Lawyer lives life on the edge

SUBPOENA COLADABy Mark DawsonMacmillan, 10.99Victoria MacCallum

Mark Dawson's second novel, following on from The Art of Falling Apart, has as its main character a young, ambitious and fast-living London-based media lawyer.

Therefore, it comes as little surprise to discover that the author himself is - surprise - a London-based media lawyer (he is an assistant at Schillings).

One can only hope that the resemblance ends there, as the fictional Daniel Tate is something of a mess - he swigs whisky at his desk in Soho-based media firm White Hunter, takes class A drugs in nightclub toilets with his clients, and is - as he puts it himself - a 'negligence suit waiting to happen'.

Daniel's girlfriend, 'glamorous TV actress Hannah Wilde', has recently left him, and his star client, 'legendary eighties popstar Brian Fey' is embroiled in a messy and unsuccessful legal battle with his former bandmates.

Frankly, it comes as little surprise that his client's case is not panning out well - Tate seems to spend most of his time half-cut, and one can only wonder how a solicitor who turns up at court for an important hearing late, hung over, unprepared, wearing no jacket or tie, and with vomit on his trousers can still expect to be employed, let alone considered in his firm's partnership race.

Tate's situation worsens when his client becomes embroiled in even more shady legal dealings and the race for the partnership in his firm turns messy and underhand.

He is also being stalked by a laughably unconvincing tabloid journalist desperate for a scoop.

Mr Dawson's writing style is distinctly untaxing.

He sticks to a light, accessible prose which is peppered with references to modern-day celebrities - Rolf Harris, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Philip Schofield are just some of the name checks.

Perhaps unfortunately in light of recent events, one of White Hunter's star clients is Michael Barrymore.

Despite this, the courtroom drama is created well, and the story keeps you mildly gripped throughout its occasionally tortuous twists and turns.

The author won't be challenging Zadie Smith for any literary prizes, but then that was doubtless never his intention.

If you can stomach the ludicrous title and frequent dives into Hello! territory, this will keep you occupied for a couple of train journeys.