The Truth about the Devlins

My family was breaking up, and I didn’t know how we would ever be the Devlins again. I wondered what it really meant to be a Devlin in the first place.
from The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline

I was a nervous wreck. If my hands weren’t so busy turning pages, I would have chewed my fingernails down to the quick with anxiety. I was so worried about TJ.

He was the loser brother in a family of high achievers. Dad and Mom were lawyers and so were brother John and sister Gabby. John, the golden child, the one who finished university and law school. The one with a wife and child. The one posed to take over the family business–if Dad ever retired. TJ’s alcoholism had destroyed his life when he forgot his girlfriend’s child was show more in the car and he popped into a bar for a drink that lasted hours. He pled guilty and served his time, was sober since that fatal day, but everyone was waiting for him to relapse.

TJ was the law firm’s investigator and he helped Gabby with her pro bono cases. Now, he was interviewing claimants against major pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies which had used prisoners as Guiney pigs. The men needed money for medical costs as they died of cancer caused by the tests.

It all started with a phone call from John who told TJ he may have killed a client. TJ dropped everything to help, only to have John claim TJ was drinking again as a cover for their clandestine activities. TJ comes to realize that John does not have his best interests at heart, for he is being set up as the fall guy. John’s nefarious activities puts the entire family at risk, but the twist is the threat that was under the radar.

I loved TJ, his humor, his angst, his moral compass. His struggles with sobriety is presented with depth and humanity. Learning about the Holmesburg Prison medical tests on prisoners was infuriating and upsetting.

This is Scottoline at her best, a page turner that also addresses social injustice, with affecting characters and sensitivity to their struggles.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book. show less

The Truth about the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline is a very highly recommended domestic psychological suspense novel following a dysfunctional Philadelphia family. This is an excellent, un-put-downable thriller that will hold your attention from start to finish.

TJ Devlin is the youngest son and the greatest disappointment in his family of lawyers. Both his parents, Paul and Marie, and two older siblings, John and Gabrielle, are lawyers in the successful family firm of Devlin and Devlin. TJ, on the other hand, is an ex-con and, after rehab, has maintain his current sobriety for two years. The only employment he has been able to find is with the family law firm in a make-work job with the title of investigator.

When his older brother John is show more frantic because he thinks he murdered Neil Lemaire, an accountant he confronted with proof of embezzlement, he privately turns to TJ for his help. TJ agrees to help him and this act of brotherly fidelity sets into motion a complicated entanglement of schemes and deception, especially after John falsely tells his family that TJ is drinking again. At the same time, he is helping Gabby on a heart-breaking pro bono case.

TJ is a likable, genuine character who is honest about his many flaws and failings. He is determined, intelligent, tenacious, but also self-effacing and realistic. This is truly a family drama and the interpersonal dynamics in the Devlin family play an important role. TJ remains loyal to his family, even when it is to his own detriment. His father is a disagreeable, unlikable character and John is an arrogant, pompous jerk. His mother, Marie, and sister Gabby are both likable, agreeable characters.

As expected, the writing is exceptional and descriptive. The pace is fast and compelling for most of the novel, although there is a more even pace in the middle. The narrative is full of action and suspense, containing a good dose of family drama and hysterics, as well as several twists along the way. The Truth about the Devlins is truly an un-put-downable, just one-more-chapter book that had me staying up way-too-late to finish it. The pages flew by. There are several shocking surprises and twists along the way. You will be cheering TJ on as it seems more and more mud is slung in his direction while he is trying to do his best.

The Truth about the Devlins is another winner from Scottoline! Thanks to G.P, Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
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The Devlins own a legal firm in Pennsylvania of which their 3 children belong. TJ, who is in AA and suffers from his family’s disparagement, is not a lawyer but their untrained investigator. When TJs brother John asks TJ for help when he thinks he killed somebody the action rolls and twists is some unexpected ways. TJ is a sympathetic and humorous character and you root for him. Great read.

I really enjoyed this mystery/family drama from Lisa Scottoline. It was interesting and grabbed my attention from the beginning. TJ was a great lead character - I weas rooting for him to succeed throughout the whole book. I would love to see a series focusing on TJ. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

"The Truth About the Devlins" marks my introduction to Lisa Scottoline's work, and it certainly didn't disappoint; it was a thoroughly entertaining 5-star read. TJ Devlin is the problem child for the uber-successful Devlin family. TJ is given a job as an “investigator” for the family law firm after a prison sentence kept him from getting hired anywhere else. TJ’s older brother John drags TJ into quite a mess after confessing that he murdered the accountant for one of the firm’s oldest clients. TJ leaves no stone unturned in his quest to clear his brother's name, all the while uncovering secrets that could potentially tear the family apart.

I genuinely enjoyed this book. I thought it was well-written, and the twists kept me show more interested. TJ's sarcastic comments added a humorous touch and I couldn’t wait to see what he would say/think next. For fans of thrillers, I highly recommend this book, and I'm eagerly looking forward to exploring more of this author's work.

I'd like to express my gratitude to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, Lisa Scottoline, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review. show less

The Truth About the Devlins, Lisa Scottoline, author; Edoardo Ballerini, narrator
Although this novel is pure fiction, the author always includes facts that are based in reality. It is for this reason that her books are always enlightening and often educate the reader about an injustice in the world that is in need of correction. This book is no exception. The horrific treatment of prisoners at Holmesburg Prison, without informed consent, is an example of the type of past injustice that cries out for remediation. The incarcerated at Holmesburg Prison were subjected to medical experiments that had lasting side effects, causing Cancer and other illnesses, and the dangers were known and ignored by the companies in charge of the research. show more Greed and a lack of ethics motivated them, and the consequences were ignored. The victims were collateral damage and had to deal with the terrible results alone.
The book is about the Devlins, a family considered kings in the legal field. John, Thomas and Gabby were the children of Marie and Paul Devlin, both lawyers. Of their children, only Thomas was not a lawyer. He was a college dropout and an ex-convict. John was the good son, a workaholic, and Gabby worked pro bono for social causes, and in the novel is working to obtain compensation for former inmates of Holmesburg prison. They are the few remaining survivors of a true, terrible injustice. They had been used for medical experiments to enhance cosmetic products which led to the development of Retin A and Renova, two very lucrative, anti-aging skin products.
Thomas Jefferson Devlin, known as TJ, is a recovering alcoholic. He had served time for leaving his child unattended, while he got drunk. His marriage ended, and pretty much so did his relationship with his child. He is on parole. He worked for the family firm as an investigator, but when difficulties arose, and he got fired, his sister hired him herself to help with her legal cases. She believed in TJ. When TJ discovers that his ex-wife is getting married again, he grows despondent and pushes the envelope. Afterwards, he takes an accounting of his life and truly vows to reform. The circumstances are set up to defeat him, however. Will he succeed?
John is a driving force in the Devlin law practice, seemingly working almost 24/7. He is hoping that his father will retire and catapult him into the top position of this prosperous law firm, guaranteeing him financial security. One night, however, cracks in his plans develop. On the night of his dad’s birthday celebration, John tells TJ that he thinks he has murdered someone; the someone is a client. TJ goes off with him to check out his story, but the body has disappeared. From this point on TJ tries to help his brother out of the mess, but his brother seems to be placing TJ into a mess, instead. When the body is found, TJ discovers that his brother has had a secret life and has implicated TJ in a crime that could send him straight back to prison. John is scheming to get control of the law firm and has been doing some pretty underhanded things to feed his own addiction.
Meanwhile, Gabby is working on a case that is pitting her against highly successful corporations as she works to get compensation for the few remaining survivors of the experiments at the Holmesburg Prison. There are forces at work to prevent these innocent people from reaping any rewards or damages from the culprits responsible for their illnesses. Will she be in danger? Will she be successful? Will TJ be a positive influence on her investigation? Will these former inmates survive long enough to reap any benefits?
The novel focuses on several themes, racism and injustice, addiction and its aftermath, romance and its pitfalls, frustration and desperation. While Gabby works for equal justice, John appears to be working for himself. TJ is simply trying to survive. Paul Devlin is controlling and favors his son John. Marie is a devoted wife and defers to her husband. In some ways, all of their lives are beginning to unravel. John’s lifestyle has begun to jeopardize the very existence of his parents’ law firm, along with their stellar reputations. In the end, was justice served? Was the right thing done? Could any of us have done what any of the Devlin's did?
The intrigue is fascinating, the effect of addiction on a family, the effect of incarceration on one’s future, the consequences of thoughtless and selfish behavior and of criminality are insightfully treated. At first, the Job-like TJ was not a likeable character for me, but when he seems to come of age, when he tries to truly reform and hopes to see the light at the end of the tunnel, my opinion of him changed. Did yours? Will the family survive the coming traumatic events? Will roles be reversed? I am reminded of something my own dad said to me, when he was dying. He said, “the Bible says the first will be last and the last will be first”, and it is true. For me, it made peace between me and my dad. I hope that the Devlin’s will find the same kind of peace, after all is said and done.
I found that the story felt very authentic, with the research into the amoral treatment of prisoners, with the struggles of the hold an addiction has on a person, with the unequal treatment of different races, and the abuse of innocent victims, and with the way the family dynamics were treated so honestly. As Gabby states, at one point, criminal law deals with jail as a consequence, but civil law provides money as a reward for mistreatment, and I say, eventually, we all have to pay the piper. I hope justice always prevails.
Addiction of any kind may push someone over the age, forcing them to behave in unnatural and unexpected ways, ways that are largely selfish and harmful to others and oneself. Greed drives people to do things they never thought they were capable of, and then they get sucked in beyond their control. We are, after all, all human. Are we all deserving of forgiveness? Who is the hero at the end of the novel? Does incarceration serve a positive or negative purpose for the inmate? Is everyone subject to being compromised? Does everyone have a price or a purpose that is a secret dream, regardless of the harm it may cause? Does Gabby have the right intentions in all of her actions? I thought that the ending seemed a bit contrived and was perhaps the least realistic part of the book, but the choices made by Gabby, the family’s behavior that inspired TJ, the righteous choices made by so many, even the new flame Mia, felt very heartwarming. Also, I liked the fact that the cat remained in character throughout! show less

Families are complicated. TJ Devlin is a disappointment in his wealthy family. Unable to find a job due to his time in prison and rehab for his alcoholism, he is hired by the family law firm as an investigator. This takes him on a wild ride and exposes cracks in the foundation of his family.

One of my favorite authors! She is local to me so it’s enjoyable to read about places I know, which helps to make it a very visual read. Her characters are always realistic, love them or hate them. I didn’t get the heart pounding like I did from her previous books, but found myself vested in the story nonetheless. More so than in any of her previous books, I found this storyline totally realistic and relatable in today’s world. Really didn’t show more see the twist coming, even though subtle hints were given. She tied everything together well. Her research is thorough, in this case, handling addiction in a humanistic and understandable way. I flew thru this book that was as much legal thriller as family drama. I look forward to her next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. show less