Natalie Price returns, still the superintendent of a halfway type correctional house in the Boston area. She knows the players in the correctional institutions and is involved with one of the police officers in the area. It is her birthday and she fears she is pregnant. She is divorced and involved with two men, one who is unlikely to commit to her and one who is unable to commit. She doesn’t know which of these two is the possible father.

Stephen Carlyle is the Deputy Commissioner of the Corrections Department and one with little love or respect for Natalie. His recreational time is filled with liaisons with Genevieve, a very high priced call girl. He knows his marriage and relationships with his two sons will be finished when he receives a manila envelope filled with explicit photos of his sexual adventures and a request for a “favor” from Genevieve.

Boston socialite Jessica Asher is deliberately run down and killed by an SUV. Asher also does business as Genevieve. It takes only a short while for the police investigation to focus on Carlyle.

Asher was well connected to a variety of Boston’s leaders. Natalie is surprised to receive a summons from Captain Fran Robie and her boss Commissioner Miller to witness the initial interview with Stephen Carlyle. Miller is, of course, afraid that Carlyle’s possible involvement will taint his department. It is quickly apparent to Natalie that the police believe they have the killer. Natalie and Carlyle have crossed swords before and, although she doesn’t like him, she feels he is innocent.

To this end Natalie starts her own investigation and begins by going undercover as a call girl. At this point the novel becomes incredibly complex with multiple links among Boston’s politicos, many of whom have availed themselves of these services as well.

Natalie’s personal life figures strongly in this case as well, although she is not portrayed in a manner that will evoke much sympathy for a new reader to Title’s novels. All characters are drawn with a cynicism that becomes tedious throughout. The plot is not a novel one, but it must be said that the manner in which the author arrives at the conclusion is uniquely done.

The author has been a prison psychotherapist and the reader may certainly rely upon the accuracy in descriptions of place settings, workings of the correctional institutes and police procedures. Any person new to these systems or interested will profit hugely from Conviction.

Multiple unsympathetic characters, multiple motives, graphic scenes, gritty dialogue, all woven into a very intricate plot characterize Conviction.

--Thea Davis