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Lia Matera

Murder halts a high-profile lawyer’s revenge against her ex-husband in this series opener by the author of the Willa Jansson Mysteries.

Many years ago, attorney Laura Di Palma fled her rainy, gray hometown of Hillsdale in Northern California, leaving behind painful memories to make it big in San Francisco. Now, she’s quite the controversial figure, having secured a client’s acquittal of the murder of two senators. One would think she’d stay put to ride the wave of her recent success, but she’s eager to get back at her ex-husband Gary …

The plan is to return to Hillsdale, nab the public defender job Gary wants so badly, make him squirm, and force him to feel remorse over the death of the man Laura almost left him for. But there are a few snags along the way: first, Gary is attacked before Laura has a real chance to speak with him; then two terrible murders quickly follow suit.

It’s clear Laura’s not the only one in town with an axe to grind, and if she hopes to survive the storm of violence ripping through Hillsdale, she’ll need to remain a step ahead of a killer—and watch her back.

Praise for the Laura Di Palma Mysteries

“Di Palma is one of the smartest, most open-minded sleuths in the lawyering trade… . [Matera] writes with intelligence and feeling about issues that still hurt and people who still care. ” —The New York Times

“Di Palma certainly belongs in the same league as Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone and Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski when it comes to brains, determination, and guts. ” —Booklist

“A welcome respite from the mystery-by-formula crowd. ” —Kirkus Reviews

MysteriousPress.com/Open Road

The Laura Di Palma Mysteries

The Smart Money

Murder and a missing person disrupt a high-profile lawyer’s climb up the ladder of success in this mystery by the author of The Smart Money.

Everything’s falling into place for attorney Laura Di Palma. She’s about to become a partner at her prominent firm, she has a great apartment, and she’s paid off her Mercedes. Then disaster strikes. Her sick boyfriend goes missing from his hospital bed, and her firm’s detective—who’s also her ex—is eager for a second chance.

Meanwhile, work only adds to Laura’s tension. Her newest client, activist Danny Crosetti, is accused of murdering an FBI agent, and her firm’s top partner threatens to fire her if she doesn’t drop the case. But Danny’s an old friend from Laura’s days of protesting. She can’t turn her back on him.

When another murder is thrown into the mix, juggling her demanding career and missing lover while keeping her ex at a distance—even though she really needs his help—will prove to be quite the challenge for Laura. But time is of the essence: she must find the killer before everything comes falling down …

“The Good Fight is sharply written, brilliantly observed. ” —John Leonard, NPR’s Fresh Air

“Extraordinary, thought-provoking. Laura Di Palma is one of the most compelling characters in recent mystery fiction. ” —The Baltimore Sun

“Compelling … Matera writes with passion about debts to old lovers and old causes. ” —New York Daily News

“A satisfying blend of emotion, suspense and mystery. ” —The Pittsburgh Press

The Good Fight

A burned-out attorney investigates a strange small-town suicide in this mystery from the author of The Good Fight.

Laura Di Palma’s days as a high-profile San Francisco lawyer are behind her. Four hundred miles north of the city in her peaceful hometown, she now spends her days hiking in the woods and helping her lover cope with his war injuries. But their retreat is soon interrupted by a private detective—Laura’s former flame—who’s looking for help with his disturbing new case …

Karen McGuin was a troubled woman. Her husband, Ted, claims that, after her first suicide attempt, he’d leave a loaded gun in front of her every day to force her to choose life. But one day she finally chose the gun. Now Karen’s family wants Ted charged with murder.

As Laura examines Karen’s past, she’s forced to question the status of her own life. But self-reflection quickly takes a backseat after Ted almost dies in an explosion. Suspicious of foul play, Laura knows she must uncover the truth before a killer strikes again … 

“Matera skilfully weaves Laura’s dissatisfaction with her own circumstances into the investigation of Karen’s death, taking a thought-provoking look at the dangers in relationships that grow too close. ” —Publishers Weekly

“A welcome respite from the mystery-by-formula crowd. ” —Kirkus Reviews

A Hard Bargain

A lawyer is drawn into a dangerous case after a love guru shakes up San Francisco in this mystery by the author of A Hard Bargain.

Leaving an expensive firm and toxic work environment behind her, attorney Laura Di Palma has opened her own practice. She’s eager for business, and she’s not about to turn away fellow lawyer Margaret Lenin.

Margaret had been struggling with a midlife crisis. Full of deep questions, she sought answers from a spiritual master, a guru by the name of Brother Mike. He led videotaped group therapy sessions to help his followers explore their spirituality and sexuality. The trouble is those tapes are now available in the XXX sections of video stores …

Taking the case pushes Laura far out of her comfort zone. She needs help from her ex, PI Sandy Arkelett, and their investigation leads them from stuffy boardrooms to strip clubs, porno shops, a private fantasy island—and a grisly murder scene …

“Absorbing … Multiple murders and delightfully complex characters help carry a plot that moves from a striptease bar to a guru’s mysterious island retreat… . A fine, intelligent story. ” —USA Today

“This latest Laura Di Palma adventure is no exception to the tight plotting, good characterizations, and page turning suspense that have typified the earlier entries in the series and that make Matera one of the best contemporary mystery novelists… . Highly recommend … Matera is too good to miss. ”—Booklist

Face Value

A high-profile San Francisco lawyer scrambles to save her career, her client, and her life in this mystery by the author of Face Value.

When a cash-cow client bails, attorney Laura Di Palma is certain her old boss is out to ruin her. She visits labor lawyer Jocelyn Kinsley to sue the creep for slander, but their meeting is cut short when Jocelyn is shot by an intruder. As she lays dying, she whispers a cryptic clue to Laura: “Designer crimes. ”

Assisted by her friend and former flame, private detective Sandy Arkelett, Laura searches for the meaning behind Jocelyn’s last words. Meanwhile, she must defend her one remaining client, an old high school friend accused of murder. His girlfriend left town—a bucket of blood in her wake.

Sandy wonders if the bullet that killed Jocelyn was meant for Laura, and when someone tries to shoot her, she begins to agree. Now, Laura must decipher who’s out to kill whom and why—before someone makes certain her only client is her last …

“Complex and satisfying for Ms. Matera’s faithful readers, who have come to expect such brain-burners from her. ” —The New York Times

“Matera’s skill and literary flair are everywhere on display. Every word counts, and the pieces of the puzzle fit together with exhilarating precision. ” —ABA Journal

“Matera once again demonstrates her mastery of characterization, plotting, and pacing. ” —Booklist