Rating: 
Summary: Nina Takes a U-Turn
Review: "Unfit to Practice" is either a bold and brilliant move by the O'Shaughnessy sisters to keep their Nina Reilly series alive, or a rush-to-deadline departure from the series' usual content. I think it must be the former.Nina, the stubborn, beautiful, competent and courageous Lake Tahoe attorney who is central to every book, is a very different woman as this one begins. First of all, she is inexplicably in love with Paul, the private eye who helps her with each case, and who has been her on-again, off-again lover as Nina's mood and marital circumstances dictate. In the last book, "Writ of Execution," they were on again. But nothing prepared this reader for the romantic, almost desperate intensity with which Nina now loves Paul. Where did this come from? For those of us who have been rooting for Paul all along, it's a happy circumstance, but the one-sentence explanation for this turn of events doesn't quite make it. The plot, however, is a good one. Nina finds herself on the other side of the law as she is called before the California State Bar in a disciplinary action that could cost her everything she holds dear. One careless but very human action--leaving her keys behind in the courtroom--has led to a series of nightmarish disasters. Her car is stolen, and so are the three highly confidential client files she carelessly left in the back seat. Each of the files contains materials that could prove extremely damaging to Nina's clients, and as the plot unfolds, that's exactly what happens. Struggling to clear her good name, hold on to her career, and also undo the terrible damage done to her clients, Nina enlists not only the help of the stalwart Paul, but also her ex-husband Jack, whom we've heard about but never met. A high-powered California attorney, Jack specalizes in defending his fellow attorneys before the Bar. Can he save Nina? Or will his still-personal feelings for her get in the way? Throughout the tense ordeal, Nina still has to deal with her son Bob, who, now 14, has turned from the sweet child of previous books to an all-too-typical sullen teenager. I won't give away the truly surprising end of the book, but I will say that Nina, and therefore the series, will never be the same again. I don't think this book quite pulled it off for regular readers like me, since the major changes in Nina constantly had me thinking about previous books, diverting me from the plot-at-hand. But I have to applaud the O'Shaughnessys for a truly bold and brave move. Not many authors have the guts to change a popular series in mid-stream, and this is what they have definitely done. I look forward to the next book to see how they tie up the loose ends!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Fast-paced and compelling, "Unfit to Practice" is a tour de force by the O'Shaughnessy sisters. The plot is interesting, intriguing and full of surprising twists. From its easy flow to its imaginative descriptions, the writing is elegant and mature and the story is terrific. When Nina Reilly finds herself burned by a legal disaster that may lead to her disbarment, she rises - like the proverbial phoenix - renewed, refreshed and refocused. In this 8th installment, Nina is at her personal and professional best as she fights to save her practice and unravel the mystery of who is trying to destroy her even as she puts her past behind her and moves forward into the future with her friend and lover, Paul van Wagoner. A page-turner from start to finish, this latest Nina Reilly mystery is sure to please old fans and new readers alike. Although I've read and enjoyed all of the Perri O'Shaughnessy novels, I absolutely loved everything about this book and would rank it as my favorite.
Rating:
Summary: A Lawyer's Nightmare
Review: For the legal thriller addict, Unfit To Practice is an interesting fix. The O'Shaughnessy sisters pen a tale that is entertainingly suspenseful. Nina Reilly, a small town lawyer has her vehicle stolen and with it the files of three of her clients. The sensitive files apparently fall into the wrong hands. The book details the subsequent fallout. I found Ms. Reilly's ethical dilemmas realistic. This was the first O'Shaughnessy novel I have read, so I am unable to compare it with previous Reilly reads. Although the story is a bit too touchy-feely for my general liking - one reviewer described the book as a "chick-flip" - and certainly not the best legal thriller I have read, I was entertained and plan on reading another Reilly novel.
Rating: 
Summary: MALICE BECOMES MURDER IN THIS THRILLER
Review: Here's a star sister act that plays not at your neighborhood theater but at the local bookstore. To date the sisters O'Shaughnessy, Pamela (a Harvard Law School graduate) and Mary (a former editor), have co-authored seven popular legal thrillers. Two of their fast-paced dramas were "Writ of Execution" and "Malice." Brace yourselves for a suspenseful ride in "Unfit To Practice."
Facing the worst fear of any attorney, Nina Reilly is looking at a disciplinary hearing before the California State Bar Court and possible disbarment. Lawyer Reilly's unlocked truck, which held pertinent case files and revealing notes she had taken, is stolen. That's not the worst case scenario: soon, information that could only be found in her notes surfaces, and is revealed in ways that are most damaging to her client. So, Reilly finds herself before the State Bar in a battle for her license. You can tell she's in dire straits when she turns to her ex-husband to lead her defense. He and her off/on boyfriend PI Paul van Wagoner don't see eye to eye nor do they try. Malice becomes murder in this drama that shifts from tension filled courtroom to the secret recesses of a woman's heart. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: First half good`
Review: I have read other books by these authors and liked them. This book started out ok but went downhill. The trial was very, very boring and just the first half of the story over again. The ending was just ridiculous. Sometimes when authors are doing a series the books go downhill - maybe they are on deadline. I will stop and think before I buy another book by them.
Rating:
Summary: Move her back to her cabin!
Review: I was a little disappointed with the ending of this book, and I want the secretary back; they can keep Wish. Why change locations? I can only hope that something will return her to her original setting. Perhaps, this will happen.
Rating:
Summary: Another Fine Legal Thriller
Review: In this excellent addition to the Nina Reilly series, Nina finds her career and her life threatened by a clever but unknown foe. Stolen files that lead to confidential information being revealed cause clients to call upon the California bar to act against Nina. Aided by her lover and long-time investigator, Paul van Wagoner, and also by her lawyer ex-husband, Jack McIntyre, Nina must defend herself against charges that she is "unfit to practice" law. "Unfit to Practice," like previous books in the series, is a drama that builds from the first page to the last. A wonderfully drawn cast of characters, great courtroom scenes, and a slam-bang climax leave you well-satisfied and waiting to see how Nina will rebuild her life and her career in the next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre 8th entry in Nina Reilly series lacks suspense
Review: Sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy, writing as "Perri", have obviously developed a fan base with seven prior defense attorney Nina Reilly stories. Unfortunately for us, this was our first try by the women, and we seem to have been stuck with one of their poorer efforts. The most exciting thing to happen in the plot was Nina's Bronco being stolen, complete with three confidential client files in the back seat. When all three cases suddenly go sour, and lead to a State Bar hearing against Nina, were we supposed to be surprised? Ex-husband Jack, whom, as a lawyer's lawyer, Nina hires to defend her, and current lover Paul, her regular investigator (she's otherwise a one-lawyer shop, with just Sandy as a secretary), bicker the whole book long in a juvenile attempt to attract Nina's attention and compete with each other: wow! The last third of the book is the disbarment hearing -- and guess who wins. Of course Nina comes up heroine as the Bronco thief is discovered, and then, boom, the authors end this 450 page book with more information in the last 4 pages than the whole rest of the book put together. We usually enjoy lawyer stories which is what prompted us to try this novel. We were disappointed by the trivial storyline, the complete lack of suspense, and characters who spent most of the time acting like adolescents. Truthfully, we didn't even develop much interest in or sympathy for Nina, who must have avowed her love for the law and her desire to defend the underdog like half a dozen times -- please, we get the drift. Maybe some of the other O'Shaughnessy books are more fun, but these authors have a long way to go to approach the likes of Turow or Scottoline. Try them instead.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocre 8th entry in Nina Reilly series lacks suspense
Review: Sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy, writing as "Perri", have obviously developed a fan base with seven prior defense attorney Nina Reilly stories. Unfortunately for us, this was our first try by the women, and we seem to have been stuck with one of their poorer efforts. The most exciting thing to happen in the plot was Nina's Bronco being stolen, complete with three confidential client files in the back seat. When all three cases suddenly go sour, and lead to a State Bar hearing against Nina, were we supposed to be surprised? Ex-husband Jack, whom, as a lawyer's lawyer, Nina hires to defend her, and current lover Paul, her regular investigator (she's otherwise a one-lawyer shop, with just Sandy as a secretary), bicker the whole book long in a juvenile attempt to attract Nina's attention and compete with each other: wow! The last third of the book is the disbarment hearing -- and guess who wins. Of course Nina comes up heroine as the Bronco thief is discovered, and then, boom, the authors end this 450 page book with more information in the last 4 pages than the whole rest of the book put together. We usually enjoy lawyer stories which is what prompted us to try this novel. We were disappointed by the trivial storyline, the complete lack of suspense, and characters who spent most of the time acting like adolescents. Truthfully, we didn't even develop much interest in or sympathy for Nina, who must have avowed her love for the law and her desire to defend the underdog like half a dozen times -- please, we get the drift. Maybe some of the other O'Shaughnessy books are more fun, but these authors have a long way to go to approach the likes of Turow or Scottoline. Try them instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Unfit for reading
Review: Slow moving story ... boring read. Total waste of time. Half-way through the book, I dread myself to finish it. The character in the story (Nina) has not been developed convincingly. Help, anyone wants to buy my copy?
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