Killer Smile CD

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: The core concept is good but unfortunately it got lost in a morass of rambling sidebars that made for tedious reading. Both the author and her main character lost a lot of credibility on this one.

Rating:
Summary: Tired and Cliched
Review: This book has 140 interesting pages. Unfortunately, it's 352 pages long. It starts out great - with a unique plot and some thought-provoking mystery elements. However, at page 141 it turns into a typical thriller novel with every possible cliche thrown in. The plot twists in the wind well beyond my ability for suspension of disbelief. I skipped through the last 3/5 of the book, wishing that I hadn't dropped $20 for the hardcover. My advice is to borrow it from the library.

Rating:
Summary: Slow moving mystery
Review: This is my first book by the author. I enjoyed the twist at the end of the book but overall I felt there were several sections of the book that really dragged. Other parts were just ridiculous and tough to believe. Then there are just a few romantic parts thrown in here and there that just seemed to have no relevance to the story. This book was free on the community bookshelf in my building - I am not sure I would pay for one of her mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: Great legal thriller, great characters, and great history
Review: We have come to expect different kinds of books from Lisa Scottoline, depending upon which character carries the plot. It's one type of story if it is Bennie, another if it is Judy, and quite different if it is Mary. Mary DiNunzio is an earnest, appealing, "Stephanie Plum"-type lawyer. Her head is in the right place, but her heart often leads her astray as she pursues justice for her client. In Mary's stories, there is always more humor and more, for want of a better word, "Italianicity" (Italian + ethnicity). I won't repeat the plot of "Killer Smile," as it has already been discussed. I will say, however, that Mary's singleminded pursuit of justice for her wronged client, an Italian alien interned during World War II, was a compelling and complex thriller that gathered speed as it unfolded and was hard to put down. In addition to reading the book, I also listened to Barbara Rosenblat's masterful performance on audio, which added another dimension to book. Listen if you can, even if you have read the book. Looking forward to the author's next entry in her series and wondering who will lead us through that thriller.

Rating:
Summary: I've come to expect less . . . .
Review: When Lisa Scottoline's career began, I had high hopes for the author and her strong female lead characters. I was not disappointed . . . in the beginning.

However, some of her more recent works (this book included) are proof that success has its pitfalls.

While I like Scottoline's heroine Mary DiNunzio and her south Philly family roots, this story strayed way beyond the credible. . . at least to me.

The Japanese war camp story was interesting, but the way Scottoline tied all the loose ends together wasn't at all tidy or believable.

I hope the author goes back to HER roots . . . tidy, tight legal thrillers.