A reef dance is surfing jargon for being stuck in one place and unable to move, aptly reflecting the dilemma of attorney J. Shepard in this edgy, in-your-face legal thriller. Stuck in the deepening grind of custody cases and a workload so overweighed that lawyers refer to clients as "Mother," "Father" and "Minor," not out of insensitivity but through sheer necessity, Shepard spends his days in a rut, unable to get out from under his staggering caseload and dreaming of surfing. One day a high-profile case involving baby-seller Sue Ellen Randall leads him, through many roundabout routes, back to his deceased mother and her uncertain fate. The author spent two years defending parents and children in dependency court before becoming a state bar prosecutor; he's also contributed to Surfer magazine and Surfer's Journal. The resulting confluence of two wholly disparate genres will appeal to some fans and leave others indifferent. DeCure vividly evokes the courtroom milieu, and has a flair for action scenes, particularly a violent set-to with a heavy: "I leapt from the bushes and clamped him hard from behind driving him up to take his feet off balance. We went down with a thud in a cloud of soft dirt, my left arm pinned beneath his chest, and I lost my grip for a second. He felt my hand letting go and freed himself enough to drive an elbow into my chin, popping me back and stunning me." Undeniably effective. But most readers, and mystery fans in particular, will find that surfing and detection make for an uneasy mix.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Attorney J. Shepard defends various indigent parents in a Los Angeles juvenile dependency court but daydreams of surfing. His latest case, that of a woman accused of "selling" her baby to several adoptive couples, reawakens Shepard's animosity toward his own widowed mother, who deserted him when he was 16. Unraveling the mystery of his mother's disappearance may even alleviate his job dissatisfaction. Along the way, Shepard is alternately helped and hindered by a glib adoption lawyer, an aging (but still wild) surfing guru, and others. Surfing commentary, savory courtroom melodrama, and wry humor provide much attraction in this first novel. Highly recommended.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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