Set amid the darker side of Lake Tahoe's glamorous ski resorts, Acts of Malice has Nina taking on the case of Jim Strong, a member of South Lake Tahoe's most prominent families and the owners of the posh Paradise Ski Resort. With his brother Alex recently killed in a headline-making accident that occurred while they were skiing together, Jim fears he may be indicted in the death. When the coroner announces that Alex died from injuries unrelated to the accident, Jim is charged with murder.

As Nina prepares to defend her client, she has no idea that this case will lead her into a terrifying confrontation with a psychopath or threaten all that she holds most dear. She never expects to witness the perplexing and tangled set of loyalties and alliances among the Strong family. Further complicating matters is Assistant District Attorney Collier Hallowell, back from sabbatical. Determined to put Jim Strong behind bars, he's equally resolved to pick up romantically where he and Nina left off - and to take their relationship in a completely new direction.