No Defense — Kate Wilhelm

Barbara Holloway has a reputation for taking on difficult cases and winning. But in every previous case, there's been some fragment on which to build an argument. This time, she may have taken on a case with no defense at all.

Lara and Vinny Jessup had a wonderful marriage. It renewed his lease on life after tragedy tainted his first marriage, and it rescued Lara and her young son from a hateful ex-husband. But it all ends when Vinny is killed in an accident.

The sheriff first suspects that Vinny died when his car rolled over on a treacherous curve on Lookout Mountain. Then he finds the gunshot wound. And with a large insurance policy as motive, suspicion turns to Lara.

With only the word of an accused woman and a mysterious box of papers about the unsolved murder of Vinny's son, Barbara takes on Lara's case. And realizes she may be facing the biggest challenge of her career: an innocent client with no defense.