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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
Cute book, but not great literature. It is a nice start to a mystery series that has intrigued me enough to continue reading. However, it is very predictable, and there wasn't enough character development for me. I suspect because Scottoline was anticipating that this would be a series.
mysterious
medium-paced
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The first novel by Lawyer Lisa Scottoline.
This tale of corporate intrigue centers on Mary DiNunzio, a lawyer on the partner track at one of Philadelphia's top law firms, and her secret admirer/stalker. Mary, stressed by nature of her occupation, first shrugs off silent phone calls to her home and office that are eerily in sync with her comings and goings. Soon, however, when she starts getting personal notes, too, she starts to suspect her co-workers. When Brent Polk, her good friend and secretary, is killed by a car that's been following Mary around, she goads police detective Lombardo to check for similarities between his death and that of her husband a year earlier. Soon follows a chain of strange discoveries: after sleeping with friend and associate Ned Waters, she finds anti-depressants in his medicine chest; Ned's wife-beating father manages a rival law firm; a partner has been tampering with her files. An increasingly paranoid Mary cuts off relations with Ned, whom she suspects of being her stalker. But she doesn't act on her suspicions until it's nearly too late and she must fight for her life.
This tale of corporate intrigue centers on Mary DiNunzio, a lawyer on the partner track at one of Philadelphia's top law firms, and her secret admirer/stalker. Mary, stressed by nature of her occupation, first shrugs off silent phone calls to her home and office that are eerily in sync with her comings and goings. Soon, however, when she starts getting personal notes, too, she starts to suspect her co-workers. When Brent Polk, her good friend and secretary, is killed by a car that's been following Mary around, she goads police detective Lombardo to check for similarities between his death and that of her husband a year earlier. Soon follows a chain of strange discoveries: after sleeping with friend and associate Ned Waters, she finds anti-depressants in his medicine chest; Ned's wife-beating father manages a rival law firm; a partner has been tampering with her files. An increasingly paranoid Mary cuts off relations with Ned, whom she suspects of being her stalker. But she doesn't act on her suspicions until it's nearly too late and she must fight for her life.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ive read nearly all of Scottoline's "Rosato and associates" novels except for the first few. It was neat to read Mary's origin story. 3 stars because it's not as good as the later books, but that's expected. I love this series.
This was actually not bad. I don't read legal fiction. Ever. But I like Lisa Scottoline and I like the way she writes. It was bearable because of this.
I remember enjoying this series, far too many years ago. But this time, I would only give it 2.5 stars.
I suspect that my rating may be more about its age than its author's skill. There are some things about this book that have dated very badly. Mary's reaction to and some of the way was discussed felt like it was from a different age. (To be fair, it was to show that those speaking that way were backward, but it didn't feel as sensitively handled as it would be today, almost as if by portraying a character positively was virtue enough at that time.)
I also had to wonder whether it was the book(s) that had changed or me. This book was first published a quarter-century ago, even if I wish I wasn't old enough to remember that many years ago!
For all that, it was mostly a fun read. And the closing scenes lead me to suspect that some of what I disliked in this book might not be present in the subsequent books.
I suspect that my rating may be more about its age than its author's skill. There are some things about this book that have dated very badly. Mary's reaction to
Spoiler
her secretary being killed felt weird: that seems a weird time to suddenly say yes to sex with an old boyfriendSpoiler
that secretary's sexualitySpoiler
gayI also had to wonder whether it was the book(s) that had changed or me. This book was first published a quarter-century ago, even if I wish I wasn't old enough to remember that many years ago!
For all that, it was mostly a fun read. And the closing scenes lead me to suspect that some of what I disliked in this book
Spoiler
(the big-firm partnership politics and some of the too-old partners)
Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline 352/349 pages
Rosato and Associates #1
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller- Mystery, Crime, Legal; Suspense
Featuring: Sex, Philadelphia, Catholicism, Lawyers, Court, Stalking, Police, Nuns,
Rating as a movie: R for sexual content and violence, could be PG-13 with some editing.
My rating: ⭐⭐½
My thoughts: PG 14 - LP version 349 pages. Odd but entertaining opening.
PG 32 - 3 chapters in and it's slow.
PG 44 - This is getting creepy.
PG 122 - I feel like this story is going in circles.
PG 151 - I knew this was going to happen, I just wasn't expecting it to happen to them.
This book had a lot of legal procedures but none of them were thrilling. The most exciting part was the beginning when Mary had to sing a jingle in court. The storyline wasn't realistic. I know this book was published in 93 but it felt older. The main character's overthinking was annoying. I tried to stay with her, it got interesting after page 141 but the excitement didn't last. I knew this was going to be a 3 star read, just okay. I enjoyed Think Twice, so I decided to see where it went, Mary was even more annoying in that book. I was all set to sail through mid-tempo to the finish line when out of nowhere the ending came and it was dreadful. So this will be 2 stars on Goodreads. I'm not going to write off the series all together, but I'm not adding any more titles to my Wish List.
Recommend to others?: Not really. Only if you really want to get into this series. It's a lot of talking and little action.
Rosato and Associates #1
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller- Mystery, Crime, Legal; Suspense
Featuring: Sex, Philadelphia, Catholicism, Lawyers, Court, Stalking, Police, Nuns,
Rating as a movie: R for sexual content and violence, could be PG-13 with some editing.
My rating: ⭐⭐½
My thoughts: PG 14 - LP version 349 pages. Odd but entertaining opening.
PG 32 - 3 chapters in and it's slow.
PG 44 - This is getting creepy.
PG 122 - I feel like this story is going in circles.
PG 151 - I knew this was going to happen, I just wasn't expecting it to happen to them.
This book had a lot of legal procedures but none of them were thrilling. The most exciting part was the beginning when Mary had to sing a jingle in court. The storyline wasn't realistic. I know this book was published in 93 but it felt older. The main character's overthinking was annoying. I tried to stay with her, it got interesting after page 141 but the excitement didn't last. I knew this was going to be a 3 star read, just okay. I enjoyed Think Twice, so I decided to see where it went, Mary was even more annoying in that book. I was all set to sail through mid-tempo to the finish line when out of nowhere the ending came and it was dreadful. So this will be 2 stars on Goodreads. I'm not going to write off the series all together, but I'm not adding any more titles to my Wish List.
Recommend to others?: Not really. Only if you really want to get into this series. It's a lot of talking and little action.
I loved this book! Lisa Scottoline is a fantastic author and she sucked me in to this book right away. I thought I knew who the stalker was about halfway through the book, but the actual person really caught me off guard. I would recommend this book!
I freaking loved this book! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN AFTER THE HUGE END PLOT TWISTS!!!