Written By: Lisa Scottoline
Narration By: January LaVoy
Published By: Macmillan Audio, October 29, 2013
Length: 10 hours and 54 minutes
Source: Purchased
Summary
New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author Lisa Scottoline revolutionized crime fiction when she introduced her all-female law firm of Rosato & Associates, thrilling readers with her twisty, fast-paced plots and capturing their hearts with her cast of strong yet totally relatable female characters. Fans have been clamoring for more stories with the characters they’ve come to know and love, so Bennie Rosato, Mary DiNunzio, Judy Carrier, and Anne Murphy are back with all cylinders firing in Accused. They’ll face their most challenging and dangerous case ever. It begins with an astonishing request from a thirteen-year-old prospective client. Allegra Gardner’s sister Fiona was murdered six years ago. It seemed like an open-and-shut case: the accused, Lonnie Stall, was seen fleeing the scene; his blood was on Fiona and her blood was on him; most damningly, Lonnie Stall pleaded guilty. But Allegra believes Lonnie is innocent and has been wrongly imprisoned. Taking on the case seems foolhardy to Mary DiNunzio, because the Gardner family is one of the richest and most powerful in the country and Allegra’s parents do not believe in reopening this case. But the Rosato & Associates firm can never resist an underdog. Was justice really served all those years ago? It will take a team of unstoppable female lawyers, plus one thirteen-year-old genius, to find out. Accused kicks off an annual fall series featuring the new adventures of Rosato & Associates, delivering all the emotion, action, and humor we’ve come to expect from one of the best writers in the business.
My Thoughts
With the release of Lisa Scottoline’s Betrayed coming up(it published yesterday), I thought I’d better listen to this one. I have read mostly Lisa’s stand alone mysteries, perhaps an early Rosato & Associates, but this new series begins with Accused and it was a perfect way to catch up with the ladies and prep for the new book.
During the celebration for Mary’s promotion to partner a rather young client is introduced. Allegra Gardner is no ordinary thirteen year old. She’s a genius, with some intuitive powers. She’s convinced the man convicted for her sister’s murder did not do it. As Mary and Judy begin to dig in they learn quickly that the uber wealthy and powerful Gardner family does not want them snooping around. They vow to cancel the check for the retainer Allegra has paid.
Mary dives in head first on this case, she even makes her best friend Judy a bit nervous. The ladies meet the convicted Lonnie Stall and they review the case. They too see inaccuracies, and wonder how his lawyer let this happen. How did he let Lonnie plea guilty?
The characters in this book are just delicious. Beyond the main characters of Mary and Judy, there is Mary’s family and friends. These people are colorful Italian people who have raised Mary and continue to love and support her. Beyond her parents there are the neighbors, the Tonys they call them…I cracked up every time they were in a chapter. Her boyfriend, now fiancé is Anthony, and his mom is a typical overprotective Italian mother. She’s a bit pushy too. The Gardners are portrayed as privileged and snooty. Lisa’s descriptions are detailed paint perfect imagery of these people.
The setting is the familiar Philadelphia and surrounding area. Mary complains about traffic and parking, it fits right in.
I wasn’t familiar with the narrator but she did a fabulous job, she completely nailed the very gruff voices of Mary’s dad and friends.
I’m personally a big fan of Lisa Scottoline’s work. I’m also a fan of her personally. I met her a couple of years ago at the UCF Book Festival. I had talked to her on fb and twitter and she knew me and my blog and we talked dogs and daughters and she was so kind. This book is a very fun type of mystery, good characters, intriguing human motivations and a solid ending. Highly recommend.