Former Miami Dolphins linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter, suffering from what could progress to CTE, must nonetheless defend his beloved nephew Kip when the mastermind of a college admissions scam shifts blame to save himself.
The Lassiter series, which debuted with To Speak for the Dead in 1990, went on hiatus from 1997 to 2011, picking up thanks to the ebook and indie publishing boom. The later novels have likewise ridden today's hot topics smoothly, Levine's talent for narrative in fine form. Cheater's Game was clearly inspired by the USC scam that implicated Hollywood's Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
Fiction is best when readers can empathize with characters and their predicaments. At first glance, Kip seems to have grown into a slick moneymaker high on success. We may believe he's getting what he deserves, but we can't deny Jake's fatherly concern. We also feel for Jake himself, his brain damage affecting the last three books.
Cheater's Game will be published in ebook and paper formats April 20. Thanks to publicist Wiley Saichek for the galley.
Cheater's Game will be published in ebook and paper formats April 20. Thanks to publicist Wiley Saichek for the galley.
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