The Venturi Effect

by Sage Webb

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

The Venturi Effect by Sage Webb proved to be a riveting legal procedural. Set in the beautiful island of St. Kitts and Nevis and the state of Michigan, the story follows Devlin Winters, a lawyer whose licence the bar association had suspended. She currently works as a Carny. Down on her luck, she is a far cry from the person she used to be. She had no interest in returning to the cutthroat legal world and the drama associated with the courtroom. However, when a blast from her past in form of her ex, Nils Bryson, came knocking, she was drawn back into the very world she tried to escape.


The characters whose pasts are linked proved to be interesting and complex, with my least favourite being the prosecuting attorney, Xavier Charles. I found him to be pompous and condescending. His personal interest in the case and the manner in which he handled didn’t win him any favours with the reader. The case in question was one of tax fraud, a situation to which I can relate from working in the field of taxation. The lengths persons will go evade paying taxes never cease to amaze me. This story provided some insight into those actions.


I admired Devlin. Her willingness to re-enter the world she walked away from because of the pressures she experienced to help a friend in need showed her caring nature. Her intelligence and keen sense of observation proved to be an asset to the entire chain of events. I loved how the author portrayed her vulnerabilities. Here we have a strong woman who was not afraid to admit her weaknesses and failures.


It made me happy to see Devlin and Nils coming to terms with the pain from their past, a process which brought about forgiveness and healing and led to a second chance at love.


The story began on a slow note but gradually build up as it progressed. Despite the slow start, the events had me intrigued, and I had a hard time putting the book down. It delivered a mix of suspense and romance, where the latter was served as a side dish. I had a blast with how the events unfolded and the end took me by surprise. I had many theories about the end, but none came close to the actual conclusion. I thought it ended on a wonderful note, although I had hoped that Devlin would have been the one to figure it out and sock it to the pompous and irritating Xavier Charles.


Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, The Venturi Effect delivered a riveting tale, which would appeal to fans of legal procedurals.