Heir Apparent (2nd ed. 2007; 1st ed. 2002) Poisoned Pen Press Trade Paperback 978-1-59058-433-0

A dead partner ... a murdered client ... more than young attorney Joe McGuinness bargained for when he signed on at one of Pinnacle Peak, Arizona’s most prestigious law firms.

The ink on Joe’s bar license is barely dry when the death of his firm’s senior partner puts the young lawyer’s job in jeopardy. Soon much more is at stake than Joe’s legal career. On the night of his first date with Mia Ortiz, personal assistant to one of the firm’s wealthiest clients, the young couple walk into a grisly murder scene. Mia’s boss—Cordelia Barrett—and her son lie sprawled in a pool of blood.

After Mia is arrested for murder, Joe must unravel a web of secrets to discover who is using murder to claim the rights of heir apparent.