"Violent Stars" and "Mindworlds" are the sequels to "Flesh and Gold" - which was one of my very favorite books last year. These were both excellent (but perhaps not quite as good as the first in the trilogy).
The first book dealt with the judge Skerow and her efforts to break up an international slave ring.
Now, in 'Violent Stars,' it appears that although the corporation that was behind it (Zamos) has been broken up, there are still elements that will take drastic action to keep the case from going to court. Skerow's husband, also a judge, is murdered, and the old gladiator, Ned Gattes, is hired on a job which gets him unwillingly involved - but, since the breakup of the criminal company that was responsible for the slaves, the economy hasn't been too great for fighters, and he needs to have some money coming in for Zella...
Plots and aliens abound in another complex sci-fi mystery... ( )