cover image He Said, She Said

He Said, She Said

John DeCure. Skyhorse, $24.99 (480p) ISBN 978-1-63450-867-4

More is decidedly less in this meandering legal thriller from DeCure (Reef Dance). Deputy attorney general Bradlee Aames, whose “life is an endless, all-consuming struggle with perception,” goes after the licenses of bad doctors for the California medical board. But she’s been covering only minor cases after she mishandled an assignment while stoned. Her married boss, Raul Mendibles, is obsessed with Bradlee, whom he views as a walking reminder that he’s just a “weak little sinner.” The two clash over the sexual misconduct case of psychiatrist Donald Fallon (aka Dr. Don, a former TV personality). Board president Everett Coughlin insists that Dr. Don, who helped the board recently, get just a slap on the wrist, an outrageous outcome that Bradlee fights tooth and nail. Unfortunately, DeCure tells the story from not just the viewpoints of Bradlee and Mendibles but also those of multiple supporting characters, none of whom are sympathetic or engaging. (May)