This book started a little slow, but boy did that last half make up for it. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and trying to figure out “the who done it” parts.

I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through this story, even the parts that made me so mad I could spit nails. Great concept and expertly crafted execution, Lisa Scottoline fans and anyone who enjoys a well-told story will fall through the rabbit hole with this one!

TJ Devlin is the black sheep of the family. He is a recovering alcoholic and ex-con. He works with the family law business as an investigator and can do nothing right in the eyes of his father. When the good son, John, confesses to TJ that he has killed somebody and needs his help, it is the start of a dangerous series of events that will test his sobriety.

This book was addictive! i got so caught up in the story and I loved TJ. He had such a big heart and was always being hurt. I only wanted the best for him, and was saddened by the way he was treated. His relationship with Mango the cat made me laugh.

A family drama with lots of thrills. It certainly had me hooked from start to finish. Another winner from this author.

Thanks so much to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on March 26th.

This was a story full of twists and turns! This is a tale about the whole Devlin family and contains family secrets, deception, and lies. I especially enjoyed the character of TJ. He was very real and worked through his problems in a healthy way. My favorite part of the whole book was the ending to his story!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a chance to read and review "The Truth about the Devlins" by Lisa Scottoline.

TJ Devlin is a recovering alcoholic and ex-con in a family of lawyers. Though things are going well for him now, it isn't the case for long as TJ's older brother gets himself into a bit of a bind when he confesses that he murdered someone to TJ. Now it is up to TJ to find out what exactly happened and what he has to do to make sure this doesn't tear the whole family apart.
This was a pretty good novel, it is my first from this author though I've heard many good things about her books. I did feel at times very bored as the narrative dragged on a bit too much for my liking and some stuff was pretty unbelievable. I did like the main character TJ and you couldn't help rooting for him. Overall I think this was a pretty decent thriller but maybe not exactly for me.

The Delvin’s are a model family. True TJ is maybe not the most ideal Devlin, but he has turned his life around. He is sober going on two years and he is very proud to serve his family as their investigator. So, when his brother calls him one night asking for his help covering up a possible murder TJ knows that he will do anything to keep his family’s name safe. Yet keeping them safe might mean finding out if the Devlin’s are as amazing as they seem or if there is more under the surface.
I love where this book was going. I feel like for the most part the book didn’t let me down, I just feel like there could have possibly been a couple more twists and turns. Overall, the book itself is okay. The pacing is well done, and TJ is an enjoyable character. I do feel bad for his sobriety journey and the lack of understanding from his brother about how even lying about him breaking his sobriety is a big deal. People going through AAA must do a lot to earn faith back from those around them, and that faith is so easily lost. While this book was not maybe my favorite this year so far it is still one, I will recommend. Thank you so much to Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

As a general rule, I love domestic thrillers, so I was really excited for the opportunity to read this ARC. I’m not sure it all came together for me, but I was engaged right from the first page. Thank you NetGalley.

Rounded up from 3.5 - It's been a while since I read a Lisa Scottoline book - this was decent...I had some minor issues with the way some of the person in recovery stuff was handled and was annoyed with the crap the main character put up with but was drawn in by the story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to @putnambooks and @netgalley for my #gifted copy. Pub date 3/26/24.

I was so excited to read this one because I loved the authors previous books, but this one fell a little flat for me. The book started off with a bang, and I thought it was going to be an edge of your seat type of thriller, but I just thought it was a little too slow. I absolutely loved the main character, TJ, and was rooting for him the whole time. If you love character/family driven slow burns, then I definitely recommend this one.

TJ Devlin is the black sheep of his family, but they let him work "behind the scenes" in his family's law firm, Devlin & Devlin, after serving time in prison. TJ is helping his sister in a pro-bono case and also helping his brother John. John accidentally killed one of his clients, we think. TJ is trying to uncover the truths while also working hard on his sobriety and personal life.

This fell flat. Seemed over the top with the generalization of how men are supposed to act. I just didn't like this one compared to Scottoline's previous novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of which I was given in exchange for an honest review.

TJ Devlin is the black sheep of the Devlin family, a family of attorneys at a very successful law firm. He's a recovering alcoholic who has spent time in prison and after he is released, his family gives him a job at the firm with the title of investigator. He explains that the position is strictly a sinecure, a term that I learned from reading the book. :-) His brother John confesses that he may have murdered an employee of one of their clients, an accountant that he confronted for embezzling and TJ begins investigating to help his brother. This was the main story but honestly, I was much more interested in the side story with a pro bono case that his sister Gabby was working on representing the victims in a lawsuit involving pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies who used prisoners to test their products leaving them with scars and cancer and other long term medical conditions.

I loved TJ's character. He really cared about his sobriety and making amends for his actions because of his addiction. He even takes in the dead accountant's cat when he learns that no one else will take him because of he needs daily insulin shots. He's just a really great guy and he is able to forgive his family who judges him for his previous mistakes.

I've read many books by Lisa Scottoline and i really enjoy her writing style. My one complaint with this one is that I wish more time was spent in the courtroom because I like the courtroom drama. With that said, this was a solid read and I hope this is the start of a series with TJ, his sister Gabby, his cat Mango and his new girlfriend Maya and her dog S'Mores.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy of this book which will be published on March 26, 2024.

The Truth About the Devlins is about a family of five: the dad, mom, older brother John and older sister Gabby with
TJ being the youngest. Both of the parents, John and Gabby are lawyers at their family firm- Devlin & Devlin. TJ
does work there but is an ex-con so his work there is more on the "investigative" side. John goes to TJ after he
thinks he has killed a man. Yes you read that right- the "good" brother might have killed someone. From there,
everything goes down hill for each member of the Devlin family- from deaths, to arrests, to stalking- you name it.
TJ uses his "invstigative" skills to get to the bottom of what is happening to his family and why.

Lisa Scottoline does a brilliant job at character development in this legal thriller/ mystery read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book prior to the publication date.

"The Truth About the Devlins" by Lisa Scottoline is a masterclass in suspense and unpredictability, a book that truly kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Scottoline, with her adept storytelling and knack for crafting intricate plots, delivers a narrative so gripping that it's impossible not to be wholly absorbed by the world she creates.

Just when I thought I had figured out the direction in which the story was headed, Scottoline skillfully introduced twist after unexpected twist, proving time and again that I was far from guessing the true depth of the story's complexity. Each revelation seemed to expertly build on the last, maintaining a pace that was both exhilarating and perfectly calibrated to keep the suspense at a fever pitch.

"The Truth About the Devlins" is not just a story; it's an experience, a rollercoaster ride of emotions and surprises that challenges your perceptions and keeps you guessing until the very end. Scottoline's brilliance lies not only in her ability to plot a compelling mystery but also in her skill at deep character development, making the journey all the more immersive and the surprises more impactful.

In sum, this book is a testament to Scottoline's prowess as a storyteller. It's a narrative tour de force that combines suspense, emotional depth, and a series of twists and turns that will leave you breathless. For anyone who loves a story that keeps you guessing, "The Truth About the Devlins" is an absolute must-read.

The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline is an extremely exciting read that draws readers in immediately.  It is a fascinating story of family loyalty, redemption, and the search for justice that kept me interested until the very end.

I found one of the most impactful parts of the novel to be TJ Devlin's redemption arc. As the black sheep of a well-known family, TJ struggles to find his place in the world, haunted by past mistakes and trying to keep his sobriety. When his older brother John confesses to a shocking crime, TJ takes control of the situation in an attempt to save his family from ruin. 

TJ’s steady loyalty to his family, even through the revelations of their many flaws and secrets, makes him an even more likable character. His work with his sister on a lawsuit to hold corporations responsible for the product testing they did on prisoners is a very interesting secondary storyline (and deserving of its own book).

The twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing until the very end, and Scottoline's excellent storytelling kept me eagerly turning the pages. With its complex characters, gripping suspense, and intriguing family dynamics, The Truth About the Devlins is a must-read for fans of thrillers and suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I only discovered Lisa Scottoline as an author a few years ago, and have thoroughly enjoyed her books ever since. Her current book, ‘The Truth About the Devlins’ is an excellent legal thriller that combines family loyalty, murder, greed and addiction into an easy to read story. I am happy I stumbled upon Ms. Scottoline and her extremely enjoyable books.

3 Stars. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The main character TJ was very likeable which is why I was able to finish the book. It was hard for me to really enjoy this book because I'm not into legal type thrillers which has nothing to do with the author. I did appreciate the short chapters and writing style but other than that, I wasn't crazy about the story line.

Well, I think it's only fair that I start this review off by saying that I truly like Ms. Scottoline and consider myself a fan. I think I've read most of the books that she's has written, so when I saw this stand alone ARC available, I immediately requested it and was thrilled for it to be awarded to me.

The book introduces us to the Devlin family. I'm not going to go into too much of a summary on the storyline because you can see that in most of the reviews. Let's just say that TJ is the youngest Devlin and is the black sheep of the family. To be honest, he does deserve a lot of what he has been getting from his family. He was the only sibling who didn't graduate from college (he has an older brother John and an older sister Gabby), not to mention that both siblings are attorneys. TJ, on the other hand is a convicted felon, a recovering alcoholic and has seemed to solidify his role as the son that can't really be counted on. It sounds like his problems with alcohol started at a very young age and he was the poster child for a "functioning alcoholic." As usually happens when you start going down that path.....he makes an enormous life altering mistake, and he finally hits his "rock bottom". But again, sometimes that is what is needed to finally force a change.

When he got out after he served his time in prison, he focused on his sobriety. He has now been sober for 2 years....and that is the thing that he is the proudest of, because he has had to fight for it. That is why what John and TJ's father do is such a TERRIBLE betrayal. Okay - enough of the summary that I said I wasn't going to give.

I had a couple of issues with the book. First of all, I could not stand John. I mean I seriously disliked him. That's a problem because I then had problems with TJ's behavior as he seemed to continue to
be oblivious to things about John and his behavior that to everyone else (and by everyone else, I mean me) seemed fairly obvious.

Without going into spoilers, some of the other items that bothered me are going to be a little hard to explain, but let me try. The actual storyline, once everything gets laid out is VERY scattered and I found lots of holes in the reasonings and explanations. There has to be an enormous amount of reader believability put aside to make it fit into the plot lines that are laid out. Certain characters - when unmasked - seemed to have had a personality transplant. And no one seems to have any issues with that. I certainly did.

And the parents. Don't even get me started. There were so many times that I was so angry FOR TJ. Man, nobody in his family deserves any of the loyalty that he shows....at least in the beginning. Later, some of them show a very slight redemption arc. The pacing was so inconsistent. At times it dragged, then went at turbo speed, and then certain things seemed to have happened off page. It was odd.

I guess if I had to boil it down to one thing, it was the character relationships that I had the most problems with. I have to be able to want to root for certain characters for me to become invested and let me just say that there were not many redeeming qualities in the Devlin family. (with the exception of TJ, who everyone just seemed to spit on).

And then the ending. It felt like we got to that point and Ms. Scottoline felt like she had to tie everything up with a bow and say "The End", even though the ending and the punishments (or lack there of) left an awful taste in my mouth.

So, not one of my favorites from Ms. S, but it wasn't the worst. I still consider myself a fan.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting story about the Devlin family. While I enjoyed the story, I didn't love it. I did appreciate the short chapters though. Thos might be the kind of book I would prefer to listen to the audiobook of (I love thriller audiobooks). It was still a good read, and I will consider reading more by Lisa Scottoline in the future.
3.5 stars
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Literally read it in one sitting. I have no attention span- I’m the first to admit that but this story caught ahold of me and wouldn’t let go. The Devlins are the perfect legal family with the exception of screw up brother TJ. But things aren’t always as they seem and this family unravels quickly when secrets staring coming to light. A fast paced story full of twists and hidden betrayal.

The Truth About the Devlins had me on the edge of my seat the whole way! The Devlin family are flawed people who are real and likable and whose relationships feel relatable.