"The Altar Boys" by lawyer John M. Poswall is an entertaining and credible tale that easily holds its own in the crowded legal genre – as did Poswall’s earlier book "The Lawyers: Class of ’69."

Former altar boy turned lawyer J.J. Rai, a thinly veiled caricature of the author, nearly proves the maxim “no good deed goes unpunished” when he turns what might have been a routine court hearing into a spirited battle between good and evil.

The story moves rapidly as author Poswall limits dialogue and description to plot advancement and is largely successful in avoiding pontificating characters lost in extraneous settings. Poswall has mastered cutting to the chase.

For those who might wonder – Poswall is faithful in his description of things Sacramento and I suspect his characters are less fiction than some might hope. ( )