📖 Book Review 📖

📱”The Truth About The Devlins" by Lisa Scottoline

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To be published March 26, 2024

Thank you @netgalley for the eARC of this novel. 

My fall Disney World trip always seems to line up with the reading of Lisa Scottoline’s latest book. It just takes me awhile to get to the reviews…

This is a domestic thriller about family, and as a former trial lawyer and adjunct law professor Scottoline knows her stuff. The main character TJ Devlin is the disappointment in the prominent Devlin family, all lawyers at their own successful firm. John, the oldest is ambitious, cut throat and in line to take over when his dad retires. Gabby is justice driven and really strives to make a difference with her pro bono work. TJ is a recovering alcoholic and works for the family as an investigator. When John pulls TJ into a mess of an accountant being murdered and possible embezzlement, he learns his perfect brother isn’t so perfect.

This is not my favorite Scottoline book but it was an easy read and I liked learning about the Holmesburg Prison in Pennsylvania, where human subjects of medical experiments from 50s to the 70s occurred. These inmates tested many health and beauty products via skin tests without informed consent for area medical schools and big Pharmaceutical
Companies. They received small compensation but years later had cancer and horrible health issues.




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With twists and turns of the best kind, this book will keep you hooked. It is intense, it is compelling and it is so exciting. I’m in awe of Lisa Scottoline’s writing and I will read every book she writes.

The story is told from TJ’s point of view, the only Devlin who isn’t a lawyer. In fact, he’s an alcoholic ex-con who works for the Devlin & Devlin Law Firm simply because he’s family. TJ tries to help his brother out of a predicament, only to find that the “good” Devlin has been keeping some pretty big secrets. The family business is put in peril and TJ realizes this is his chance to prove he’s a changed man.

My 5-star recommendation is a no brainer. I was entertained and enthralled throughout this entire book. I honestly loved it. Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

Another great fast paced novel by Lisa Scottoline. She keeps you guessing at every turn! Can't wait for more.


TJ Devlin is the charming disappointment in the prominent Devlin family, all of whom are lawyers at their highly successful firm—except him. After a stint in prison and rehab for alcoholism, TJ can’t get hired anywhere except at the firm, in a make-work job with the title of investigator.

But one night, TJ’s world turns upside down after his older brother John confesses that he just murdered one of the clients, an accountant he’d confronted with proof of embezzlement. It seems impossible coming from John, the firstborn son and Most Valuable Devlin.

TJ plunges into the investigation, seizing the chance to prove his worth and save his brother. But in no time, TJ and John find themselves entangled in a lethal web of deception and murder. TJ will fight to save his family, but what he learns might break them first.

Lisa Scottoline never lets me down! She managed to make a topic I'm not particularly interested (fraud, etc) in, interesting. That said, it still isn't my favorite kind of plot/novel so it was a three star read for me!

As a Philadelphia lawyer, I am always excited to read a new Lisa Scottoline novel and The Truth About The Devlins did not disappoint!! This book is a great legal thriller involving the prominent Devlin family, all lawyers except the proverbial black sheep TJ. When TJ gets a panicked called from his “golden” brother John stating John thinks he killed someone, it begins a thrilling storyline that opens Pandora’s box in this seemingly perfect family. I have to say I fell in love with TJ a bit! Would love to see more novels involving him! Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for this fantastic ARC!

This book was an enjoyable mystery. It was filled with enough suspense to keep the reader turning pages. A few twists at the end add to the mystery. This is a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery

Lisa Scottoline never disappoints. And honestly it blows me away that a female author can write from a male perspective so well that I have a hard time believing she did this. It is so good.

The Devlin family started off middle class with the parents working their hardest to establish their place in the world of ruthless lawyers. They put their time in while raising three kiddos, John, Gabby and TJ. The eldest two are attorneys with their parents leaving TJ whose POV this story is told from TJ is a recovering alcoholic and doing his best to become a better man and figure his life out.

I was empathetic with TJ straight of the gates and cheering him on. You will be too. The story builds up stream and unravels at the perfect pace with a lightening finish and beautiful finale.

I read the authors acknowledgments at the end and it really warms my heart to hear how she studied the characters that she writes about to really be able to portray them so accurately

Top notch!
I was pulled into this story from the beginning! The characters were well developed and the main characters were likeable.
The plot had a great twist, but the whole story just unraveled so well - I wanted to keep reading this book.
And! There was a cat :)
Highly recommend

The Devlin family may look like the perfect family of attorneys from the outside, but things are never really what they seem. TJ has always been the black sheep and has been given another chance to redeem himself working as an investigator for the family firm. But when brother John needs his help, TJ may be in over his head and may not be the black sheep after all. Scottoline always keeps the twists coming and never disappoints!

I liked this book a lot but the beginning was very hard for me to get into, felt like there were almost two different stories. The back half picked up quickly and I really enjoyed how everything came together at the end

I got 20% of the way into this and left it there. I found the main character cold and disconnected. Also a little strange and creepy. I did like the premise and where the story was going I just couldn't get past the main character.

another adventure-filled book from lisa! i love how she incorporates the philly area in all of her books. the twists just kept coming, and despite all the lawyer-speak in this book, i found it easy to follow along with and was hooked the entire time. none of the characters were relatable (maybe because they all have more money than i ever will!) but i found myself rooting for the devlins anyway. a great read with no boring moments!

This story is a thriller that will have you grasping for answers and being surprised by new twists and turns. The Devlin family is a powerhouse with a family of lawyers. However, son TJ has just completed a sentence in prison and rehab and is trying to get his feet under him, working as an investigator. One night TJ's brother John needs help after confessing to the potential murder of a client. TJ jumps into action but quickly finds himself involved in a web of lies and unknowns. I enjoyed the fast pace of this story as it unfolded.

Scottoline has actually written two books in one - two storylines that end up coming together as one! Once again she uses her hometown of Chester County & Philadelphia as the background and as always does each location justice. I found it very interesting reading about the drug trials on inmates at Holmesburg Prison - Lisa certainly does her homework & it’s evident in all her books. Thanks for the advanced read & kudos Lisa.

"The Truth About the Devlins" marks my introduction to Lisa Scottoline's work, and it certainly didn't disappoint; it was a thoroughly entertaining 5-star read. TJ Devlin is the problem child for the uber-successful Devlin family. TJ is given a job as an “investigator” for the family law firm after a prison sentence kept him from getting hired anywhere else. TJ’s older brother John drags TJ into quite a mess after confessing that he murdered the accountant for one of the firm’s oldest clients. TJ leaves no stone unturned in his quest to clear his brother's name, all the while uncovering secrets that could potentially tear the family apart.

I genuinely enjoyed this book. I thought it was well-written, and the twists kept me interested. TJ's sarcastic comments added a humorous touch and I couldn’t wait to see what he would say/think next. For fans of thrillers, I highly recommend this book, and I'm eagerly looking forward to exploring more of this author's work.

I'd like to express my gratitude to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, Lisa Scottoline, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

This was terrific!! I fell in love with TJ. He was sort of the black sheep of the family but he had great depth. Devlin & Devlin is a prominent law firm and the Devlins are an important family. They are hugely successful, except for T J who spent one year in prison and also was in rehab. He has an alcohol addiction and was driving with a child in the car but he forgot she was there and he stopped for a beer. The child was the daughter of the love of his life, Carrie. The book is largely the story of T J, his addiction and his desire to be sober and a contributing member of the family. I loved him!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First and foremost I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC, thank y’all so much!

TJ is a recovering alcoholic struggling to fit in at his family law practice. Using his PI instincts, he’s able to find some holes and coverups that his older brother is hiding.

This novel is full of recovering addiction, lies, and ultimately trying to save the family business.

Thank for NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. Lisa Scottoline is most often a hit or miss for me. I think her true fans will love it. For me it was a solid 4 star read. Enjoyable but didn’t wow me.

An intriguing and chilling story from the first chapter all the way to the last word! I could not put this book down. This is by far my favorite book of Scottoline's!

This is my first Lisa Scottoline book and I will definitely be reading more of her work. This book started out with a scene where John confessed to his younger brother TJ, he thinks he may have killed someone. An amazing way to get a reader hooked.

The plot had a lot of emotion, TJ was the underdog throughout the whole book and I was continously rooting for him and feeling the emotional roller-coaster he was on. The plot was super relateable and couldn't help but think of the Murdaugh family, everyone but TJ are lawyers and had no problem covering and protecting their family, legacy and business no matter what the cost.

I loved how the family came together to figure out what John was involved with and they ended up bonding and finding forgiveness and love in the midst of tragedy and angst. TJ, the black sheep of the family, the underdog, the person who nobody thought was worth anything, ended up saving everyone.

A lot of stress in this book! You really felt for the characters and the positions they were put in. I kept saying out loud "oh no! what are they going to do now?"

The way the plot unfolded was really great, it kept me invested trying to figure out what John did or didn't do. There were so many theories I had based on what was going on in the book and you thought it would go one way and then it changed direction and had me thinking it came out of nowhere.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book