The Vendetta Defense

I picked this novel up as a light read, was drawn in by the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the story. This is not a story that will withstand close forensic dissection but it gives a fine mixture of likeable characters, evil villains and moves at a fair clip to a satisfying conclusion. At least, I found it satisfying. Along the way I learned a little about pigeon racing and quite a bit about human nature. This is the second Scottoline novel I have read, and I'll be looking for others. Recommended. Jennifer Cameron-Smith

When someone kills another, is it always murder, and can such killing of another be justified? Lisa Scottoline tackles these moral and legal dilemmas in THE VENDETTA DEFENSE, her newest work. And saying it right up front, this reviewer feels that it's her best work to date. The very first line of this book states that Tony Lucia killed Angelo Colluzi that morning. Pigeon Tony, as he's known to his friends, is an elderly man who gets his name from the pigeons he loves and races, as he has done all his life. He is arrested for the murder of Colluzi, who it turns out, has had a vendetta going against Pigeon Tony and his family since the days when they both lived in Italy during the Fascist era. The Philadelphia law firm of Rosato and Associates will be familiar to those who have read Ms. Scottoline's previous novels. Bennie Rosato and Mary DiNunzio make appearances, but in this one Judy Carrier takes the lead role of Pigeon Tony's defense attorney against the wishes of Bennie, who is her boss. And just to further complicate issues, Judy falls in love with Pigeon Tony's grandson, Frank. A master at characterization, Lisa Scottoline writes about South Philadelphia, its environs and its people as if she's strolled through the streets, examining the cracks on the sidewalks, noting the walls that have peeling paint, remembering which parking meters are not functioning. Her attention to detail comes from one who has experienced the area and its people, not just imagined them. She makes one visualize her characters as real, multi-dimensional people, and not just flat caricatures. And speaking of descriptions, look out for the details about Judy Carrier's new bright green VW Beetle if you want an example of how the author pays attention to visualizations, right down to the flower in the glass bottle in the console. This is just one small example. As a mystery writer, Ms. Scottoline has successfully drawn on her experiences as an attorney. She further deals with touchy legal ethical issues in this book, something she has lectured on at law schools before. As in her previous novels this book is at times movingly sensitive and compassionate. At other times it is humorous, funny in a subtle way, and at other times you'll want to laugh out loud. I didn't think that a "vendetta defense" such as this was a plausible plot when I first read about it. Ms. Scottoline seems to bring her three-dimensional characters to life, and make the concept conceivable. If you have come to enjoy Lisa Scottoline's writing style, her characterizations and her subtle sense of humor, then this is a book you will find to be amongst her best. And if you haven't read any of her previous works, you may want to pick up a few of them in addition to this one. You won't be sorry you did! Update: have bought a number of hardbound and paperback copies of this book for friends since I first read it in 2001. It's still one of Ms. Scottoline's best. (This is a relisting of an

Once again Lisa Scottoline grips the reader with a fast paced novel set in South Philly. The protagonist, Pigeon Tony, is a delightful, funny, and determined man who readily admits he killed his longstanding enemy. His hatred for Angeo Coluzzi goes back to his days in Fascist Italy. Pigeon Tony feels he is justified for the killing of Coluzzi because of the deaths of his wife, son, and daughter-in-law. He, however, does not understand the American law systems classification of this act murder. Secondary to the main plot, is a love story between Pigeon Tony's grandson, Frank, and his lawyer Judy Carrier. Judy Carrier is a member of the all female law firm Scottoline has previously used run by the hard-as-nails boss Bennie Rosato. Any Scottoline fan will recognize her love for the South Philly neighborhood where her novels are set. This story will not disappoint those who enjoy the "lawyer genre".

Since reading "Every Where That Mary Went", I have read each Lisa Scottoline novel as quickly as they have been published. "The Vendetta Defense" certainly deserves five stars!One of the best things about this series is that each book has featured a different character or combination of characters from the law firm of Rosato & Associates. This time it's Judy Carrier's turn to shine. For those who follow the series, Bennie Rosato and Mary DiNunzio both make brief appearances here. But it's Judy who picks up the murder case and consequently falls in love. Her client is an elderly Italian man whose main interest is taking care of and racing his beloved pigeons. Pigeon Tony is a terrific character and Ms. Scottoline does a wonderful job making him feel very "real" to the readers. There really isn't a "mystery" because Pigeon Tony tells Judy immediately that he is responsible for Angelo Coluzzi's death. The interest is how Judy will build a defense and how she will escape the vengeful Coluzzi family.This is Lisa Scottoline at her best!

Broadway actress Barbara Rosenblat offers a taut, nuanced reading of Lisa Scottoline's latest compelling legal thriller, "The Vendetta Defense." Mystery fans have come to respect Ms. Scottoline not only for her suspense driven narratives but for the integrity of her work as she largely bases stories on her experience as a Philadelphia trial lawyer. Legal ethics are often the core of her drama, and she has lectured on this subject at law schools throughout the country. Now, we meet "Pigeon Tony"Lucia, an elderly Italian pigeon racer who admits killing his number one enemy, Angelo Coluzzi, to avenge a fifty year old blood feud. His attorney, Judy Carrier, has more than a guilty client on her hands as Coluzzi's family want vengeance for their father's death and Judy long gone before the case goes to trial. Can she outrun and outsmart these lethal, amoral foes? You're simply going to have to listen to Barbara Rosenblat's accomplished reading to find out.