Feared by Lisa Scottoline
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Published: August 14, 2018
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: January 17-24, 2019
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
In the new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Mary DiNunzio’s ruthless nemesis Nick Machiavelli is back…with a vengeance.
When three men announce that they are suing the Rosato & DiNunzio law firm for reverse sex discrimination—claiming that they were not hired because they were men—Mary DiNunzio and Bennie Rosato are outraged. To make matters worse, their one male employee, John Foxman, intends to resign, claiming that there is some truth to this case.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer is Nick Machiavelli, who has already lost to Mary once and is now back with a vengeance —determined not to not only win, but destroy the firm. It soon becomes clear that Machiavelli will do anything in his power to achieve his end…even after the case turns deadly. The stakes have never been higher for Mary and her associates as they try to keep Machiavelli at bay, solve a murder, and save the law firm they love…or they could lose everything they’ve worked for. Told with Scottoline’s trademark gift for twists, turns, heart, and humanity, this latest thriller asks the question: Is it better to be loved, or feared…
Feared, the sixth entry in the acclaimed Rosato & DiNunzio series, expertly explores what happens when we are tempted to give in to our own inner darkness.
Jessica’s Review:
Feared is the sixth novel in the Rosato & DiNunzio series and I can’t wait to see what happens next! I have been reading the series out of order; you don’t really miss much as Scottoline catches you up on what has happened previously. I cannot wait to go back and listen to Betrayed and Corrupted which focuses on Judy and Bennie!
This time the ladies are back and they face a reverse discrimination lawsuit: That they did not hire three men because they are men! But the ladies have John who works with them so it can’t be reverse discrimination! Or can it???
Like all the other novels in the series, Feared starts in one direction and ends up going in another. This time Scottoline went in a direction I NEVER saw coming! You grow attached to these characters over the course of the series and then we get this… Bravo Scottoline!
We also have back Mr. Bad himself: Nick Machiavelli. He is a villain you just love to hate! And of course Mary’s family and ‘the three Tonys’ are back for more family craziness and comic relief. These books would not be the same without Mary’s crazy Italian family!
If you enjoy legal thrillers with some humor, give the Rosato & DiNunzio series a try and if you are a fan of the series, do read this one!
Damaged
Author: Lisa Scottoline
375 pages in Paperback
Published: August 16, 2016
Dates Read: May 8- May 20, 2017
My Rating: 4 Stars
Book Summary from Amazon:
One boy. One lawyer. One chance for justice.
Ten-year-old Patrick O’Brien is a natural target at school. Shy, dyslexic, and small for his age, he tries to hide his first-grade reading level from everyone: from his classmates, from the grandfather who cares for him, and from the teachers who are supposed to help him. But the real trouble begins when Patrick is accused of attacking a school aide. The aide promptly quits and sues the boy, his family, and the school district. Patrick’s grandfather turns to the law firm of Rosato & DiNunzio for help and Mary DiNunzio is on the case. Soon Mary becomes Patrick’s true champion and his only hope for security and justice. But there is more to the story than meets the eye and Patrick might be more troubled than he seems. With twists at every turn and secrets about the family coming to light, Mary DiNunzio might have found the case that can make her a true protector, or break her heart…
With Lisa Scottoline’s trademark emotional depth and fast-paced action, Damaged will have readers riveted to the last page as they root for the beloved characters and their fight for justice.
Review:
I won a copy of Damaged from St. Martin’s Press via Goodreads. When I entered in the giveaway I did not know that it was the fourth in Lisa Scottoline’s newer Rosato & DiNunzio series. This series was preceded by the Rosato & Associates series. I enjoyed Damaged, and even though it is the latest in the series I feel I did not miss much, other than some background on the characters.
Damaged is my first legal thriller by Lisa Scottoline and it will not be my last. I will actually listen to the rest of the Rosato & DiNunzio series from the beginning on audiobook since my local library offers it. I have read several of Scottoline’s books and she is becoming a favorite author of mine.
Mary DiNunzio is the focus of Damaged who is a partner at her law firm. She is to be married in two weeks. Her fiancé Anthony and the wedding are a minor plot point in the novel though there was more attention towards the end. I will admit I wanted more of this plot point, but the book focuses on Patrick (a ten-year-old dyslexic boy) and the cases surrounding him. The first case is about Patrick being accused of attacking a school aide. His schooling and disability comes into play in this case. There is also a twist that occurs and a second more important case comes about involving Patrick. The attorney on the other side in the school case is Nick Machiavelli and you can’t help but love to hate him. I hope he makes appearances in the rest the series. He is quite the scumbag villain and I love a well written villain!
One issue I had with Damaged and this may be from not reading the rest of the series, but Mary became attached to Patrick too quickly for me; It seemed an almost instant connection/attachment. This could just be the kind of person Mary is or Patrick is just a boy you can’t help but instantly love. She advocates for Patrick very well and has his best interests at heart. She truly wants to help him.
I also liked John. At first I did not like him, but we get to know him as Damaged progresses. I hope he is central to future novels if he has not been a focus in the previous books in the series.
I loved Mary’s extended family! They are an Italian family and are hilarious. They are a comic relief and it was a welcome as at times this is an emotionally charged novel. I hope they are in more of the Rosato & DiNunzio series.
I did notice that the books in the series follow the alphabet so far:
- Accused
- Betrayed
- Corrupted
- Damaged
- Exposed (To be published August 15, 2017)
It appears that Scottoline may be going the ‘Sue Grafton route’ with the books in this series following the alphabet. Will she have 26 books in this series? Time will tell!
Damaged is recommended.
***Thank you St Martin’s Press via Goodreads for my copy of Damaged. It was a pleasure to read and I will be starting the series from the beginning in audio next!
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