A while back I came across one of Marcia Clark's books when I was wandering the bookstore and I was intrigued that the former prosecutor had made a career change to crime author. Then I was given the opportunity to pick up "Moral Defense" from the publisher in exchange for an honest review; I jumped at the chance.
This is the second in the series and I admit to not having read the first. That being said, I didn't feel like I was missing anything terribly critical as it specifically related to the crime in this case. The author, also managed to give enough background around the main characters where , as the reader, I understood some of the nuances that were mentioned from the past without feeling lost. Admittedly, I did miss out on some character development especially as it relates to the relationship between Sam and Dale.
This is one of the few times where I can say, I enjoyed the book and the storytelling but I really don't particularly like the main character, at all. She's a defense attorney who has a seriously warped moral code. It's made clear very early that she's involved in some shady business meting out her own brand of justice. Which seems to involve getting people killed, but only if they really deserve it. I think the main reason I don't like her is because she's not a caricature like "Dexter". She could be a real person and that's as disturbing as the main crime.
I'd give this 3 1/2 stars and although I don't feel a need to read the first in the series, I anticipate that I will read the next one just to see where it goes.