Thriller/Fiction Review

Wearing the Spider
By Susan Schaab
ISBN: 1-934291-05-6
Publication Date: June 2007
www.galavantpress.com

My initial reaction to “Wearing the Spider” by Susan Schaab is, “Wow.” It’s a wicked web we weave and this book will leave readers with the feeling of needing to brush off a few spiders.

This legal thriller is also a work of suspense and romance, offering a bit of something for everyone. Evie Sullivan is a hopeful lawyer up for partnership at her law firm. She works diligently and passionately, often staying in the office well into the night to get things done. What she doesn’t know, could certainly hurt her. Overhearing part of a conversation in the conference room late one night sets Evie on edge and has her looking twice at things she’d brushed off as simple errors… things like her name appearing on work she hadn’t done, strange hotel receipts in her name in her expense reports from places she’d never been, emails from clients she had no known contact with. Someone seemed to be trying to make her look bad in the eyes of legitimate clients and the partners. Could it all have something to do with a forced kiss she’d fended off months ago? Was someone trying to exact some sort of revenge? Or was this all just part of something even bigger than a suffering ego? The plot thickens to reveal the inclusion of a US Senator, a commission worth $25 million, and the murder of a woman set on giving Evie some important information. Time will tell if the spider is spotted before it is too late, through it all though, readers will feel the creepy crawly sensation of Evie dealing with something quite evil.

A nice counter to the sleazy feelings elicited by certain characters are the amorous moments Evie has with a man she meets on an airplane. Drawn together, by chance or by fate, the two have a connection. He wishes to be her knight in shining armor and she needs to feel his support and good intentions. He convinces her to take action and takes part in bringing the FBI into the mix.

Susan Schaab offers a high-tech thriller that cracks open the inner workings of a large law firm and leaves one wondering just how often sexual harassment and hostile work environments are tolerated in the corporate world. Her plot is complex and compelling, inspiring the continued turning of pages well into the night. Her characters are rich with human flaws and positive attributes that draw the reader into their world. If you’ve ever been manipulated by anyone, you surely will be rooting for Evie, and booing her adversary. The feel of the book is fast paced, well planned, and most interesting. I highly recommend “Wearing the Spider.”