When Daniel Pitt’s sister Jemima returns to England on a visit from the States, her policeman husband Patrick has a perplexing proposition. He asks Daniel to defend a British diplomat on a minor charge of embezzlement to ensure that the man’s real crime of assault (for which he has diplomatic immunity since it was perpetrated in the U.S.) comes out in court. Torn between eagerness to side with family and desire to uncover the truth, Daniel must risk his reputation as a lawyer on a long chance. In the end, there is far more to the case than a diplomat diverting funds. Both the unity of the Pitt family and the fate of the nation hang on Daniel’s ability to piece together the evidence.
The second book in the Daniel Pitt series, this story continues Daniel’s career as an up-and-coming lawyer. Whereas his father’s reputation was on the line in the previous book, now it is Daniel’s relationship with his sister. The case against diplomat Philip Sydney smacks of evidence-tampering. But if brother-in-law Patrick is mixed up in doctoring the embezzlement charges, how can Daniel make that public without estranging Jemima forever?
Although the actual stakes of the case were high, the story seemed to have a slow pace. Little vignettes of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt playing with their grandchildren, reminiscences of Daniel and Jemima over their childhood, and tales about the original Renaissance figure Philip Sidney pepper the narrative. The overarching story of the series continued apace, however, and Daniel’s partnership with fellow lawyer Kitteridge and romantic interest in forensic specialist Miriam developed satisfactorily. All in all, it was an interesting blend of a cozy family mystery and an international espionage thriller. I’m looking forward to the third book in the series.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rosanne E. Lortz 