Everywhere That Mary Went

Her voice in Final Appeal is crisp and wry; of the law clerks in her office, the narrator declares that she's got "pantyhose with more mileage ... and better judgment."

Lawyer and single mom Grace Rossi has taken a part-time job in a federal appeals court. Her lover and boss, the chief judge, is found dead, and Rossi plays the sleuth. As her previous bestsellers, Scottoline can create feisty female characters who struggle with a variety of issues, producing a fast-paced, well-structured read.