Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Final Appeal
**** Final Appeal by Lisa Scottoline. Mystery.
Doesn't it just figure? I find a Scottoline that I like pretty well, and it's one her fans in general dislike. At least according to the 19 who rated it on Amazon, anyway. The same thing happened to me with Martha Grimes (details at #16). Ah, well. It suits my self-image to be out-of-step every once in a while.
Grace Rossi is a lawyer and a single mother, working as an assistant to a judge she's attracted to. It seems the attraction is mutual, and he asks for her help on a death sentence appeal, praising her abilities. Then one night they're working late and act on their attraction.
The next morning, the judge is found dead, and his death is ruled a suicide. Grace is understandably reluctant to believe that, and so she begins investigating on her own, and soon finds herself in over her head.
She's assisted by a variety of characters, including an office manager with a big secret, and a deep-undercover FBI agent. The suspects are similarly varied.
Mostly, it's just an entertaining, twisty whodunit. I didn't quite believe the romance between Grace and the judge, but that was a fairly minor point, and more of a plot device to give her a reason to pursue the case in the face of danger and objections.
...more
Categories: Books, 4stars, Mystery
Labels: 4 stars, books, mystery
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Interesting, I was waiting for you to review one of Lisa Scottoline's books just to see how well you like her. Turn out, you seem to like it. Did you know that final Appeal is the second book? Did you read the first one, Everywhere That Mary Went yet? I hear waves about Lisa's books all the time :)
Ah, no--I didn't know it was a sequel. It's pretty well disguised in that case.
This isn't the first Scottoline I've read--just the first I've liked.
Like you, I've heard a lot of raves about her books, so I got a bunch of them used. I'm not sure if there are any more in my TBR pile or not.
My biggest complaint about the others is that they tend to be great up until the climax, then it's "and I came up with a plan, figured out whodunit, and then they were captured. The end." The mystery is set up really well, but then, I don't know. It's like she got tired of it and just said--oh, by the way, Mr. X did it. I don't know how they figured out who it was, or how they caught him, and I really don't care.
The 2 books of hers I read in 2005 (you can look them up in the index, but I didn't write much about them), and the one or two I'd read before that all did the same thing. One book might be a fluke. Three or four is a pattern. I won't be buying any more of her books.
This isn't the first Scottoline I've read--just the first I've liked.
Like you, I've heard a lot of raves about her books, so I got a bunch of them used. I'm not sure if there are any more in my TBR pile or not.
My biggest complaint about the others is that they tend to be great up until the climax, then it's "and I came up with a plan, figured out whodunit, and then they were captured. The end." The mystery is set up really well, but then, I don't know. It's like she got tired of it and just said--oh, by the way, Mr. X did it. I don't know how they figured out who it was, or how they caught him, and I really don't care.
The 2 books of hers I read in 2005 (you can look them up in the index, but I didn't write much about them), and the one or two I'd read before that all did the same thing. One book might be a fluke. Three or four is a pattern. I won't be buying any more of her books.
I will check on the other books that you reviewed in the index in minute....There actually 14 books total in this chronological book (counting the first two books with it) and 9 of that books had characters from Rosato & Associates.
Maybe if you have read them in order then you would feel different? *shrug* what do I know....hehe. I think that maybe her books are more on the lighter comedy side then the suspense. But I can't say for sure, unless I read it. I have one of her book on my TBR pile but it not the first book though....
Thanks for your input on your opinion....
Maybe if you have read them in order then you would feel different? *shrug* what do I know....hehe. I think that maybe her books are more on the lighter comedy side then the suspense. But I can't say for sure, unless I read it. I have one of her book on my TBR pile but it not the first book though....
Thanks for your input on your opinion....
You sold me on this book actually. I think this sounds like a perfect story..I actually really like mystery books, like the Evanovitch and Graftons...this sounds right up my alley!
I'll be back tomorrow for Thursday Thirteen!
I'll be back tomorrow for Thursday Thirteen!
I love mysteries, too--especially if they're nice and twisty, and this one was.
I don't read quite as many anymore, but that makes me appreciate the ones I do read.
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I don't read quite as many anymore, but that makes me appreciate the ones I do read.
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