Broken Trust

For Sudden Impact: Wood's engaging investigative thriller starts off with a bang, as beloved Sacramento police officer and local hero Tommy Ensor is killed in a late-night hit-and-run in front of the California state capitol building. The driver is charitable and good-natured Judge Frank Stevenson, who happens to be preparing for a meteoric rise through the ranks of California's justice system at the time of the accident. With so much to lose, Stevenson exhausts every available option at his disposal in an attempt to cover his tracks, but detectives Terry Nye and Rose Tafoya-along with the rest of the city's police department-are determined to track down the assailant. Meanwhile, assistant chiefs of police Jerry Nishimoto and Lou Altlander vie for the soon-to-be-vacated spot at the head of the department, threatening to turn the investigation into a political charade. Wood (Stay of Execution) is a must-read for those who love a classic, hard-boiled detective novel. (Feb.)
"A spellbinding tale about the men and women who dispence justice from the bench." --Associated Press "Wood combines colorful, behind-the-scenes details with a nonstop plot." --Library Journal "William P. Wood . . . knows the intricacies and ironies of the legal system. He also knows how to employ them to weave a compelling story." --San Diego Union "William P. Wood, a former prosecutor, knows well how to surprise and engross us." --Vincent Bugliosi, international bestselling author of Helter Skelter "Wood clearly knows the inner workings of the judicial system." --Publishers Weekly "What Joseph Wambaugh did for law enforcement, William P. Wood will do for the judiciary." --Tulsa World "Fast-moving . . . Fascinating . . . Convincing . . . Chillingly informative." --Sacramento Bee