Dirty Blonde
Lisa Scottoline
(Reviewer - Narayan Radhakrishnan)
2006 HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060742909

A federal judge gets embroiled in murder & an intellectual property case.

Sr. Associate Reviewer Narayan Radhakrishnan writes:

Edgar Award winner Lisa Scottoline is known, in her series about Rosato & Associates, for her legal thrillers featuring gutsy, fiery lawyers. However, the Dirty Blonde in her latest stand-alone thriller isn't a lawyer -- wait! Don't be disappointed -- it is a legal thriller, there is a gusty, fiery heroine, only she's the JUDGE.

Cate Fante is enjoying her first days as a Philadelphia federal judge, looking forward to chairing the next “trial of the century.” Until an intellectual property case arrives on her docket. Little does she realize her own past will now come into play nor that her life is are going to be turned around -- & not for the better.

Richard Marz is a former Philly prosecutor, & a pretty a naïve lawyer (yup, there really are naïve lawyers). He's also a hopeful writer, & is trying to sue Art Simone, a big Hollywood producer on charges that Simone stole his idea for the hit TV series about prosecutors called “Attorneys @ Law” (has anyone seen the new series Conviction?). But with no credible evidence on the side of the plaintiff, Judge Fante has no option but to dismiss the case. It doesn't help matters that Simone has been producing another series about a federal judge with a dirty past.

When Simone is shot outside a trendy restaurant the day after the verdict, & Marz's whereabouts are unknown, all should have become moot, except Marz turns up dead, of an apparent suicide.

But Frank Russo has other ideas. He's a cop & Marz's writing partner, & believes the Judge's dismissal of the case provoked his buddy to kill himself. With ill will in mind, Russo goes hunting.

That Russo has a prejudiced opinion & an ulterior motive becomes evident as he digs into the Judge's past, all too soon her dirty little secret is plastered all over the news, her best friend & son are threatened, & her job is on the line.

Backed into a corner Judge Fante launches her own investigation, & in turn exposes…a viper's nest of bloody secrets.

Dirty Blonde is a dramatic read with an exciting finish. Highly recommended... but I do miss Rosato & Associates.

More from Lisa Scottoline:
Devil's Corner
The Vendetta Defense
Courting Trouble
Mistaken Identity
Killer Smile & many more!
(05/21/06)

Narayan
2006©Narayan Radhakrishnan
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
I am a 26 years old lawyer practicing in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Along with my legal practice, I have finished post-graduate studies for both Business Law & Human Rights. I am a self proclaimed numero-uno legal thriller lover & am the proud owner of all of Grisham's & Turow's novels. I enjoy John Mortimer's Rumpole & relish an occasional Martini & a rare Scot(ch)t-oline with a Patterson on the side.

My work A FICTION OF LAW is now about 500 pages in length & features 500 lawyer authors & 2000 legal thrillers covering a 300 year period - inclusive of entries from the USA, UK, Asia, Europe, China, Middle East etc. Still in search of a publisher.
www.keralatourism.org