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Customer Reviews (177)

this book is so good good.
I was walking in the store when I passed this book covere halted, and turned around to reach down and pick it up. I must admit i am not a reader. The cover caught my eye. I proceeded to read the little snap shot passage on the cover reading what if the face of a missing child was your sons..Immediately I walked to register and bought it. I am a mom of a three year old. I started reading and right away I was stuck took me only two days to fully read the book cause i couldn't put it down. I even caught myself snapping at my boyfriend cause he was trying to have a conversation with me when I was reading.
I loved this book. it was something I didn't expect I loved the story line and plot. I Loved the events and how they happen, it kept you wanting more and reading on. I have bought online several more books from this author cant wait to start in and read away.

What did they do with the real Lisa Scottoline?
I have read several of Ms. Scottoline's novels and enjoyed them immensely.There is no way 'Look Again' could have been written by the same author.Either someone is holding Lisa against her will and publishing under her name or she's had a lobotomy and will never again write a suspenseful, believable novel. This was a very dull, slow-paced, tedious book. I couldn't finish it, it was that bad. Where, oh where, has Lisa Scottoline gone?

Flawed, predictable, but I loved it!
I don't often write reviews, but this poor novel has such a wide variety of them that I was compelled to toss my two cents into the ring.Yes, the book is predictable.Very few truly are not.Yes, it probably could have been cut by a number of pages and still accomplish the same storyline.However, I could not put this book down.Perhaps it was the mother in me; perhaps I just am in my it's-getting-to-be-fall-and-I'm-gonna-sit-and-read cycle, but I stayed up an hour past my bedtime to finish this.Lisa Scottoline may be no literary genius, but she holds her own in terms of character development and storytelling.I enjoyed 'Look Again,' and will continue to look forward to new titles by Ms. Scottoline.

super fast read
Loved this book.Thought the topic might be difficult, but the narrative is so engaging I couldn't put it down!

should have been a short story
The characters were lacking to the point that I felt no sympathy for anyone.So poorly edited or written that you could literally have read every fifth page and not missed one plot point.
Would never have finished it if had not been my book club's next pick.Not sure why it is rated so high. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (93)

I Can't Believe The Book Was So Bad !
I admit I am not a reader of formula books so I am somewhat out of the loop. I have however read James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Mary Higgins Clarkso I have a fewunder my belt. This is one of the worst books I have ever read so I hope Scottoline's other books are better. I would not have finished it except it was selected for my libraty book club as a "change of pace." We last read "The Art of Racing in the Rain " which was an excellent novel.
I was a children's librarian and love picture books most of which are better and more intelligently written than "Think Twice." The author leaves lots of room for illustrations as if she is writing a children's book as there are 128 chapters with lots of blank space. Each chapter averages about 3 pages which is most annoying. She also uses lots of fun sounding words like Boom, Bang and Honk. She uses capital letters profusely in her amateurish dialogue which is painful to read. The Italian Mama Denuzio says things like " Si Maria Hokay" and PaPa Denuzion only speaks in very loud capital letters. There us also a bit of grammatically incorrect narration such as " Grady shouted Joyful" to descibe his happiness. There is no character development at all and you learn nothing about the uniqueness of twins. Bear, the injured dog shows up at the end when we've forgotten all about him, but it's nice to have a happy ending. As far as the evil twin is concerned--hmm Isuspect she will show up in yet another book . Spare me ....

Disappointment
I really have always enjoyed Lisa Scottolini's books, but this is the first time a really major flaw in her thinking showed up and ruined the book for me.I did read it to the end, but the flaw was so evident that it ruined it for me.She has the evil twin sister pitted against our heroine, Bennie.And it wasn't believable to be me because there was never a discussion of FINGERPRINTS.Now the evil twin had been arrested and tried for murder and Bennie had defended her.Alice's fingerprints would have been ON FILE.So when Bennie was trying to prove WHO SHE WAS to the authorities, all she had to do was say, "CHECK MY FINGERPRINTS AGAINST THOSE OF ALICE" and it would have been a no-brainer.For this reason, I did not enjoy this book.Written too quickly perhaps by an author who usually gets it right.Sorry, but it's a thumbs down for me.

THINK TWICE is right.
In Mistaken Identity, lawyer extraordinaire Bennie Rosato saved her newly discovered twin sister, Alice, from life in prison. In Dead Ringer, Alice is back in town and causing trouble by impersonating Bennie. In this book, Think Twice, Alice ups the stakes.

On the pretense of sharing a nice sisterly dinner, Bennie plays into Alice's sinister hands and heads over to Alice's new place after work. Once there, Alice drugs Bennie and buries her alive in a field. Then Alice proceeds with her plan to take over her twin's life just long enough to steal her fortune. While Bennie is struggling to break out of the wooden box she is buried in, Alice (pretending to be Bennie) begins transferring Bennie's money to a Bahamian bank.

To keep Mary DiNunzio (another lawyer at Bennie's firm) off track, Alice promotes Mary to partner status. Mary, in turn, helps Alice obtain a restraining order against her "dangerous" twin. There is a subplot centering around Mary's family, boyfriend, and house search, but the plot only serves to slow down the pace. I found myself skimming these sections and only reading about the one character in the family that I felt would be an integral part of the main plot later.

Not everything goes Alice's way, though. Grady Wells, Bennie's ex-boyfriend, shows up on Bennie's doorstep wanting to rekindle their romance. One of the other employee at Bennie's firm isn't totally buying Alice's act. And Bennie miraculously manages to claw her way out of the box and ground and subsequently tries to reclaim her life, which isn't as easy as it sounds.

Scottoline fans will enjoy seeing their favorite Rosato & Associates crew back in action again. However, they may come away feeling short-changed because even I, mistress of suspending belief, could not ignore the contrived, over-used (Alice has already impersonated her in a previous book and the evil twin thing is nothing new) plot and believe what was happening. Lisa has written some fantastic books, but I can't say this is one of them. That said, it was fast-paced and well written (aside from the recycled plot line).

The Other


Park your sense of reality in the garage and jump right into Think Twice, a suspense novel built upon an incredible premise, but fun anyway. Benny Rosato, head of an all female law firm, is blindsided by her identical twin, Alice. No matter that Benny saved her from a murder rap; Alice is insanely jealous of her sister's hard earned fortune, and cooks up an intricate plot to put herself, literally, in her sister's place.

Author Scottoline must have had a wonderful time plotting this one out. Incredibly, Alice manages to pass herself off as Benny; she walks like her, talks like her, dresses like her, and, having worked as a paralegal, manages to pass herself off as a high powered attorney. Eventually, Benny's closest friends become just a tad suspicious. And Benny herself is fighting for her life, as well as for her identity.

Into this mix, Scottoline throws the queen of the witches, a relative of Benny's associate Mary, visiting from Italy. The Evil Eye, and cousin Fiorella's uncanny ability to read souls, play an important behind the scenes role in getting to the bottom of things.

If you read it for the fun of it, you'll enjoy Think Twice.

Oh yes you do have to think twice before considering whether to waste precious time on this book
I haven't read a book quite this bad in a long time, and once again I notice when reading a terrible book that there is an author note at the end. Unfortunately even with the guilting I cannot hold back from a scathing review.

The book begins with the introduction of twins, nobody and nobody. One is an ultra-slut, the other a prim and proper successful lawyer. As predicted by the blurb, prim is drugged and thrown in a coffin, while slutty goes out and steals her life.

The story continues from here like a slap-stick comedy. Slutty repeatedly tries to sleep with Prim's boyfriend, impossibly manages to fake her way as partner lawyer (and almost steal every cent of Prim's money). Aside from all this being so unbelievable, it's all just so terribly predictable. Even once Prim gets free, she struggles to convince others of her identity (quick fact: even identical twins have different fingerprints) as everyone she knows is on vacation (way to add plot tension woah!)

Worst of all we spend far too much time with Prim's associate, half of her family, and all her real-estate and boyfriend issues, as if the author thought that between the identity theft and potential murder that we needed some character development. I admit something was needed to save this plot, but mundane minor characters is not it.

Like all cheese-fests, the books ends without any hard choices, terrible consequences, or any tragedy to speak of. In fact if the author had ended with the line "and they all lived happily ever after" I think it would have made the novel marginally better.

... Read more

Product Description
Who can you trust when
everyone you know is a lawyer?

Mary DiNunzio has been slaving away for the past eight years trying to make partner in her cutthroat Philadelphia law firm. She's too busy to worry about the crank phone calls that she's been getting -- until they fall into a sinister pattern. The phone rings as soon as she gets to work, then as soon as she gets home. Mary can't shake the sensation that someone is watching her. Following her every move. The shadowboxing turns deadly when her worst fears are realized, and she has to fight for something a lot more important than her partnership. Her life.Amazon.com Review
An Edgar Award nominee (for her first legal thriller,Everywhere That Mary Went), Lisa Scottoline actually won theEdgar for her follow-up, Final Appeal. Withfive legal thrillers behind her, Scottoline--a graduate of theUniversity of Pennsylvania Law School--has joined the league oflawyers-turned-literaries.

Her voice in Final Appeal iscrisp and wry; of the law clerks in her office, the narrator declaresthat she's got "pantyhose with more mileage ... and betterjudgment."

Lawyer and single mom Grace Rossi has taken apart-time job in a federal appeals court. Her lover and boss, thechief judge, is found dead, and Rossi plays the sleuth. As herprevious bestsellers, Scottoline can create feisty female characterswho struggle with a variety of issues, producing a fast-paced,well-structured read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Great Book, Great Author
Lisa Scottoline is a new author I am trying and so far I love what I've read in "Everywhere That Mary Went".I plan on purchasing more of her books.

Everywhere That Mary Went
Lisa Scottoline is a master plotter and one of my favorite authors.The plot not only contains sufficient surprises to keep you guessing but it is written in a most interesting and entertaining way.It does not take long for the reader to become a DeNuncio fan.

Lisa Scottoline's Women Attorneys
"Everywhere That Mary Went" is an entertaining book with interesting lively characters and unexpected plot twists.Most Enjoyable!

Great story
There is now secret to buying the audio edition of a story if you have already read it.The book is great and this is no different.If you have never read the book and just want to hear a good book, it is a good one.I love this book and I've been reading Lisa's book ever sinse.I recommended it to anyone.Great story.

liked it a lot
I'm late to the table on Scottoline, "Everywhere That Mary Went" was published in 1993 but I just recently read some of her her Chick Wit columns from the Philadelphia Inquirer and decided to try her fiction in order of publication. Firstly, I have to say, I think the book holds up pretty well over time. The last sixteen years have seen a lot of changes, especially in technology, but there's nothing that jumped out at me as I read saying "outdated!" even when Mary was getting anonymous phone calls and nowadays everybody has caller ID on their phone, it still stayed readable. I liked Mary Dinunzio, she came across as very much a "real person." Another thing I liked about this book is that the story is more than its suspense element (the stalker), Mary's life is filled out completely, her work, her family, her friendships. This makes the book so much more fun to read. It's always hard to write reviews of mystery/suspense books because you don't want to spoil the surprise, but I enjoyed how the author pulled in Mary's recent past and wrapped in the connection to what was happening with the anonymous caller/letter sender. So, if you're looking for a series to read and haven't read Lisa Scottoline, I'd definitely say try her books. ... Read more

Product Description

Moment of Truth is the story of a man who frames himself for murder.  When attorney Jack Newin discovers his wife dead in their elegant home, he's convinced he knows who killed her -- and is equally determined to hide the truth.  He decides to take the rap, and to seal his fate he hires the most inexperienced laywer he can find, a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio from the hot Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates.  But hiring Mary may turn out to be his biggest mistake.  Mary doubts Jack's confession, and her ethics and instincts tell her she can't defend a man who wants to convict himself.  Smarter, gutsier, and more persistent than she has any right to be, Mary sets out to prove what really happened -- because as any laywer knows, a case is never as simple as it seems.  And nothing is ever certain until the final moment of truth. 

Lisa Scottoline, often identified as the "female John Grisham," has led the pack of female authors in the legal thriller genre, winning an Edgar for her second novel, Final Appeal. Moment of Truth does have moments that don't, in fact, ring true. Why is Jack Newlin so quick to forgive his daughter when he thinks she's killed her own mother? And if he's so concerned with her welfare, why did he absent himself from her upbringing? But it's nonetheless interesting for its innovative plot conceit and its examination of high-profile murder trials. If one is able to overlook the problems with Newlin's motivation, the story Scottoline weaves is a compelling one, and her heroine, Mary, is an enjoyable, self-doubting twist on the super-lawyer at the center of most legal thrillers. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (82)

Scottoline
Enjoyable yet predictable.Easy reading.I've read all of her books so far and was pleased to see that she had a newly published book.This is not her best.I probably won't seek out this writer again in the future.

don't read if you're a guy
Don't read the book if you're a guy, and don't read this review if you're a women. I'm sure this book is great for some people, the author has excellent reviews. However, I read about 100 books a year and I couldn't finish this one. Totally unrealistic, starting with a pair of dizzy women lawyers accepting a murder case w/no approval, on the spur of moment, like high school girls accepting a dare, lets do it, we'll apologize later. The book had no depth, the women were uninteresting (what did they eat? what do they like? what do they do for fun? background? motivation? childhood?) By the time I stopped reading, I didn't know what they looked like, anything about their lives that would have made the book meaningful, couldn't even guess what city they were in except that the name was mentioned a few times.

People should be 3-D, their environment should be 3-D, you should have sounds, tastes, sights, feelings, emotions, pleasures, hates.

Plot wasn't much better, right in 1st few pages the main shocker is given away for free, jeez, right on the back cover, as well as motivation and all. What's left?

I was absolute shocked to notice that this book was a bestseller. I guess this would be a fine summer read under some circumstances, I wasn't in the mood to continue. Sorry, I know some people really enjoy this, but couldn't help but notice that they all appear to be women, so guys stay away.

Moment of Truth
"Moment of Truth" is a Scottoline winner.She gives us Jack Newlin, lawyer within a prestigious Philadelphia law firm who confesses to the murder of his wife, albeit a move on his part to protect his daughter Paige, whom he feels is the real murderer seeking vengeance against her mother for years of physical and mental abuse.He hires an inexperienced lawyer who knows him and does not buy his story that he is the murderer.The manner in which the real culprit is revealed is a Scottoline trademark, and sets up "Moment of Truth" as a fantastic legal thriller.

The novel is fast paced with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing till the last page. It's spiced with sufficient humor, credible pathos, well-rounded characters, and a very plausible and readily acceptable plot line to hold you in its grip throughout the read.This is Scottoline at her very best!!

E.J. Walden, author of "Operation Snow Owl"

It was ok for me
An enjoyable read, the end really let me down i felt like it was all over the place but it will keep you guessing as to what the truth really is and what's about to happen.

What a surprise!
This was my first Lisa Scottoline book and I loved it! It was such a pleasant surprise. From the first page, I was hooked. The book begins with a lawyer trying to frame himself for murder. Imagine that! It makes you keep reading to find out what happens! Kuddos! This was great. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

REFLECTING ON FAMILY MOMENTS....
In her second book of essays inspired by her weekly "Chick Wit" column, Lisa Scottoline does it again.A complete home run, as she dishes about extraordinary moments in the life of an ordinary woman.

She shares tidbits, and then her daughter Francesca writes an occasional chapter in which she talks about about life from her perspective--a New York single woman who has a unique relationship with her mother.

Also joining the romp is Mother Mary, Scottoline's 86-year-old mother who is down-to-earth and full of her own ideas about how things should be.

For example, Mother Mary has a list of Things Not To Do.Like "Don't Go To The Movies," "Don't Eat Outside With The Bugs" and "Don't Walk All Over The Cockamamie Mall."

We dive right into the heart of the matter in the beginning of the book, as the author describes her love of Nancy Drew books and how she visualizes herself as kind of a Nancy Drew--and then she lists "similarities," like:

"For starters, Nancy's blond, and I'm blond in my mind.

"She has a dog, and I have five dogs.

"She drives a convertible roadster, and I drive an SUV.

"Well, they're both cars...."

Then we get to the part where she says:

"I just found my first gray hair.

"On my chin.

"I'm trying not to freak."

The whole book is full of these kinds of treats that allow us to feel as though she is taking us into her confidence and sharing her life with us.We learn how she feels about her dogs, about housekeeping, and also about her appliances.Everything is an adventure, which she is sharing with us, just so we can feel like we're part of it all.Like friends.

I like that, and because in this newest of her creations about her personal life, she shows us the inside of her home, literally, through descriptions of the dog-hair covered furniture, the beds "layered" with dogs, and the slightly askew state of things.She also lets us know how it's really hard to let go of your kids, even when they're full grown.

Her daughter writes about cutting the cord:"I thought I said, `I'm going to see my cousin's new apartment,' but in Mom-speak that translates to: `I'm going to meet certain death in the New York City subway tunnels that are soon to be my tomb.'"

Throughout My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space: The Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Woman, Scottoline also shares family moments in casual photographs that spotlight the very special three-generational relationships.A quick read, I felt as though I had garnered another slice of this author's real life and her special connections, as she shared her vulnerabilities, her fears, and how she copes with it all.Definitely five stars.



... Read more

Product Description

Mary DiNunzio has become a big-time business-getter at Rosato & Associates. But the last person she expects to walk into her office one morning—in mile-high stilettos—is super-sexy Trish Gambone, her high-school rival. Back when Mary was becoming the straight-A president of the Latin Club and Most Likely to Achieve Sainthood, Trish was the head Mean Girl, who flunked religion and excelled at smoking in the bathroom.

Customer Reviews (51)

Fun summertime read
Actually, I listened to the book on CD. I really loved the narrator, even if her South Philly accent sounds like more a Brooklyn accent, as one reader has mentioned. For 95% of the country, the accents ring true and this narrator did an excellent job of varying her delivery for the characters. Okay, the bizarre manner in which the black characters spoke was unnecessary; why do so many narrators think they have to attach some sort of "accent" to every black character?

The book was an entertaining read. I enjoyed the talk about her father's fan club and all the Tonys in the club.

One thing that kept throwing me off....if Mary is in her 30s, why in the world is she lamenting changes made in Vatican II, at least 10 years before she was even born? Why would she even be so aware of these changes as she was born under the new rules? Why, too, would Mary have had to study Latin in high school; as far as I know, that requirement went out of the window by the time I entered high school, which was many, many years before Mary. So it would seem that the author loses track of Mary's age and time, which was a bit distracting.

Overall, I enjoyed the book as a light-hearted mystery that was more about a difficult time in Mary's life than anything else.

very disappointing
I have read most of Scottoline's books and really liked this series involvingthis group of lawyers. With this book, this Mary character has finally gotten on my last nerve. Those awful "girls" the Mean Girls were simply cartoons and Mary is beyond a wimp. The characters were all too sterotypical .If this had been my first time to read this series , I would never have picked up another Scottoline book.Thank goodness, I get my books out of the library since I would never ever waste my money on any of her books.

Mary Redux in Number Twelve
Every so often, I pull down a paperback by Scottoline from the rack at my local branch library."Lady Killer" is the latest to come to hand.

With each book, I wonder whether Scottoline has gotten better.The answer, so far, has always been no.

This book presents us with an uber-Mean Girl and her posse of three lesser Mean Girls.They are painfully like something out of a bus-and-truck company production of "Grease."

The singularly un-heroic and un-intrepid heroine, Mary DiNunzio, remains her usual neurotic, whiny self.And she continues to be the least self-assertive lawyer since the beginning of time.

Our Mary, we are told, is the chief money-maker for her law firm.Need it be said that she allows herself to be brow-beaten by the fiscally unimpressive head of the firm?Does Toyota sell lemons?

Mary's core clientele is the Italian community of South Philly.Perhaps the residents of Anatevka in "Fiddler on the Roof" were slightly more stereotyped--but not much.Strangely enough, the Italians I knew from North Beach in San Francisco when I was growing up were a very different bunch.But then, I suppose that San Francisco has always been a far more cosmopolitan place than Philadelphia.

As the plot of "Lady Killer," well, there certainly is one.There is a set-up.There is a disappearance.There is a death or two.What was lost is found. Mary meets a guy.Mary offers a revelation (ho-hum). And a totally improbable figure turns out to be the one whodunit.Go figure.

I didn't buy into any of it.But then I'm not the one who has been laying out money for years, allowing this book to be the twelfth, for Pete's sake, in the DiNunzio series.

I give "Lady Killer" a generous two-star rating, because it at least has the merit of not being perpetrated by that joker who inflicted "The Da Vinci Code" on the unsuspecting world.

LEC/Am/05-10

Great Read
AS always, I love reading anything Lisa Scottoline writes.Only problem is once I start it I don't get anything else done till the last page is read.

Easy, Quick Read
Mary DiNunzio -- South Philadelphia attorney, good Catholic girl and dutiful daughter -- is an over-worked lawyer.That we know in the first couple pages.Now her father wants to sue a woman from The Neighborhood for saying disparaging things against Sinatra.She is also dealing with finding assistance for a learning-disabled boy and his desperate mother.

Just when you think she has too much on her plate, and old high school bully, Trish, shows up and claims she is being abused by her boyfriend (who as it turns out used to date Mary as well) and she would like a restraining order against him.Reality is, the boyfriend is in the mob and a restraining order would not help matters.Mary tells her this, and Trish storms out.

Of course Mary can't help but feel a bit triumphant that Trish, the girl who "flunked Religion, chain-smoked her way through Spanish I twice and reigned as the quintessential Mean Girl," is looking for assistance from her, "the myopic, straight-A president of the National Honor Society, the May Queen, and the all-around Most Likely to Achieve Sainthood." Maybe her life has turned around after all.

In spite of the fact that Trish wants Mary's help, she still has not learned that you catch more flies with honey. It takes only a few minutes for Trish to revert to insulting Mary and making her feel like the "Holy Mary" she was in high school.

Even after Trish walks out of the law office, Mary does everything humanly possible to try to find her once she is claimed as "missing" from her friends and family.She practically drives all over the state following the mob trying to find her as public opinion is that Trish's mob boyfriend has killed her.

I won't say more about the plot of the book as I really do feel this is a must read.It is very nicely written and believable.There isn't anything written that would make you think twice as to whether it would really happen that way.

Two things about this book annoyed me though.One is what I would consider a biggie, while the other not so much.

In multiple place the phrase "Mary tried not to get discouraged"appears so many times in the it becomes annoying to read and we think Mary is weak or a downer or something.If it had only appeared once I would have nodded and thought "yeah really, who wouldn't think that"But it appeared about four times.After the second time, I started thinking: "Well maybe you should just go home if you are such a downer".

The second thing is on page 323 "she was supposed to call him back three years ago..." appears.I'm pretty sure this was meant to say three DAYS ago, as she was out looking for Trish for three days in the country and her cell phone wasn't working and she was staking out houses.This sentence made me stop and re-read it over and over which made me lose my momentum.So even if it isn't a mistake, it is poorly placed.This book flows very easily, so when you are forced to stop and re-read something it is pretty jarring.

I must say however, that I found no (at least not glaring) spelling mistakes.I know this should be a no brainer as editors are paid for just this reason, but you would be amazed how often it comes up.

LADY KILLER is a fun book with lots of adventure. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes a good, easy read with a twist at the end. ... Read more

Product Description

Prosecutor Vicki Allegretti goes to meet a confidential informant, is almost killed, and a cop is gunned down before her eyes. She saw the killers, now all she has to do is find them. The deeper Vicki probes, the more she becomes convinced that the murder wasn't random. When another murder takes place, Vicki is thrown together with an unlikely ally -- The Girlfriend from Hell. Will they find the killers before they kill each other?

Customer Reviews (60)

Scottoline's best
I loved this book.It worked as a thriller and a mystery, with intriguing plot twists and red herrings, but what makes this book special is the rendering of the friendship between two compelling and very different female characters.I also appreciated Scottoline's loving portrayal of Philadelphia with all its beauty and flaws.I've read other novels by Scottoline, but this one is the best.

Like a Buddy Movie
I just finished Devil's Corner, by Lisa Scottoline. It is a
lightweight legal thriller (with almost zero courtroom scenes), similar
to the Tannenbaum books in that it is about a prosecutor. The main
character is an Assistant US Attorney. She has to go way off the
reservation to investigate a couple murders and some drug stuff that
she has been told to lay off of. She is working with a woman who had
been a suspect. It turns into a kind of buddy adventure with these two
women doing surveillance and getting into trouble. They are unlikely
allies - a Harvard grad AUSA and a street-smart, black woman who is so
beautiful that men act stupid around her. It would make a fun movie in
a sort of a Beverly Hills Cops way. Nicely written and entertaining,
though as I said, pretty lightweight. It has elements that I require -
good setting (Philadelphia in Winter), interesting characters, and a
pretty good plot with some surprises. I'd rent the movie, if there was
one.

"People ... can fool the devil, but they can't fool the neighbors." Edgar Watson Howe
Vicki Allegretti, Asst. U.S. atty. goes to an informant's home and runs into two men who have just killed the informant. Vicki's associate is also killed before the killers escape.

Raheema Bristow is the person the CI claimed to have evidence about and she is freed after the CI is murdered.

Vicki goes to Raheema's home thinking that she might get evidence against her before the case is dismissed and is surprised to find that Raheema's mother is a crack addict. Eventually, Raheema and Vicki agree to an uneasy truce and decide to work together in attempt to find those guilty of Vicki's partner's murder and another death. These two women with nothing in common begin spying on an inner city crack house.

If the reader can put logic aside and experience the story as a work of fiction, it is a fun read. Vicki is a Harvard educated attorney attempting to be undercover in the slums. I picture Reese Witherspoon of "Legally Blond" in this setting and wonder how Vicki could go undetected and survive.

Scottoline did a professional job creating suspense and maintaining the dramatic flow of the novel, adding a well placed plot twist to keep the reader guessing and make the story more interesting.

Scottoline does it again
For Personal Pickup
Devil's Corner is a slow build to multiple murders and the suprising ending. The women a front an center and the dialogue crisp and accurate.

I laughed, I cried laughing and bought the rest of her books
If you are from a big city, you will like her, if you are from Philly, you will LOVE her.
This book is best one I've read so far.
... Read more

Product Description
Benedetta "Bennie" Rosato is a maverick lawyer who prosecutes police misconduct and excessive-force cases, and business at her firm of Rosato & Biscardi has never been better.

Then, without warning, a savage murder tears the firm apart.All evidence points to Bernie, who has motive aplenty and an unconfirmable alibi.Her world turns upside down as the lawyer becomes the client, and the cops she once prosecuted are now after her--with a vengeance.

To prove her innocence, Bennie probes deep into the murder.Then another killing takes place--a crime punishable by death.Running for her life, Bennie is a fugitive armed only with her wit s and courage.She will find the real killer.Or die trying.Amazon.com Review
Philadelphia lawyer turned novelist (what a concept!)Scottoline has already won a best original paperback Edgar for Final Appeal.Now shemight just nail down a hardcover one for her latest book -- a lovelycombination of high energy, imagination and nasty good humor mostlydirected against lawyers. Her central character this time out is adefinite keeper: Benedetta Rosato, "Bennie" to everyone but hermother, a towering blonde who rows to keep her body in shape and duelswith the police on a daily basis to keep her legal talents sharp. Mostof Bennie's clients have a gripe against the cops, so Philadelphia'sfinest are less than sympathetic to her cause when she becomes thechief suspect in the murder of her ex-lover and soon to be ex-lawpartner. Hiding out in a truly original way, Bennie uses (and abuses)a big law firm to help find the real killers; you'll find yourselflaughing and gasping all the way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Grisham without the macho hero
A literal page-turner.It's great to read about a female main character with wit, physical skills, and a life-and-death dilemma.

Not Crazy About This One...
Here's my review system--I score on four categories and average them together for the number of stars. The four categories are: character development (are the characters deep and complex, plot (is it interesting), voice (is the narration smooth and engaging) and cliche level (is it predictable.)

Character development: 4 stars-- Her protoganist was solid

Plot: 3 stars-- I don't know--some of it seemed unlikely, some of it seemed predictable

Voice: 4 stars-- It was okay--but I tired of the narrator asking the reader questions and dropping plot summaries

Cliche level: 3 stars-- The angry jealous woman lawyer who was jilted by the evil guy...not for me.

Exciting -- if not completely plausible
This book mixes murder, action, family/career issues and even a little romance together to make a heady concoction. The pace is furious, the dialog is funny, the heroine is unique ... but it all happens sooo fast and it all comes together a bit too neatly at the end. Still, I'm not at all sorry I spent time with Bennie and the gang, and I'd recommend this book as a light and fun read.

Female attorney turned author
Lisa Scottoline has an incredible background both personal and profressional.She uses them to write her stories.They are always
interesting, in-depth, and intriguing.I am a new fan of hers and have
read many of her books.None have disappointed me.This one is no
exception.Give this a author a shot at becoming one of yours!

Leagal Tender

I started reading Ms. Scottoline books in the middle of this series and decided to go back to the beginning of the series, I am so glad I did.

Great Series! ... Read more

Product Description
Whether it's poker or trial law, wisecracking Rita Morrone plays to win, especially when she takes on the defense of the Honorable Fiske Hamilton, a prominent federal judge accused of sexual harassment. And it's no coincidence that the judge is her live-in lover's father. Then the action turns deadly, and Rita finds herself at the center of a murder case. She probes deep into the murder, uncovering a secret life and suspects in shocking places. When the killer viciously ups the ante, Rita decides to end this lethal game. She lays it all on the line for the highest stakes ever--her life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Female attorney turned author, Part 2
As mentioned in my previous review, this is an author that I have
read several of her books.Her stories never disappoint a reader.
"Running from the Law" is a fine example of her talent as a writer; and you always seem to learn something about the judicial system as a layman.

running from the law
have read all of ms scottoline's books and have enjoyed every one of them.have recommended her books over and over again.

Running from the Law
I like Lisa Scottoline's style of writing.I enjoyed the book, as I have enjoyed all of hers.

Just fair....
I agree with the reviewer about the "double dialogue" - Rita's sarcastic comments in her head, and their contrast to what she actually says.The problem is that these comments are the best part of the book.The poker-playing buddies, as well as Rita's dad, are all stock ethnic stereotypes and unfunny, to say nothing of unbelievable.The Main Line "WASP" types are also a stereotype and never come alive as characters.
I will admit that I didn't guess the murderer so must give Lisa some kudos.However, the surprise romantic ending had no basis in the book; I even went back to the relevant section to see what was said and it was just a few sentences.Huh?
Unlike some other reviewers, I don't know that this one could keep my attention over the course of a plane ride.

Suspend disbelief to enjoy this one
Rita Morrone is a trial lawyer in Philadelphia who not only defends her clients, but upstages the entire local police force by single-handedly solving the crimes for which her clients are charged.Believable?Well, hardly, but it does make for an intriguing plot.

Rita's live-in boyfriend Paul is a forensic architect (a WHAT? do I hear you gasp?) and his father a respected and well-off federal judge.When Daddy is accused of sexually harassing his young secretary, Patricia, Rita naturally takes on his defence.Then the secretary is found murdered, and the judge and son Paul, who had also been carrying on an affair with Patricia, both come under suspicion.The judge is charged with the murder, and Rita not only takes on his case, but determines to prove him innocent, at tremendous risk to herself, by attempting to uncover the true identity of the killer.

Lisa Scottoline has written a fast-moving tale, with plenty of plot twists and more than a couple of red herrings.The dialogue is feisty, witty, and very bitchy in places.The characterisations are sharp, particularly those of Rita's butcher father and his poker-playing cronies, who come across as full of spirit and humour, and the book makes for an entertaining read -- if you can suspend disbelief long enough to accept the basic plot.
... Read more

Product Description

Nothing can prepare criminal attorney Bennie Rosato for her new client, Alice Connolly, accused of murdering her lover, a highly decorated police detective. Connolly, who bears an uncanny physical resemblance to Bennie, tells the astonished lawyer, "Pleased to meet you. I'm your twin." But Bennie grew up an only child. She doesn't have a twin.

Or does she?

Bennie takes the case and plunges into the mystery of the murder, as well as the secret of her own identity. Not until the verdict is in will she finally learn the truth.

Scottoline keeps us in a bubble of suspense--is Connolly really Bennie'stwin? Did she murder Della Porta? If not, who did and why? The authorneatly ties all our unanswered questions together into a perfectly formedbow, and keeps us frantically turning pages until the veryend. --Naomi Gesinger ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

A flawless book, EXCEPT....
I have become a HUGE fan of Lisa Scottoline since I started reading her books a little over a year ago. Some of them (like Daddy's Girl, Dirty Blonde and The Vendetta Defense) are flawless. This book should have been one of them, except (uh-oh here it comes) the frequent and over-use of the "F" word, and one use of the "C" word. Let me state that I am not a prude or goody-two shoes, just an average middle aged guy. I know that these words are used liberally in these modern times, I just don't feel like hearing and reading them constantly. I also realize that it would be in the nature of certain characters to use these words. That's almost OK, but when these words are written within the text and not part of a quote, that's different. It appears that Ms. Scottoline uses these words in her earlier books and has not used them in her latest books. This makes the later books much more appealing to me (and I wouldn't hesitate to lend them to my mother to read). So, since I can't split my stars, I have to give this book a 3, based entirely on the language. Otherwise, it's a 5 star book all the way! I have fallen in love with Rosato & Associates, the plot was excellent, the writing was crisp without boring legal stuff, and there's a plot twist in the last 10 pages or so that I did NOT see coming (you probably won't see it coming, either). Now to read the other books in the Alice Connolly thread.

The Accused is Her Dead Ringer
Bennie (Benita) Rosato has managed to get herself into hot water with the Philadelphia Police Department on more than one occasion. In fact you might say the cops hate her. Could it be because she almost always wins in court and that she usually takes on police misconduct cases? So when someone accused of killing a cop wants to change attorneys at the last minute, a switch to Bennie might seem to make good sense.

However when Alice Connolly, accused of killing police detective Anthony Della Porta, declares that her current counsel is incompetent a week before she is to go on trial and says she wants Bennie to defend her, she's apparently looking for something more than competent counsel.

Bennie goes to the prison to interview Alice, but she's not prepared for what she finds. Alice proclaims her innocence, or course, and says she was framed by the police, but what knocks Bennie for a loop is the fact that Alice looks like a prettier, albeit streetwise, version of herself.

She claims to be Bennie's twin and has some strong evidence to prove it, however Bennie isn't convinced. However there's one person who could prove it one way or another, and that's Bennie's mother, but unfortunately she's not much help, given her mental illness. So Bennie, with a week's notice, has to decide whether she's going to save her self-professed twin from the screwed up defence she's been getting so far.

It's her sister (or is it?) after all, so there's a lot of interesting tactics bandied about to try and save Alice from her appointment with the needle, helped along by the biased rulings and demeanor of the judge. Is there a conspiracy afoot? Was the deceased detective involved in drug dealing? Can Bennie put the personal aspects of the case aside and be the calm and cool lawyer she must be?

When you go into a courtroom in one of Ms. Scottoline's books, it's like you're both observer and participant, prosecutor and counsel for the defense. It also doesn't hurt any that Scottoline can draw you into her characters and make you care about them with just a few words, that she paints scenes on her pages so real, you feel like you're there.

Textbook hackwork
The only people who might gain from reading this book are those interested in the publishing industry and analysis of the minimal requirements for publishing thrillers. "Mistaken Identity" will show that those elements do not include the following:
1. Correct English grammar
2. Correct usage
3. Interesting characters
4. Believable situations
5. Believable behavior
6. Greater-than-one-dimensional characterization
7. A grasp of non-standard or non-prestige English
8. An ability to allow the reader to trust the author's depictions of professional behavior
The only manifest requirements are (a) the ability to mix stereotypic characters in soap-operatic situations with (b) a "mystery" that simply operates by witholding explanation until the end of the book.

Fun and enjoyable
Bennie Rosato, the main heroine in the Lisa Scottoline books, finds herself approached by an intriguing client.For the first time in her life, a woman is telling her that she has a twin sister.And this woman, Alice, is sitting behind bars for the murder of her boyfriend.Bennie had sworn off criminal law, but is irresistably drawn to this case and the possibility that she has a sibling, and maybe even a father that she never knew about.But Alice is one of the most difficult, unlikeable people she has ever met.Alice claims to be innocent of the murder, but is hardly an innocent person.The more Bennie learns, the more she dislikes Alice, but is unable to completely turn away from the woman that might be her sister.

To complicate matters further, it seems as though there are dirty cops in the middle of this murder investigation.Bennie, along with her associates, are trying to put a murder defense together in less than a week.But roadblocks are thrown up at every turn.And when these roadblocks turn deadly, Bennie must keep herself and her coworkers safe while trying to keep a focus on the looming trial.

Lisa Scottoline is a pro at putting together a series of fun and exciting books that involve Bennie Rosato, and her female lawyer associates.With each book there is chaos, criminal plotting, and mayhem.The characters are now familiar and it is fun to keep track of each installment.By now it is as if I know the characters personally.Mistaken identity is not a fantastic book, but is solid.At times the dialogue during trial drags on too long and much of Bennie's cross examination is predictable, but it is still fun and the pages keep turning.Another success.

Good Read
Love the legal drama and Lisa Scottoline and really good at telling her stories.Price is great too. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Natalie Greco loves being a teacher, even though she can't keep her students from cruising sex.com during class. She loves her family, too, but her boyfriend fits in better with the football-crazy Grecos than she does. Then a colleague, handsome Angus Holt, talks Nat into teaching a class at a local prison, and her world turns upside down.

Customer Reviews (71)

lost me
I have been a Lisa Scottoline fan since her first book but this one lost me.I don't want to give it away, but this book totally turned me off.I never finished it and lost the will to read it about mid way through the story when the character does something so stupid that it just turned me off.You get pulled over by a cop, someone in a mask kills the cop and tells you to leave, you leave then come back to your car, and then you are arrest for killing a cop.What the hell were you thinking?Maybe, that was Scottoline's purpose but after reading that I lost the want to read it.Over all, I thought the story was very boring and I struggled to keep my mind on it.I put it down a few times and picked it back up but that part stopped me cold.I mean what do you think is going to happen?It's like Duhhh!That's how I felt about it.I have loved all her book but this one just plain lost me.This book is by far, not her best.

Daddy's Girl
Our book club chose Daddy's Girl for this month's review.
I would not have chosen a book with that title, however the title is misleading.
In my opinion it was an excellent, fast-paced read. Lots happening and very compelling plot, hard to put down once I got into it.
A very good choice for a book club as there are a lot of topics that can be discussed. We had one of our better discussion sessions - very lively, lots of different opinions.
One negative opinion stated that Lisa Scottoline tends to write "form books" - once you have read one the plot is similar for all. Another negative was that Lisa's heroines are all a bit "James Bond-ish" in that it is unbelievable how the heroine gets out of all the situations alive!
The rationale for the title escaped all 12 of us!

A riveting thriller
This is the first Lisa Scottoline novel that I read and I found it very interesting. The story is a riveting thriller, revolving around Natalie "Nat" Greco, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
There are several twists and turns in the novel, with a really good twist at the tail end. It is well written with credible dialogues, even though some of the incidents are a little over the top. This is a novel that can be read in one go - the action and the plotting are that good. She is a believable, real life heroine who deserves an outing in more books. Heartily recommended.

Great Reader - 3.5/5 stars
Lisa Scottoline is a new to me author. This review is based on the unabridged audio book, which is read by Barbara Rosenblat.

Natalie Greco, is a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. When another professor, Angus Holt invites her to join him in teaching a class at a local prison, she agrees. A riot breaks out while she is at the prison. When Nat is trying to help a badly injured guard, he whispers some dying last words to her "tell my wife it's under the floor".

Natalie has no clue what the message she's asked to deliver means, but evidently someone thinks she knows a bit too much. Before long, Natalie is suspected of murder, being pursued by the police, and, even some killers are after her.

Although the book has a few too many coincidences, Daddy's Girl was still and entertaining thriller. The reader Barbara Rosenblat was excellent. She injected humor at times, and did a great job changing her voice to fit the cast of characters. The story was just so so, but still it was a fun listening experience. (BTW: I read that the author really is an adjunct professor at The University of Pennsylvania).

RATING - 3.5/5 stars

Fun read
Lisa Scottoline captures the spirit of the typical, loving Philly family in the Grecos. At moments, I found myself jealous of Natalie and her (sometimes) overbearing family, and at other moments thought of the adage "the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

Natalie is nothing if not lovable, and delivers many insightful lines, like "what if I suck at my passion?" (Now, who hasn't asked themselves that?!) She's on the brink of tenure at U. Penn Law, she's dating a great guy--who her family adores--and life is pretty much okay. Until her boss watches her stage Shakesphere's "The Mercent of Venice" as a tool for her law students to learn the difference between the law and justice, and a hippie professor extends her an invition to be a guest lecturer at a local minimum security prison. As her life spirals out of control, Natalie finds herself in control for the first time in her life.

The story is a great, easy read and a perfect beach read, but also a thought provoking story about the fine line line between the law and justice. ... Read more

Product Description
Criminal lawyer Marta Richter is hours away from winning an acquittal for her client, millionaire businessman Elliot Steere, on trial for the murder of a homeless man who had tried to carjack him. But as the jury begins deliberations, Marta discovers the chilling truth about her client's innocence. Taking justice into her own hands, she furiously sets out to prove the truth, with the help of two young associates. In an excruciating game of beat-the-clock with both the jury and the worst blizzard to hit Philadelphia in decades, Marta will learn that the search for justice isn't only rough--it can also be deadly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Not Her Best
If this were the first Lisa Scottoline book I had ever read I would not read any others.I don't remember ever hearing the word "ridiculous" scream in my head when reading her other books, but I sure did this time.From the implausible premise that defense attorneys would be incensed to learn that their client is actually guilty (horrers!) to the lengths said attorneys would then go to prove him guilty including breaking the law this story is ridiculous.

Too contrived
I have read many of Lisa's books, and have enjoyed them.But, this one comes across as so contrived --- too many things just fall into place -- and everything is wrapped up much too quickly at the end.It seems impossible to me that there would be enough organ donors in the city of Philadelphia to sway an election.Marta is beaten up within an inch of her life, and still jumps in the car and drives to the Jersey Shore --------- very implausible.And, the ending seems thrown together in an attempt to sweep up all the debris.

Very Good for an earlier book
Although this author is very good, this book was very good for an earlier writing for her (it was MUCH better than "Dirty Blonde").I already figured out who the "bad person" was early on in the book, but it still made for good reading anyway.

As Ms. Scottoline continues throughout the years with her writing, she just gets better and better.

Rough Justice
I started reading Ms. Scottoline books in the middle of this series and decided to go back to the beginning of the series, I am so glad I did.

Great Series!

Fast paced book
I have read alot of Lisa Scottoline books.This is an older one I believe released in 1997.Strong, female lead characters and fast paced legal action.Marta Richter is about to win an aquittal for her client, millionaire businessman Elliot Steele.During jury deliberations, she finds out that her client is guilty of the crime.She begins a dangerous and deadly race of time to find out the truth. I read this book in almost one sitting.It was an easy read and kept my interest. ... Read more

Product Description

Bennie Rosato is fighting the battle of her life -- against her own twin. The action starts innocently enough, with a stolen wallet, but in no time events escalate and the twin wreaks havoc that can be created only by a dead ringer. Her twin tries to destroy Bennie's law firm, Rosato & Associates, and then strikes at her very heart -- which just happens to be otherwise engaged by a handsome, hunky stranger with the perfect amount of chest hair. But when a brutal murder occurs, Bennie realizes that the stakes have turned deadly. And the face of evil looks like her own.

Customer Reviews (43)

An Evil Twin, a Murder and a Mystery
Bennie Rosato's law firm, which consists of four young female attorneys and a pregnant secretary, is in trouble. They win cases, clients can't pay and they need money. Bennie takes on a class action case, then strange things start happening to her. Her wallet is stolen, she starts getting packages she didn't order, someone alleges she had been seen drunk, eventually she figures out her criminal twin is behind it all.

For some reason her evil twin is intent on ruining her reputation and her as well. With time running out, Bennie struggles to keep working and holding her firm together, while her sister keeps up her attacks. Add murder to the mix and Bennie determined to solve it and you have a five star mystery thriller you can't put down.

A Bad Day Got Worse
DEAD RINGER by Lisa Scottoline makes a bad hair-day seem trivial. Bennie Rosato unexpectedly wins a big case. The celebration is short lived when her client informs her he has filed bankruptcy. Big Win--No Pay.
Then it gets worse, she arrives at her office to discover an associate has purple hair, she is being evicted from the premises, she has lost her wallet and before her secretary cancels her credit cards thousand of dollars worth of merchandise has been both charged and delivered to her office.
Then someone else has stolen her identity, gotten drunk in public and destroyed her reputation.
It is a nightmare the Bennie must solve to maintain her career and her sanity. A fine legal thriller with nonstop action.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS.

Good Book
I discovered Lisa Scottoline this year and have been devouring these books ever since!I love her writing style.Having lived in Philadelphia for 18 years, I particularly enjoy the references to this great city.South Philly is one of my favorite places.The unique vibe of that part of the city is wonderful!I enjoyed getting to know Bennie Rosato.Mary DiNunzio is my favorite of the lawyers and her view of Bennie is one of intimidation.It was neat to read what was behind the character of this strong woman.

AWESOME Author!
I really enjoy reading books written by Lisa Scottoline!If you enjoy a great mystery with a little bit of romance then this book is for you.

Blah
It has been a long time since I had such a difficult time forcing myself to finish a novel.There was nothing to enjoy. I could not figure out what it was supposed to be.Was it supposed to be funny? It wasn't.Was it supposed to be a serious legal thriller? It wasn't. Was this what people call "chick-lit?" Then I hope this is the last time I accidentally pick up a book from that genre.It wasn't terrible, just a big boring nothing.It was like ordering spaghetti and having the waiter deliver a plate of naked boiled noodles without sauce or meatballs--unsalted. ... Read more

Product Description

Lawyer Mary DiNunzio's new case is a mystery—the strange suicide of an Italian fisherman interned during a dark, unspoken chapter in American history. Armed only with the puzzle pieces of a lock of hair, an old photograph, and a paper covered with indecipherable doodles, Mary digs deep into the case and suspects betrayal—and murder.

Customer Reviews (54)

One for the Good Guys/Gals
I thought the story line was great.Introducing Italian immigrants, connecting with early homeland security, mysterious drawings, twists of plot, and a happy ending all made the book enjoyable.And who doesn't like a victorious courtroom drama?The author has an easy way with descriptions and adding humor in clever quips.The drawback of this book was the main character, Mary.Mary - so socially inept, engaging in stupid and dangerous stunts, and breaking the law through her impetuous activities detracted from a good plot.If the heroine were not so bumbling, I would give this book a five.I would still recommend the book for a good entertaining read.

Great read with a history lesson thrown in!
I love Scottoline's characters.The story moved quickly and held together to the end.In this book, there's the added bonus of the history lesson.I had never thought about any group other than the Japanese being interned during WWII so reading a little of the history of the Italian experience at Fort Missoula was very interesting.

Mary DiNunzio is back for more.
I have a soft spot for Lisa Scottoline. Many years ago I was working in a used book store when I ran across her first book, 'Everywhwere that Mary Went' and I loved it. We had two copies of that book and we must have re-sold them a dozen times after I started recommending them to people who asked for someone new to read. Pretty soon, Lisa Scottoline was one of our hottest items - we even special-ordered in some new copies! I like to think that I had a very, very small part in her success, even though the used book store is now defunct.

This book continues on with several familiar themes in Scottoline's books. Once again Bennie Rosato's all female (with the exception of an office manager) law firm swings into action in a case involving the Italian neighborhods of Phialadelphia. Mary DiNunzio, Scottoline's original character is back with a pro bono case based in history. Some Italians were sent to internment camps during World War II (much like the Japanese camps but not nearly as numerous) and this is at least the second book that focuses on this sad fact of American history.

DiNunzio is investigating the mysterious death of a prisoner in an Italian internment camp, despite the 60+ year time lag. And, it turns out that some people do not want this old case solved and are willing to use violence to keep Mary away.

This is a fun, quick read - great escapist reading.

Eeek! Yikes! Argh! Eeeek!!!!
These are a few of the commonplace expressions of the supposedly mature, educated, intelligent female protagonists of the author's series of books about an all-women law firm in Philly. The problem is, it's not an all-women firm: it's a girly firm with actions, dialogue and clothing more appropriate to an eighth-grade clique than to college-educated, seasoned professional women. Despite the occasional interesting plotlines and background, I can never get past how silly these people are and how they never seem to grow past their eeks and yikes. Come on, Ms. Scottoline: stop dumbing down your characters and raise them to an acceptably mature level - it's way past time for that.

Killer Smile
The book arrived as promised; it was in very good shape.It replaced a book at the local library because our puppy decided to "read" three borrowed books.The hardest part was replacing the inscription that was in the borrowed book. ... Read more

Product Description

Cate Fante is strong and sexy and wears designer suits like overpriced armor. She's just become a judge but leads a dark double life that she hides from everyone.

Customer Reviews (79)

Dirty Blonde
It was a great book. The author has a wonderful sense of humor. I like the details about lawyers and the law. Her characters are described so well. They are easy to visualize and soo interesting.

Ridiculous
This book was just over-the-top ridiculous.And there were too many things that I found annoying, such as how the characters kept referring to an almost-3-year-old child as "the baby".

The judge
What a fun book! The eponymous Dirty Blonde is Cate Fante, a new federal judge with a very hot secret. She never dreams that it will become public, but there are Hollywood types involved in her latest trial, and they think her life will make a great TV drama. After she passes judgement on the lawsuit, the plaintiff and defendant each wind up dead. There are other interesting characters in the guise of Cate's best friend, a former lawyer now struggling to do right by her little autistic son, and Cate has a secretary with the proverbial heart of gold, and two bright but colorfully immature law clerks. One of the other judges has it in for Cate, as does a city cop, and soon her idyllic life appears to be permanently in the trash can. Author Scottoline is a competent writer who spins out a lively, often humorous story that won't win awards, but does entertain.

I Am Hooked
This is the second book I have read from this author and loved both of them.She writes with a "light touch" than does not drag you down, but the story, plot and characters are just too fascinating to put the book down.The two books I have read had humor to make you laugh as well as characters to love and hate and plots that made you hold your breath for an instance.I would recommend this author to anyone who loves mysteries, good characters and a story that is easy to read but get caught up in

Not Great
I think what detracted from this book was the fact that Cate was not a likeable character, her sex life notwithstanding. And the romance was anything but -- we never saw it develop, and we had a cop that we were told is the straightest shooter around buying into her conspiracy theories and running off after invisible culprits on Cate's word alone.

All in all, a disappointing read. ... Read more

Product Description
Do our Judges do us Justice?

To Philadelphia lawyer Grace Rossi, who's starting over after a divorce, apart-time job with a federal appeals court sounds perfect. But Grace doesn't count on being assigned to an explosive death penalty appeal. Nor does she expect ardor in the court, in the form of an affair with her boss, Chief Judge Armen Gregorian. Then the truly unimaginable happens and Grace finds herself investigating a murder. Unearthing a six-figure bank account kept by a judge with an alias. Breaking into another judge's chambers, and a secret apartment. Following a trail of bribery and judicial corruption that's stumped even the FBI. In no time at all, Grace under fire takes on a whole new meaning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

lisa scottoline - final appeal
really like this author.enjoy all her books.amazon always delivers quality products promptly.

A short easy read, but with a slow start and weak plot - not one of Scottoline's best
If Steve Martini, Scott Turow, or John Grisham, wrote from a feminine perspective this is the subject matter they would cover.

Grace Rossi, a Philadelphia lawyer, works for federal appeals Judge Armen Gregorian. When he's found dead, apparently a suicide, Grace decides to investigate, as she believes it might be murder.Its incomprehensible to Ms. Rossi that the Judge would end his life so abruptly after they had started an affair the previous evening.The plot follows Grace's investigations, and the final resolution of the Judge's death.

Put simply, this is not one of Scottoline's best works. The plot starts slowly and initially is a bit hard to follow.Scottoline's political biases are "front and center". This is not necessarily a bad thing, but when all the "good folks" are on one side of the political line and all the "bad folks" on the other, it's not hard to predict the final outcome.The description of her brief liaison with Judge Gregorian is unrealistic, as are some of the other plot devices used here.Although the story picks up considerably after a weak opening, the final resolution of the key mysteries is rather weak and may be predicable to many readers.

None-the-less Scottoline is an outstanding writer, knowledgeable about the legal system, easy to read, and not demanding of her readers. In typical Scottoline style, the key characters are not too numerous. Although this book won an Edgar for the author, it's clearly not one of her best works.If you're new to Scottoline, you may want to start with one of her later books.

One final note if you select to read this work, the Impress edition's well-chosen font and layout probably make it the best choice.

entertaining, twisty whodunit
Doesn't it just figure? I find a Scottoline that I like pretty well, and it's one her fans in general dislike.

Grace Rossi is a lawyer and a single mother, working as an assistant to a judge she's attracted to. It seems the attraction is mutual, and he asks for her help on a death sentence appeal, praising her abilities. Then one night they're working late and act on their attraction.

The next morning, the judge is found dead, and his death is ruled a suicide. Grace is understandably reluctant to believe that, and so she begins investigating on her own, and soon finds herself in over her head.

She's assisted by a variety of characters, including an office manager with a big secret, and a deep-undercover FBI agent. The suspects are similarly varied.

Mostly, it's just an entertaining, twisty whodunit. I didn't quite believe the romance between Grace and the judge, but that was a fairly minor point, and more of a plot device to give her a reason to pursue the case in the face of danger and objections.

Typical Scottoline
First of all, I must confess that I'm a huge Lisa Scottoline fan.I haven't read all her books in order which is why I'm reading her second book that she wrote way after I've read a lot of the others.I was really hooked into this book in the first 50 pages or so.You meet the main character of the book, Grace Rossi as part time employee of the Chief Justice of Appelate Court.She is a mother of a young child and a lawyer.She falls for her boss and then while looking at deciding a death penalty case dies.Is it suicide or is it murder?I really got into the nuts and bolts of the cases and the interaction between Grace and her co-workers.I feel this is Lisa Scottoline's best quality in her writing.She truly makes you feel and care about her characters.

However the last 50 pages were kinda a letdown for me.Ms. Scottoline does a very good job at getting you to believe it is one way and then turns it.The twist didn't really make a lot of sense though.I felt it was very rushed and not believable.I hated the Shake and Bake Character and found him to be the most unrealistic character that Ms. Scottoline has written in the books I've read.He didn't help the storyline out a lot.I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick legal suspense novel.It's a quick and easy read.

Any other Scottoline is better
I only recommend this one to completists like myself who compulsively insist on reading an author's full body of work. Final Appeal is my least favorite by Scottoline, but it's only her sophomore effort and from here it keeps on improving. ... Read more

Product Description
Lawyer Judy Carrier takes the case of her career to defend Anthony Lucia, fondly known as "Pigeon Tony," who is arrested for the murder of his lifelong enemy Angelo Coluzzi. When her client freely admits he killed Coluzzi because of a vendetta, Judy's troubles really begin. The Coluzzi family wants revenge. Then there's Pigeon Tony's hunky grandson, who makes Judy think about everything but the law.

When Judy Carrier, one of Bennie's attorneys, takes on Tony's defense, she's faced with a legal and moral dilemma. Tony admits that he killed Angelo Coluzzi, but insists it wasn't murder but vendetta, a justifiable payback for a blood crime committed nearly half a century ago and a continent away. The Coluzzi family knows about vendetta, too--they've got their own payback planned, and the trick for Judy is keeping Pigeon Tony (and herself) alive long enough to get them to trial. There's a complication de coeur when Judy falls in love with Tony's grandson, a hunky stonemason who will do for fences what Robert James Waller did for covered bridges (Clint Eastwood's too old, Brad Pitt's too young, etc.). But all's well that ends well in a tidy little read that will probably earn Scottoline another well-deserved shot at the bestseller list.--Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

I'ma wonder whata alla da fuss is abouta
This was my first Scottoline novel and it will certainly be my last. I don't entirely understand why someone with such modest writing skills has become so popular, and I definitely don't understand why the Italian-American Anti-Defamation League isn't picketing her publisher. In this novel, Scottoline takes evident pride in depicting the Italian-American community she grew up near (if not exactly in), employing a sort of "you can't be mad at me, I'm Italian" approach to trotting out stereotypes so broad that not even The Sopranos would have thought of using them. And let's be clear: I'm not arguing that they're "offensive"; I'm saying that they're overdone, repetitive, unoriginal, graceless, tedious, and ham-handed. In this book, one of Scottoline's two main characters is an elderly Italian immigrant who (despite being in American for some fifty years) still speaks the kind of broken English that you'd expect from a Chef Boyardee commercial. In print, Scottoline has chosen to represent that dialogue so absurdly and so unnaturally that at times you wonder whether she has a chronic tin ear or whether she thought she was writing ethnic satire. Clearly, her lawyer-protagonist (blonde and WASP) suffers from a kind of internal-dialogue Tourette's syndrome that causes her to think in ceaseless puns and seventh-grade double entendres, all of which are about as amusing as leprosy. Scottoline also likes to throw in Italian words and phrases--it adds so much color, dontcha know. Unfortunately, she gets about half of them wrong, writing "come se dice" instead of "come si dice," for example, or "io lo fatto" instead of "io l'ho fatto." They're stupid, embarrassing errors--for her, but also for her editor, who ought to have checked the Italian before letting Scottoline make a fool of herself. For someone who was a lawyer before she turned to potboiling, Scottoline also doesn't shy away from playing fast and loose with the law--in one scene, she has witnesses sitting in the courtroom audience, watching the trial before they are called to testify. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way--witnesses don't get to listen to the other witnesses. For all of that, the storyline is respectable enough - as "legal thrillers" go - but Scottoline seems to do everything she can think of to stand in its way. I find her voice so intrusive and so (for want of a better word) silly that I won't be coming back for more

Vendetta Defense audio book, read by Kate Burton
The seller sent me the wrong item.I ordered the Vendetta Defense by Lisa Scottoline, READ BY BARBARA ROSENBLATS for a cost of $55 plus S/H.The seller also had available the same book/author, but read by Kate Burton for $15 plus S/H.I specifically said in my notes to seller that I only wanted the version read by Barbara Rosenblats.What the seller did was to send me the one read by Kate Burton, but charged my credit card for the one read by Barbara Rosenblats, the more expensive one.They intentionally charged my credit card the higher amount as they stated that the one I ordered was not in stock.Why would they do that?It took weeks for them to refund me partially.They will not give me a total refund as I want to return the unwanted item.I will never buy from this person again!Can't trust them with my credit card.And I don't want the item I have, but do not have an address where to return.Extremely unhappy!

Interesting Legal Dilemma
Lisa Scottoline's THE VENDETTA DEFENSE presents an interesting legal dilemma.

An old Italian man, "Pigeon Tony," who lived in prewar Italy under Mussolini and the Black Shirts and fled to America with his young son, is now accused of murdering another Italian-American, Angelo Coluzzi. Coluzzi is a rich man who is corrupt and has ties to the Mafia.

During flashbacks in the book, we see why their ages-old feud, since their lives in Italy when Coluzzi was one of the Black Shirts, led to the killing. And, according to Pigeon Tony, that's what it was--killing, not murder.

THE VENDETTA DEFENSE is one book in Scottoline's series about a Philadelphia law firm. One of the associate lawyers in the firm takes on this case, made more difficult by Pigeon Tony's ongoing insistence that he tell the judge that he did, in fact, kill Coluzzi. Pigeon Tony was sure the killing was justified because it wasn't murder; Coluzzi killed Pigeon Tony's wife in Italy many years ago and his son and daughter-in-law more recently in Philadelphia.

While this book wasn't a not-put-downable thriller, it was interesting and did make me want to keep reading. Scottoline seems to like to set herself up to solve unsolvable legal dilemmas.

Finally!Someone who can do an Italian accent!!
Barbara Rosenblat does a SUPERB job with the reading of Lisa Scottoline's audiobook version of The Vendetta Defense.I usually cringe and am horrified by terrible accents, like Tony Shaloub's Italian mechanic on the TV Show, "Wings". (Shaloub is Lebanese, by the way....) Ms. Rosenblat was RIGHT ON and very funny as well.She had to have taken Italian lessons or lived there...

Fabulous Job from an Italian reviewer!I'll listen to her renditions again.

laughedout loud
As an Italian American who grew up in a neighborhood in Philly, I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of this book.Laughing out loud in the car.I know people like these characters. The reader did a superb job with the accents and of course Scottoline knows her material so well.It rang true - and funny. ... Read more

Product Description

When prosecutor Vicki Allegretti arrives at a rowhouse to meet a confidential informant, she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time -- and is almost shot to death. She barely escapes with her life, but cannot save the two others gunned down before her disbelieving eyes. Stunned and heartbroken, Vicki tries to figure out how a routine meeting on a minor case became a double homicide.

Customer Reviews (4)

An Excellent Narration
The story is a nice mystery.There are many plot turns and Ms Scottoline has a great sense of humor that makes one laugh when the tension grows.Vicki and Rahema are strong characters.I have to strongly disagree with the prior reviewer.I thought the narrator was superb.

Like the narrator!
One reason I chose another Scottoline book was because I like the narrator. She does a superb job with the characters and I will continue to look for her books.Great job.

Narrator is absolutley awful
enjoyed the book, however, the narration by Ms Rosenblat makes it extremely hard to listen to.It sounds like she has rocks in her mouth.The "mouth noises" was extremely annoying. This is the second book with her as the narrator that I have had to put aside.

SUPER SUSPENSE AND A STRONG VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Already entrenched as one of the most popular authors of legal thrillers, Lisa Scottoline shows no signs of success lag.Her twelfth book, Devil's Corner, is once more headed byspunky, bright heroine, Vicki Allegretti, and peppered with trenchant dialogue.

Vicki's the kind of gal who finds trouble wherever she looks, and determinedly faces it down.She packs a wallop and a gun, sometimes in her left coat pocket "where it could shoot out an ovary."Actress Barbara Rosenblat gives a strong vocal performance as Vicki allies herself with Reheema Bristow to break up a gang dealing in cocaine and death.

Meeting an informant can be standard procedure for Vicki but when she shows up at the appointed time what she confronts is a loaded gun.By dint of determination and a lot of luck she escapes a bullet but two others aren't so fortunate.She's at a loss to understand why and how a routine meet turned into a massacre.

Her investigation takes her to Philadelphia's sleazier neighborhood, one known as Devil's Corner, a haven for no one but dealers and thieves.It's easy to discover who deals; the big question is who's behind the dealers?

A former trial lawyer and Edgar Award winner, Scottoline has delivered another rousing ride through places both low and high with the indefatigable Vicki exceeding the suspense limit at every turn.

- Gail Cooke ... Read more

Product Description

Now, for the first time in hardcover, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline's first two novels, Everywhere That Mary Went and Final Appeal, are available in one volume. A sure treat for Scottoline's legions of fans, Lisa Scottoline: The First Two Novels is the ultimate collectible.

Customer Reviews (3)

NOT SO HOT
This book was in not so great a shape and looked like it was very old.

If there were 10 stars, that's what I'd give all Lisa's books!
This gal will make you laugh out loud whether you're listening to one of her books or reading it.She's got a great banter with the characters and the Italian influence (if you are Italian or know Italians) is so great and so right on!Every book of Lisa's that I've read (and that's nearly all of them) has been just a terrific enjoyable ride.She's superb and on the level of Susan Isaacs whom I consider another great author.Take the time to research the books in order and read them that way.The female characters are just simply dynOmite!You'll love every one of them and the books take twists you'd never expect.Excellent mysteries and the all girl law firm is wonderful.

Barbara Rosenblat reads all of Lisa's books and she is such a skilled narrator...you've just got to listen to at least one on tape.I don't know how Lisa chose her, but she's a total delight and makes the books even more enjoyable!

Out of Stock
Timely communication to advise that there was a stock problem.Very professional. ... Read more