Brenda Leigh having an epiphany about a case, or thinking about chocolate.

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know I’m a fan of the TBS series, The Closer. I started watching reruns last summer and was instantly hooked. Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (played by the adorably feisty Kyra Sedgwick) is one part Scarlett O’Hara, one part Richard Gere in Primal Fear. Shining in a male-dominated profession, Brenda Leigh uses her Jedi mind power to elicit confessions from smarmy criminals. I’ve now watched every episode dating back to 2005 and can’t wait till the final season starts THIS Monday! *squeal* Okay, my plug for The Closer is officially over. *whisper* But it’s sooo good.

Recently I was introduced to another kick-butt heroine, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Curtis in Allison Leotta’s newest thriller, DISCRETION.

Anna Curtis, who debuted in Leotta’s first novel, LAW OF ATTRACTION has a high profile career trying to make a name for herself in a city both rich in history and corruption, Washington, D.C. While investigating the death of a beautiful female escort who falls from a balcony at the Capitol building, Anna must work alongside the distinguished homicide chief, Jack Bailey, who also happens to be her boyfriend, and an aggressive FBI agent, Samantha Randazzo, who initially treats Anna like a pesky fly buzzing around her picnic table.

No stranger to crime, Allison Leotta is a former federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., who prosecuted sex crimes and domestic violence for over 10 years. She’s created an interesting website providing a little backstory on what led her out of the courtroom and in to the writer’s den. Backstory here!

DISCRETION is smart, gritty and written with authority. There is no doubt, Ms. Leotta knows her way around the legal system. Though the technical jargon made the story lag at times, the author had me guessing about the twists and turns, right to the very end.

If you’re a fan of John Grisham and Joseph Wambaugh, you’ll enjoy the writing style of Allison Leotta.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find Anna Curtis’ first adventure, LAW OF ATTRACTION. As Brenda Leigh would say, “Thanks for stopping by, y’all, THANK YEW.”