Case of Lies (Nina Reilly) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Perri O'Shaughnessy (Author)
Key Phrases: pioneer trail, quantum veil, new defendants, Dave Hanna, Professor Braun, Ace High (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A math genius, a tough courtroom adversary and an even tougher judge make the 11th legal thriller in the Nina Reilly series (Unlucky in Law, etc.) the most intriguing yet. Back in Lake Tahoe, Nina gets her next case from a masseuse whose aunt was killed during a motel robbery. Unless Nina acts, the lawsuit filed against the Ace High Lodge will be dismissed, as no one has been able to locate the witnesses. Reluctant to call on ex-lover PI Paul van Wagoner for help, Nina hires her assistant's PI son, Wish, who discovers that the witnesses are MIT students with a sideline counting cards. While the old case takes on new life, people connected to it are threatened and worse. O'Shaughnessy (lawyer Pamela and editor Mary O'Shaughnessy) takes the reader inside the beautiful mind of emotionally immature, occasionally delusional, quantitatively inspired Elliott Wakefield as he solves equations, cares for his father and plays blackjack. In thrillers as in math proofs, neatness counts. Here, the Internet and national security bring Elliott's story to an almost too-neat conclusion, while Nina ingeniously solves the problem of replacing Paul in her personal life. As always, O'Shaughnessy keeps legal procedure straight, language crisp and plot consistently absorbing.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
David Hanna witnessed the murder of his wife (and her unborn fetus) outside a hotel on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Now it's two years later, and Hanna enlists the help of Nina Reilly, a formidable attorney of some local notoriety (and star of 10 previous O'Shaughnessy adventures). The plan is to hold the hotel accountable for its lack of security, which made possible the robbery that produced the stray bullet that, in turn, killed Hanna's wife. The perp was never caught, and the three robbery victims, who Nina feels are the key to the case, have been no help, purposely staying in California so that the Nevada court has no jurisdiction over them. Nina's search for the truth takes her all the way to Europe--and into the arms of her former husband. O'Shaunessy (pseudonym for a sister team) has a knack for plotting and for combining suspenseful action with a light and playful tone. Another fine addition to an appealing and popular series. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Dell (June 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440241820
• ISBN-13: 978-0440241829
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,823 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Part of the book was 5 stars, but other parts only 3 stars, July 21, 2005

By	LB (Manchester, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Case of Lies (Hardcover)

There are various plot/story lines in this book. Some were very interesting, others only so-so. There was a lot of information about very high level math involving prime numbers. I admit that I skipped over some of the technical details, but I also did learn a few things. Most of the story kept my interest, but there was a big let down in the plot.

Not to give anything away, but one person's 'reason' for committing a particular crime was just ludicrous. It made no sense at all and really detracted from the overall story. If the O'Shaughnessys could have made the motive more understandable and realistic, it would have helped the story in general. I am glad that Nina returned to Tahoe, but she needs to stay put for a while. There has been too much moving, changing of partners and jobs, etc. Settle down, girl.

This was an OK book, but I know the O'Shaughnessy girls can do much better.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I wanted it to be five stars, July 12, 2005

By	Sue (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Case of Lies (Hardcover)

I have been a fan of these authors since the beginning. Some books are better than others, and at the start I thought this book was going to be one of the very best. The authors' prose style has improved, Nina has a full and realistic life (not always the case in the past, where plot seemed to push character), the story is intriguing, and the other viewpoint character - one of the witnesses to the crime - is fascinating. I was engrossed in the story all along, but by the end I was scratching my head, feeling cheated. The motivations and actions of the main culprits (trying not to give too much away here) are totally without foundation or logic. That ruined the story for me. I recommended the book to a couple of friends while I was reading it, and I've had to go back and tell them, "maybe not." Still, if you don't think about logic or motivation but just go along for the ride, it's a fine ride.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointing Read, February 12, 2007

By	LYG (Baltimore/Georgia) - See all my reviews

This latest installment in the Nina Reilly series was close to a complete disappointment to me. I've read all the previous novels, following Nina through two marriages and one prolonged affair, and have always enjoyed the tales, even the one which focused on the gambling casinos and seemed to go a bit too far off-tangent. But this one was nearly incomprehensible to the average reader. Other reviewers have criticized it for the same reason: the mathematical mumbo-jumbo was entirely too complex (and definitely off-tangent)to be enjoyable reading. If I'd wanted to study a math textbook, I'd have bought one. While a writer needs to introduce sub-plot and the sisters here have seemed to do a lot of research, it doesn't always make for a good read. I'm a fan of the TV show, Numb3rs, which easily makes math look interesting---this book does not. It was a disappointment and a real drag at times. Nina, too, is starting to get on my nerves---she cannot commit in any personal relationship, and she vacilates back and forth between being bright and being fairly stupid in her cases. Flawed heroines are all well and good, but growth is essential. Let's pick up the pace, or this series is going to languish.