Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780449223147
ISBN number: 0449223140
Label: Fawcett
Manufacturer: Fawcett
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 422
Printing Date: August 01, 1995
Publishing house: Fawcett
Release Date: August 01, 1995
Sale Popularity Level: 594166
Studio: Fawcett
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
'ENGROSSING...Wilhelm provides suspense and excitement
while adeptly portraying Barbara [Holloway] as a wily and sympathetic heroine.'
--Publishing houses Weekly
The neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon, is blue-collar; the cafe holds only three tables and four booths. But it's the only place attorney Barbara Holloway feels both productive and peaceful. Laptop computer on the table, coffee refilled regularly by the cook, Barbara gets her work done and wants for nothing more...certainly not another explosive, emotionally devastating courtroom case.
Until a woman comes to Barbara with a case she cannot refuse. The sister of 'Baby Killer' Kennerman, the tale she tells is so terrifying that Barbara must act. What she unearths is a corrupt conspiracy that will allow a killer to walk away free. And when she finds herself up against a smear campaign of unimaginable proportions, Barbara Holloway realizes that even the best defense may not be enough....
'Better than any [courtroom dramas] I've read in years...Wilhelm has created an appealing and believable character in Barbara Holloway....The courtroom scenes are excellent, and narrative tension is maintained throughout the story.'
--Mystery News
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers -
Give or take 500 words, I might have given this book 5 stars - the problem is, there's reference to a relationship from the very first book, and no explanation. If the author really felt the need to drag "Mike" into The Best Defense, she ought to have included some more details. If the Amazon Product Description hadn't mentioned that he died, I'd have assumed a bad break up.
That aside, the book is quite good. Barbara Holloway, trying to come to terms with what she does for a living, and how she does it, sets up shop in a small neighborhood restaurant, offering legal advice to people who couldn't otherwise afford it. Enter Lucille Reiner, sister of Paula "Baby Killer" Kennerman. Barbara takes the case, finding her client entangled in a conspiracy that goes far beyond the death of one child and the railroading of Paula. The complexity is a bit much at times, particularly during the trial, but it's worth the minor effort to keep the threads straight.
It seems obvious that Wilhelm's intention is to carry Barbara's relationship with her father, the neighborhood people and Bill into the subsequent novel. That's fine - I just hope she does the extra work to explain things so that each book can stand alone. Getting people to read the earlier books might be her goal, but it will become annoying to the reader who came late to the series.
Rated by buyers -
This is a book from an obviously highly skilled author. The plotting was compelling, clever and tense and the main protagonists well drawn. The bad guys are clearly delineated if somewhat two dimensional. One slight flaw was the at times confusing detail of the plot. I am looking forward to other legal thrillers written by this author.
Rated by buyers 
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The book begins well, rich (or at least well off, but playing at being poor) female lawyer is asked to do the impossible, free a woman pre-judged to be a baby killer. Barbara (the lawyer) does a credible job and succeeds. The book bogs down near the end with a lot of shooting off in all directions apparently trying to explain herself. 'Bad guys' are unbelievably bad: making money on abortion formula while mouthing abortion foe rhetoric. A little too overdramatic...a C-minus for such a lack of sublety. The righteous are 'good-good', the other side is 'bad bad'. Author is no John Grisham.
Rated by buyers -
I'm a tough grader - reserve 9 and 10 for all-time greats. This is simply a good read. Very plot driven, with commentary on a number of contemporary issues and personal relationships. It also is about power and greed, and the corrupting influence of money. It touches on the fanatical nature of people's response to abortion, and gives the reader an emotional ride over some very difficult issues. The main characters are complex people, while the supporting characters are a little unidimensional. However, through it all you are engaged in unravelling the crime and discovering whether the truth will prevail or whether money will buy the verdict
Rated by buyers 
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Kate Wilhelm knows her courtroom procedure, and at the same time, she understands the human emotions that underly those procedures. Her characters are strong and believable and her story is gripping. Wonderful read
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