Imperfect Justice

Angelo Uccello, reputed Mafia boss, has been accused of cocaine possession; feisty defense lawyer Karen Perry-Mondori, surprised to find herself believing him innocent, uses her legal finesse to uncover a possible FBI conspiracy. To make her heroine stand out in the crowded genre, Arnold (Due Process) has given Perry-Mondori a supportive marriage that takes hard work, a family from whom she is bitterly estranged, and a vicious conflict with one of her partners. Still, the book ultimately falls flat: Uccello is a Mafia caricature; Perry-Mondori's husband lacks depth; and the ending, which ties the characters together, is utterly unbelievable. Attorney-turned- author Arnold clearly knows what elements are necessary for a good legal thriller, but she has had trouble fashioning them into a believable, coherent whole. (Dec.)