The Fall Girl

In the opening pages of this nail-biter from Clark (Final Judgment), Chicago public defender Lauren Claybourne burns all her possessions, including her identification, without explanation. Months later, she resurfaces in Santa Cruz, Calif., as Charlotte “Charlie” Blair, having falsified her résumé as well as her name, which enables her to be hired as an assistant district attorney. Her hopes to maintain a low profile are threatened after she’s assigned to assist Erika Lorman, a legendary homicide prosecutor, on a new case. Erika is fresh off the successful prosecution of Blake Steers, “a highly successful and adored celebrity chef,” for beating and garroting Natalie Hemingsworth after she broke up with him. But now Erika’s been assigned to lead the search for the killer of bail bondswoman Shelly Hansen, who was stabbed to death in her bedroom. For an unspecified reason, Erika fears that revelations from the Hansen inquiry could lead to Steers’s conviction being overturned. Meanwhile, Lauren/Charlie worries that press coverage of the Hansen murder will expose her true identity. Clark nimbly keeps readers guessing about her leads’ secrets while providing an intriguing solution to the Hansen killing. Clark’s legal experience again translates into superior fiction. Agent: Daniel Conoway, Writers House. (Aug.)