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Nina Reilly #8
Unfit to Practice
It's the moment every lawyer fears most...One careless moment that threatens careers, reputations, lives...For Nina Reilly, it will change everything - igniting a case where her own clients are witnesses against her - and where the defendant is Nina herself. As an attorney championing desperate people, Nina Reilly has skirted the edges of legal ethics in pursuit of a just result, but she has never before broken the rule of absolute protection of her clients' secrets. When her unlocked truck is stolen, her life changes forever. Gone are her most sensitive case files, complete with the sometimes brutally candid notes she took while interviewing her clients. And now the worst has the secrets are being revealed, one by one, in ways that will cause the greatest harm. Nina's own clients complain to the State Bar of California, and suddenly Nina is fighting for her license and her livelihood in a legal proceeding that may ultimately lead her to disbarment. As reputations are ruined and people begin to die...a chilling pattern of rage and revenge comes into focus. Someone is bent on destroying the lives of Nina's clients and, in the process, Nina Reilly.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
98 people are currently reading
645 people want to read
About the author
Perri O'Shaughnessy
55 books278 followersPerri O’Shaughnessy is the pen-name for two people, Pamela and Mary O’Shaughnessy, sisters. The authors' pseudonym is an homage to Perry Mason, the man who never met a guilty client, and a melding of their two first names, Pamela and Mary. O’Shaughnessy is their paternal family name.
They are the authors of eleven bestselling Nina Reilly novels as well as a collection of short crime fiction, Sinister Shorts.
They are the authors of eleven bestselling Nina Reilly novels as well as a collection of short crime fiction, Sinister Shorts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
August 8, 2016
This is my first book by Perri O' Shaughnessy and I intend to read every of her books,It is an interesting book and anyone who like reading John Grisham will certainly like it.
Why not try one of her books because you we never regret it.
Why not try one of her books because you we never regret it.
December 3, 2011
I really enjoy the collaborative writing effort of the O'Shaughnessy sisters (Pam & Mary) as Perri O'Shaughnessy. I have really enjoyed this Nina Reilly series. If you like John Grisham, Michael Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer series, for example, I really think you'll like this series by Perri O'Shaughnessy.
Unfit to Practice was especially good; fast paced and full of suspense. Nina Reilly arrives home late one rainy night and, having lost the key to her Bronco and is using a spare key, she hurriedly locks her car and runs into her house. Once realizing she left her briefcase in the back sear of her car, she decides she'll retrieve it in the morning and goes to bed. The briefcase contains files of 3 clients, each of which contains "very" privileged info. In the morning, Nina discovers that her Bronco has been stolen along with her briefcase. Soon, elements of the privileged info in those files begins to be leaked to the wrong parties. Now, Nina's career and the lives of her clients are in jeopardy. Misconduc charges are filed against Nina by her clients. How will she get out of this one?
Unfit for Practice was a very enjoyable legal suspense read. There are (I think this is right) 13 books in O'Shaughnessy's Nina Reilly series and I have 5 left to read! :)
Unfit to Practice was especially good; fast paced and full of suspense. Nina Reilly arrives home late one rainy night and, having lost the key to her Bronco and is using a spare key, she hurriedly locks her car and runs into her house. Once realizing she left her briefcase in the back sear of her car, she decides she'll retrieve it in the morning and goes to bed. The briefcase contains files of 3 clients, each of which contains "very" privileged info. In the morning, Nina discovers that her Bronco has been stolen along with her briefcase. Soon, elements of the privileged info in those files begins to be leaked to the wrong parties. Now, Nina's career and the lives of her clients are in jeopardy. Misconduc charges are filed against Nina by her clients. How will she get out of this one?
Unfit for Practice was a very enjoyable legal suspense read. There are (I think this is right) 13 books in O'Shaughnessy's Nina Reilly series and I have 5 left to read! :)
July 15, 2013
Okay so, maybe its because, prior to reading this book, I was caught in a web of Kings, Queens, broken betrothals and Knights, that I found it a bit trying.
All in all, it read like a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boy book, there was a good amount of suspense in the book, the plot was fairly decent, but the ending was too fast and jumbled and left me thinking "That's it?" I mean all through the book, there was a constant build up to this twisted, maniacal plot to bury this upcoming, female lawyer. But then it petered out and just became a regular mystery book, for me.
Its a 3 stars because it was a nice plot, but it did not live up to the hype of the raving reviews.
All in all, it read like a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boy book, there was a good amount of suspense in the book, the plot was fairly decent, but the ending was too fast and jumbled and left me thinking "That's it?" I mean all through the book, there was a constant build up to this twisted, maniacal plot to bury this upcoming, female lawyer. But then it petered out and just became a regular mystery book, for me.
Its a 3 stars because it was a nice plot, but it did not live up to the hype of the raving reviews.
January 26, 2019
Excellent story full of suspense. A great who-done-it. These two O’Shaughnessy sisters write with such vivid imagery you feel like you’re there. The legal environment research done for this book is very extensive and the courtroom scenes are captivating. Love the Lake Tahoe setting. The character descriptions are really good and full of interesting personalities. Highly recommend.
March 6, 2020
This book was up and down for me.. There was so much going on with 2 different issues and at times it got very CONFUSING... Still LOVE the 2 Sisters Writing....
July 20, 2010
Mediocre 8th entry in Nina Reilly series lacks suspense...
Sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy, writing as "Perri", have obviously developed a fan base with seven prior defense attorney Nina Reilly stories. Unfortunately for us, this was our first try by the women, and we seem to have been stuck with one of their poorer efforts. The most exciting thing to happen in the plot was Nina's Bronco being stolen, complete with three confidential client files in the back seat. When all three cases suddenly go sour, and lead to a State Bar hearing against Nina, were we supposed to be surprised? Ex-husband Jack, whom, as a lawyer's lawyer, Nina hires to defend her, and current lover Paul, her regular investigator (she's otherwise a one-lawyer shop, with just Sandy as a secretary), bicker the whole book long in a juvenile attempt to attract Nina's attention and compete with each other: wow! The last third of the book is the disbarment hearing -- and guess who wins. Of course Nina comes up heroine as the Bronco thief is discovered, and then, boom, the authors end this 450 page book with more information in the last 4 pages than the whole rest of the book put together.
We usually enjoy lawyer stories which is what prompted us to try this novel. We were disappointed by the trivial storyline, the complete lack of suspense, and characters who spent most of the time acting like adolescents. Truthfully, we didn't even develop much interest in or sympathy for Nina, who must have avowed her love for the law and her desire to defend the underdog like half a dozen times -- please, we get the drift.
Maybe some of the other O'Shaughnessy books are more fun, but these authors have a long way to go to approach the likes of Turow or Scottoline. Try them instead.
Sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy, writing as "Perri", have obviously developed a fan base with seven prior defense attorney Nina Reilly stories. Unfortunately for us, this was our first try by the women, and we seem to have been stuck with one of their poorer efforts. The most exciting thing to happen in the plot was Nina's Bronco being stolen, complete with three confidential client files in the back seat. When all three cases suddenly go sour, and lead to a State Bar hearing against Nina, were we supposed to be surprised? Ex-husband Jack, whom, as a lawyer's lawyer, Nina hires to defend her, and current lover Paul, her regular investigator (she's otherwise a one-lawyer shop, with just Sandy as a secretary), bicker the whole book long in a juvenile attempt to attract Nina's attention and compete with each other: wow! The last third of the book is the disbarment hearing -- and guess who wins. Of course Nina comes up heroine as the Bronco thief is discovered, and then, boom, the authors end this 450 page book with more information in the last 4 pages than the whole rest of the book put together.
We usually enjoy lawyer stories which is what prompted us to try this novel. We were disappointed by the trivial storyline, the complete lack of suspense, and characters who spent most of the time acting like adolescents. Truthfully, we didn't even develop much interest in or sympathy for Nina, who must have avowed her love for the law and her desire to defend the underdog like half a dozen times -- please, we get the drift.
Maybe some of the other O'Shaughnessy books are more fun, but these authors have a long way to go to approach the likes of Turow or Scottoline. Try them instead.
July 16, 2011
I read this series out of order and I don't mind one bit. This is another gripping tale in Nina's life as a lawyer. Perri O'Shaughnessy's writing style kept me reading page after page until I was anxious and palpitating. I liked how the courtroom drama was presented in the book, I always say this in my reviews and I'm not tired of saying it: it's like watching the real thing - how lawyers manipulate the questioning, the justice system, and how some people are psychologically twisted.
The conflict was iron-hot and I was really wondering who did it, I wasn't convinced that the obvious ones were the suspects, it was really difficult for Nina to defend herself and Paul hired Jack the ex-husband because of his expertise in the matter.
I really felt for Nina in this book because she has a lot on her plate: her feelings for Paul, how Bob sees her as a mom, how she reexamines her life as a lawyer, and the crises due to the stolen files just dropped 3 bombs in her career.
The ending was subdued as it should be after the climax. I'll still check out this author's other works. Nina Reilly represents all the women who have the balls to do a man's job, in a man's world, and exceed the men's expectations.
The conflict was iron-hot and I was really wondering who did it, I wasn't convinced that the obvious ones were the suspects, it was really difficult for Nina to defend herself and Paul hired Jack the ex-husband because of his expertise in the matter.
I really felt for Nina in this book because she has a lot on her plate: her feelings for Paul, how Bob sees her as a mom, how she reexamines her life as a lawyer, and the crises due to the stolen files just dropped 3 bombs in her career.
The ending was subdued as it should be after the climax. I'll still check out this author's other works. Nina Reilly represents all the women who have the balls to do a man's job, in a man's world, and exceed the men's expectations.
March 19, 2012
An attorney's worst nightmare. Nina's bronco is stolen. What's so bad? Three of her most crucial cases are in there with notes she wrote about the clients. So what Paul does is get her a lawyer. But not just any lawyer, Jack. The ex-husband of Nina Reilly. But the worst is yet to come. All of her cases are making an appearance. The most important details, lies, etc. are beginning to make her clients in danger for their lives and Nina is starting to lose her cases. But the most is still yet to come. She gets complaints. Three of them. One from every one of her clients cases she lost. The ones that have been stolen from her bronco. A surprising ending, a very good book.
July 13, 2010
Pretty good whodunit, with the heroine< Nina Reilly threatened with the possible loss of her profession as an attorney due to suspicious happenings. While the book was a pretty good page-turner for me, I found myself critical of some of the later chapters that contained some "contrived" situations that called my attention to the writing, rather than the story. The ending was rough - not a smoothly flowing one and didn't deliver as well as the rest of the book. That said, I will still probably try another book by these authors.
November 25, 2013
Attorney Nina Reilly's car is stolen along with three confidential client files--a child custody case, an insurance case and a possible murder case. Before long all three cases begin to implode, and then she is threatened with disbarment. I enjoyed the earlier books in the series very much, but did not find this one as interesting, perhaps because the Lake Tahoe setting was not a big part of the story.
October 11, 2016
I like books by Perri O'Shaughnessy & I enjoy reading about Nina Reilly & the cases she works on. Need to find all of them & read from 1st to last.
January 6, 2025
It's easy to lose things. We all do it. There probably have even been moments when you or I left a thumb drive lying on the desk unattended for brief moments while we rushed down the hall and back at an office. I trust that isn't as likely a scenario for you as it might have been for me at one time or another, but the point is, most of us have moments when we inadvertently separate ourselves from things that are extremely important and deserve better protection than we give them.
The storm Nina Reilly dealt with that day after work was nasty. Lots of cold, lots of rain, andd a lot of desire to get out of the elements. To her frustration, she realized at some point that she had mislaid her car key. She carried a plastic one provided by the manufacturer of the car for emergency situations when she had locked herself out. She used the plastic key, flung her briefcase in the back seat, and drove home in the storm. Determining that she could gather the files out of her briefcase either later that night or in the morning, she simply rushed into the house.
In the morning, to her horror, she found someone had stolen her car. Inside, on the back seat, were three files that included extremely confidential notes she had taken on three relatively high-profile cases.
While she waited for the cops to find her missing car, she began to do damage control on the missing files. She thought if she could get ahead of things and let the clients know what had happened, that she would avoid the worst. Alas, the missing files turn up in the hands of someone who wants her career to end permanently. Unable to stop the information leaks, Nina resigns herself to the inevitability of a Bar Association hearing in which a judge could very easily find her unfit to practice. Her ex-husband and her current love interest, the guy she pays to investigate things for her when she needs an investigator, work on the case together. They searched for the missing files, but they also try to find who stole them.
This is wonderful nail-biting suspense. There's lots of courtroom drama represented in that Bar Association hearing, and these exceptionally talented women who write this series do a magnificent job of setting up what feels like a hopeless situation. There's even a fast-paced denouement That will fully engage you to the epilogue.
As to the epilogue, it feels a bit crammed. It feels like the old relative’s attic into which the authors cram stuff that ties loose ends together, but I came away feeling like I’d been in the presence of a lot of clutter—arguably helpful clutter, but clutter just the same.
I’m glad I stayed with this. It was wonderfully entertaining, and even the epilogue wasn’t a dealbreaker. I suppose you can read this without tapping into the previous books, but you won’t serve yourself well by doing that.
The storm Nina Reilly dealt with that day after work was nasty. Lots of cold, lots of rain, andd a lot of desire to get out of the elements. To her frustration, she realized at some point that she had mislaid her car key. She carried a plastic one provided by the manufacturer of the car for emergency situations when she had locked herself out. She used the plastic key, flung her briefcase in the back seat, and drove home in the storm. Determining that she could gather the files out of her briefcase either later that night or in the morning, she simply rushed into the house.
In the morning, to her horror, she found someone had stolen her car. Inside, on the back seat, were three files that included extremely confidential notes she had taken on three relatively high-profile cases.
While she waited for the cops to find her missing car, she began to do damage control on the missing files. She thought if she could get ahead of things and let the clients know what had happened, that she would avoid the worst. Alas, the missing files turn up in the hands of someone who wants her career to end permanently. Unable to stop the information leaks, Nina resigns herself to the inevitability of a Bar Association hearing in which a judge could very easily find her unfit to practice. Her ex-husband and her current love interest, the guy she pays to investigate things for her when she needs an investigator, work on the case together. They searched for the missing files, but they also try to find who stole them.
This is wonderful nail-biting suspense. There's lots of courtroom drama represented in that Bar Association hearing, and these exceptionally talented women who write this series do a magnificent job of setting up what feels like a hopeless situation. There's even a fast-paced denouement That will fully engage you to the epilogue.
As to the epilogue, it feels a bit crammed. It feels like the old relative’s attic into which the authors cram stuff that ties loose ends together, but I came away feeling like I’d been in the presence of a lot of clutter—arguably helpful clutter, but clutter just the same.
I’m glad I stayed with this. It was wonderfully entertaining, and even the epilogue wasn’t a dealbreaker. I suppose you can read this without tapping into the previous books, but you won’t serve yourself well by doing that.
September 21, 2018
Nina Reilly, the legal eagle who is almost too good to be true, is working on her relationship with Paul, her investigator, when, one tired night, she leaves her client files in her car (actually, her truck; Americans call those monster machines cars for some reason that the rest of humanity cannot fathom). Sure enough, in the morning, her car has been stolen, with the files. The car finds its way back, thanks to police who really don't like a defense lawyer, and don't believe they were there to start with, particularly as our lawyer refuses to release any information on what the files looked like or contained.
Except now her clients are getting into messes. Lethal ones. And suddenly, there is a pack of cases against her to get her disbarred as she is unfit to practice. But wait, there is a lawyer who specialises in defending such as her, and Paul introduces her ... to her ex-husband. Convolutions in the relationship, and shenanigans in the hearings.
You do know she'll come off smelling of roses, but you wonder at the same time, who is it who is out to ruin her (and if any clients need to be blooded at the altar of her ruin, so be it). Neat.
Somehow, I do like the Perri (Pamela + Mary, sisters) O'Shaughnessy books I've read (there's another one in the queue for writing about), but it's almost always picked up as a second choice. Something safe and not likely to overly horrify or to shake my thinking. Lazy Sunday reads. Really lazy.
[Review written in 2013; uploaded here now]
Except now her clients are getting into messes. Lethal ones. And suddenly, there is a pack of cases against her to get her disbarred as she is unfit to practice. But wait, there is a lawyer who specialises in defending such as her, and Paul introduces her ... to her ex-husband. Convolutions in the relationship, and shenanigans in the hearings.
You do know she'll come off smelling of roses, but you wonder at the same time, who is it who is out to ruin her (and if any clients need to be blooded at the altar of her ruin, so be it). Neat.
Somehow, I do like the Perri (Pamela + Mary, sisters) O'Shaughnessy books I've read (there's another one in the queue for writing about), but it's almost always picked up as a second choice. Something safe and not likely to overly horrify or to shake my thinking. Lazy Sunday reads. Really lazy.
[Review written in 2013; uploaded here now]
October 13, 2019
Attorney Nina Reilly has a tough day and foolishly leaves three files in her Bronco, which is stolen during the night. The sad thing is that whoever stole her bronco chooses to release information from these files, complicating Nina's life and the lives of her client.
Through it all, the authors (two sisters work on these novels together under the pename on the cover) weave a decent mystery with plenty of false trails. The suspects are all credible. Some of the investigation seems a bit much for investigators, but her team always dives in on relevant clues.
These leaks, however, lead to Nina being called before the State bar. Her investigators are still putting together clues as they seek to minimize the damage. The state bar hearing is perhaps the best scenes in the story.
The story is somewhat above average-- the personal involvement portions of the story are somewhat involving. Nina's son, Bob, is struggling with daddy issues (his dad lives in Switzerland) and this tends to toss in some relationship stuff that serves (for me) as little more than filler (Do these authors get paid by the word) and detract from the actual mystery.
Finally, there is a DIE HARD type moment later in the story that strained my belief and marred the conclusion. The resolution was less than satisfying because it was so overblown.
I won't give up on these authors because the mysteries are always compelling-- but this one just wasn't as good.
Through it all, the authors (two sisters work on these novels together under the pename on the cover) weave a decent mystery with plenty of false trails. The suspects are all credible. Some of the investigation seems a bit much for investigators, but her team always dives in on relevant clues.
These leaks, however, lead to Nina being called before the State bar. Her investigators are still putting together clues as they seek to minimize the damage. The state bar hearing is perhaps the best scenes in the story.
The story is somewhat above average-- the personal involvement portions of the story are somewhat involving. Nina's son, Bob, is struggling with daddy issues (his dad lives in Switzerland) and this tends to toss in some relationship stuff that serves (for me) as little more than filler (Do these authors get paid by the word) and detract from the actual mystery.
Finally, there is a DIE HARD type moment later in the story that strained my belief and marred the conclusion. The resolution was less than satisfying because it was so overblown.
I won't give up on these authors because the mysteries are always compelling-- but this one just wasn't as good.
October 20, 2020
Very cool premise - looking at a successful lawyer's career from the inside out and seeing where the fringes of legal meet the drive to win. Some decent individual scene writing, esp. with pace and plotting. Some passages with clever dialogue and/or fluid explanation of a legal concept or procedure gave nice insight to the actual legalities at play. Yet...this is 8th in the series and characters are fairly 2-dimensional. The main character's many facets/interests/priorities are revealed with oddly-timed jumps in perspective. Her parenting seems an after-thought (in the writing, not as a distinctive character flaw). Lots of editing issues: narrative flow stops short when scenery descriptions are dropped in non-organically; awkward wordplay (e.g. repeated words within 1-2 sentences read more like accidental redundancies than literary repetition); and it's not quite Deus ex Machina, but there's a significant amount of investigatory work and plot reveal jammed into the end; overly long and detailed descriptions did not balance well with some of the pacier or more oblique moments. This is a harsh review so it's important to note I kept reading because the original premise and the ways in which good guys and bad guys (lawyers and criminals in each category) can build each other up or break each other down in court (and elsewhere) were deftly arranged in terms of the legal/case puzzle; it just needed more refined story elements.
July 16, 2018
This is a cozy mystery, not a murder mystery (there a couple of murders which happen off stage, but they are not integral to the plot). The mystery is about who is trying to frame Nina so that she is disbarred and cannot practice law again. Two thirds of the book are about Nina, Paul and Jack trying to find out who did it. They investigate all leads, interview all persons who may have an interest in the case, but cannot unravel the mystery. The final third takes place in a court room where gradually the truths are revealed. Jeff Reisner, Nina's arch rival in Lake Tahoe, is the culprit. There is an exciting finale on top of a high rise as Reisner and Paul, Nina's boyfriend and savior, fight hand to hand, and Reisner falls to his death. This final third was fast-paced and exciting.
In the epilogue, Nina quits her practice in Lake Tahoe and moves to Carmel with Paul. All loose ends are tied up and it seems that this series will take a different turn. I will continue on with this series since the stories are interesting and do not follow a formula.
In the epilogue, Nina quits her practice in Lake Tahoe and moves to Carmel with Paul. All loose ends are tied up and it seems that this series will take a different turn. I will continue on with this series since the stories are interesting and do not follow a formula.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2020
Haven't read this series in quite awhile, and was disappointed in this book. The story started out pretty good; I thought the plot was different enough to hold my interest. But the repetitious facts of the three involved cases, drove me crazy and by the last 100 pages, I was skimming. Over and over again...repeat, repeat... I lost count of how many times the "facts" were discussed. Nina's trial was beyond boring. Didn't like the characters too much either. I have 3 other books on my shelf by these writers but will not read them for quite awhile.
June 18, 2019
A neat change from the usual legal thriller. Here, the female protagonist, a lawyer, has to defend herself before the Bar of a charge of being unfit to practice. An interesting set of relationships. Fairly lowkey stuff with a bit of action towards the end. Over all quite a delightful book. Good prose made it all the more enjoyable. I'd like to read the two earlier books with the same main character.
April 7, 2025
This is a legal thriller, which was a great read. Nina Riley‘s unlocked truck is stolen and her most sensitive files are now gone as well as the candid notes she made regarding her clients. Now those secrets are being revealed and Nina is fighting for her clients and her livelihood as the California State Bar is trying to revoke her license. I truly enjoy the two sisters’ approach to combined authorship.
May 7, 2017
Nina loses important confidential files when her SUV is stolen. Someone is leaking information from the files in ways that damage her clients. As a result, Nina faces potential disbarment. Can she and her lover/investigator Paul uncover the truth in time to save her career? I liked this one a bit more than some others.
July 15, 2020
It's the moment every lawyer fears most...one careless moment that threatens careers, reputations and lives. For Nina Reilly, it will change everything, igniting a case where her own clients are witnesses against her, and where the defendant is Nina herself.
** As always a pleasure to wrap myself up in another Nina Reilly mystery.
** As always a pleasure to wrap myself up in another Nina Reilly mystery.
January 11, 2021
interestering. Nina gets in trouble again. Now she has both of her men working for her. Jack, former husband, and PAul, current boyfriend.
Love how she always wraps up all the bits and pieces at the end.
Love how she always wraps up all the bits and pieces at the end.
June 27, 2017
Rushed to finish the book; good entertainment when you want something light and leisure.
August 17, 2017
Excellent.
March 4, 2018
mediocre
June 28, 2018
Not one of her best. Very slow reading.
Read
May 23, 2020Great Nina Reilly adventure... is this the end?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2020
This was not bad. About a lawyer who gets herself in trouble with the bar. She loses her files on four of her clients and so they bring a complaint against her. Lots of twist and turns.
June 20, 2020
Lots of twists and turns, sure kept me reading
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews