Member Reviews
This may be Scottoline's best novel. For years, Lisa Scottoline was one of my favorite authors. Her characters were complex and her plots creative and entertaining. For several years though each release disappointed me, and I was unable to read more than a few chapters before putting them aside. Not so with this one. Everything about this book was A+. You'll feel for the characters and become engrossed in the storyline. Your household chores will be ignored and you'll test the limits of your lunch break. It keeps you guessing until the end.
Lisa Scottoline has fast become a favourite author of mind. She writes various genres, but her legal thrillers are my favourites. Her latest entry into her Rosato & DiNunzio series has Mary and Bennie at odds about conflict of interest. Mary wants to defend Simon, a lifetime friend and someone from the neighbourhood, against the company that fired him due to the cost of his daughter's medical fees, and Bennie tells her she can't because the firm represents the parent company. When Mary finally decides that she must sever her partnership in order to go forward with the suit, the ante goes up. Simon is served with a counter suit in excess of two million dollars for defamation of persons and company. Before Mary can figure out her next step, Simon's boss is murdered and he is arrested. As usual they get themselves in a bit too deep with their investigation and end up in some danger.
This was another well written thriller with a plot that takes twists and turns until the culprit is revealed. Of course, there are a lot of surprises along the way, right up to the end. That is not all there is to this story. There are the ethical issues that Mary and Bennie need to face both legally and morally. There are also situations dealing with issues of friendship and loyalty and how this fits into business. Bennie makes some surprising discoveries about herself along the way as well. Mary's family (parents) and some of the others from the neighbourhood also make several appearances to lighten up the story just a bit and remind us that Mary is only human. It was nice to see both Bennie and Mary in this story equally, I enjoy both these characters quite a bit and look forward to see where they go in the next book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story including mysteries and thrillers.
The author does it again. Each character has a very specific voice throughout the series yet they evolve with each novel. This cementing of a new partnership and loyalty with a truly exciting case made this one of my favorite suspense novels. Not a cozy yet full of emotion and friendship
I typically enjoy Lisa Scottoline books, but this one was just boring. It seemed like a filler novel.
Mary DiNunzio comes from an old and large Italian neighborhood, which I beyond loved because I am Italian!I love the everyone has everyone’s back thinking. And that happened when one of her friend was fired, so Mary decides to take the case and files a lawsuit for medical discrimination. Then Mary’s law partner Bennie Rosato tells her that the firm is representing the parent company so they have a huge conflict of interest. The plot thickened when the supervisor who fired Mary’s friend ends up dead……
I love Lisa Scottoline in general but I love her DiNunzio & Rosato books more than anything! The story lines in these books are amazing and truly have everything! Exposed is no different, I was so engrossed in this story and I didn’t want to put my kindle down.
A good read. I did enjoy previous books by this author more than this one.
As a paralegal, I really enjoyed the ethical controversy at the core of this mystery. I haven't read many Lisa Scottoline books recently, and after reading this one, I'm not sure why. She is funny, sharp and writes a very interesting legal thriller.
Exposed
A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel
by Lisa Scottoline
St. Martin's Press
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 15 Aug 2017
I am reviewing a copy of Exposed through St. Martin's Press and Netgalley:
In this book A Battle of Justice, leaves partner pitting against partner.
Mary Dinuzio wants to represent her long time friend Simon Pensiera a Sales Rep who was wrongly fired by his company. Her partner Bennie Rosato represents the parent company though.
When Bennie confronts Mary, explaining the conflict of interest, it only makes Mary more determined to see this case through, and a battle of wills ensues tearing the law firm apart.
Will this case make them, or will one of them pay for their loyalty with their life?
Find out in Exposed!
Five out of five stars.
Happy Reading!
This is one of my favorite series because Mary and Bennie are smart, complete characters who are working to make things better for other people rather than for themselves. You'll like the very grounded Philadelphia setting, the no-nonsense approach to the law, and the writing style which is straightforward and direct. These two are all about family, not only their birth families but also each other which is why this installment in the series is so interesting. What happens when Mary and Bennie are at odds? Well, it makes for good reading. I've followed them through all their ups and downs (and all the ups and downs of the other members of the team) but you could easily read this as a standalone. It will have you shaking your head at the coldness of the insurance industry and applauding these two. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC- I'm very much looking forward to the next book!
I was thrilled to discover that Lisa Scottoline had penned another masterpiece. I have read practically all of her novels...and was not disappointed in the least by her latest. It captured my attention from the first page....and did not let go until the final chapter. Love her work. It's on order for all of my local libraries for other readers to enjoy! Five Stars!!
When one of Mary DiNunzio's dearest family and childhood friends from South Philly needs her help in fighting a wrongful termination, Mary quickly decides she will take Simon's case and represent him to the best of her considerable abilities. What she doesn't know, is that her law partner Bennie Rosato represents the parent company of the subsidiary that fired Simon, and the parent company is one of the largest accounts the firm has. Bennie, relying on a personal friendship with Nate, the owner of the parent company, tries to get him to agree to a fair settlement, out of court and off the records, but Nate refuses. When Bennie tells Mary that she can't represent Simon due to a conflict of interest, Mary is conflicted, but realizing that her loyalties to her family and friends cannot be put aside, she tells Bennie she will leave the firm to remove the conflict of interest and allow her to see the lawsuit through.
That's when things really get interesting!! Nate's firm, outraged that the suit won't be dropped, immediately escalates things with countersuits and other considerable pushback. And Mary, outraged at the countersuit, decides to dig even deeper to find out what is going on. The truth is surprising and quite ruthless!
It's always fun to watch the interaction of these two partners and to get caught up in their interesting cases and Exposed is another good offering in the series. Bennie comes to realize how much the people in the firm mean to her personally, which is quite a softening from her earlier days.
This is a solid 4-star read that won't disappoint.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Lisa Scottoline & St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I always enjoy Lisa Scottoline's books and it's like visiting old friends when previous characters show up in a new book. The characters are vivid and the writing is always good. The story in this book went along at a nice, easy-going pace for the first 3/4 of the book and then WHAM!! The action began and didn't let up until the final pages.
Excellent suspense and enjoyable read!
Exposed is my is first “Rosato & DiNunzio” book. I’ve read other stand-a-lone books by Lisa Scottline but this was my first foray into reading one in her book series. Exposed was book #5 but I had no problem following the book without having read #1-#4.
I really enjoyed this book! The book was set in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. I currently live in the Philadelphia suburbs so I was family with many of the towns and places that were mentioned in the book. I have even parked in the same garage that Mary parked in at CHOP.
The book starts out as a conflict of interest situation between two law partners and turns out to much more complex, murder, lies etc (all of the good stuff)!
I won’t say more about the plot for fear of spoiling the surprises throughout the book, but if you like crime mysteries and female heroines you will enjoy this book!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this book!
Lisa Scottoline’s book Exposed is about the law firm of Rosato & DiNunzio. It is a firm with various characters but focuses on Mary DiNunzio and Bennie Rosato in this the fifth book in this series. However, I did not even know about the series and started reading this book and fell in love with the characters and the story line. Now, I have to find time to read the first four books. It was that good.
Mary DiNunzio comes from South Philly, as area where people are connected by family and friends and are very close. Her cousin, Simon comes to Mary asking her to represent him in a wrongful dismissal suit. Of course she is going to help him, even when she realizes that Bennie represents the larger corporation that owns the company that Simon wants to sue. Mary is quite conflicted about what she should do and really wants to help Simon.
From this point the books rolls right along taking you for a ride! There is murder, secrets, family and more secrets. People hiding information and something much more sinister is going on. Mary with her friends and partner work to desperately solve the crime, before Simon is arrested and sent to jail.
I LOVED Exposed by Lisa Scottoline. I found it a great read and couldn’t wait to read the end. The problem for me will be to find time to read the prior novels.
Lisa Scottoline has done it again!! I've been a fan since the first book in this series, and this is one of the best. I loved the way the voice switched from Mary to Bennie, and showed both the growth in Mary's character and the mellowing of Bennie's. I've always liked both, but this book makes them even more appealing. Judy Carrier, as usual, added both a lighter touch and solid legal input. The issues presented by this book are both painful and current. They are different enough to make it a good candidate for any book club. I especially look forward to seeing what happens next with this group of strong women. Thanks to St. Martins and NetGalley for access to the ebook edition!
Exposed by lisa Scottoline.
Mary DiNunzio wants to represent her old friend Simon Pensiera, a sales rep who was wrongly fired by his company, but her partner Bennie Rosato represents the parent company. When she confronts Mary, explaining this is a conflict of interest, an epic battle of wills and legal strategy between the two ensues—ripping the law firm apart, forcing everyone to take sides and turning friend against friend.
SOMETIMES LOYALTY CAN BE LETHAL.
A very good read with good characters. I liked how Mary never gave up on her friend. Bennie really surprised me too. Full of twists and plots. 5*. Highly recommended. Netgalley and St Martins press.
Despite all my good intentions I still haven't managed to catch up with all the books I missed in this series after reading the 4th last year. I don't think that matters though to be honest as the story in this book stands up quite well on its own without needing to carry any baggage forward from previous books. Anything you do need to know is well explained succinctly in this book.
In this book we see Mary going up against Bennie as she takes a case that it very close to her heart not realising that the company involved is a subsidiary of one that Bennie represents. Marking it as a conflict of interest. We do have quite a debate on this issue early in the book that could have been a bit distracting but instead was introduced and debated in such a way that I actually found it quite fascinating. Anyway, the crux of the matter is that Simon has been sacked by his company for poor sales figures. He thinks that he has been discriminated as he believes that his dismissal is more to do with the cost of his daughter's medical treatment and wants Mary to look into things and act on his behalf when he sues his old company. Mary is so determined to carry on representing Simon that a rift occurs between her and Bennie, so much so that both their partnership and indeed friendship are put to the test. As she investigates further, Mary starts to uncover some interesting information that could put a whole new spin on things. Information that could come at cost, but how high the price? How far are people willing to go to keep the truth hidden?
Oh my goodness, this book to me on one heck of a ride throughout. We have many issues here, friendship, partnership. family, unfair dismissal, a rather poorly child. But that's actually just the tip of the iceberg and towards the end of the book things take on a whole new perspective and it really gets rather scary and exciting as the truth starts to come out at somewhat of a frenetic pace. It's actually quite an emotional read what with all that going on and I read quite a bit of it with my heart literally in my mouth not knowing where we were going next.
It was also quite painful reading at times, especially the parts where Mary and Bennie were fighting, especially where we heard from Judy. Some of her observations and comments being priceless!
All in all, another good addition to what looks like a great series. With how we left the characters at the end, I really can't wait for book six.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
This is my second book of the Rosato & DiNunzio series (of five total) and now I want to go back and read the three I missed. I enjoyed this story of a lawyer partner conflict of interest, what it involved, how it was resolved, and the overall storyline. It was fun meeting up with characters from the previous book I read in the series, that just gives more backstory and an instant feeling of connection to those characters. The setting of the book, Philadelphia, as I've mentioned before, is a place I enjoy reading about since I know most locations mentioned. This was a fast read with some twists, not a super deep book, but quite enjoyable!
I have always been a great fan of Lisa Scottoline’s novels and was thrilled when I was offered the chance to read an ARC of this her new novel, the fifth in the Rosato & Di Nunzio series, centred around issues of law and legalese. Happily I can tell you that this thrilling new novel doesn’t disappoint at all, far from it. It brims full of electrifying action with a story line that is both ingenious and darkly complicated.
When Mary Di Nunzio is asked to represent her old friend Simon Pensiera, who suspects he has been sacked for all of the wrong reasons, she does not hesitate to accept the case. He is like family to her and their families are very close indeed. He has the saddest of histories; his young wife has died and his daughter is currently in hospital and critically ill. The company that Simon works for has recently sacked him for underachieving, but loose comments by his boss point to the fact that they do not want to continue covering the massive bills involved in treating his daughter. Mary is scandalised by the cruelty of the situation and determined to help him win the case for wrongful dismissal and claim reasonable damages which will pay for his daughter’s ongoing care.
Unfortunately legal wrangles complicate the case, but still Mary and Bennie, her partner in their law firm, try to work through these problems as best they can. As investigations continue and the pace heats up, unfair and untrue counter accusations are laid against Simon. He is distraught. Worse still Mary is served with papers accusing her of rule breaking. Bennie is absolutely adamant that she will work with Mary to provide evidence that will prove each case is falsely and maliciously masking the original issues. It is at this point that Simon’s boss is murdered and Simon is arrested as the chief suspect. He has the motive, but Mary and Bennie are certain that he did not commit the crime. With this new development the team of Rosato & Di Nunzio become frantic to solve the case, but as they research far and wide and are on the point of discovering the truth, they suddenly and tragically find themselves in mortal danger.
I found the story quite slow going at the very beginning as the background points were laid down, but the pace soon became scorching hot as Mary and Bennie work literally through the night trying to uncover incongruities in the evidence. The legalities of the cases are meticulously researched and their complicated nature made for exciting and dumfounding twists and turns in the action. The final twisted revelation took me completely by surprise and I really loved the well rounded and satisfying finale. As ever the storytelling is wonderful and the characters within the story are richly created and beautifully developed.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Headline for my copy of ‘Exposed’, sent to me in return for an honest review. It’s a 9/10 from me and a recommendation that this novel is a very good and highly recommended read, one not to be missed.
Once again, Lisa Scottoline writes a powerful story that takes events from our national headlines and gives us food for thought as well a compelling, hard-to-put-down story. The book tugs at our emotions with the health problems that four-year-old Rachel faces and the loss of her fathers job—allegedly because of the medical bills that have occurred.
Mary DiNunzio’s family is portrayed with so much care throughout this series that I feel as if I know them; I would love to be a part of this family! From Mary’s father who speaks too loud because of hearing loss and her warm, wonderful mom who works hard to conceal a bald spot the characters are all delightful and original. The three Tony’s, Mary’s father’s friends, also deserve a special mention as does everyone in the south Philly neighborhood who form the kind community we all wish we could be a part of. I really love reading about Italian families/neighborhoods in books like this.
You can’t go wrong with a book by Lisa Scottoline. They work well as stand-alones too. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries and thrillers. I have to say I never read legal mysteries before this author, but I have found her books to be so informative as well as exciting, that I’m definitely hooked now!