Confidentiality (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798742740308)

Robert Sinclair, Esq. has some version of it all: the Holmby Hills mansion, a cherry Austin Healey ragtop; a four-year-old son who adores him, and a gorgeous wife (who doesn't). There's at least one good friend, a boat he occasionally sleeps on, and his private law practice, managed by the capable and comedic (by her own estimation) Florence Bull, which has survived the years, if occasionally on thin ice. "It's a wonderful world we live in," he likes to say. But there are problems. No debating it. And his, at the moment, are three-fold.

First: His marriage to that gorgeous wife is undeniably on the rocks.

Second: Years of rough athletics and more recent run-ins with moving vehicles have resulted in a lingering head injury with symptoms that appear to be ratcheting up in untimely fashion. Because...

Third: Robert is neck-deep in the biggest, most complex civil case of his life, defending the fantastically corrupt Phil Pearson, accused of crushing competition in the table grape market of Central California by means of fraud, manipulation, and, potentially, murder. With complaints and cross-complaints flying at him from two of Pearson's "victims," Robert is juggling both the fierce legal team (professionally and personally) of Torrie Cutlass and Sasha Lopez, as well as "big firm" fop, Franklin Dubrey, who sics his new and comely colleague, Rebecca Noone, to tap Robert's randy reputation for nefarious purposes. He falls for it, making his life even more complicated.

It's a teetering pile of chaos, and as Robert attempts to meet the demands of family, practice, and the physical and psychological effects of his challenged health, the insanity of the Pearson case metastasizes into something deeper and more dangerous than he ever anticipated. As does the evolving relationship with Ms. Noone, whose initial entreaties shift from shady to sincere.

An irreverent legal drama from writer/attorney, Pete Wilke, CONFIDENTIALITY explores the ephemeral meaning of its title, bringing a slate of colorful characters to a narrative that's compelling from a legal standpoint, provocative from a psychological one, and as wildly entertaining and unpredictable as the roller coaster ride that is Robert Sinclair's life.