Formerly a high-powered attorney, Ty Buchanan now lives in a convent. Actually, he lives in a trailer on the grounds, where he spends his time playing basketball with a pretty young nun, Sister Mary, who has a competitive streak that surfaces whenever she steps onto the court. Ty is recovering from the loss of the woman he loved. Though he no longer works for a prestigious law firm, he does the occasional bit of pro bono work for the people he meets through Sister Mary and the convent’s priest. When he’s introduced to a young woman named Reatta and her six-year-old daughter, Kylie, he’s touched by their plight: they’re being thrown out of the only home they can afford so a mega-rich conglomerate can turn the building into a moneymaking venture. Ty goes to bat for them, but things turn ugly. Reatta is murdered while Kylie cowers in the closet. The helpless girl worms her way into Ty’s heart, and he determines to take care of her – and to find out who killed her mother.
Few writers can craft a story like James Scott Bell, and this is one of his best. Legal details compliment the plot without making it too complicated for non-lawyer-types (like me) to enjoy. The characters are likable and multi-dimensional, and I cared about them. This was one of those books that I didn’t want to put down, and Bell’s witty writing made me laugh out loud several times – sometimes at his wit, and sometimes in sheer delight at the action. The clues unfold at a satisfying pace, and the tension is tight enough to keep the pages turning. Recommended for anyone who likes well-plotted legal dramas, or gumshoe heroes. I hope there are more Ty Buchanan stories in the making.