Books in the House - 16 Aug 2010

From Mary Ann:

THE BLACK CAT: Richard Jury #22 - Martha Grimes, HB, mystery, keeper shelf

LibraryThing win:

BURY YOUR DEAD: Three Pines Mystery - Louise Penny, ARC, mystery

From Simon & Schuster, likely a blog win, but can't for the life of me remember where, but YAY!:

BRING ON THE NIGHT: WVMP Book 3 - Jeri Smith-Ready, MPB, UF

Dad and Seester:

DOG ON IT: Chet and Bernie Mystery Book 1 - Spencer Quinn, TPB, mystery

IN THE WOODS - Tana French, TPB, suspense

THE FORGE OF GOD: The Forge of God Book One - Greg Bear, TPB, sci-fi

UP JUMPS THE DEVIL: Judge Deborah Knott Mystery #4 - Margaret Maron, MPB, mystery

THE SILENT ASSASSIN - Lori Andrews, MPB, suspense

ANGELS AND DEMONS - Dan Brown, MPB, thriller

LADY KILLER - Lisa Scottoline, MPB, suspense

KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE - Frances R Havergal, inscribed as a gift to my great-great-great aunt Dora in 1906, Christian devotions

DEAD RINGER - Lisa Scottoline, narr Barbara Rosenblat

From the back of the audiobook: A New York Times best-selling author and former trial lawyer, Lisa Scottoline has won the Edgar Award and a Distinguished Author Award for her novels, which include MOMENT OF TRUTH, DEAD RINGER, filled with high-octane suspense and humor, is a Main Selection of the Literary Guild and the Mystery Guild.

One of Bennie Rosato's law partners has just dyed her hair pink, and their Philadelphia firm's accounts are deep in the red. So Bennie agrees to take on a lucrative class-action suit. But as she prepares the case, her wallet, with all her credit cards, disappears. Soon, strange luxury purchases begin arriving at her office, and people start accusing her of bizarre behavior. Bennie realizes there's only one person who could pull off such a dangerous deception--her long-lost twin sister.

But when Bennie is arrested for murder, she has to find her sister and defend herself--or die trying. Audie Award winning narrator Barbara Rosenblat is the perfect voice for the offbeat, outrageous young lawyer.

******************************

I take my time between Lisa Scottoline's books so I can savor them one at a time and anticipate the next one in a few months.

I enjoyed my time with DEAD RINGER, it was like being with old friends, Bennie, Mary, Anne, Judy (she of the pink hair). Each has a great, funny, smart, individual personality that works well in their all female law office.

Bennie is having a heckuva week. Her lease payments are way past due, new business is slow, her twin sister has decided this is a good time wreak havoc....then the man from France comes in to ask for her legal assistance in a class action suit, something Bennie's not well versed in. Her team of eager associates urge her to take it on, they'll help. Everything starts to go downhill from there.

The mystery is well told and I was completely taken by surprise (but not unpleasantly so) when the killer was found. There are a few stories going on at the same time, but each one is separate enough so that I didn't lose track.

The above description is correct, Barbara Rosenblat is the perfect voice for Lisa Scottoline's books. I love the Bennie Rosato series, especially the ones featuring Mary DiNunzio and Barbara Rosenblat adds that extra touch of nifty to the experience.

Five fab legal beans......

Books In the House!

A quiet week for the books coming in the house. The cool thing about the lone book arriving is that the above Lisa Scottoline is a signed copy, so it will stay in the house on the Keeper Shelf. It's the first in the Rosato & Associates series and Mary DiNunzio is my favorite character in Scottoline's books.

DEVIL'S CORNER - Lisa Scottoline, narr Barbara Rosenblatt

I always get a new favorite when I listen to or read one of Lisa Scottoline's books. This is my new favorite.

Assistant US Attorney Vicki Allegretti is in the wrong place at the very wrong time when she arrives to interview a confidential informant and almost gets shot. Her ATF partner does and ends up dead. So begins Vicki's investigation into the death of her partner and what exactly can be done to keep the deals of crack cocaine from ruining a neighborhood of Devil's Corner and her beloved city of Philadelphia.

I always feel this sense of aggravation with Scottoline's characters. They always go above and beyond to do the right thing, sometimes at the cost of their jobs and relationships. I know I will be patient and see the books through, because each character goes through a lot of growth and self realization as the book progresses. That's what I like the most. And the fringe characters surrounding the champion who is always a female lawyer of strong fortitude and sense of humor.

Favorite character: Raheema Bristow. Raheema's crack addicted mother was murdered and Vicki knows in her heart that the crack dealer gangs and the murder are connected. She and Raheema make a very unlikely pair as they team up, antagonistically in the beginning, to find the truth.

Barbara Rosenblatt remains in my top five of favorite narrators. She delightfully enhances Scottoline's words.

Five Philly beans.....

LADY KILLER - Lisa Scottoline

I meander away from this sort of series and meander back again every year or so. I meander away because I tire of lawyer mysteries. Then I remember how good Lisa Scottoline is and meander back. This was a good meander.

Mary DiNunzio is my favorite of the lawyers at the all female firm of Rosato & Associates.

Mary is hired by her high school nemesis, Trish Gambone, one of the Mean Girls who made nerdy little Mary's life miserable. Now Trish needs Mary to protect her from Trish's "connected" boyfriend. There are all kinds of reasons why Mary shouldn't help Trish, besides the fact of how Trish used to treat Mary. Mary tutored said "connected" boyfriend in Latin and sorta kinda also dated Trish's Mob boyfriend, pre-Mob, back in high school. Yikes.....

Then the "connected" boyfriend ends up dead in an alley and Trish has disappeared. Double yikes....

Mary makes it her mission to find Trish and find who murdered the boyfriend.

I really enjoyed listening to this, especially because it's one of my favorite narrators, Barbara Rosenblatt, telling me the story. And I adore Mary's spunk, caution towards change, and the love she has for her parents, friends and her neighborhood and her clients.

Four killer beans....

RUNNING FROM THE LAW - Lisa Scottoline, narr Barbara Rosenblatt

Oh man! Going without Lisa Scottoline for a long time and then getting back to her books must be close to what a smoker feels when the smoker gives up the cancer sticks for a rather long while then has one with the gang.....NICE RUSH!!
I cannot believe it's been so long since my last Scottoline! Especially listening to one with the uber delightful Barbara Rosenblatt. Love her voice. She is in the top five of my favorite narrators.
Scottoline's main characters are all female lawyers and most, if not all, have a wicked smartass sense of humor. I respect smart smartasses.
This particular smart smartass is Rita Morrone. Or 'Miss Fresh' to her dad the butcher. Rita is hired to represent Fiske Hamilton, a prominent federal judge, when he is accused of sexual harrassment. Fiske is also the father of Rita's live-in boyfriend. And then everything goes to hell.
I love all of the pitch perfect characters, especially Rita and the old guys she plays poker with every Tuesday night.
Four legally smartass beans.