Sleepytime

Mercy Johnson #2

by Reita Pendry

Sleepy LeBlanc suffers from a sleep disorder, narcolepsy, which causes him to sleep at the wrong times and in the wrong places. He falls asleep in the men's dressing room of a department store. After closing time, security guards find him, surrounded by clothing with price tags still on. He is arrested and charged with burglary. His uptown lawyer refuses to explain his condition at his trial, and he is wrongly convicted. In prison, he is assigned to the work crew. The crew boss allows him to sleep on the prison bus. One day he is awakened by a guard, who tells him that the crew boss has been murdered and the prisoners have all escaped. So begins his worst nightmare-the FBI agent assigned to investigate the prison guard's murder believes Sleepy knows about the crime. He is trying to make a career leap, and to use Sleepy to get up the ladder. Once the escaped prisoners are caught, they set about to enforce a code of silence with threats against Sleepy's family, and with attempts to burn his cell and poison him. Sleepy is ensnared in the political ambitions of the FBI agent and the fears of the prison gang of a murder prosecution. Sleepy's best friend in prison, his ex-wife, and a young prison psychologist work to save him. His sleep disorder proves to be both a curse and a tool to gain his freedom.

234 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Biographical Information
Author Reita Pendry overcame years of paralyzing stage fright to become a criminal defense attorney. Over the course of a thirty-plus year career, she tried many cases to juries in Washington, DC and North Carolina. Her legal experience and her passion for justice animate her Mercy Johnson legal mystery series and this new series with Cassandra Robbins as the protagonist.
Robbins is a criminal defense attorney and a recovering alcoholic. Although the author is not herself an alcoholic or addict, she draws on the painful struggles of beloved family members to craft this new series. Courage, inspiration and hope are the bedrock qualities of Cassandra’s journey.
Like Cassandra, the author is accompanied on her journey by family, colleagues and friends, and a house full of rescue animals.

Reviews

[Joanne Slaight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great followup to China White. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series - about someone trying to protect a family member.