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Willa Jansson #1
Where Lawyers Fear to Tread
Overworked, overcaffeinated, and as cranky as a sequestered jury, Willa Jansson has a law review to get out. As second in command to the brilliant Susan Green, the ideal law student and perfect editor, Willa's rank jumps up a step when Susan's head is bashed in over a brief at the law review office.
Everyone at Malhousie, the small San Francisco law school, is stunned by the crime -- including professors and the staff at the review. And none of them are above suspicion. Willa, now in charge and none too happy about it, launches a private investigation that succeeds not only in compromising her honor, but getting her arrested, as she chases one blind lead after another and comes face-to-face with the banality of evil....
Everyone at Malhousie, the small San Francisco law school, is stunned by the crime -- including professors and the staff at the review. And none of them are above suspicion. Willa, now in charge and none too happy about it, launches a private investigation that succeeds not only in compromising her honor, but getting her arrested, as she chases one blind lead after another and comes face-to-face with the banality of evil....
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
About the author
Lia Matera
38 books9 followersLia Matera is a graduate of Hastings College of the Law, where she was editor in chief of the Constitutional Law Quarterly. She was also a Teaching Fellow at Stanford Law School before becoming a full-time writer of legal mysteries. Prior Convictions and A Radical Departure were nominated for Edgar Allan Poe awards. The Good Fight and Where Lawyers Fear to Tread were nominated for Anthony and Macavity Awards. She has written nine novels, including the critically acclaimed Face Value. Matera lives in Santa Cruz, California.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 25, 2020
Mystery writer and attorney Lia Matera made the impatience of the law students with an intern librarian during my grad school days seem understandable. Oh, and I enjoyed the mystery.
March 22, 2016
PLOT OR PREMISE:
Willa Jansson is the senior articles editor for a law school review when her editor-in-chief gets killed. She wants to know who did it, but doesn't figure it out before a couple more get bopped.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The law school aspect is well-done, perhaps reflective of the fact the author actually attended a law school, a nice change from some of the authors today. The story zips along at a good pace, and is enjoyable, once you get past the five-too-many characters / suspects and the obligatory "oops, I've written 50 pages and haven't killed anybody else off in order to sustain the suspense" technique.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The problem with the book is that there are too many pieces, and they all get equal weight: Willa's relationships with the various men running through the story (she's the protagonist but all you do sometimes is feel sorry for her), all of the various suspects (pretty much everyone), and a host of motives ranging from being petty to outright greed to the green-eyed monster of justified jealousy. The character development is mediocre, including some peripheral characters that wind up being key ingredients, and some main characters that turn out to be a complete waste of paper. Ironic that the protag is an editor because that is what this book really needed.
.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Zips along at a good pace
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
Willa Jansson is the senior articles editor for a law school review when her editor-in-chief gets killed. She wants to know who did it, but doesn't figure it out before a couple more get bopped.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The law school aspect is well-done, perhaps reflective of the fact the author actually attended a law school, a nice change from some of the authors today. The story zips along at a good pace, and is enjoyable, once you get past the five-too-many characters / suspects and the obligatory "oops, I've written 50 pages and haven't killed anybody else off in order to sustain the suspense" technique.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The problem with the book is that there are too many pieces, and they all get equal weight: Willa's relationships with the various men running through the story (she's the protagonist but all you do sometimes is feel sorry for her), all of the various suspects (pretty much everyone), and a host of motives ranging from being petty to outright greed to the green-eyed monster of justified jealousy. The character development is mediocre, including some peripheral characters that wind up being key ingredients, and some main characters that turn out to be a complete waste of paper. Ironic that the protag is an editor because that is what this book really needed.
.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Zips along at a good pace
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
July 31, 2022
I enjoyed most of this novel centered around murder at a law school. Specifically, most of those involved as both victims and suspects are either part of the law review staff or otherwise connected to the law review in some way. Lots of red herrings and theories spouted by characters, so things can get rather twisty at times.
Main character Willa Jannson becomes the editor-in-chief after the murder of her predecessor. I'm still trying to figure out how much I like Willa, but I liked her enough to continue to the next volume in the series. I got a kick out of her parents when they move through the story; they have been part of the beat generation, the '60s scene, and are still heavily involved in all types of causes. To many readers they might be curious, but I lived through those times and they certainly represented a part of our society. The book was published in 1987, which will probably seem nostalgic to many adult readers now.
Towards the end it seemed that there was too much conversation explaining, rather than actually giving some actual action by the characters. There's also a budding romance, but I'm not sure if that will continue in the series or not.
Main character Willa Jannson becomes the editor-in-chief after the murder of her predecessor. I'm still trying to figure out how much I like Willa, but I liked her enough to continue to the next volume in the series. I got a kick out of her parents when they move through the story; they have been part of the beat generation, the '60s scene, and are still heavily involved in all types of causes. To many readers they might be curious, but I lived through those times and they certainly represented a part of our society. The book was published in 1987, which will probably seem nostalgic to many adult readers now.
Towards the end it seemed that there was too much conversation explaining, rather than actually giving some actual action by the characters. There's also a budding romance, but I'm not sure if that will continue in the series or not.
September 11, 2023
This book was kinda hard to follow and there was minimal character development. If any. The words themselves were easy to follow but it was the mental jumps the characters took that lost me. Even the end reveal was kinda underwhelming. Parts of it did remind me of my time in law school, but overall it’s clear the author went to law school or knew about law school culture at a really different time than me. The main character is likable but one dimensional.
Read
December 31, 2020This was reasonably fun to reread years later, but I enjoyed the other Lia Matera in my possession somewhat more. Having known people who were in law school in San Francisco in the 80s, I was amused by some aspects of the book that might not otherwise have struck me. Anyhow, if I run across more of the series, I'll read them.
January 21, 2022
Not my favorite, plus a lot of editing errors, which is funny in a book about editors of the law review. I probably won't read any more in the series.
October 15, 2008
WHERE LAWYERS FEAR TO TREAD - Okay
Matera, Lia - 1st in Willa Jansson series
Overworked, overcaffeinated, and as cranky as a sequestered jury, Willa Jansson has a law review to get out. As second in command to the brilliant Susan Green, the ideal law student and perfect editor, Willa's rank jumps up a step when Susan's head is bashed in over a brief at the law review office.
Everyone at Malhousie, the small San Francisco law school, is stunned by the crime - including professors and the staff at the review. And none of them are above suspicion. Willa, now in charge and none too happy about it, launches a private investigation that succeeds not only in compromising her honor, but getting her arrested, as she chases one blind lead after another and comes face-to-face with the banality of evil.
Enjoyed the San Francisco setting. There was good humor and, end the end, as many bodies as Christie.
Matera, Lia - 1st in Willa Jansson series
Overworked, overcaffeinated, and as cranky as a sequestered jury, Willa Jansson has a law review to get out. As second in command to the brilliant Susan Green, the ideal law student and perfect editor, Willa's rank jumps up a step when Susan's head is bashed in over a brief at the law review office.
Everyone at Malhousie, the small San Francisco law school, is stunned by the crime - including professors and the staff at the review. And none of them are above suspicion. Willa, now in charge and none too happy about it, launches a private investigation that succeeds not only in compromising her honor, but getting her arrested, as she chases one blind lead after another and comes face-to-face with the banality of evil.
Enjoyed the San Francisco setting. There was good humor and, end the end, as many bodies as Christie.
January 6, 2009
Thrift store purchase not panning out golden this time. Law students in the Bay Area trying to get out a law publication when the editor, Susan, is murdered. Second fiddle Willa takes over the duties and suspects her colleagues one after the other. This was only okay.
June 9, 2015
A Willa Jansson Mystery. The first in fact. Too static, too many recaps of the clues by character dialogue. Not as good, for example, as Tim Cockey's series of mysteries.
However, this is a first novel. I may give her one more chance.
However, this is a first novel. I may give her one more chance.
December 12, 2009
Too boring - never read it!!
February 25, 2012
Book #73 read in 2007
Interesting mystery that provides insight into law school and law review. I will definitely read more in the series.
Interesting mystery that provides insight into law school and law review. I will definitely read more in the series.
February 18, 2013
Funny. Unwilling Law Review (temporary) editor turned dective...
May 20, 2013
Entertaining but not particularly memorable. Willa Jansson watches as her fellow editors on the law review slowly get bumped off. Slick with touches of humor, the book is an easy read.
September 23, 2013
a light read, it was OK.
October 8, 2013
very quick read
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews