Wearing The Spider is the fourth book in as many months I have read that have come from the pens of lawyers. And every one of them has been a treat to read. I have come to the conclusion that lawyers are all closet authors. From a technical viewpoint Susan Schaab has done a great job, the writing and editing is of the highest quality. The character and plot development is also masterfully done. Even the title is a very clever idea, but I will leave that for the reader to discover its deeper meaning.

Our heroin is Evelyn (Evie) Sullivan, a high-flying associate lawyer on the fast track to making partner with a large law firm. Life could not be going better for Evie, and a chance encounter with handsome software executive Joe Barton on a cross-country flight seems to be the icing on the cake.

Evie's happiness is however short-lived. Things start to happen at work that at first seem insignificant, such as mistakes on an expense report, and her name being attributed to cases that she has had no dealings with. Pretty soon though, these minor problems seem to be taking on a life of their own. It is almost as if someone is out to poison her career.

All the clues lead to fellow attorney Alan Levenger. What Evie cannot figure out is his motive; the only possible reason could be that a year earlier she had rebuffed his romantic overtures while on a business trip. But this seems like a very flimsy reason for extracting such a harsh revenge.

Evie becomes convinced that something very sinister is afoot - it is becoming clear that she is the victim of identity theft and manipulation. Her only real confidant is Joe, and he and Evie set out to clear her name and discover who, and what, is behind it all.

This story is an splendid read; it draws you into a whirlpool of plot twists and intriguing characters. The evil Alan is painted so well you can imagine meeting him and disliking him. This guy has villain written all over himself! Evie comes out as a strong-willed lady, and even though the odds against her seem overwhelming she keeps rolling with the punches, seeking the truth.

Although the underpinning theme involves aspects of the legal profession, Susan Schaab does a great job of protecting us mere mortals from the vagaries of 'Lawyer Speak'. She cleverly uses her character Joe as the conduit to explain legal aspects that the average person would not understand.

If you are looking for an exciting, and also thought-provoking read, I can highly recommend Wearing The Spider. Clearly the literary world has found a new giant in Susan Schaab.