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Everywhere That Mary Went | 10/10 |
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Author: Lisa Scottoline
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseIn Lisa Scottoline’s first novel she wins me as a fan with a gripping and exciting story. Mary DiNunzio has one wish, to be a partner in a large Philadelphia law firm. Work is the only thing that helps her forget her husband’s recent accidental death. She keeps working for the rich and deceitful but has trouble with her conscience.. When she starts to get crank calls all hell breaks loose and the story takes off. Mary must depend on herself. The plot is intricate and thus compelling to diehard mystery fans. It starts slowly but picks up taking you on a thrilling legal ride.
From the first book, I’ve loved this character. Something for everyone: romance, friendship and a huge range of human emotions. The characters are genuine, the atmosphere of a law firm accurate and the story compelling. I’ve already started another one of her books. It’s hard to get enough of such fine writing.
I highly recommend this.
Reviewed: July 03 2010
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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Moment of Truth | 10/10 |
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Author: Lisa Scottoline
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseLisa Scottoline is most definitely the “queen of the legal thriller." She skillfully depicts "personal quirks that give her characters dimension."
She has the ability to devise terrific plots, coming up with the best hooks Moment of Truth, is exciting and unpredictable --a riveting story of a man who frames himself for murder.
Attorney Jack Newlin comes home one evening to find his wife, Honor, dead on the floor of their elegant dining room. Convinced that he knows who killed her--and determined to hide the truth--Jack decides to make it look as though he did it. Staging the crime scene so that the evidence incriminates him, he then calls the police. To be sure that he's convicted he hires the most inexperienced lawyer he can find, a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio, employed at the Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates.
Mary may be inexperienced but she's quick doubting Jack's confession; she begins to investigate the crime. She finds that she has an innocent client who is falsifying his guilt. Her ethics tell her she can't defend a man who wants to convict himself. Or can she? Mary decides to stick with the case. With help from the most unexpected sources, she sets out to prove what really happened
Nothing is certain until the final moment of truth.
Sharp, funny characters, excellent plot twists, and a rich depiction of high- and lower-middle Philadelphia society will keep readers riveted to this tense, often naughty page-turner. The plot moves at a fast pace, with plenty of twists, yet Scottoline takes the time to make her characters human.
Great read.
Mary is my favorite character in each of the books where she's featured; I love her.
Reviewed: July 03 2010
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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Rough Justice | 10/10 |
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Author: Lisa Scottoline
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseEach time Lisa Scottoline comes out with a new book about a female group of lawyers, I have to buy it. She’s fast, witty and accurate. As a resident of the Phila. suburbs she takes me on an adventure which excites everyone but even more so someone from the area. Each book has me feeling I’m friends with these women. Putting them down is hard and this one is terrific. Marta is hard edged and extremely smart. She’s a true hero. The accused criminal is mean and arrogant. Ms. Scottoline tells the story with just the right amount of “edge”.
Elliot Steere confesses that the murder he is on trial for he actually did commit rather that it being accidental, as he has claimed all along. Marta cannot believe her ears, with feelings of deception she becomes determined to find a way to make him legally pay for his crime. The trial is over and the jury has been sent to deliberate, she doesn’t know what to do. She leaves the client/attorney booth deciding she will prove that Steere is guilty.
It’s a suspenseful legal thriller which I highly recommend.
Reviewed: July 03 2010
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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Sacred & Profane | 10/10 |
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Author: Faye Kellerman
Genre: Mystery and SuspensePeter Decker and Rina Lazarus are well crafted characters who draw you in and keep the story flowing. Ms. Kellerman is indeed a master of mystery. Peter is beginning his change to Judaism in order to marry Rina. While on a trip her sons find the charred remains of two people. As a detective, this is where the story begins.
Detective Decker had two problems. He had to find the killers of two young women from the world of L.A. porn. He also has to learn to follow the faith of his new lover, Rina--or else lose her forever.
I’ll read anything she writes, this is one of her best. I recommend it.
Reviewed: May 16 2010
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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The Forgotten | 10/10 |
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Author: Faye Kellerman
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseThe book begins with the discovery of a hate crime. The shul Rina and Peter Decker attend has been desecrated with Nazi propaganda and hateful graffiti. Peter investigates and collars a student at a wealthy private high school. The plot gets moving when this student and his therapist are found murdered.
"The Forgotten" is about the return to the family life of the Deckers. The family works to help each other even while there is distrust and uncertainty. Jacob, Rina's teenage son and Peter's stepson, must share information about many of his classmates, some of whom end up inside this murder mystery.
This is one of those books you may never forget. It is shocking and gruesome sometimes, entering a work which would frighten most of us. This is number one on my list of Faye Kellerman’s books. When finished, I sat with my jaw hanging.
Read it, please, but not if you’re squeamish.
Reviewed: May 16 2010
Average Rating: 10/10 - 2 reviews
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Women's Murder Club-First to Die | 10/10 |
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Author: James Patterson
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseLindsay Boxer is a senior homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department and the double homicide she's called to attend is a bride and groom who were murdered in their honeymoon suite.
When Cindy shows up at this case, one in which no one knows anything about yet, Lyndsay realizes that she needs to take some extreme action to contain this ambitious reporter. So she promises an exclusive and tells Chris she's letting Cindy drive her back to San Francisco so she can go over the ground rules of their new press-investigator relationship. It's during this ride back that she realizes that maybe her and Cindy could actually be friends and spontaneously invites her along to have dinner with her and Claire. And thus over Margaritas, the Women's Murder Club is formed in which these three women decide to share what they know and work together to resolve the Bride and Groom murder. Later, the District Attorney Jill Bernhardt, another smart and strong women under a soft male boss (which the other three have in common), joins the group.
I like the idea of the Women's Murder Club Maybe I'm a little surprised that a guy came up with this series. But then again, maybe not.
Overall, I think from a pure entertainment point of view, it's hard to say anything but "wow."My favorite plot style is serial killer thrillers. The entire series should be read.
Reviewed: December 27 2009
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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Predator | 10/10 |
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Author: Patricia Cornwell
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseDr. Kay Scarpetta, now freelancing with the National Forensic Academy in Florida, takes charge of a case that stretches from steamy Florida to snowed in Boston. One of the most unnerving she has ever faced. The clues lead Scarpetta and her team-Pete Marino, Benton Wesley, and Lucy Farinelli-to suspect that they are hunting someone with a cunning and malicious mind whose secrets have kept them in the shadows, until now. Predator is definitely one of her best.
Suspenseful, challenging to figure out and a deranged killer will keep you reading.
I’d definitely recommend this one.
Reviewed: December 16 2009
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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The Feelings Book-The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions. | 10/10 |
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Author: Dr. Lynda Madison
Genre: Health and Well-BeingThis is a beautifully written and illustrated book designed to help young girls understand the changes that are happening to them as they grow.
The American Girl Series is a helpful guide during these scary times. This one asks the question, “How do you feel?” This is a wonderful guide which should be used with parental input. It may just give a young girl the courage to ask the hard questions. Having a book like this when I was growing up would have been wonderful.
I’d recommend it.
Reviewed: December 14 2009
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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Lady Killer | 10/10 |
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Author: Lisa Scottoline
Genre: Mystery and Suspense
Book after book Ms. Scottoline never disappoints. The character development and action in each one keeps me wanting more.
Mary Di Nunzio is the featured lawyer in this mystery of intrigue, murder, mobsters and love. Mary is one of my favorite characters always ready to be there to help anyone in need. A South Philadelphia girl, who grew up on a street where everybody knows each other, she’s the neighborhood success story. Her books allow you to join in the adventure. The characters come to life and the story moves quickly. Every story that she writes has not disappointed yet and I’ve read them all. Only one was a let down, but not Lady Killer. Enjoy a terrific read, I highly recommend this one.
Reviewed: November 23 2009
Average Rating: 5.5/10 - 2 reviews
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Birds of Prey | 10/10 |
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Author: J.A. Jance
Genre: Mystery and SuspenseAfter twenty long years on the Seattle police force, J.P. Beaumont retires, too much trauma in his life over the past year proves to be overwhelming. He has a good job waiting for him,but chooses to chaperone his step-grandfather and grandmother on an Alaskan cruise. The two octogenarians feel they need a much younger person to handle matters.
Beau becomes involved in one incident after another. He obtains proof that a patron, J.P.'s dining companion, was dumped overboard by persons unknown. The FBI asks J.P. to keep an eye on some of the guests who might be targets of extremists. One of the individuals J.P. guards almost dies and an Alzheimer's patient goes overboard and dies on a train ride under suspicious circumstances. J.P. begins to seek the identity of the killer in order to prevent another death.
BIRDS OF PREY contains J.P.’s sardonic humor, compassion to his elderly grandparents, and friendly courtesy to the ship's patrons who make him feel like a real hero. He easily returns to his police role when strange things occur. J.P. Beaumont will always be one of my favorites.
Reviewed: October 04 2009
Rating: 10/10 - 1 review
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