Lawyer for the Cat

Lawyer for the Cat

 

Lee Robinson

Thomas Dunne books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, 2016

 

Sally Baynard is a divorce attorney in Charleston, South Carolina. She is known for being a tough and not easily pushed-around lawyer, always doing the best she can for her clients. A long-time friend, Judge Clarkson from Probate Court, asks her to be a trust enforcer for a troublesome case for a deceased elderly lady named Lila Mackay. Mrs. Mackay was definitely eccentric in her life, and now, she has set up a huge trust fund for her beloved black cat, Beatrice. She even named 4 different potential cat care-takers, each one with their own selfish reasons for wanting to keep an extremely rich cat. It is Sally’s job to interview the possible care-takers and make the best decision for Beatrice.

 

Sally takes the job, a little reluctantly because she also has to deal with her current contentious clients, a mother with Alzheimer’s disease, 2 very different and eccentric in their own rights nurse care-givers (for her mother), a secretary who’s in an emotional crisis and a boyfriend who is pressuring her to move in with him – not to mention the annoying ex-husband and his obnoxious new wife! Sally certainly has her plate full.

 

This book was a nice break from the usual murder mysteries and adventure novels we generally read. There are no murders, but there is a brief kidnapping episode and the only adventure Sally really goes on is in flying to New York City to interview one of the nominees. There is curse word or two, no graphic sex (just a reference to ‘love-making’), no real violence (just implied) but there are some tense moments and a bit of a mystery in wondering who will be chosen for Beatrice? The character of Sally is strong, smart, compassionate and yet still vulnerable when it comes to her personal feelings toward her mom and boyfriend. She struggles with keeping her life in balance between work, mom and boyfriend – something many women do in real life so it was easy to identify with her issues. I didn’t particularly care for the way the book ended regarding her boyfriend issue  – I won’t state it here because I don’t do spoilers!!!  I don’t mind cliff hangers but this was annoying to me because as cliff hangers go, it wasn’t a very good one.  But that was the only downside to the whole book.

 

Rating 

 

Reviewer: BobbieSue

We read this book as a part of the Summer Reading Challenge!

Topic: Read a “Beach” Book

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Illustrating Justice for NBC News

Illustrating Justice for NBC News

Betty Wells

In Collaboration with Vickie Gentri

This book is by and about a famous artist you’ve never heard of.  You know all those illustrations news programs use for notable trials and important events when camera’s aren’t around – well someone has to draw them, and in this case, the artist is Betty Wells. I never gave those artists much thought but since reading this book, I can now better appreciate their talent for capturing live moments in history on the fly.

The author covers some well-known trials, such as Watergate (1972-1973), Iran-Contra (1989), John Hinckley (1982), Susan Smith (1995), Tailhook (1991) and most recently, the Beltway Snipers Attacks (2003). She also covered sessions in the Senate and House of Representatives as well as the Supreme Court. She offers a unique perspective inside the courtroom from an artist’s point of view. There are no guilty/not guilty verdicts in this book – just the faces of the parties involved. The supplies she used, most often a Strathmore 400 series 18 x 24 drawing pad, Prismacolor pencils, and india ink were used to capture history at its best and worst moments.

For any aspiring artist this book offers inspiration in the beauty of average humans. For the history buff, this book provides a fresh, new look at some of the most historic trial and political events of the past century.

Rating 

Reviewer: Simon

 

I read this book as a part of the Summer Reading Challenge, 2016

Topic: Read a Book by a Local Author

Click on the logo below to go to the SRC page!

 

Art by Betty Wells

Art Betty Wells is creating in retirement.