Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Lady Killer-Lisa Scottoline

Lady Killer
Lisa Scottoline
Harper, Feb 2008, $25.95
ISBN 9780060833206

When they attended St. Maria Goretti High School, Trish Gambone was the student queen of mean; amongst her victims was good girl Mary DiNunzio. Now Trish needs help and turns to Philadelphia attorney “Saint” Mary for assistance.

Mary is shocked to learn Trish is on the receiving end of an abusive relationship and wants out. However she fears her boyfriend Bobby Mancuso has strong mob connections and will never let her go unless he decides to end it. Mary offers a few suggestions, but Trish thinks none will work with violent Bobby. When Trish vanishes, their mutual friends blame the layer for failing her classmate. When the Feds learn that Mary hides key information re her ties to Bobby, they toss her off the team trying to save Trish so the Saint goes it alone.

Fans of Lisa Scottoline will enjoy the return of intrepid Saint Mary (see KILLER SMILE) as she tries to save the life of her high school enemy. The story line is fast-paced and filled with entertaining action, but most readers will have plausibility doubts of Saint Mary to the rescue; the Feds seem to struggle with the difficult case much more than she does as an attorney turn super sleuth heroine.

Harriet Klausner