Thursday, May 5, 2011

BAFFLING BINGO MYSTERY BOOK DAY: GUILT BY ASSOCIATION BY MARCIA CLARK - REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

WELCOME TO BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S
"BAFFLING BINGO DAY"

I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS THURSDAY'S
"BAFFLING BINGO DAY"
MYSTERY BOOK CHOICE IS.....
GIVEAWAY ENDED!
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION
BY MARCIA CLARK

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Brilliant and tenacious, DA Rachel Knight lives and breathes her work and disdains office politics—a combustible combination that often gets her into trouble. She is a stalwart member of the elite Special Trials Unit, a small group of handpicked prosecutors that handles the toughest, most sensitive, and most celebrated cases in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

At the end of a typical ten-hour day, Rachel has her sights set on an ice-cold martini at the Biltmore Hotel, where she lives. But on her way she’s sidetracked by the wail of sirens and the commotion of a crime scene. Cops swarm around a seedy motel, where Rachel is surprised to discover that Jake, a dear friend and fellow prosecutor, has been murdered.

The suspicious and potentially explosive circumstances of Jake’s death are never far from Rachel’s thoughts as she takes on her fallen colleague’s most politically charged case: the mysterious assault on a young woman from an influential L.A. family. Rachel enlists the help of her best friends and partners in crime-fighting—Toni, a fellow Special Trials prosecutor, and Bailey, a tough-as-nails LAPD detective—to covertly undertake her own investigation into Jake’s murder. Rachel’s drive to clear Jake’s name exposes a world of power and violence that will have her risking her reputation—and her life—to find the truth.

PRAISE FOR GUILT BY ASSOCIATION:
“Marcia Clark’s debut novel showcases her experience and knowledge of the legal system. The pace, plot and dialogue are as sharp as they come in the genre. Her character of Rachel Knight bleeds real blood, sweat and tears on the page. Guilt is a four-bagger for Clark and her many new fans will eagerly await her next step up to the plate.” -David Baldacci

“You must read this book: it is wildly and complexly plotted, ebulliently witty and filled with riotous humor; it details the inner workings of the L.A. legal system with unprecedented accuracy and verve – and to top it off, it is a damn, damn, good thriller.” -James Ellroy

“A triumphant fiction debut that catapults her to the same level as Linda Fairstein, her fellow assistant DA turned legal thriller novelist…Clark deftly handles the multiple plotlines…Readers will want to see a lot more of Knight, who combines strength of character and compassion with all-too-human foibles.” -Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Don’t be dissuaded by the celebrity-author factor: Clark, lead prosecutor in the O. J. Simpson trial, pairs her knowledge of the L.A. judicial scene with a surprising flair for fiction in a remarkably accomplished debut novel….Clark offers a real page-turner here, with smart, fast-moving prose; a skillfully
constructed plot; and a protagonist well worth knowing. Rachel, whose past is only hinted at, is a well-rounded character who’s as tough with suspects as she is sensitive with young victims. A top-notch legal thriller that will leave readers wanting more.” -Booklist, Starred Review

“A corker of a debut novel in which a brainy, plucky female prosecutor refuses to rush to judgment… That the novel is marked by authenticity is no surprise given Clark’s credentials—she was, after all, lead prosecutor in the headline-grabbing O.J. Simpson trial—but what may surprise some readers is the quality of the writing, plus the considerable charm of Rachel and her buddies.” -Kirkus, Starred Review

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marcia Clark is a former Los Angeles deputy district attorney who was the lead prosecutor on the O.J. Simpson murder case. She cowrote a bestselling nonfiction book about the trial, Without a Doubt, and is a frequent media commentator and columnist on legal issues. She lives in Los Angeles. 

Marcia Clark combines the vibrant voice of her heroine, Rachel Knight, with her insider’s expertise in L.A. courts and criminality in this exciting debut. Intimately detailed, wildly funny, and viscerally paced, Guilt by Association marks the launch of a major new presence on the crime-fiction landscape.


MY REVIEW:
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION by Marcia Clark could be the first in a very successful series of legal thrillers with Rachel Knight, District Attorney, as the main character. Unlike many books in this genre, Knight is a prosecutor where we more commonly read about a defender. Clark personally knows the demands of working long hours in a prosecutor’s office and that background serves her well as she aptly describes those kind of days and the work Knight and her team put in. In that the main character, Rachel Knight, is narrating, I felt I heard the story straight from Marcia Clark and so it seemed more authentic and less improbable as some of these books can be. With the help of friends like the Deputy DA, Jake Pahlmeyer, and Toni, her friend from the DA Special Units Office, and Bailey, a detective with the LAPD, Knight is a force to be reckoned with.

The authentic setting that Clark knows so well, as many of the places are ones she probably worked and lived in, allows GUILT BY ASSOCIATION to take on a feeling of reality making it an easy read that grabs you right away. Also, the end of each chapter had a little hook to it, much like the writing of James Patterson, in which you just had to go on to the next chapter to find out what was going to happen next. Definition of a page turner? Perhaps.

The story moves quickly into high gear when Jake is found dead in a low rent motel with a kid known to work the streets, named Kit, beside him. The police quickly call it a suicide-murder. They are basing this on the assumption that Jake is gay as well as the fact that his prints are on the gun. Seems like “CASE CLOSED” is written immediately on this one but friends Rachel, Bailey, and Toni don’t agree at all! They knew Jake and this can’t be right. He was probably the nicest of them all as well as a hard worker and so they decide to find out what really happened. They owe it to their friend to prove his innocence in this one. Needless to say, Rachel’s warned to stay away from the case but as readers discover about Rachel throughout the book, that isn’t the kind of thing to have ever stopped her before.

Meanwhile, others have to pick up the slack left behind by Jake’s death and Rachel is assigned to the Densmore case. This entails a very well known Hollywood doctor whose fifteen-year-old daughter is raped in her own bedroom. The assumption is that someone who knew the house, and/or those who lived within, had to be the one brave enough to climb the ladder to young Susan Densmore’s bedroom. With this in mind, her father is convinced that Luis Revelo is the suspect. This is a young man who Susan was tutoring and trying to help him get into college. She thought of him as a friend and she insists Luis is not the guilty party. Just because he is in a gang doesn’t make him guilty but with a powerful father seeking revenge, Luis is targeted but he makes a deal and actually ends up trying to help Rachel find the real perpetrator.

Lt. Graden Hales is put in charge of the case on Jake Pahlmeyer and he knows that Rachel was ordered off that case. Hales likes the way she works (and looks) and he gives Rachel some help. As the story twists and turns, the two cases keep running into each other a little predictably, and perhaps too conveniently. Not surprisingly, Rachel is targeted and not only is her car totaled but she is shot at. With the short chapters, some good writing, and best of all, well developed characters, the story winds around bringing into it all sorts of evil and mayhem. Although the fact the two cases naturally run together, and there might be a little too much going on, there isn’t anything that isn’t improbable or unbelievable. Given Marcia Clark’s background and her literary aptitude, I would hope to see her develop this talent fully and even perhaps make the very likable character of Rachel Knight into a series. She kept me on pins and needles until the end, and I think those who like a good, fast mystery will enjoy GUILT BY ASSOCIATION.

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO MIRIAM AND THE GOOD FOLKS
AT MULHOLLAND BOOKS WITH LITTLE, 
BROWN AND CO., I HAVE ONE COPY
OF GUILT BY ASSOCIATION TO GIVE AWAY
 
--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY:BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT GUILT BY ASSOCIATION BY VISITING THE MULHOLLAND BOOKS WEBSITE HERE. THERE ARE SEVERAL INTERESTING ARTICLES ON THE BOOK AND AUTHOR SO JUST SCAN AROUND AND ENJOY
  
+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT MARCIA CLARK BY VISITING HER WEBSITE HERE
 
+1 MORE ENTRY:COMMENT ON ONE WAY THAT YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN GAIN MORE ENTRIES BY COMMENTING EACH ONE SEPARATELY

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, MAY 19
GOOD LUCK!

79 comments:

debbie said...

I would think she could really acurately write about what goes on around the legal scene given her extensive experience as a lawyer. I love mysteries, this one does sound really good.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a gfc follower.
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a email subscriber.
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Anonymous said...

sounds like two story lines in one. i dont know anyone my age who wasnt sucked into the whole oj mess. marcia clark took alot of hits, very unfairly, and mostly personal rather than professional. would love to read her first attempt at fiction. she always came across as very sharp and intelligent.
charlcr(at)aol.com

bermudaonion said...

Good luck everyone - you're in for a treat with this book!

lag123 said...

I would like to read this book because of the authors expertise in this area. Also because of the description that it is witty.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/lag32583/status/66102429380390912

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I like Marcia's list of her five favorite crime fighters.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

Marcia was the lead prosecutor in the OJ Simpson trial.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I follow via GFC

lag110 at mchsi dot com

Steve Capell said...

Wow -- I always admired Marcia Clark for her work on O.J.S. trial, and as such, I would love to read her debut novel. I like many others believe that this would be a great mystery novel written by one of the best prosecuting attorneys. Thanks for the opportunity. I'm a GFC follower.

steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

Angie @ By Book or By Crook said...

I haven't read a good legal thriller in quiye a while. The complexities of court room dramas have always intrigued me and this one sounds like one I would really enjoy, written by someone who really knows what they're talking about.

Angie @ By Book or By Crook said...

I am an email follower

aksimmo at clearwire dot net

Angie @ By Book or By Crook said...

I am a GFC follower

aksimmo at clearwire dot net

Angie @ By Book or By Crook said...

It was fun to read at Mulholland that Nancy Drew was one of her favorite female crime fighters. I grew up reading Nancy Drew books out of my mom's collection of them.

aksimmo at clearwire dot net

Angie @ By Book or By Crook said...

At Marcia Clark's website it was fun to see the pictures of places that her character frequented in the book. The Biltmore picture is beautiful!

aksimmo ay clearwire dot net

Unknown said...

I would like to read the book because it sounds like a good mystery and also describes what does on around the legal system. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

Karen B said...

I've been a fan of hers since the OJ trial and he book sounds so intriguing!

kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Margie said...

This sounds like an exciting book with interesting characters. I'd like to read something by Marcia Clark. I think the scenes would be very authentic.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

+5 Swag
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Facebook fan bonus entry for May
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Margie said...

follow by Networked Blogs
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Margie said...

follow by GFC
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Karen B said...

I like the location pictures on her site and will revisit them when I read the book, which is on wish lists.

kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

Nancy Drew was a favorite of mine, too - although I read her books back in the early 50s!

kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

FB fan Bonus Entry for May.

kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

Email subscriber.

kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

GFC follower as Karen B.

Karen B said...

I like you on FB.

kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Margie said...

I noticed on Marcia's site that she has had several book-related appearances on both coasts during April and May.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

This compelling novel interests me since she can write and a mystery is great. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Interesting website with great photos. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I think it is lovely that she was a great fan of Nancy Drew as was I. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

I enjoy reading legal thrillers. Guilt By Association sounds like a real 'page-turner' with an interesting heroine in the character of Rachel Knight.
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

When visiting the Mulholland Books Website and reading about Guilt By Association, I found it interesting that Mulholland has provided links that one can click on and read the Prologue of Guilt By Association and also two other excerpts from the book.
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

From Marcia Clark's website I learned that she cowrote "Without a Doubt", a bestselling nonfiction book about the O.J. Simpson trial.
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

GFC follower (Carole Spring)
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

Networked Blogs follower (Carole Spring)
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Carole Spring said...

email subscriber: blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/cspring31971/status/66173771853201408
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

petite said...

Her legal experience would make this novel excellent reading. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Her crime fighters are interesting to learn about. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sue Farrell said...

I like mysteries with a legal tie in---so this should be a good book for me to read.

suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

petite said...

Her fame in the O.J. trial. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sue Farrell said...

On the Mulholland site I learned that one of Marcia's favorite women crime fighters is Scully of the X Files.

suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

Sue Farrell said...

I learned that this is the first book of a two book deal with the publisher---so there should be another one to enjoy.

suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

Sue Farrell said...

I am an email subscriber

suefarrell,farrell@gmail.com

Ricki said...

I would love to win this because it was written by a real (and famous) DA.
rickimc[at]aol[dot]com

Carol N Wong said...

I am a Marcia Clark fan. I enjoyed listening to her being interviewed on local TV in Southern California. It was easy to know that she is very smart and self confident. So when I first saw that she had written a book, I immediately added it to my "To Buy List". Usually, I put it there and wait for the price to come down. Sometimes it never does! I haven't read any of her book but by knowing what I know about her, she would write in a similiar way as James Patterson. I am looking forward to her writing lots of great books.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

My Twitter name is Carolee888 and I tweeted



http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2011/05/baffling-bingo-mystery-book-day-guilt.html Giveaway of 'Guilt by Assocation'.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I found her answer to what her favorite female crime fighters were and surprised to see that three of them are on my list:

1. Nancy Drew started me off in enjoyed mysteries with a a female in them.

2. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) in that Avengers was always one of my favorites.

3. Scully (X-files) My son introduced me to this series and I faithfully tuned in for all of the episodes.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I loved the part on her sight where she showed some of Rachel Knight's tromping grounds. If you want variety in people, restaurants and places to live, go to LA. I miss the ethnic diversity and the chance of meeting people in
"the business".

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)

Carol N Wong said...

I follow your blog with an
e-mail subscription.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I follow your blog with Google Friends Connect.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I follow your blog with Networked Blogs.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I follow your blog with an
RSS feed on my IGoggle page.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I follow your blog with Facebook.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

holdenj said...

I want to read this because it's Marcia Clark. I imagine she has quite the insight to this novel.
Thanks, looks great!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I am an email subscriber.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I am a GFC follower.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I subscribe via RSS feed.
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scottsgal said...

I love it when attorneys write legal thrillers - they're always so more realistic - just like John Grisham
msboatgal at aol.com

scottsgal said...

Marcia is still called upon regularly to comment on hot legal topics in the media
msboatgal at aol.com

mamabunny13 said...

I want to read this book because it was written by Marcia Clark :)
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

mamabunny13 said...

tweet http://twitter.com/#!/mamabunny13/status/67081603926605824
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mamabunny13 said...

I liked her favorite crime fighters
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mamabunny13 said...

I follow by email
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mamabunny13 said...

I follow via gfc
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mamabunny13 said...

I follow on twitter @mamabunny13
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mamabunny13 said...

I follow on networked blogs
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mamabunny13 said...

I follow on facebook-mamabunny shelor
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mamabunny13 said...

I follow by reader
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Linda Kish said...

It sounds like a page turner and has great reviews listed.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

Mulholland Books is part of Little, Brown & Co. for their suspense, crime, mystery and thriller books. I signed up for their sweepstakes and their newsletter while I was there.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I think most people know her as Deputy DA. I guess now she is mostly writing and doing guest spots commenting on trials and cases in the news.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I am an Email subscriber

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

bison61 said...

lots of twists and turns-sounds like a great mystery

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

mamabunny13 said...

May bonus entry
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