SUFFERING FOOLS by Ed Gaffney (Dell)

I rarely reach for legal thrillers when I first visit my bookshelves, but I'm nearly always glad when I do. This one is no exception. What we have here is enough conflict for several novels, but Gaffney boils everything down into a manageable load. Zack Wilson and Terry Tallach, successful attorneys, accept a pro bono case—very commendable. Several problems arise: their befuddled client doesn't answer to his own name, the state has a compelling case, and the investigator has gathered top notch evidence. Like a knitter adding bits of colorful yarn to a complicated pattern, Gaffney pulls all the strings to just the length for a tight knot at exactly the right time. This the type legal thriller that keeps drawing me to that section of the bookcase!