2017-06-06
A third case that adds still more evidence for Los Angeles attorney Samantha Brinkman's default attitude toward her criminal-defense practice: "I pretty much assume all my clients are guilty."Pushed beyond endurance by her manically possessive boyfriend, Roan Sutton, USC freshman Alicia Hutchins voicemails him a Dear John message, but it's too late: soon after she realizes he's converted her nude selfies to revenge porn, she's found in her bathtub with her throat slashed. Would Brinkman & Associates defend Sutton on a possible murder charge? "Not if we were starving and living in Tent City," Samantha tells Alex Medrano, her investigator. In fact, she's already lost her chance, for shortly after the LAPD identifies the spurned lover as a person of interest, he too is found dead, an apparent suicide—unless it's murder, as his mother, Audrey Sutton, says early and often to any media flack who'll listen. Alicia's father, noted attorney Graham Hutchins, wants Samantha to defend him against possible homicide charges, but he'd be better off if she could just prevent him from responding to Audrey's charges in self-destructive ways that stoke the fires of public opinion. Nor is he Samantha's only problem client. Uber-ganglord Javier Cabazon, to whom she owes a serious favor (Moral Defense, 2016), politely demands that she locate Tracy Gopeck, the primary witness against Cabazon's nephew for killing a rival gangbanger, so that Cabazon's goons can liquidate her. It won't be easy to find someone who's been taken into protective custody, and even if it were, Samantha can't condone turning her over to Cabazon's tender mercies. But it's as hard to say no to the fearsome Cabazon as it is to stem the tide of public opinion. As usual, Clark plots as generously as her Scandinavian counterparts, though neither the stalwart regular cast nor the interchangeable suspects are interesting enough to keep up the tension for almost 500 pages.
Samantha Brinkman, Clark’s flawed but sympathetic Los Angeles defense attorney protagonist, must deal with more than one explosive case in her highly suspenseful third outing.…Clark keeps up the frenetic pace, but never allows the plot’s tricky developments to overwhelm her characterizations.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A twisting plot informed by Clark’s legal know-how will keep readers turning pages.” —Booklist
“Fans of Clark’s legal thriller series featuring defense attorney Samantha Brinkman will be pleased to learn that this third installment (after Moral Defense) continues to deliver fast-paced plotting and savvy style laced with a healthy dose of humor. Clark, once again, nimbly handles the warp and weft of her interwoven characters and story lines, knitting them into a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers eagerly anticipating another Brinkman episode.” —Library Journal
“Marcia Clark has a proven talent for storytelling that transcends novels…and Snap Judgment, like her other books, masterfully illustrates that prowess. Propulsive plotting, visceral action, dexterous dialogue, and a palpable sense of time and place all conspire to make for an undeniably exhilarating read. And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, she flips the script. If you haven’t yet become a convert for team Clark, you owe it to yourselves to do so. This is one pleasure that won’t leave you feeling the least bit guilty.” —Criminal Element
“Snap Judgment sees the return of a terrific character in Samantha Brinkman. Marcia Clark renders the world of high-stakes law and flexible morals in perfect three dimensional clarity.” —Authorlink
“Marcia Clark certainly knows the ins and outs of the litigation business, and fans will be thrilled with this new mystery.” —Suspense Magazine
