cover image Corrupt Practices: A Parker Stern Novel

Corrupt Practices: A Parker Stern Novel

Robert Rotstein. Prometheus/Seventh Street, $15.95 trade paper (378p) ISBN 978-1-61614-791-4

L.A. lawyer Parker Stern, the hero of Rotstein’s fine first novel, hasn’t set foot in a courtroom in the 18 months since the suicide of his mentor, Harmon Cherry. Stern mostly hangs out in the West Hollywood coffee shop run by his ex-colleague and occasional lover, Deanna Poulos, who informs him that Rich Baxter, once his colleague and anything but a friend, needs his help. Baxter wants Stern to represent him against numerous charges—notably, the theft of $17 million—brought against him by the Church of the Sanctified Assembly, a Scientology-like organization for which Baxter had been working. When Baxter becomes a second suicide, Stern’s personal, complex history with the group pushes him to delve deeper. Stern’s early career as a child actor and the betrayal he felt when his stage mother joined the church become relevant factors in the investigation. A steady stream of intriguing revelations delivered in a lively, precise style will keep readers turning the pages. Agent: Jill Marr, the Sandra Dijkstra Agency. (June)