Killer Smile

Mary DiNunzio works for Benny Rosato's law firm as an associate. Mary's latest pro bono case is on behalf of the estate of an Italian-American interned in Montana during World War I. Amadeo Brandolini committed suicide during his internment and the family wants to sue the government for reparations. DiNunzio's mission is to sort out the legalities of Brandolini's estate, but ends up righting a long-forgotten carriage of misjustice. What starts as a simple estate case turns complicated when people start dying; people who had dared to talk to Miss DiNunzio.
For comic relief, DiNunzio's boss keeps sending Mary on dates with impossible men. I appreciated how Scottoline wove this side story into the bigger plot.

Satisfyingly working my way through the Rosato and Associates series by Lisa Scottoline with book number nine, Killer Smile. The law firm, Rosato and Associates, is comprised of all women lawyers and administrative staff. Each book in the series focuses on a specific member of the legal team. In this installment, Mary DiNunzio is hired pro bono to represent the estate of Amadeo Brandolini, an Italian immigrant. Amadeo’s son wants to sue for reparations.

Amadeo lived in Philadelphia with his wife and started a small fishing business. At the beginning of World War II, Amadeo was arrested and placed in an Italian-American internment camp in Montana. He then committed suicide. Mary immerses herself into the life of Amadeo while also show more continuing to process her grief of her beloved husband. Mary family, friends, and coworkers are constantly setting her up on blind dates.

While Killer Smile is definitely a murder mystery story, it also reads like a historical fiction novel. Lisa does a fantastic job bringing the history of Italian-American internment camps to light as readers continue to enjoy the journey of an investigation filled with intrigue, suspense, and murder.

I borrowed the audiobook of Killer Smile from local library with the Hoopla app. Narration by Barbara Rosenblat brought Mary DiNunzio to life and made for an enjoyable listen.

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog show less

I really like the main character Mary DiNunzio. She has spunk and isn't afraid of getting what she wants, even it means breaking the law. As she digs deeper into the case, unraveling clues like the layers of an onion, Mary finds herself immersed in a web of violence, murder, and corruption. All while being set up with blind dates from her friends.

A fast-paced story which at one point takes the reader back to the 1940's during World War II. Mary's enthusiasm and sometimes comical approach to seeking clues and fighting off obstacles that are in a way; are truly entertaining. An enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

Maybe some of the action sequences don't quite work, but a terrific plot. At first I expected the "blind-date" subplot to be completely gratuitous and irrelevant, but it worked its way into the main story in a way I didn't see coming. Historical touches are lovely and the pacing is good. The surprise witness at the end trial works nicely, although the evidence is a bit far-fetched. One of my favorites of the series.

Lisa Scottoline seems to have one type of main character (no matter what her name) and it's growing a bit tiresome after 3 books. Her law knowing people seem to think it is okay to break the law and/or intrude on active investigations (and there are seldom consequences--though the person is usually in jeopardy at least once).

I liked Mary's dedication to history and finding out what happened--though she never did find out what happened to Amadeo's three boats which is what she set out looking for. (She ended up finding something bigger.)

I don't think it is realistic that her boss (also a lawyer) would let Mary spend so many pro bono hours on a case without her also generating some billable hours. Mary also seems to ignore the clients show more she does have. One even seems ready to leave the firm which Bennie gets wind of and tries to forestall--but even though she threatens Mary, she doesn't follow through with consequences. show less

It may be partially because I grew up in South Philly, but I thought Lisa Scottoline's crime thriller, Killer Smile, was a fun read. It has a decent plot, a fair amount of humor, and is a good light read, perfect for the beach.

Normally I enjoy Lisa Scottoline's books and the gang at Rosato and Associates. However, this one left a lot to be desired.

The camaraderie between the main characters is usually fun, but in this book I found it highly annoying. I kept wondering when Mary and Judy would just get a room already and be done with it.

I also found Mary, usually the wallflower of the group, to be highly annoying as the lead character. Her hundreds of apologies got old really fast, and her stupidity made me want to put the book down several times without finishing it. The worst came when she broke into a crime scene to steal evidence and basically got off with a slap on the wrist when she confessed what she'd done to the lead detective. Close behind were the show more two scenes at the Saracone house, when she broke away from the wife at a run to storm in on Gio on his deathbed, and when she waltzed into the house pretending to be a "funeral planner" in order to snoop. None of this was realistic and all these things made me dislike the character even more than I already did. She was wimpy, stupid and annoying.

This one just didn't do it for me. If we see the gang from Rosato and Associates soon, I hope the book is back to her usual standards. show less