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Sunday, March 26, 2006

Lisa Scottoline

This is a relatively new author for me, but she is one that I'm going to keep track of. Her earlier books are legal thrillers that feature the all-female law firm of Rosato & Associates. Bennie Rosato built up the firm and hired Anne Murphy, Mary DiNunzio, and Judy Carrier. These women share friendship, advise, legal prowess, and some intense situations. Different books highlight different members of the law firm, allowing the reader to get to know each woman, but the others are still supporting characters. This relationship is one of the reasons I like these books. Add to that page turning action without over-the-top violence, sex, or language. The books do not need to be read in any order, but if you'd like to read them in order there's a chronological list on Lisa Scottoline's webpage.

The first novel I read was Courting Trouble. Newly hired to the Philladelphia law firm, Anne Murphy decides to spend the 4th of July weekend in New Jersey. When she reads about her own 'death' in the newspaper, she immediately realizes that the girl watching her car was shot in the face and the media had a case of mistaken identity. She decides to remain dead in order to catch the killer.

Dead Ringer - Bennie's law firm is barely staying afloat when she is hired for a class action suit that will safe the firm. While working n the case, Bennie runs into some problems. Her bad twin is running around town ruining Bennie's reputation. While she is trying to find the twin, somebody kills the person she's representing in the class action. Lots of thrills and chills.

Killer Smile - Mary DiNunzio is retained to investigate property appropriation of long-ago internment camp veteran Amadeo Bandolini. Scottoline was inspired to write this book when she discovered her grandparents' alien registration cards. Her Italian-American grandparents were forced to register as enemy aliens during World War II. This book is not about her grandparents, but about a young Italian-American who apparently committed suicide in an interment camp near Missoula, Montana.

Devil's Corner - I was disappointed that this book didn't include the Rosato & Assts. Law Firm, but I got over it real soon. This was probably the best yet, but I do look forward to more books with the girls.

Scottoline's latest book, Dirty Blonde, hit the bookstores on March 14. Looking forward to reading it.

1 comment:

Myke Weber said...

I really enjoyed March. I was amazed at how well a modern writer wrote in that older style and language. It was fun to have been to Concord prior to reading these descriptions of the place and people.