Killer Smile

Here is another fascinating book by Lisa Scottoline which kept me glued to every word from beginning to end. Mary DiNunzio, a lawyer with Rosatto & Associates law firm represents the interests of a client, Amadeo Brandolini, who had died in 1942. The more she investigates his past, the more she learns about a little known historical/political event when Italian immigrants were interred in a camp during World War II to protect the US from potential harm. Mary becomes obsessessed with learning the truth of how he died and about a piece of paper she discovered in his wallet which she surmised was very valuable. It had circles and something else on it. Everyone to whom she showed it believed it was merely doodles but... her hunch was it had to be very important or else why was it folded carefully in his wallet? The more she dug, the more she wanted to learn the truth. The facts were he was Italian and Catholic and unlikely to commit suicide, this knowledge gnawed at her. Mary's need to know led her to the internment camp in Montana, where she searched for people to interview who might have known Amadeo Brandolini. She went to the cemetery where he was buried and went to the site where he allegedly committed suicide. Several clues of what she learned there haunted her ... It is totally amazing how Lisa Scottoline ties together the clues and discoveries as Mary DiNunzio is provided hints and gradually puts the pieces of the puzzle together. The reader is fascinated with the life of Amadeo Brandolino, a simple fisherman from Italy who came to the US to build a better life for himself and his wife Theresa. After Mary returns, she believes she is being followed by a black car ... the lawyer who hired her to investigate Brandolini's estate had removed her from the case before her trip (although she persisted investigating on her own) and is found dead in his office. She learns Amadeo's best friend in the camp ... is still alive and a very wealthy elderly Italian man, who also was from Philadelphia and lives in a rich suburban home. Under false pretext she visits him and exchanges a few words ... only to be struck in the face and spit on by his son. The ingenius methods by which Mary DiNunzio achieves her goals are worth discovering. With amazing twists and turns in the plot, the reader is taken for a wonderful reading experience. This reader is totally captivated by the dazzling writing style and talents of Lisa Scottoline. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

A reader doesn't just read a Lisa Scottoline novel instead the reader becomes one with the novel; whether Mary is in dialogue with her friends; or in the kitchen with her Mother and Judy. In the kitchen scenes one can smell the cooking; the sauce -0h the sauce - my mouth was watering without ever losing site of the dialogue and the familial affection and respect. Ms. Scottline brings to the attention reader a subject little know to many American's which was the internment of Italians during the war. The uprooting of immigrants who were the part and parcel of the foundation of our nation and lovers of America who, while enjoying the marriage of their special ethnic heritage and new American ways, were taken by 'big brother' and set apart from home, family and friends and transported across the United States; stripped of hard gained assets and identification to live like prisoners in the country alleged paved with gold. Share the dedication, loyalty and camaraderie of the friends in the book and the tenacity of each to push forward to find the truth. You don't have to go to South Philly to become part of this story - just read the first page and you are there.

We have come to expect different kinds of books from Lisa Scottoline, depending upon which character carries the plot. It's one type of story if it is Bennie, another if it is Judy, and quite different if it is Mary. Mary DiNunzio is an earnest, appealing, "Stephanie Plum"-type lawyer. Her head is in the right place, but her heart often leads her astray as she pursues justice for her client. In Mary's stories, there is always more humor and more, for want of a better word, "Italianicity" (Italian + ethnicity). I won't repeat the plot of "Killer Smile," as it has already been discussed. I will say, however, that Mary's singleminded pursuit of justice for her wronged client, an Italian alien interned during World War II, was a compelling and complex thriller that gathered speed as it unfolded and was hard to put down. In addition to reading the book, I also listened to Barbara Rosenblat's masterful performance on audio, which added another dimension to book. Listen if you can, even if you have read the book. Looking forward to the author's next entry in her series and wondering who will lead us through that thriller.

Lisa Scottoline's "Killer Smile" is more than just a suspenseful and engaging mystery with great characterization and plot. It is historically enlightening as we are reminded of the internment camp relocation of over 10,000 Italian-Americans during the outbreak of World War II. But first and foremost- "Killer Smile" is a fantastic mystery.Scottoline's story is compelling and sincere. What is even more touching is that Lisa draws from her own paternal grandparent's experiences for this novel. Her father would have been so proud of this book by his daughter."Killer Smile" is more than historically engaging, however. It is a mystery that has you turning pages quickly because it is so gripping and suspenseful. I especially loved the thoughts of Mary throughout the book in regard to her feelings toward her family and friends. Some were particularly hilarious and Scottoline is quickly turning into one of my favorite authors.

Retained to investigate property appropriation of long-ago internment camp veteran Amadeo Bandolini, Mary DiNunzio finds herself caught up in the story of a young man who apparently committed suicide over sixty years ago. Ordered out of town, Mary visits the site of the camp in Missoula, Montana, and becomes convinced Amadeo didn't commit suicide. He was murdered. And, in the present, the lawyer for Amadeo's son's estate is also murdered.Mary soon learns the identity of the murderer, although she hasn't a shred of proof. And there's no motive.But in the style we've come to expect from Scottoline, Mary can't just leave matters to the police. She undertakes a spot of breaking-and-entering, faces down a very wealthy and powerful adversary, falls into a trap that gets her locked into a car trunk, and a whole lot more. Meanwhile, she's dodging a series of blind dates from nice-enough guys who don't stand a chance with the ghost of her dead husband, Mike. Her aging parents confront health challenges. And she matches wits with Judy Carrier, her all-time best friend.The joy of this book comes from Scottoline's powerful plotting and sense of drama. Seemingly small throwaways -- like the curvey letters on the doors of Italian households on Mercer Street -- turn out to be relevant. Mary's blind dates turn the plot wheel a little faster. Mary is the deepest and most sympathetic of Scottoline's characters -- possibly her alter ego, as she's hinted in interviews. We see Judy Carrier through Mary's eyes, even when Carrier takes stage center. Benny Rosato remains a distant matriarchal power figure. This time, Scottoline wisely turns the story over to Mary, complete with Mary's sardonic humor that she doesn't dare say aloud. Some of these scenes -- e.g., when Mary compares a going-nowhere conversation to a high school French lesson -- are simply brilliant. Only a pro could pull it off.And only a special author could keep the suspense going as Mary pages back through dusty archives. The ending is plausible and fun, though just a tad coincidental. But if you make it that far, you won't care. Lisa Scottoline could be a model for wannabe mystery writers. Then again, maybe she shouldn't. She makes it look easy but it's incredibly hard. I can't wait for the next volume in the series...Just one question for Lisa: When will Judy and Mary make partner in the Rosato firm? They're not really "young associates." They made partner in a big white-shoe law firm already, and they're getting a lot of seasoning.