Coming Alive [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Margaret Murphy, who lives on the Wirral Peninsula in Wales, is the author of six previous novels: Goodnight, My Angel; The Desire of the Moth; Caging the Tiger, Past Reason, Dying Embers, and Darkness Falls.

In Darkness Falls (2004), Murphy tells the harrowing story of the kidnap and rape of British barrister Clara Pascal, a brilliant criminal lawyer. Now, in Weaving Shadows, Murphy writes a murder mystery in which Pascal, suffering from claustrophobia, terrifying dreams, waves of nausea, and panic attacks, struggles to reenter the quotidian world destroyed by her abduction.

Set in the town of Chester, Cheshire, Wales, Weaving Shadows tells the story of Pascal's defense of Ian Clemence, who is accused of the brutal murder of Amy Dennis. Clemence has only recently been released from prison, after serving 12 years for the murder of his girlfriend, Vicky Rees. All the evidence in the Amy Dennis murder case points against Clemence, who is the perfect fall guy for a set-up.

Michaela "Mitch" O'Connor has been trying to help Pascal resume her life as a lawyer by feeding her cases that are less threatening than murder trials, such as a child custody case in which Pascal represents Chris and Diane Tobin.

More and more, however, Pascal becomes involved in the Ian Clemence case, and slowly becomes convinced that Clemence is innocent--that he has been framed by someone involved in a criminal conspiracy in the Dee View Development Project, a multi-million pound development.

One is not surprised that Pascal, by doggedly pursuing clues to establish Clemence's innocence, puts her own life at risk. The irrational dark threatens to engulf Pascal, as in the damp cellar of her confinement, One is surprised, however, when the identity of Amy Dennis' killer is revealed. The author caught me completely off guard.

A suspenseful legal thriller, Weaving Shadows is skillfully plotted, with a frisson of nervous energy and mounting tension. Murphy also is convincing in her description of interpersonal relationships, such as that between Clara Pascal and her husband Hugo and their daughter Pippa. Clara's neurotic condition following in the wake of her kidnapping and rape have not been easy of the Pascal family.

One criticism is in order. This book has a large amount of "Britishisms" that are annoying. Before this book was published in the United States, a translator was needed to change "British English" into "American English." Although one can usually tell from the context what these words mean, their oddity will be distracting to American readers.
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Nine months have passed since London barrister Clara Pascal was abducted (see DARKNESS FALLS), but she still suffers from stress. Her husband and their daughter are losing patience with her fears and she suffers from a panic attack when she tries to enter criminal court. That is why she switched to family law with her friend, Michelle "Mitch" O'Connor providing her with a job in her family law practice.

Clara meets clients, Chris and Diane Tobin on a custody case. Chris explains he had an affair with a friend, who became pregnant and gave birth to Helen. The couple had visitation rights to see Helen, but the mother recently died so they want permanent custody. On the surface he being the father should make for an easy brief, but the Tobins only provide the tip of the iceberg to Claire. At the same time, another family friend, a single mother, who was Chris' lover, has been found dead. The police find evidence that ties Ian Clemence, a convicted murderer just freed, to the victim, but Claire begins to wonder whether the cops target the right man as she wonders about her client.

This British legal thriller is a terrific sequel that follows up on the aftermath of the events that occurred to Clara in DARKNESS FALLS. The story line is action-packed, but clearly the characters, especially the beleaguered heroine trying to return to practicing law, make for an excellent tale. The police procedural elements are used to provide suspects especially Ian; Clara decides to represent him more for her sake than his though she fears entering a criminal court. Murphy's Law consists of developing great characters inside a great plot leads to a great novel.

Harriet Klausner