Her Deadly Game

Keera Duggan, the protagonist of this twist-filled standalone from bestseller Dugoni (The Silent Sisters), works as a criminal defense attorney in her father’s Seattle law firm. She was once a prosecutor, until she ended her romantic relationship with her supervisor, Miller Ambrose, because of his alcoholism, and he demoted her, leading to her departure. Keera now finds herself on the opposite side of the courtroom from Ambrose defending Vince LaRussa, the owner of a wealth-management and investment firm. A noted philanthropist, LaRussa is the prime suspect in the shooting murder of his wife. Despite an apparently solid alibi, the politically ambitious Ambrose charges LaRussa, setting up a high-stakes trial showdown. Keera, a well-developed and nuanced lead, has an additional complication to deal with: a stranger, who knows she’s an accomplished chess player, emails her: “You’re in the game of your life, so play like your life depends on it... because it very well might.” Dugoni’s own litigation experience is put to good use in trial scenes that feel true-to-life. John Grisham fans will be pleased. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Mar.)