Review – Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline

Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline 
Narrated by Kate Burton
Series: Rosato & DiNunzio #3
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
Date Read: January 20, 2019
Length:  424 pages / 11 hours 22 minutes
Source: NetGalley / Library via Overdrive
★★★★☆

Bennie Rosato the founder of the Rosato & DiNunzio law firm hides her big heart beneath her tough-as-nails exterior and she doesn’t like to fail. Now, a case from her past shows her how differently things might have turned out.

Thirteen years ago, Bennie Rosato took on Jason Leftavick, a twelve-year-old boy who was sent to a juvenile detention center after fighting a class bully. Bennie couldn’t free Jason, and to this day it’s the case that haunts her. Jason has grown up in and out of juvenile prison, and his adulthood hasn’t been any easier. Bennie no longer represents those accused of murder, but when Jason is indicted for killing the same bully he fought with as a kid, she sees no choice but to represent him. She doesn’t know whether or not to believe his claims of innocence, but she knows she owes him for past failures–of the law, of the juvenile justice system, and of herself. Forced to relive the darkest period of her life, Bennie will do everything in her power to get the truth, and justice.

Amazon | Audible | BAM! | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Kobo

This was really good!  I have had this book for a long time and I have to say that right now I am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner.  I was totally sucked into the story and had a hard time setting it aside once I got going.  I think that one of the reasons that I hesitated for so long is because it is the third book in the series and I wasn’t sure that it would work out of order but it works perfectly as a stand alone novel.  I am so glad that I finally decided to give this book a try.

This book covers two different cases at different points in time that share the same cast of characters.  Thirteen years ago, Bennie represented Jason who was twelve years old at the time.  Jason was sent to juvenile detention over a relatively minor incident where he stood up to a bully in the school cafeteria.  The punishment of 90 days in juvenile detention seemed quite harsh for such a young child and Bennie worked hard to get him released.  Unfortunately, she was pulled off the case by Jason’s father because of a personal relationship.  The current case has Bennie defending Jason who is being charged with murdering the same bully from all those years ago.

I liked how different the two cases were in this book and thought that they were both equally interesting.  I really enjoyed the fact that this book really focused on all of the legal maneuvers.  I found all of the motions and appeals to be very interesting in the way it was presented.  I also liked getting the chance to learn Bennie’s thought process during the trial as she made decisions to object and question witnesses.

I did like the characters in this book.  Bennie is incredibly competent as a lawyer and there was never a doubt in my mind that she would always do what was in her client’s best interest.  She does have a romantic relationship in this story and I think that seeing her in a more vulnerable situation really helped to make her feel authentic.  It was interesting to see the contrast between Jason as a child to the man being tried for murder.

I thought that Kate Burton did a fantastic job with the narration of this book.  She just pulled me into the story and held my attention.  I think that she did a wonderful job with all of the character voices and brought a lot of emotion into the story anytime it was warranted.  I believe that this is the first time that I have had the chance to listen to Kate Burton’s work but I plan to look for her in the future.

I would recommend this book to others.  I thought that this was a well done legal thriller that kept me guessing.  This was quite the page turner in the end and I cannot wait to read more from Lisa Scottoline very soon.

I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

About the Author

LISA SCOTTOLINE is a New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of twenty-three novels. She has served as the president of Mystery Writers of America. She has 30 million copies of her books in print in the U.S., and she has been published in thirty-five countries. She writes a column with her daughter, Francesca Serritella, for The Philadelphia Inquirer, and those stories have been adapted into a series of memoirs. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets.

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Related Posts