This tantalizing novel of suspense from bestseller Parker (The Perfect Fake
), the first in a new series, introduces 37-year-old C.J. Dunn (formerly Charlotte Josephine Bryan), a flashy Miami criminal attorney. To get a better chance at hosting a new CNN show, Rich, Famous, and Deadly
, C.J. accepts a client with celebrity connections, Rick Slater. Rick, chauffeur to a prominent Republican congressman, is a suspect in the disappearance and later murder of a young model, Alana Martin, last seen at a party in Miami Beach. Kylie Willis, a 17-year-old runaway who attended the party with Alana, may be able to help clear Rick, whose virility and no-nonsense attitude attracts C.J. To crack the case, C.J., who’s also a recovering alcoholic and recent widow, must face her troubled past. This thriller zings with rich subtext regarding dirty politics and the exploitation of young women “servicing” power players. 5-city author tour. (June)
