Rating:  Summary: Not her best Review: "Moment of Truth" has a somewhat farcical premise, that a father would falsely confess to murder to save his daughter. But the real problem (plotwise) is that the attorney is constantly running around trying to solve the "mystery" not trying to protect her client, and makes ethical errors that your average reader of legal thrillers will groan at. It's a quick read and not horrible, a good "beach book". Buy it used.
Rating:  Summary: Nicely done Review: Wealthy attorney frames himself for his wife's murder. Not giving any spoilers away- Scottoline had a few tricks up her sleeve with this one.
Rating:  Summary: A FATHER'S LOVE Review: In MOMENT OF TRUTH, from the moment that wealthy attorney Jack Newlin insists on confessing to murdering his wife, it's very obvious that he didn't do the deed. He believes his daughter is really the guilty party and he's decided to take the blame to save her. The only problem is that evidence is starting to show that his daughter may be innocent also.Then there's Newlin's tenacious, defending attorney, Mary Dinunzio, hired solely for her lack of experience, so that Jack Newlin will lose his case. Though MOMENT OF TRUTH starts slowly, it really picks up speed midway and that continues to the end. It's a good book with a solid, though slightly different story line. It's well worth the read.
Rating:  Summary: Picked up speed at the end! Review: This novel seemed to be a little slow paced in the middle, but boy did it keep me glued to my seat toward the climactic ending. Overall, I rate this not the best, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Rating:  Summary: Not too bad for a best-seller Review: A legal thriller with some of the usual best-seller glitz things - immensely rich and handsome characters, lovable elderly ethnics with hearts of gold, and brand name after brand name (Ian Fleming certainly started something with that brand name thing). The plot starts off on an unlikely foot with a lawyer confessing to a murder he did not commit and framing himself to protect his daughter, then an even more implausible false confession by the daughter (brainwashed into false memory under the influence of drugs). I'm not giving anything away because these happen early on, so credulity is strained from the start. On the other hand some good descriptions of bad food, especially execrable coffee, and of Philadelphia. Very little humor, except some satirical digs at law firms and Catholic schools. I only pick up books like this at airports. Looking at the Amazon.com listing it's not even a real best-seller now, although I think I've seen Scottoline in the New York Times listing.
Rating:  Summary: High Octane Thrill Ride! Review: Whey you pick up "MOMENT OF TRUTH", be prepared to give up a night's sleep! You'll have a tough time putting it down once you read that first chapter. Ms. Scottoline grips readers with the story of Jack Newlin, an attorney determined to frame himself for the murder of his wife because he believes his teenage model daughter actually committed the crime. But this novel is anything but predictable! Twists and turns abound and you've just got to hang on for dear life and see where the next turn takes you. Buckle up and prepare yourself for a high octane thrill-ride that will leave you begging for more! My first Scottoline novel, but you can be sure it won't be my last!
Rating:  Summary: Flawed but interesting Review: As a lawyer I am torn by the urge to trash this novel for its totally improbablity and congratulate to Lisa Scottoline on a flawed but clever and complex exploration of lawyers, power, ambition and family. Jack Newlin, head of the probate department at a powerhouse Philadelphia law firm, frames himself for murder of his wife and then hires a first year associate at a hot criminal law boutique to defend him even though he has already confessed. Mary DiNunzio, rookie lawyer, smells a rat, and undertakes to prove his innocence. Likewise a black police detective follows the same trail, leading to career threatening confrontation with a egotistic prosecutor. Newlin is a desirable prize-like Sherman the "the great white defendant" of Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities. Consequently, the deputy district attorney, who ignores warning signs pointing to Newlin's innocence. In reality lawyers are no more adept than average citizens at making an existing crime scene point to them as the killer. Too many factors are beyond the control of someone happening upon a scene, including the possibility of the arrival of the police during its contamination. Here is a hint for lawyers who read this review first. If you see an attorney client relationship you truly can't comprehend (excluding the representation of Jack Newlin by a first year associate) you will be on the right track. By his false confession, Newlin in fact triggers a slew of horrendous events and additional deaths. Some prosecutors I know would not hesitate to charge him for that.
Rating:  Summary: Big Improvement Over Her "Mistaken Identity" Review: This is the second novel I've read by Scottoline and I like it much better than my first, "Mistaken Identity." A huge problem with "Mistaken Identity" is how unlikable all the lead characters were. Add to that a totally improbable plot and resolution and I wasn't eager for another Scottoline "thriller". Big surprise though, for in "Moment Of Truth" she has two very likable lead characters, Mary DiNunzio, the defense lawyer, and Jack Newlin, the defendant and Mary's client, who admits to murdering his wife so as to protect his teenage daughter. Scottoline even shows a bit of a sense of humor with having Mary constantly fantasize about escaping from the law into just about every other career that exists. There is also a dash of romance in this one between Mary and Jack. Mary is also very accurately depicted as a young woman of Italian American Catholic family, a heritage I share. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and the plot really did move. The only reason I don't give it a 5 star rating is that I really can't put this in the same ranking as Scott Turow's "Presumed Innocent," which was not only a heck of a legal book but was also quite a piece of mainstream fiction that continued to haunt me long after I finished it. I can't imagine remembering any of Scottoline's work for long after I finish reading it. It is nice escapist fiction and an evening's entertainment but that's as far as it goes. Since I am a lawyer, I may be a harder "sell" on this type of fiction though than another reader, who is not a lawyer, may be.
Rating:  Summary: BEST ONE YET!!!!!! Review: What a book. It is a must read if you like Lisa Scottoline, if you have not read one of hers please start with this one and then read the others. This is the best one yet. Jack Newlin confesses to killing his wife. Nearly, I say nearly, all the evidence points to him but his attorney Mary DiNunzio does not believe he did it. She thinks he is protecting his daughter. Mary sets out to prove he is not the killer. I like the two policemen, Brinkley and Kovich. I hope they are used in other books. Brinkley soon sides with Mary in thinking Jack is not the killer. But who is???? Is it the daughter, her boy friend, an attorney, or was it really Jack and he is turning everything around to look like it is someone else???? The book will hold you attention from the first page to the last. The ending is great. If you like mysteries you have to read this one.
Rating:  Summary: Improbable plot, but Lisa Scottoline makes it work! Review: How can a father and lawyer, Jack Newlin, frame himself for his wife's murder? If this sounds improbable, let me say it right now, Lisa Scottoline shows that it can be done in this fast-paced and sometimes humorous novel. Her characters are warm, well rounded and often very funny, and are enough to carry the questionable plot of this book to an interesting conclusion. Jack's rookie lawyer is Mary DiNunzio, a genuinely warm-hearted individual, who takes his case even when sha doesn't buy his story. Her legal associates, Lou and Judy, add to this interesting mix of characters, along with Brinkley and Kovich, two Philadelphia detectives who want to wrap this case up quickly and easily. Ms. Scottoline has again created another real winner of a book here. Also, don't miss "Mistaken Identity," her sixth novel.
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