Presumption of Death

by Perri O'Shaughnessy

Book Overview

New York Times bestselling author Perri O'Shaughnessy has garnered impressive acclaim for her tough, passionate thrillers set against the lush Lake Tahoe landscape and the world of one remarkable character: Attorney Nina Reilly. In this spellbinding new novel, O'Shaughnessy delves deeper into the heart and psyche of her popular heroine as Nina journeys back to her hometown to heal old wounds, and instead discovers that old secrets can be the...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440240875
• ISBN13: 9780440240877
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Dell
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

This Reader Loved It

I am so surprised to read the negative reviews of this book, because to my mind, the O'Shaugnessy sisters, having fallen into quite a slump, thoroughly redeemed themselveds with "Presumption of Death."I found Nina Reilly's new venue (or old, depending on how much one has followed this character through the series) and new circumstances to be fascinating--I felt that a whole new burst of life had been injected into the series. Not only did I not find it boring, I zipped through the book in record time.Other reviewers have described the plot in detail...ominous forest fires, obviously the result of arson, are decimating the forests around the Carmel area--and young Wish Whitefeather, whom we have followed through all the books and brought to young adulthood, is arrested for setting the fires, with one count of murder to boot. It is up to Nina, who wanted nothing more than to take a hiatus from her career and explore her personal relationship with her lover and PI partner Paul, to take the case and save Wish from almost certain conviction.As Paul and Nina struggle to find a center to their relationship and to solve the increasingly thorny mystery of who really set the fires and why, a whole subcast of characters is explored. The end was sufficient enough for this reviewer to be on tenterhooks for the next book. I know this is not a popular point of view among other reviewers, and again, I don't know why. My reaction to this book was wholly positive, and I would definitely urge those who follow the series to read it. For those who have not been Nina Reilly fans in the past, my view is that this will turn the tide.Enough said!

An Ambitious Change-of-Pace

In Presumption of Death, the O'Shaughnessy sisters turn up the heat, both literally and figuratively, when Sandy Whitefeather's son, Wish, just barely escapes from an inferno, only to find himself charged with arson and murder. With the evidence mounting against Wish, Nina faces an uphill battle she must fight in geographically and socially unfamiliar territory.Nina's personal life is as fiery as the inexplicable conflagrations around Siesta Court, the scene of the crime. She can't decide how she feels about long-time friend and lover, Paul van Wagoner, she can't quite cope with son Bob's raging adolescene and she can't unravel the twisted threads of her own psyche. And yet, Nina manages to do what she does best: work the case.As noted by other reviewers, this novel IS different from the others in the series and I suspect that what may be so jarring for some readers is that Presumption of Death so successfully captures the true-to-life ebb and flow of a relationship (the petty annoyances, the inexplicable fears, etc.), the disorientation that arises when suddenly confronted with a "foreign" culture, and the pressure to meet the unreasonable demands of cherished friends.More than any other novel in this excellent mystery series, Presumption of Death is steeped in the idealogy and philosophy that is so quintessentially Californian and, at every turn in the story, its essence can be felt. In much the same way, the sisters masterfully evoke the desired reactions to the Siesta Court community by skillfully and unapologetically plunging the reader right into the midst of its swirling waters.For fans of the Nina Reilly mysteries, there is certainly enough of the familiar feel of the series to keep the reader comfortable . . . but it's the unexpected departures that give this book its distinctive, and - perhaps - more honest (if less comfortably predictable) flavor.

will appeal to readers who love John Grisham

After years of pursuit, Nina Reilly finally realizes she loves Paul and is willing to see where their relationship will take them. She moves out of her home on Lake Tahoe, rents out her law practice, and moves into Paul?s place in Carmel. Nina?s former assistant Sandi?s son Wish accompanies them because he is working during the summer for Paul in his private investigative business and is living in Nina?s rental home with two other young men.One night against his better judgment, Wish joins his friend up in the woods near the Siesta Court homes to catch and film an arsonist who has already set two fires. Things go terribly wrong and Wish?s friend dies. The arsonist injures Wish who is later arrested on an assortment of charges including homicide. It will take all of Nina?s considerable legal and investigative skills to get enough evidence to free a client she knows is innocent.PRESUMPTION OF DEATH is a very good and exciting legal thriller but also is so much more. Nina returns to the place of her childhood and realizes one can go home again. Readers see the relationship between Paul and Nina grow stronger and see through Nina?s eyes that she might have a long-term future with him, something he wants very badly. The story line has many twists and turns and it is only when the novel reaches the court phase that readers have a glimmer of what is really going on. Perri O?Shauqhnessy will appeal to readers who love John Grisham.Harriet Klausner

A Perfect Summer Sizzler

Nina Reilly is back! But in PRESUMPTION OF DEATH, she is no longer practicing law in Tahoe; rather she has taken up residence in Carmel Valley with her longtime lover, Paul van Wagoner, P.I. "Living together was a revelation. They weren't kids, and melding their lifestyles didn't come easy." Her son, Bob, is in Europe; her former secretary cum best friend, Sandy Whitefeather, is in Washington on business "... with the federal government at the Bureau of Indian Affairs ..." and Nina is auditioning for the part of Paul's permanent partner.Things are not quite perfect in the couple's relationship, but they put their personal concerns aside, when Sandy calls them for help. They are needed to identify the charred remains of an alleged arsonist who died in a fire not far from Paul's home. The victim could be Willis a.k.a. Wish, Sandy's son. She tells them that the police have called and informed her that "He went up the Robles Ridge above Carmel Valley Village ... with another boy. His roommates say he didn't come home that night or last night either." But Sandy does not believe he is dead nor does she believe he started the fire that burned fifteen acres.The couple hurries off to the morgue, and the story heats up from there. The remains are not Willis's. Wish is not dead, but if the body isn't his, then who burned to death in the blaze? The police are convinced that Whitefeather started the fire on the ridge and that he could be responsible for the other arsons that have suddenly erupted in the valley. They arrest him. And Nina finds herself with a client whose innocence she and Paul are determined to prove.Their work takes them up and down the California coast, but keeps bringing them back to the small neighborhood in the Village called Siesta Court. Nina infiltrates the community and sees cracks in the façade of closeness these people have created for themselves. As the families come together, one by one, each couple's vulnerabilities are exposed.As Nina and Paul work together on their own investigation, they discover that their personal needs often conflict and that, as with everything in life, compromises must be made. Piece by piece, the couple starts to unravel the intertwined facts and suppositions that appear to make a strong case against Wish. Slowly, and with a logical approach, the two are determined to get their friend out of jail and hopefully find the real killer/arsonist before he strikes again. And both of them commit themselves to building a life together.PRESUMPTION OF DEATH is Perri O'Shaughnessy's ninth Nina O'Reilly courtroom thriller. They (yes they, sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy) have a track record that is hard to beat. Their readers have come to expect a terrific plot inundated with exciting twists and turns and appreciate how the O'Shaughnessy sisters manage to humanize their ensemble of regulars. Over the years, fans have watched Nina and her sidekicks grow into fully realized characters who are a delight to solve a

A Perfect Summer Sizzler

Nina Reilly is back! But in PRESUMPTION OF DEATH, she is no longer practicing law in Tahoe; rather she has taken up residence in Carmel Valley with her longtime lover, Paul van Wagoner, P.I. "Living together was a revelation. They weren't kids, and melding their lifestyles didn't come easy." Her son, Bob, is in Europe; her former secretary cum best friend, Sandy Whitefeather, is in Washington on business "? with the federal government at the Bureau of Indian Affairs ?" and Nina is auditioning for the part of Paul's permanent partner.Things are not quite perfect in the couple's relationship, but they put their personal concerns aside, when Sandy calls them for help. They are needed to identify the charred remains of an alleged arsonist who died in a fire not far from Paul's home. The victim could be Willis a.k.a. Wish, Sandy's son. She tells them that the police have called and informed her that "He went up the Robles Ridge above Carmel Valley Village ? with another boy. His roommates say he didn't come home that night or last night either." But Sandy does not believe he is dead nor does she believe he started the fire that burned fifteen acres.The couple hurries off to the morgue, and the story heats up from there. The remains are not Willis's. Wish is not dead, but if the body isn't his, then who burned to death in the blaze? The police are convinced that Whitefeather started the fire on the ridge and that he could be responsible for the other arsons that have suddenly erupted in the valley. They arrest him. And Nina finds herself with a client whose innocence she and Paul are determined to prove.Their work takes them up and down the California coast, but keeps bringing them back to the small neighborhood in the Village called Siesta Court. Nina infiltrates the community and sees cracks in the façade of closeness these people have created for themselves. As the families come together, one by one, each couple's vulnerabilities are exposed.As Nina and Paul work together on their own investigation, they discover that their personal needs often conflict and that, as with everything in life, compromises must be made. Piece by piece, the couple starts to unravel the intertwined facts and suppositions that appear to make a strong case against Wish. Slowly, and with a logical approach, the two are determined to get their friend out of jail and hopefully find the real killer/arsonist before he strikes again. And both of them commit themselves to building a life together.PRESUMPTION OF DEATH is Perri O'Shaughnessy's ninth Nina O'Reilly courtroom thriller. They (yes they, sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy) have a track record that is hard to beat. Their readers have come to expect a terrific plot inundated with exciting twists and turns and appreciate how the O'Shaughnessy sisters manage to humanize their ensemble of regulars. Over the years, fans have watched Nina and her sidekicks grow into fully realized characters who are a delight to solve a whodu