Sitting at a slot machine in Prize’s Lake Tahoe Casino, Kenny envisions his last night on earth. On one side of Kenny is a fellow with a British accent whose manner suggests that he believes it is only a matter of time before he receives a big payoff. On the other side is a girl in a wheelchair nonchalantly playing. Abruptly, the British chap gets up, telling Kenny to reserve his machine while he makes a trip to the john.

Quietly, before Kenny has a chance to protest, a girl takes the British man’s place. Kenny is intrigued by her, likening her to a character in his City of Gold, named Joya. Suddenly Joya’s machine pays off big time, creating all sorts of excitement. The Englishman returns complaining that the payoff should be his since it was “his” machine, the officials of the casino show up to verify the win, and Kenny is left somewhere in the middle, utterly mesmerized.

In order to collect her prize, Joya (a.k.a Jessie Potter) must reveal her true identity, which she is reluctant to do, for reasons which she refuses to explain. She hires attorney Nina Reilly to defend her interests and help her collect her prize. Jessie proposes to marry Kenny and collect her money as Mrs. Kenneth Leung, but several complications in Jessie’s life make achievement of this goal dangerous and difficult.

Writ of Execution is definitely a legal thriller with enough lawyer-speak to keep courtroom fanatics quite happy. Those that are put off by legalese, or attempts to make black seem white when it is really red, may find the going a bit rough in spots (I never did really understand what a Writ of Execution is), but those who persevere will be rewarded with a clever yarn peopled with characters worth meeting.

In addition to a unique plot, Writ of Execution offers a fair education in some aspects of the American legal system as well as an inside look into Nevada’s gaming industry. Not all forms of gambling (slots, roulette, various card games) are equivalent in turns of the player’s chances of winning. The casino and the State of Nevada have a definite edge in roulette, for instance. Furthermore the author offers a rather interesting psychological analysis of gambling. To wit, “ The gambler wins or loses without any relation to any rule or reason. He feels godlike if he wins. The pleasure is the pleasure of an infant, deep within and ordinarily well suppressed.”

Writ of Execution is the seventh from the writing team of Perri O’Shaughnessy following, Motion to Suppress, Invasion of Privacy, Obstruction of Justice, Breech of Promise, Acts of Malice and Move to Strike. Reading the prior works in the series is not necessary for the enjoyment of this volume, although it is obvious that Nina and her investigator, Paul van Wagoner, have some history which may tempt some readers to seek out the earlier works.

--Andy Plonka