Guilt by Degrees
Marcia Clark
Read by January LaVoy

Hachette Audio
May 8, 2012 / ISBN 1611133904
Mystery / Audio CD -Unabridged / 12 hours, 27 minutes
Amazon

Reviewed by Jo Rogers

Deputy District Attorney Rachael Knight was running late for her preliminary hearing in front of a lawyer-hating judge. She was grateful the previous hearing ran long, for the judge was too busy chewing out the prosecutor to see her slip into the room. The green and incompetent lawyer had the case sewed up until his chief eye witness backed down on whether he saw the man on trial stab the homeless man or not. The prosecutor didn't have all his evidence ready. The case was dismissed, and the prosecutor refused to announce that he would re-file the case, a must if the defendant was to remain in custody.

Rachael announced that she would re-file the case and would take over the prosecution herself. After investigating evidence the junior prosecutor didn't look at, Rachael found that the defendant really was innocent. So Rachael set about finding the real killer. To her surprise, she found that this case was connected to the axe murder of a cop the year before. To find the killer, she and her best friend, Detective Bailey Keller would have to solve the first case.

Guilt by Degrees is truly a puzzle, but Rachael and Bailey are smart enough to handle the challenge. Being human, they make mistakes, but, though the woman they are looking for is as smart as they are, Rachael and Bailey manage to stay one step ahead of her.

The book is well-written and has a thrilling plot. The characters are human, both good and bad. This is one story that makes you think as you try to solve the puzzle with Rachael and Bailey. There's also a bit of romance along the way. Listen to Guilt by Degrees as reader January Lavoy brings the characters to life. It's a good mystery.