When promises aren't delivered, I feel duped. The back cover of Conflict of Interest by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg promised me a lot. It promised an intriguing novel of suspense. And a look at a very scary, futuristic weapon which if mass produced, could really wreak havoc. Sadly, the book did not deliver. What I got, instead, was a humdrum story about a prosecutor and a bunch of misfit defendants, only one of whom was at all endearing. And the promised intrigue of that ingenious weapon of the future... well - it got only a small mention. Blink and you'll miss it. What a disappointment!

Basic Plot

Prosecutor Joanne Kuhlman has her own problems to deal with. Her ex-husband stole her kids away from her for two years, and she just now got them back. The ex is awaiting trial on charges of child-stealing, and embezzlement. Her children are back home, but rebellious, spoiled, bratty and constantly in trouble. While dealing with her personal issues, Joanne's latest case seems like a slam dunk. Three young defendants on charges of armed robbery and car theft. And the weapon that was used - a high tech futuristic gun, one that no teenager should have had access to.

The trouble starts when Joanne starts to feel an attraction for Arnold Dreiser, the defense attorney. Arnold is trying to convince her that one of the defendants was simply being used by the other two. According to Arnold, developmentally disabled Ian was simply along for the ride, and couldn't possibly understand what the other two kids were doing. At first Joanne doesn't believe him, but after Ian disappears, and an anonymous phone call to his mother claims that Ian's been murdered and buried out by the highway, Joanne finds herself conflicted. Torn between feeling sympathy for Ian's family as they relentlessly search for his body, and feeling more and more attracted to Arnold, can she really prosecute this case accurately?

What was wrong with this book?

The unlikable characters.

Let's start with Joanne and her kids. Sure, the kids have been through an ordeal having been kidnapped by their father. But now that they're back home, they're angry and bratty beyond all reason. This family is in need of some serious counseling, but instead, Joanne pretty much just lets the kids run amok and get into trouble. She's not happy about the problems the kids are causing, of course, but she's so busy hanging out with Arnold, that she figures she'll just deal with the kids later. Nice priorities, huh?

Then there's Arnold. I'm not a lawyer, so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a bad thing for the defense attorney to pursue the prosecuting attorney romantically, during a case? Further, should he really be meeting with her unofficially, in order that he can share classified evidence with her "unofficially". The whole thing just struck me as "improper" to say the least.

The one part of the story that should have been exciting was glossed over. The weapon that was used during the robbery was a high tech gun designed to look like a cell phone. Can you just imagine the mayhem if this weapon were mass produced, and out on the streets? Anybody with a cell phone would automatically be suspected of carrying a weapon. At a routine traffic stop, reaching for your cell phone could get you killed by an over zealous police officer. But the origin of this weapon was not discussed in the book. We don't find out much about where the gun came from, how many are out on the streets today, how many more are being produced... None of that is discussed. I was hoping the story would center around this weapon, and the producers somehow found and shut down. Nope. We have no idea how many more of these guns are out there, or when they'll start appearing all over the place.

Is there anything good about this book?

Yes. Although it's only discussed briefly, we do get a glimpse into the issues surrounding developmentally disabled children, and the problems when they get involved in circumstances beyond their understanding. Through flashbacks, we learn more about Ian's life, and the ways he was manipulated by the other boys, who knew they could easily ply him. We feel the pain of Ian's mother as she learns of how these boys took advantage of her son's simple mind, all for their own greed.

Overall

This book disappoints on many levels. Skip it - you won't be missing a thing.


Recommended: No