Witness for the Persecution

In Copperman’s outstanding third Jersey Girl legal mystery (after 2021’s Judgment at Santa Monica), Sandy Moss, a former New Jersey prosecuting attorney who moved to Los Angeles two years earlier to practice family law, has proven herself with her expert handling of two high-profile murder trials. Now, she’s the go-to lawyer for difficult cases with difficult clients, the latest being movie director Robert Reeves. The imperious Reeves has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of stuntman James Drake, which occurred during the filming of Reeves’s latest action extravaganza, Desert Siege. Though the director’s pomposity irks her, Sandy agrees to represent him, discovering “that it was possible to defend a man against murder charges without liking him at all.” The case is further complicated by threats against her life, the fact that her boyfriend starred in Desert Siege and might be called as a witness, and the fleeting feeling that her client might be guilty. Vibrant characters, a suitably complicated plot, sparkling dialogue, plenty of laughs, and some shrewd observations on L.A. and the film industry make for a rollicking good time. Copperman knows how to entertain. Agent: Josh Getzler, HG Agency. (Apr.)