Against the Law

Eberhardt's (Against the Law) latest courtroom-lawyer mystery is set in and around San Francisco. Hunter Dobbs, the sometimes hot-headed public defender at the center of the novel, is framed by a gang-banger client for subornation of perjury. Enter the stunning and plucky Sarah Harris, daughter of retired Judge Avery Harris, Hunter's old nemesis. She agrees to defend Hunter if he'll assist in the defense of her father's longtime friend, charged with kidnapping a child. Nothing comes easy, of course, and soon secrets about the judge pop up along with a body. Hunter's first-person narration is effective, but the romantic involvement is obvious from the get go, leaving the reader no room for the imagination. Though the novel incorporates an interesting angle--Hunter can't defend himself against the perjury charges without violating lawyer-client privilege--the plot is slack, with only Hunter's occasional flare-up adding spice. (Dec.)