Bum Rap    by Paul Levine Order:  USA  Can Thomas & Mercer, 2015 (2015) Softcover, CD, e-Book     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Here's a mystery that Paul Levine's fans will especially appreciate. In Bum Rap, he brings together characters from his two legal thriller series. One stars Jake Lassiter (an NFL linebacker who reinvented himself as a lawyer) and the other showcases the legal team of Solomon & Lord. Though their styles are very different (resulting in courtroom hilarity), Victoria Lord and Steve Solomon live together and are in love. So when Steve is arrested for murder, Victoria hires Jake Lassiter to defend him and then acts as a backseat driver. Victoria and Jake find each other rather attractive too, with hints of what might have been throughout. Steve being slippery Steve, he refuses to explain himself properly and the police have a strong case - he was found in a locked room, standing over the corpse and holding the murder weapon. How did he get in that precarious situation? He accompanied a gorgeous bar girl named Nadia to a South Beach club to demand the return of her passport and money owed from her (Russian Mafia?) boss, Nicolai Gorev. Guns were brought out. Her boss ended up dead, and Nadia (who fled through a hidden door) is a prosecution witness. Jake 'Last Chance' Lassiter might just be the lawyer Steve needs, though he'd never admit it. And Jake is ready to hang up his shingle if his next client (Steve) isn't innocent. But Steve, who made the basic mistake of talking to the cops at the scene, is lying to his attorneys. And, complicating matters further, Nadia was working for the feds. Though the plot feels a little contrived at time, it's great fun, especially the banter between mismatched law partners Solomon and Lord, and between Lord and Lassiter. Bum Rap is another entertaining escapade that fans of both series will devour. And don't miss the Author's Note at the back, explaining where he got the idea. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews