Title: Weave a Murderous Web
Authors: Anne Rothman- Hicks & Ken Hicks
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Melange Books
Summary:No good deed goes unpunished. Mark Samuels, a somewhat seedy matrimonial lawyer, is dead from an overdose of suspiciously pure cocaine. Jane Larson, a hotshot litigator for a large law firm in New York City, is sucked into the world of divorce and child support when her friend Francine asks her to help out one of Mark’s clients.
Jane quickly learns that the case is a complete loser and that her new client, Gail, is a demanding and unscrupulous prima donna. However, through some skillful legal work and a tip-off from a mysterious informant, Jane uncovers a safe deposit box where the deadbeat husband has been hiding a large chunk of cash.
She also attracts the attention of a fellow lawyer (Bryan) who is handsome and successful and an excellent protector from the threats to her life that suddenly start popping up with alarming frequency, along with murders of people related to the case—among them the deadbeat dad and an undercover cop.
It soon becomes apparent that Jane's discovery of the cash has only started to unravel a web of lies, drugs, and criminal activity. Ultimately, she is involved in a race to recover a suitcase of money that Jane hopes will help police catch the murderer before she becomes the next victim.
The judge mounted the steps to the bench and sat down quickly as though he had been attending to some urgent business, but couldn’t wait to get out here and sweat with the rest of us. He said hello to the assemblage, received back a muffled chorus of “Good afternoon, Your Honor,” made a joke that nobody heard and everyone laughed at, and shuffled some papers.
He was ready to embark on the business of the day when his face suddenly turned sour and his forehead flushed. He pointed one long bony finger toward the rear.
“Get them out of my courtroom,” he ordered.
One hundred and thirty lawyers’ gazes, including mine, followed his outstretched arm, although my colleagues did not gasp in horror the way I did. Many, no doubt, enjoyed it. There was Gail again, with Courtney in tow, turning this way and that to squeeze through the courtroom door in those cardboard barrel costumes.
The court officer started briskly across the room, unable not to smile at the prospect of confronting my client, whose body strained against the spandex with a fit that was wonderful to behold, especially after she had climbed the stairs and perspiration had made select parts of her costume particularly clingy.
It occurred to me I had not yet entered a formal appearance for this woman and could simply melt into the crowd and make an unobtrusive exit. Ridge would have definitely appreciated the move. Lord knows I would have saved myself an astounding amount of trouble. Even Martha would agree with me on that.
However, having told Francine I was ‘in,’ I would sooner have faced a squad of pit bulls than informed her I was out. So, like a well-trained policeman who runs toward the sound of gunfire, I hopped to my feet and hurried toward the judge.
“May I be heard, Your Honor,” I shouted above the din.
Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks first started writing books together while Anne was a student at Bryn Mawr College and Ken was a student at Haverford College— a long time ago, when, as their children like to say, dinosaurs roamed the earth.
In 1973, they came to New York City while Ken attended law school at Columbia University and Anne worked as an editor in publishing. They have lived here ever since and do not intend to leave voluntarily.
They wrote their first novel together in 1976, hoping that it would be a success and Ken would not have to even start working as a lawyer. Alas, that book is still in on the upper shelf of their closet, but they kept at the writing business. In 1984, they published Theft of the Shroud, a novel, through Banbury books, distributed by Putnam. That same year they also published a series of 10 books based on the most popular names for boys and girls, as well as a book about the stars for children. Following these successes, Ken quit law for two years as he and Anne devoted themselves fulltime to writing and their children. However, children need to eat and be clothed and go to school, and these things all cost money, so Ken resumed the practice of law. Still, they continued to write, and rewrite, and rewrite some more.
Prior to the publication of Weave A Murderous Web, Ken and Anne wrote Praise Her, Praise Diana, (Adult thriller) Melange Books LLC, 2014, Kate and the Kid, (Adult mainstream) Wings ePress 2013, and Things Are Not What They Seem (Tween fantasy) MuseItUp Publishing 2014. Anne and Ken have also self-published two small-format photography books, which are available on the Apple iBookstore – Hearts (no flowers) Signs of Love in the Gritty City and Picture Stones.
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