Lisa Scottoline’s latest novel is an absolutely gripping page turner, equal parts legal thriller and domestic drama as a family of lawyers strives to hold it together in the face of lies and violence.

TJ Devlin has always been the screw-up of his high-achieving family. While his parents and siblings worked hard to establish the family law firm, he partied even harder and landed himself in jail. With a criminal conviction and no college degree, he’s since sobered up and become the law firm’s in-house investigator, a position he’s been told in no uncertain terms is mostly decorative and entirely dependent on his good behavior.

So he’s taken aback when his seemingly perfect older brother comes to him with a confession one night:

QUOTE
“What?” My mouth dropped open. “Did you just say you <i>killed</i> somebody?”

“Yes.” My brother nodded, jittery. His blue eyes looked unfocused, which never happened. Lasers have nothing on John Devlin.

“That can’t be. Not <i>you</i>. You’re, like, the best–”

“I did it,” John said, panicky. “I <i>killed</i> a man. TJ, what should I do?”

“How do I know? You’re the lawyer.” I didn’t get it. John and everyone else in my family were lawyers in our family firm, Devlin & Devlin. I’m a convicted criminal. On second thought, maybe I would’ve asked me, too.
END QUOTE

According to John, the killing in question was entirely accidental. While going over the paperwork for the upcoming acquisition of Runstan Electronics, one of the Devlins’ clients, John had uncovered significant financial discrepancies. He’d confronted Runstan’s accountant, who’d threatened him with a gun. In the ensuing scuffle, John believed he’d killed the guy. Panicking, he left the scene and went to get help, in the form of his ex-con younger brother.

TJ and John immediately go to the quarry where the altercation had taken place. To their surprise, the body is no longer where John left it, though there is certainly enough blood to corroborate his version of events. John is relieved: surely this means that the accountant was merely knocked unconscious, but eventually recovered and walked away. TJ, however, is a far better investigator than his family gives him credit for, quickly sussing out alternate explanations and, perhaps more importantly, precautions as to what John should do next. At first, John thinks TJ is just being overly cautious, if not outright paranoid, until TJ’s predictions as to accomplices and shadows start coming true.

As it becomes more and more clear that someone is targeting John, TJ finds himself balancing on the fine line between protecting his family – sometimes from themselves – and continuing to take their abuse as the family scapegoat. Perhaps the only member of his family who doesn’t treat him like a failure is his sister Gabby, who also prioritizes her pro bono work instead of focusing on raking in the wealth the way that their parents and brother do. But as all of the Devlins get swept up in the net of a terrible criminal conspiracy, the family will have to pull together and overcome their own deep-seated prejudices in order to survive.

In addition to being an absorbing legal thriller, The Truth About The Devlins is an excellent look at dysfunctional family dynamics, and what it takes to overcome them in order to heal. It also shines a spotlight on a little known but horrifying facet of American history, when prison inmates were unethically tested on by pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries in the mid-20th century. Gabby is filing a complaint for several of the survivors, and TJ is helping by conducting interviews, as here where he asks the ailing Joe Ferguson:

QUOTE
“Did they explain what product they were testing?”

“No.”

“And you were in Holmesburg in 1966, for only one year?”

“Yeah, I was there before my trial. They charged me with aggravated assault, but I didn’t do it and I couldn’t make bail. That was the reason I did the test, to make bail. The judge set five grand, so I needed five hundred bucks. I couldn’t get it.”

<i>My God</i>. “So you were only there awaiting trial? You were innocent?”

“Yes.” Joe blinked matter-of-factly. “They picked up the wrong guy. I tried to tell them, but they didn’t believe me.”
END QUOTE

Poignant and smart, this novel deals sensitively with both legal and family history, as well as with what it means to take sobriety seriously. Wry, reflective TJ is so easy to root for as he confronts hard truths about both himself and his family. With plenty of humor and a touch of romance to perfectly counterbalance the dramatic tension, this book had me hooked till the very last page. It is, perhaps surprisingly, my first novel by Lisa Scottoline, but it definitely won’t be my last.

Now available!!!

Procedural/ family drama. Was a bit slow for me and lost interest at times.

The Devlins are a highly reputable family who have a very prestigious law firm, other than our narrator, TJ, the whole family works there. Was quite frustrating and depressing the way TJ was treated by his own family. The plot was good. Didn’t particularly care for any of the characters though and they all had flaws that had you upset or disliking them at times. Good just wasn’t great for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Lisa Scottoline’s gripping novel, ‘The Truth about the Devlins,’ weaves family drama, justice, and deception into an unputdownable thriller. TJ Devlin, the black sheep of the prominent Devlin family, embarks on an investigation that unravels deadly secrets. A pulse-pounding read!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TJ has always been the odd one out in the Devlin family. Unlike his siblings and parents, who all lead successful law careers at the family's firm, Devlin & Devlin, TJ, a recovering alcoholic, is still dealing with the repercussions of one night years ago that landed him in a prison cell. Now, trying to move forward in his life, he tries to earn back his family's trust while working as the firm's unofficial investigator.

One night, things get turned upside down when TJ's can-do-no-wrong brother, John, comes to him for help, confessing that he might have accidentally murdered one of the firm's clients after confronting them with proof of embezzlement. When TJ and John return to the scene of the crime, they discover the body is missing, and there are no signs as to what happened. TJ promises to investigate what happened, but the more he looks into it, the more things keep happening, and he finds himself in a tangled web of his family's secrets, leaving him wondering who he can trust.

I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down, especially once the investigation started to unfold. This was a great, fast-paced mystery with plenty of family drama. I loved TJ's character and how much growth he showed throughout the book. It was evident that he really valued his sobriety and was intentional about making amends for his actions. His friendship with Mango made me smile! Overall, I gave this book four stars on Goodreads and look forward to reading more books by Lisa Scottoline in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This novel was an excellent family drama/legal thriller with well-developed characters. You can’t help but fall in love with sweet, flawed TJ.
I was engrossed from page one and the unexpected, heart pounding second storyline was a great addition. The ending brought the entire story together beautifully!!

Lisa Scottoline's newest book The Truth About the Devlins is a family drama with a side of legal thriller. TJ Devlin, the ex-con in a family of lawyers, is struggling with his sobriety and his place in his family when his brother approaches him, fearful that he may have killed someone. TJ jumps into savior mode, desparate to prove himself by helping his brother. As his investigation continues, he uncovers a conspiracy and some uncomfortable truths about his own family.

This was a fast-paced legal and family drama. TJ is a recovering alcoholic, and there is a lot of discussion of AA and the program. I didn't enjpy the references to religion; specifically, I thought they were a little heavy handed in the last bit of the book. Othwewise, I enjoyed the story.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Penguin Group, Lisa Scottoline, and Netgalley!

I typically love Lisa Scottoline books, however this one just wasn't for me. I will continue to pick her books up and give them a try, this was just a miss for me.

When TJ's brother John comes to him for help because he thinks he has murdered a client, TJ tries to dig into what happened. He has always been the trouble maker child, so he is trying to make himself better. But the more he digs into it, the more trouble seems to be happening.

This is a great page turner with great characters and an interesting plot. Ms. Scottoline keeps the readers attention by keeping them guessing what will happen next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Scottoline, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read, "The Truth About the Devlins." I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and after reading two of Scottoline's novels, I will definitely am looking forward to reading more of her novels in the future.

This novel was about a family with some hidden secrets and the family members who decided to take matters into their own hands just when their lives seemed to be falling apart. The Devlins were a family of lawyers who owned a law firm together. Well, all except T.J. who was considered the black sheep of the family. He was a recovering alcoholic and he also made several life changing mistakes which directly put his life and the people he cared about in danger.

It is apparent early on that T.J. is not the only Devlin with problems. The oldest brother, John, is mixed up in some sort of scheme and is obviously attempting to frame his little brother. There is a lot of drama between the two brothers and it is definitely interesting to see how it all plays out in the end.

This was a great story filled with family secrets, betrayal, and addiction. I really liked how the author, Scottoline, dealt with the subject of addiction as a disease. She did a fantastic job of showing what addiction can do to a person and also how it affects all of their loved ones. #NetGalley #TheTruthabouttheDevlins

The Truth About the Devlins proves once again that Lisa Scottoline can successfully blend a compelling thriller with an an equally compelling family story torn at the seams. Scottoline remains one of my favorite authors. If she isn't on anybody else's list of favorite authors yet then her latest will earn a spot on their conventiant list.

In her typical fashion, Lisa Scottoline weaves a tale of family drama and the secrets and lies that come out to tear them apart. TJ Devlin is the black sheep in his family of lawyers, having just gotten out of jail and still struggling with his alcoholism. He's proud of being sober for almost two years, but his family is still suspicious of him. He got a job as an investigator for his family's law firm...a do nothing job his parents created for him. When his perfect older brother John admits to murdering a client, TJ did into the case to try and save him. Secrets then come out about his family that put them all in danger.
I love TJ's character and how he's trying so hard to change himself despite his horrible family putting him down. He's always been the outcast in the family and I just wanted to shake them all for the way he was treated. I loved all the twists and secrets and lies in this story, never knowing what would happen next. I highly recommend to anyone wanting a good thriller with a lot of family drama thrown in.
Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

Oh my gosh!!

Lisa Scotline knows how to do family drama!
This book had me hooked from the start.
It was fast paced, mysterious, and was not lacking in the family drama department.
I was so pleased when I finished!!!

Thank you so much for the ARC @netgalley

Where to begin…first of all this is not really much of a thriller and more of a legal procedural which I enjoy but the tend to lose my attention when we get way too much legal jargon!
I found myself really invested in the characters and their lives & journeys but found myself bored with the storylines outside of the characters personal lives and family dynamics. The book wasn’t bad but wasn’t great!! Thankful for the opportunity to read it!!

TJ Devlin, after rehab and prison, is the black sheep of the Devlin family. When his older brother confesses he may have murdered a client, TJ gets sucked into an investigation to prove his worth and save his brother.

A fun, thrill packed family drama. I do enjoy when thrillers meet family drama, and this one has the best of both. It’s very fast paced and rooting for a character with flaws. Although he has flaws, he’s learning and he also has a cat that he loves. I wasn’t as much into the business aspect of the story, but there was a lot of action

The Truth About the Devlins comes out 3/26.

A POWERHOUSE author and novel!

Please bring back T.J.! My vote for 'best character' of the year!

Lisa Scottoline dazzles with her latest highly impressive addictive suspense legal crime thriller, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DEVLINS—her best yet! The Devlins, a family of legal royalty, turn into a dysfunctional family of white-collar crime, murder, and mayhem. Top Books of 2024!

Brilliantly executed, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DEVLINS is a wild ride, so buckle up and get ready!

An emotional and powerful character-driven story of redemption. T.J., the bad sheep of the family, will be the one you will be rooting for to the explosive conclusion in this fast-paced legal/crime suspense/family drama with well-developed characters and enough action and suspense to keep you frantically turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning.

The Devlins live in a McMansion on six acres of perfect landscaping in Philly's exclusive Main Line, with fancy cars and everything money could buy. They are lawyers at the prominent Devlin and Devlin family law firm, a powerful family with deep connections. They make unpleasant things disappear, but how far will they go to protect their own?

John, the firstborn, is considered the most valuable Devlin. Greedy and competitive, he is an attorney at the family firm, waiting for his dad to retire so he can take over. John is married to Nancy, and they have one son, Connor.

Gabby is also an attorney; however, unlike her greedy older brother, she is out to save the world, representing the innocent worldwide. She works pro bono. She does much good and is currently involved in an essential, timely case. She is married to a doctor, Martin.

T.J. is the youngest black sheep of the family. (Loved him)! He is a recovering alcoholic and spent time in prison. (this is so sad). The dad controls him and gives him the investigator position at the family firm. He always seems to be a convenient scapegoat for the family. Can he finally get beyond his past to a future?

As the novel opens, the family is celebrating their Dad's birthday. John shocks T.J. by confessing he murdered someone. TJ is astounded the golden boy could be asking the bad boy for help. He, of course, does not want him to tell anyone. He is loyal and off to devote his time and energy to help him in this alleged crime.

What comes next is a complex, multi-layered web of secrets, lies, and coverups of white-collar crimes. However, when they go to the spot, John says the murder took place, and there is nobody.

Are there co-conspirators? What is going on?

TJ is tenacious and works diligently to find out what happened that night, but the plot thickens as John is not honest and throws TJ under the bus, making him look like he fell off the wagon of his family and lies, and TJ prides himself in being sober for the last 4 years. Is he trying to frame him?

John says there was an accounting embezzlement with one of his clients. However, the story goes deeper into a complex web of secrets, lies, and murder. Of course, John blackmails JT to keep quiet and not tell the parents.

In the novel, there are two different action storylines:

~John's case: The murder and case with John's client. T.J. continues to investigate even when his brother says to stop.

~Gabby's lawsuit case on behalf of former inmates related to illegal drug testing on inmates in multiple prisons that were coerced with payment, which later turned into terminal diseases and death. (based on a true story —more on that below).

T.J. is also helping his sister interview the victims for her case, which is heartbreaking. Some do not have long to live, and they are fighting the big Pharma companies and their coverup.

T.J. gets caught in the middle of John's misdeeds, must prove his innocence, and dig deeper to find out what is going on with his brother as he attempts to put the puzzle pieces together. John may not be as golden as his family thinks, putting them all in harm's way.

Will the Devlins be able to save their reputation? John hides much more than they know when all spirals out of control. Nothing will stop T.J. as he fights for his continued sobriety, his family, and the demons of his past on the road to redemption!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I have been a huge long-time fan of this gifted author; however, this is one of my favorites!

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DEVLINS checks all the boxes for everything you want and expect from Lisa. It has all the thrills, action, and suspense of a first-rate legal crime thriller and all the compelling, gripping complexities of a riveting family drama. Fantastic character development and superb writing. I loved T.J. and Gabby and disliked John and the dad as they continued to put down T.J.

Scottoline is a pro at anything she writes, and I enjoyed her Author's notes immensely. From T.J.s recovery story, her research and her expertise in law and justice are apparent throughout as a former trial lawyer and adjunct law professor.

TRUE STORY: In addition, I enjoyed reading more about the true Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia and the horrifying events with the inmates at the prisons used as human subjects of medical experimentation from the early late fifties to the early seventies, the era before informed consent.

The Holmesburg Prison experiments conducted by Kligman raised many questions about the ethics of using prison inmates for medical research. There were issues of informed consent since the prisoners weren't made aware of what substances were being tested on them at the time. While the plaintiffs in the novel are fictional, the case they brought is founded on actual historical facts as described in the novel with these horrific medical experiments.

BRAVO to the author for creating such an admirable and compelling character in T.J. (a huge fan) and his tenacious battle. I am happy he found happiness and would LOVE to see him again in a future book! Get this gem on your list now—Scottoline fans will devour it.

A special thank you to Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putman's Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a digital review of this outstanding novel for my honest thoughts.

I have also ordered the audiobook narrated by Edoardo Ballerini (a favorite) and cannot wait to listen!

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: March 26, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
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The family screw-up saves the day! I love that TJ really grew into his own in this book even though his family was intent on keeping him in the screw-up box. His brother, on the other hand, even though he had an addiction, was a total jackass, period. I was not sad to see him get into trouble!

Lisa Scottoline once again hits it out of the park - she is on my always-read list!

#TheTruthabouttheDevlins
#NetGalley

TJ Devlin is an investigator, an ex-con, and an alcoholic. He works for his family's law firm, and one night his brother comes to him with a confession - he thinks he killed a man. But when the two go back to check, no one is there. Soon TJ is investigating what happened to the man, embezzlement, conspiracies, and he's trying to keep his family alive before their time runs out.

Sadly, this was not my favorite Lisa Scottoline book, and I've read many of them! I have a hard time personally with books with no redeemable characters to root for. It seemed like everyone was bad news except for the cat, Mango, who I loved. I also didn't love how much of this book revolved around TJ's alcoholism.

I thought this one was just okay and probably wouldn't recommend it to a friend.

Devlin & Devlin is a family-run law office comprised of the Devlin family- all except TJ, the charming son in recovery from alcoholism who is working as the company investigator. When his brother, John, confesses to murdering a client, TJ is shocked, but throws himself into a dangerous investigation which puts his, and family's lives at risk.

This was a fun book! It was my second by this author and I enjoy her writing style. I thought TJ was a great character and I loved seeing him charming his way out of trouble while battling his addiction and horrible family. On the other hand, I hated John and rooted against him the whole book.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline is a crime/lawyer novel. I am always intimidated by Scottoline, without cause as her books are always relatable. This one in particular is about a family of lawyers, the Devlins, father, mother, son, daughter. The final son is a little bit of a reprobate, an alcoholic who made a mistake, but went to prison and has been sober since that day. His family, except for his sister, Gabby, who seemed to believe in him, were just waiting for him to screw up. His brother, John, had needed help and TJ helped. Then his brother threw him under the bus. But, it was far more complicated than it appeared and those complications make up the story this book has to tell. It was complicated, with many missteps on the parts of all of them, but they came out of it as a family, if there were now a few cracks.

This story kept me wondering. Sometimes it was hard to tell who the bad guys were. TJ was a good investigator but his parents had little faith in him until he was able to prove it all, naturally. That’s the thing about a mistake, they are always waiting for you to make another. The world had changed while TJ had been in prison, even thought it had only been a year. This is a book about family, about addiction, and about faith. Sottoline, as always has given us a book the reader can relate to despite the fact the subject matter is foreign to most of us. Excellent read! Hard to put down! Thanks, Lisa Scottoline.

I was invited to read The Truth About the Devlins by Penguin Group Putnam. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PenguinGroupPutnam #LisaScottoline #TheTruthAboutTheDevlins

3.5 stars. Part thriller, part family drama, this is a fast-paced novel about the black sheep of a prestigious family of lawyers, who is recently out of prison and trying to stay sober. Family dramas are not as much to my tastes as thrillers are, so I enjoyed the latter aspect more, but if you love both, this might be a great book for you. I enjoyed reading it, especially about TJ grappling to maintain his sobriety, but it won't be a book that's very memorable for me.