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Summary: THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!
Review: A reader doesn't just read a Lisa Scottoline novel instead the reader becomes one with the novel; whether Mary is in dialogue with her friends; or in the kitchen with her Mother and Judy. In the kitchen scenes one can smell the cooking; the sauce -0h the sauce - my mouth was watering without ever losing site of the dialogue and the familial affection and respect.
Ms. Scottline brings to the attention reader a subject little know to many American's which was the internment of Italians during the war. The uprooting of immigrants who were the part and parcel of the foundation of our nation and lovers of America who, while enjoying the marriage of their special ethnic heritage and new American ways, were taken by 'big brother' and set apart from home, family and friends and transported across the United States; stripped of hard gained assets and identification to live like prisoners in the country alleged paved with gold.
Share the dedication, loyalty and camaraderie of the friends in the book and the tenacity of each to push forward to find the truth.
You don't have to go to South Philly to become part of this story - just read the first page and you are there.
Rating: 
Summary: Smart and sassy
Review: Attorney Mary DiNunzio becomes obsessed with an old case involving a WW2 internee, Amadeo Brandolini, who apparently suicided in the internment camp following the death of his wife.A trail of clues leads to the involvement of the descendants of one of Amadeos' fellow internees, Giovanni Saracone and the murder of the attorney whose firm dealt with the Brandolini estate, inexorably points to dirty work at the crossroads! Soon Mary is so involved with the case that her life is threatened and she is actually kidnapped in an attempt to silence her.
It's a slick, pacy story- very modern- with a very likeable heroine who battle on, even while admitting that she's really a great sook at heart!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have read her previous books which had some legal and professional basis. Killer Smile has neither. The idea behind the plot is intriguing but he dialog and events make it more of a comedy than a mystery and some of the legal maneuvers are a joke.
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Summary: Another great book by Scottoline
Review: KILLER SMILE by Lisa ScottolineLisa Scottoline's latest legal thriller, KILLER SMILE, takes the reader back to WW II to solve a mystery involving an Italian immigrant. Lawyer Mary DiNunzio is working for a client whose family goes back to WW II when a number of Italian Americans were rounded up and placed in internment camps, similar to the Japanese Americans. Amadeo Brandolini died during WW II at one of the camps, and Mary is trying to figure out if this was truly a suicide, or murder. She picks up clues that lead her to the conclusion that it was murder, and as she delves further into the history of this man, she finds herself in danger. When her law office is burglarized, she can't imagine that this is related to her investigation of Brandolini's life. Her boss Bennie Rosato is not pleased that Mary cannot let go of this investigation, because it is obvious that all Mary can do is breath and think about Amadeo. A side trip to Fort Missoula, Montana, where the internment camp used to be, helps Mary put more pieces together. She discovers that Amadeo had a close friend at the camp, which may be the key to what really happened. I enjoyed reading KILLER SMILE. It was not your typical legal thriller, since Scottoline spent a good part of the book on the Italian American experience during WW II. It was an eye-opener, as I had thought only the Japanese Americans were sent to the camps during this awful time in history. One thing I was not happy about, however, were the many errors that were made during one scene of the book. An entire scene taking place in a Japanese restaurant showed countless errors referring to specific foods. The word "togarashi" is red pepper, NOT sweet potato cakes as was told in the book. An error such as this is either a poor research job or misinformation, and the author needs to find a different source in terms of researching details such as this. I am assuming the facts about the Italian American experiences during WW II are accurate. Despite the few negative comments, I am going to give this book 4 stars. It was worth the read despite the errors, and non-Japanese readers will definitely not catch them. This is my second book by Scottoline, and I definitely plan on reading the rest.
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Summary: Her Father Would Be Proud....
Review: Lisa Scottoline's "Killer Smile" is more than just a suspenseful and engaging mystery with great characterization and plot. It is historically enlightening as we are reminded of the internment camp relocation of over 10,000 Italian-Americans during the outbreak of World War II. But first and foremost- "Killer Smile" is a fantastic mystery. Scottoline's story is compelling and sincere. What is even more touching is that Lisa draws from her own paternal grandparent's experiences for this novel. Her father would have been so proud of this book by his daughter. "Killer Smile" is more than historically engaging, however. It is a mystery that has you turning pages quickly because it is so gripping and suspenseful. I especially loved the thoughts of Mary throughout the book in regard to her feelings toward her family and friends. Some were particularly hilarious and Scottoline is quickly turning into one of my favorite authors.
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Summary: Not Killer Suspense
Review: Lisa Scottoline's 2004 legal thriller is as much about history as it is about personal danger in pursuit of justice. Mary DiNunzio is a young lawyer at the all-female firm of Rosato and Associates embarking on a pro bono case to sue the U.S. government for reparations on behalf of the estate an Italian-American who committed suicide in 1942 while at a internment camp in Montana. Wading through documents, Mary uncovers a lead that suggests perhaps Amadeo's death was not as simple as previously thought. Her persistent sleuthing puts her and others' lives in danger, and, as she gets closer to the truth, the stakes become obviously more modern day than historical. After an awkward start and all-too-obvious false suspense, this novel picks up as Mary starts to understand the history of the Italian-American persecution during World War II and meets the characters both peripheral and pertinent to her case. The strength of this novel lies not in the suspense (which is decent but not page-turning) but in the unfolding of history as it relates to the present; to Scottoline's credit, these historical details are revealed through the experiences and voices of her characters, not through preachy passages. The characterizations are mostly memorable, although the characters that talk in all capital letters can be annoying, and the premise is a poignant one. Scottoline uses the setting of Philadelphia well, making it impossible for this thriller to be set elsewhere. Unfortunately, Scottoline's attempt to make history come alive in present-day Philadelphia results in forced plot turns and unneeded peril. The final revelation and its implications, however, rescue the rest. Despite some clumsy writing and a premise that is more historical and sociological than by-your-throat suspenseful, KILLER SMILE is an entertaining read. Readers looking for high adrenaline levels will likely be disappointed, as will be those expecting a thorough look at American internment issues. This legal thriller is a light mix of suspense and history, a pleasant enough way to spend a few hours.
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Summary: Spunky Lawyer Looks Out for Forgotten Wrongs
Review: Rosato & Associates has one hard-working, dedicated associate in young Mary DiNunzio who has sworn to find a way to collect reparations for the estate of an Italian-American who died in 1942 while in an internment camp. The immigrant, Amadeo Brandolini, owned three fishing boats. What ever happened to the fishing boats after he died in the camp?
Mary's situation is encouraged by having been recently widowed, so she has time on her hands . . . and blind dates to avoid. So when the budget for the Brandolini matter is exhausted, she works on in a dedicated way late into the night.
The case revolves around records, archives and fading memories of the few people who were alive then. Mary couldn't be more determined, even if it were for her own family.
From a few scattered clues, she becomes convinced that the story of Brandolini's death don't make sense. Could it be that there's a greater wrong hidden behind the government's interning hand?
If you love Mary DiNunzio and poking around in old mysteries through documents, you will think this is a fine novel. If neither one appeals to you, look elsewhere. This is a Rosato & Associates book you could skip without harming your understanding of the series.
I graded the book down because there's a little too much Mary to the exclusion of the other characters. The plot is also way too convenient for how the clues keep turning up at just the right time. In a number of places, I felt like the plot development just didn't make sense . . . even after rereading the material to try to find what I had missed. The courtroom ending will remind you of Perry Mason pulling a rabbit out of the hat at the last moment. And, well, I always thought those were pretty far-fetched too.
But how can I grade down a decent lawyer too far who looks out for the downtrodden? You don't find many stories like that in today's fiction.
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Summary: History lesson
Review: Scottoline's legal fiction doesn't usually provide a history lesson but this one does. Based on the experience of her grandparents, it tells the story of an Italian immigrant, branded an emigrant alien in WWII and sent to an internment camp, where he committed suicide after his wife died. The young lawyer in the story, an Italian American from Philly, investigates on behalf of the immigrant's estate, and finds his death wasn't really suicide. He was murdered by a friend who stole his invention for some kind of a hatch for fishing boats that went on to earn millions for the murderer. Mary DeNunzio travels to the internment camp in Montana to investigate the case and returns to Philly with some answers. She is nearly killed by the murderer's family before she has her day in court, with Scottoline providing some riveting courtroom drama to conclude the book. But the highlight is certainly the history angle, the immigrant's story truly profound and Scottoline adept at telling it within the confines of a novel. And plenty of Philly flavor too, which is another highlight.
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.
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