Accused

I so wish I'd found this author earlier. I love her wit and her snark with these books.

This book follows Mary DiNunzio as she tracks down the facts of a six year old murder case. Her client is the 13 year old daughter of a VERY rich family in Philly.

Then you tack on personal drama and you've got a woman on the edge.

I'm willing to admit, the people they kept pointing to for the mystery part of things made me shake my head. I'd staked out my suspect on a completely different vein. Interestingly, I wasn't too far off. (Again. Must know mysteries too well.)

The books are crisp and it still feels like the editor is involved.
Definitely on my recommend list.

I so wish I'd found this author earlier. I love her wit and her snark with these books.

So this book follows Mary DiNunzio as she tracks down the facts of a six year old murder case. Her client is the 13 year old daughter of a VERY rich family in Philly.

Then you tack on personal drama and you've got a woman on the edge.

I'm willing to admit, the people they kept pointing to for the mystery part of things made me shake my head. I'd staked out my suspect on a completely different vein. Interestingly, I wasn't too far off. (Again. Must know mysteries too well.)

The books are crisp and it still feels like the editor is involved.
Definitely on my recommend list.

I hadn't read a Lisa Scottoline book in ages, but remembered liking her female attorney characters. I picked the audio version up, and didn't worry about missing books, since I couldn't remember what I had last read. The audio version was fantastic. The narrator does great voices, and the story drew me in. I enjoyed the light humor, and the larger than life characters. The story was good. Yeah, the author took creative license with what lawyers really do . . . but who wants to read about document review and reading old cases? This isn't a hard-hitting procedural. This isn't quite a cozy, but close. It's a fun read and I highly recommend the audio version.

It had been a while since I had read one of Lisa Scottoline's legal thriller, I've missed them and I have more to catch up on.
This one is a more recent release. Mary, after working with Bennie Rosato as as associate is now a partner with Bennie, making this the first of that series
This Novel begins with a 13 year old girl wanting Mary (and Judy) to find the real killer of her older sister six years prior. She is certain the person who went to prison did not commit the crime. But something else isn't adding up. The stories and facts that Allegra remembers aren't backed up by anyone, in fact mostly denied by her parents, and the man in prison. Was there a relationship with Lonnie and Fiona? Why does Allegra and Fiona's parents not show more wanting the murder to be investigated? And why did they suddenly ship Allegra off to a mental hospital?
In between all of this,Mary has her own issues. After dating a while, Anthony proposed and wants to get series but something is holding Mary back. And Judy, who used to be on the same level as Mary seems to be having problem with Mary being the boss. Can their best friend relationship continue?
I thought I had it all figured out, and was I wrong. This author always delivers a fast paced mystery/thriller, with some wit thrown in. I will need to dig up her other Rosato associates novels, I've sadly been neglecting them.
I enjoy how she still writes the Rosato series and also independent novels with a more contemporary dramas that I enjoy even more. I absolutely loved "save me" and "keep quiet". I know she has "every fifteen minutes" to be released soon, I will eagerly await that one. show less

I've read all of Scottoline's books featuring the woman who work at the Philadelphia law firm, Rosato and Associates and was happy to see a new one after a three year absence. The story opens with a big celebration at the firm because Mary DiNunzio has been promoted to partner. All the characters we know and love are there: Bennie Rosato, Judy Carrier, Mary's cute and quirky Italian family and her fiance, Anthony.

The party is interrupted when young Allegra Gardner comes to interview the firm. Allegra is a precocious 13-year old, beekeeping genius wants them to investigate her sister's five year old murder. She believes the man who confessed and is currently serving a decades long sentence is actually innocent. Allegra's wealthy parents show more initially are supportive but soon become opposed to opening the old wounds that have affected Allegra's mental health.

Mary falls instantly in love with Allegra and is also drawn to her case by resurfacing memories of the murder of her husband, Mike. Mary becomes completely focused on the case, making some decisions that cause issues between her and her best friend and associate, Judy. At this point it becomes more of a detective story than a legal thriller.

I didn't love the book. I thought there was too much of Mary's family in the main storyline. At one point she takes the three elderly Tony's to Allegra's house to help with the investigation. Their prostate issues may have been funny but they didn't seem to add anything to the story. In fact we see virtually nothing of the other Rosato attorneys during the whole book. Mary's family is funny but there was just too much of them and now they've added more with fiancee Tony's parents too.

I prefer the earlier Scottoline stories filled with suspense and legal maneuverings. In her acknowledgments she says she plans to write a Rosato book every year. I hope she does go back to her previous formula. For now she can still count me a fan but I'm leaving my options open until I read her next one. show less

I have read all the Scotollini Rosato series and loved them. They have interesting characters, laugh-out-loud humor, good Grisham-style legal content, and satisfying mystery. I expected the same in "Accused," but was disappointed.

The Rosato series is about the law firm of Rosato and Associate, a topnotch, Philadelphia, all-women firm headed by Bennie Rosato. Scotollini is a talented, clever, witty and extremely humorous writer. I have read all her work and generally find it entertaining and satisfying. Being an attorney, Scotollini is qualified and able to write credible legal mysteries.

"Accused" is mainly about Mary Dinunzio and her family. Nothing wrong with Mary, but the good part of the other books in the series is the interplay show more among the other lawyers, their families, and the investigator in the Rosato law firm. "Accused" began with Judy Carrier working with Mary on a case, but Judy fell out of the plot just as the case began. Mary and her Italian family are fun, but not as a steady diet.

Scotollini always throws in some girl-stuff and angst, but Mary's angst in "Accused" just didn't do it for me. It was too "girlie," unlike Scotollini and more like Nora Roberts. I love the J.D. Robb "In Death" series, but never read the mushy Nora Roberts romances. (J.D. Robb is a pseudonym for Roberts.) They're just too gooey and boring. In "Accused" the extraneous human-interest story largely focused on wedding dresses. Yuck!

Give us more meat and less fluff in the next Rosato book, Lisa. I'm still a fan, but keep up your standards. show less

I can't tell you how happy I am that Lisa Scottolini has written a new entry in the Rosato & Associates series. Iv'e missed Bennie, Judy, Mary and Mary's extended family. This book felt like old home week. Nice to see you again, DiNunzio, it's been too long!

I haven't been a big fan of Lisa's recent books. They've been too chick-lit-y for my tastes. The best part of the Rosato series is how strong and independent these women are. Sure, they also have love lives and can be vulnerable, but they are never all about the romance. I have only one minor complaint about this book, and that is that a bit of the new Lisa sneaks in. There's more relationship drama (between Mary and her boyfriend, and between Mary and Judy) than usual; it felt show more contrived and unnecessary. But, my joy at spending time in the law firm conference room more than made up for any shortcomings. It also sounds like more Bennie books are in the works. So whatever other directions Lisa's writing (or her publisher?) takes her, we can count on regular Rosato & Co updates. Yay! show less