A review by cj_mo_2222
Feared by Lisa Scottoline
5.0
One minute Mary DiNunzio is celebrating with her friends and co-workers at her office baby shower and the next she is worried that her law firm and everything she personally owns will be taken from her. She and the other two partners in the firm, Judy Carrier and Bennie Rosato the founding partner, are being sued for discrimination by three male lawyers claiming they didn't get hired by the firm simply because they're men. The partners and associates at the firm have always been like a family, but a few people have been keeping secrets that when exposed, could ruin friendships and mean the end of the firm. Just when it looks like things couldn't get worse, a murder occurs that hits very close to home.
"Feared" is the sixth book in the "Rosato & DiNunzio" series, which follows ten previous books with the same characters in the "Rosato & Associates" series. Mary has long been my favorite character in both series and it's great to see her taking center stage in this installment. The title of the book refers to the question of whether it's better to be loved or feared. Mary has always wanted to be loved and her reputation, family, and friends means everything to her which is why the character is so easy to like. When her old nemesis, Nick Machiavelli, comes back with a vengeance leading this vindictive lawsuit against the firm, Mary hates the things he is saying about her personally and how it affects her clients. However, Mary has a hidden strength which could strike some fear into the arrogant Machiavelli. I love when Mary shows that just because she's a nice person, it doesn't mean she's a pushover. In this book, she proves when people and things she holds dear are in danger, she can be just as fierce as Bennie.
This novel is a little different than the others because not only are Mary, Bennie, and Judy helping clients, but they're also defending themselves. The opposing counsel, Machiavelli, is so despicable in his attack against Rosato & DiNunzio that some of the scenes are hard to get through. However, the best part of these books is how Bennie, Mary, and Judy pull together when there is a crisis and there are plenty of those in this book, some a matter of life and death. There are some truly sad and touching moments in the book, especially between Mary and her best friend Judy.
The author keeps you guessing about who the murderer is and what the motive is. The last few chapters range from fun, surprising, scary, shocking, and heartwarming. This novel can be enjoyed equally by ongoing fans of the series and new readers and I would rate it as 4.5 stars.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of St. Martin's Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
"Feared" is the sixth book in the "Rosato & DiNunzio" series, which follows ten previous books with the same characters in the "Rosato & Associates" series. Mary has long been my favorite character in both series and it's great to see her taking center stage in this installment. The title of the book refers to the question of whether it's better to be loved or feared. Mary has always wanted to be loved and her reputation, family, and friends means everything to her which is why the character is so easy to like. When her old nemesis, Nick Machiavelli, comes back with a vengeance leading this vindictive lawsuit against the firm, Mary hates the things he is saying about her personally and how it affects her clients. However, Mary has a hidden strength which could strike some fear into the arrogant Machiavelli. I love when Mary shows that just because she's a nice person, it doesn't mean she's a pushover. In this book, she proves when people and things she holds dear are in danger, she can be just as fierce as Bennie.
This novel is a little different than the others because not only are Mary, Bennie, and Judy helping clients, but they're also defending themselves. The opposing counsel, Machiavelli, is so despicable in his attack against Rosato & DiNunzio that some of the scenes are hard to get through. However, the best part of these books is how Bennie, Mary, and Judy pull together when there is a crisis and there are plenty of those in this book, some a matter of life and death. There are some truly sad and touching moments in the book, especially between Mary and her best friend Judy.
The author keeps you guessing about who the murderer is and what the motive is. The last few chapters range from fun, surprising, scary, shocking, and heartwarming. This novel can be enjoyed equally by ongoing fans of the series and new readers and I would rate it as 4.5 stars.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of St. Martin's Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.