The Client's premise is
tenuous in its believability. The book starts out with young Mark Sway out in the woods smoking a cigarette with his brother Ricky Sway, watching a mob lawyer try to kill himself. Attempting to foil the suicide, Mark gets caught, and has to listen to a rambling confession before the lawyer blows his brains out. The incdent leaves Ricky with a mental instability.
Mark has had a rough childhood with a drunk, wife-beting father and living amongst the trailer boys. He is mature much beyond his age and also lends an helping shoulder to his mom.
After that, hotshot prosecutor Roy Foltrigg wants Mark on the witness stand, correctly assuming that the boy learned the location of the missing corpse of a dead senator killed by Danny 'The Blade' Muldano. Realizing that he's in over his head, Mark seeks out an attorney. The one he hires, Reggie Love, a lawyer of four years, takes his case for a one dollar fee. But the killer who believes Mark knows too much, is after the boy and anyone who might learn his secret.
Reggie, who has a soft corner for children, takes him to his house and also help him in running away from the Government Agencies. They confirm the location of the missing corpse, which is the backyard of the mob lawyer who confessed to Mark.
Mark comes in and makes a deal with the Agencies that, after he reveals the location, he and his family should be placed under the Witness Protection Program, for which the Agencies agree.
The Client moves while having its share of dark, brooding moments as well as tautly suspenseful ones.
