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Published Jun 2015
400 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Lisa and Joe Stone, married for twenty years and partners in their small law firm in Henry County, Virginia, handle less-than-glamorous cases, whether domestic disputes, personal injury settlements, or never-ending complaints from their cantankerous client Lettie VanSandt ("eccentric" by some accounts, "certifiable" by others). When Lettie dies in a freakish fire, the Stones think it's certainly possible that she was cooking meth in her trailer.
But details soon emerge that lead them to question how "accidental" her demise actually was, and settling her peculiar estate becomes endlessly complicated.
Before long, the Stones find themselves entangled in a corporate conspiracy that will require all their legal skills—not to mention some difficult ethical choices—for them to survive. Meanwhile, Lisa is desperately trying to shield Joe from a secret, dreadful error that she would give anything to erase, even as his career—and her own—hangs in the balance. In The Jezebel Remedy, Clark gives us a stunning portrait of a marriage, an intricate tour of the legal system, and a relentlessly entertaining story that is full of inventions, shocks, and understanding.
"Starred Review. Fast-paced and delightfully unpredictable... Not only do the frequent plot twists keep the reader glued to the page, but Clark's depiction of life in rural Virginia and the depth and sensitivity of his character portrayals make the book memorable for much more than its clever legal machinations." - Library Journal
"The central plot is thin, the subplots sap the novel's momentum, the resolution depends less on legal wrangling than luck, and the dialogue lacks Clark's previous punch. " - Publishers Weekly
"Its snappy repartee, shrewd regional observations, and quirky characterizations help one understand why Clark's been compared to the likes of Elmore Leonard and, especially, Carl Hiaasen." - Kirkus Reviews
This information about The Jezebel Remedy was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Martin Clark is a Virginia circuit court judge. His past novels have been chosen as a New York Times Notable Book, a Washington Post Book World Best Book of the Year, a Bookmarks Magazine Best Book of the Year, a finalist for the Stephen Crane First Fiction Award, and a Book-of-the-Month Club selection. His last novel, The Legal Limit, was the winner of the Library of Virginia's People's Choice Award and was called "a model of how to write a literary legal thriller" by The Oregonian. He lives in Patrick County, Virginia, with his wife, Deana. Follow Martin at www.martinclark.com
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