Review: Claim of Innocence – Laura Caldwell

Forbidden relationships are the most tempting. And the most dangerous.

It was a crime of passion–or so the police say. Valerie Solara has been charged with poisoning her best friend. The prosecution claims she’s always been secretly attracted to Amanda’s husband…and with Amanda gone, she planned to make her move.

Attorney Izzy McNeil left the legal world a year ago, but a friend’s request pulls her into the murder trial. Izzy knows how passion can turn your life upside down. She thought she had it once with her ex–fiance, Sam. Now she wonders if that’s all she has in common with her criminally gorgeous, younger boyfriend, Theo.

It’s Izzy’s job to present the facts that will exonerate her client–whether or not she’s innocent. But when she suspects Valerie is hiding something, she begins investigating–and uncovers a web of secret passions and dark motives, where seemingly innocent relationships can prove poisonous…

Izzy McMeil has returned to the world of Law after having left it a year ago.  When her friend, Maggie, calls her and urgently tells her she needs her help on a case, she rushes to her aide.  When she meets up with Maggie, it’s to find out she needs Izzy’s help with a criminal case involving a woman who’s been accused of murdering her best friend.  So Izzy, who’s only tried civil cases, signs up to help Maggie co-defend their client.

Just as Izzy’s about to jump, feet first, into the case, her ex-fiance Sam calls her.  He’s gotten engagement, but he’ll break the engagement if Izzy will take him back.  After all she’s been through with Sam, she wonders if she can try to reclaim what was lost a year ago with Sam’s disappearance or if she future really lies with her much younger, but extremely hot boyfriend Theo.

On top of all this, Izzy’s trying to figure out what kind of relationship to carve out with the father she’s assumed was dead for most of her life.

***SPOILER ALERTS***
You’ve been warned.  I’m going to delve into plot lines here, so if you like this series and don’t want to know….STOP!

Here’s my problem with this book.

• Legal aspect:  I know enough about law to keep myself out of trouble, but the items below just seemed troubling.

1. Would a lawyer, who’s been gone from practicing law for one year, and only tried civil cases prior suddenly step up and agree to taking on a murder case?  And if they took on the murder case, wouldn’t they pretty much be working in the background and watching the lead attorney so they could learn the ropes?  For God’s sake, Izzy didn’t even know that certain arguments were allowed in a criminal case when they weren’t in a civil.  C’mon!  If I were Valerie I’d be completely horrified at my choice of legal team!
2. Would lawyers really standing in their client’s kitchen and allow that client’s child to falsely accuse someone of a crime the client just admitted to committing?  I know about double jeopardy so Valerie couldn’t be retried.  But honest to God to just let that slide?