “Trust me, I’m a lawyer.” Agent: Antonella Iannarino, the David Black Literary Agency. (June)