Judgment at Santa Monica

Hollywood stars, sunshine, stabbings . . . New Jersey prosecutor turned LA family lawyer Sandy Moss is back with a bang in the second book in this fun, witty and fast-paced cosy legal mystery series.

The last person family lawyer Sandy Moss expects to walk into her courtroom, right in the middle of a trial, is TV star Patrick McNabb: prime suspect in her first (and she hopes, last) murder case.

Sandy knows what Patrick''s like. Friendly, overconfident, dazzlingly handsome . . . and a well-meaning menace. But his request seems harmless enough. His dear friend Cynthia is getting divorced, and he thinks Sandy''s perfect for the job. She accepts - because he''s Patrick and there is no denying him.

But of course it''s not that simple. Soon Sandy''s tangled up in yet another murder - and Patrick, who''s currently playing a private detective on TV, believes he''s essential to solving the whole thing . . .

Fast-paced, funny and larger than life, with a joy of a protagonist who "could give Perry Mason a run for his money" (Kirkus Reviews), JUDGMENT AT SANTA MONICA is a perfect escapist read and a great choice for fans of legal mysteries and TV shows.