Oregon attorney Amanda Jaffeśtar of three other Margolin thrillers, including Proof Positive (2006)t́akes on the case of a lifetime when she is tapped to defend Charlie Marsh, aka Guru Gabriel Sun. Marshś past is legend: he was a prisoner whose freedom came abruptly when he saved the life of a guard during a riot. He then changed his name and published a book, The Light Within, in which he spoke of how you, too, could achieve personal transformation. The public, especially women, ate it up, helped by Marshś good looks, dangerous background, and newfound sensitivity. One of those swooning women was the wife of a U.S. congressman. After the congressmanś murder, both his wife and Marsh stood trial for the crime. Before the verdict was read, though, Marsh escaped, landing in Batanga, Africa, where the U.S. has no extradition treaty and a heartless dictator rules the country. When Marsh finds he might be caught for bedding one of the tyrantś wives (sense a pattern here?), he realizes that a trial in the U.S. bodes better for him than punishment at the hands of Batangaś cruel ruler.