Court of Honor

Former assistant district attorney Wood ( Fugitive City ) clearly knows the inner workings of the judicial system. In his latest effort, however, he imparts this knowledge stiffly, leaving readers bored and disappointed. Following the breakup of his marriage, respected judge Tim Nash agrees to go undercover in Operation Broken Trust--an attempt to clean up the courts and weed out those who would abuse their power. Nash hobnobs with known criminals and reluctantly deceives his associates and friends, all in the name of honor and righteousness. In the process, he falls in love with Janice, assistant to the prosecutor in charge of the sting. As Nash becomes more and more involved in the investigation, he discovers that not only are many of his friends corrupt, but his late father, also a respected judge, may have had some things to hide as well. The subplots are disjointed and, often, unsatisfactorily resolved, exacerbating the formulaic feel of the book. Film rights to Tri-Star/Jane Fonda Films. (Nov.)