LADY KILLER by Lisa Scottoline
Lisa Scottoline brings back some of her most popular characters in her new novel LADY KILLER. Yes the women of the Rosato Law Firm are front and center one more time in this legal thriller. Specifically the focus is on Mary DiNunzio, an attorney and a girl from South Philly. These two factors play a very important role in the story and how she handles the problems that come her way.
Mary is feeling a bit overwhelmed in her job as an attorney at Rosato and Associates. She has her father doing battle with a neighborhood lady over who is the best singer/personality - Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra. There is even talk of a lawsuit if Mary can't bring about some peace.
Then there is the case of a little boy named Dhiren. He has learning problems that are being ignored by the school system. Mary is haunted by fear of what might happen tot his child if she can't find some way to make the school board do the right thing,
Then amidst all this chaos her old high school nemesis Trish appears at her office. Trish is in an abusive relationship and tells Mary she fears for her life. Mary makes many suggestions of what she should do but Trish rejects them all. Mary is frustrated by the negative response to all of her ideas but still fears for Trish's safety. The cherry on the top of this whipped cream mess is that the abusive boyfriend was Mary's first true love in high school.
When Trish disappears Mary feels responsible. She is compelled to search for Trish and see if her fears of danger were totally justified. This leads her to revisit her past and also to look into the future to see just where her life is heading. It is a time of rediscovery of some emotions she thought had long ago been forgotten.
Scottoline knows the South Philly neighborhoods and the characteristics of the locals. This awareness brings a flavor to her story that other authors only dream of creating. Plus in Mary, Scottoline has a heroine who is self-doubting but spunky. She leads with her heart and not her head which means she enters situations where angels dare not tread.
LADY KILLER is a book that has its share of chills and thrills, but it also has a running theme of friendship, community and love. Trish and her friends were known to Mary in high school as the "mean girls." Now as an adult she gets a second chance to view them as a confederacy of friends. They anger her constantly but they also touch her heart.
For a book that will hold you spellbound from start to finish, and also educate you on matters of the heart, pick up LADY KILLER. This novel is just a totally good read from start to finish, and there aren't too many of those around these days.
LADY KILLER is published by HarperCollins. It contains 355 pages and sells for $25.95.