Moment of Truth by Lisa Scottoline

When attorney Jack Newlin discovers his wife dead in their home, he's convinced he knows who killed her-and is equally determined to hide the truth. He decides to frame himself for murder, and to seal his fate he hires the most inexperienced lawyer he can find: a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio from the hot Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates. But hiring Mary may turn out to be his biggest mistake. She doubts Jack's confession, and her ethics and instincts tell her she can't defend a man who wants to convict himself. Smarter, gutsier, and more persistent than she has any right to be, Mary sets out to prove what really happened-because, as any lawyer knows, a case is never as simple as it seems. And nothing is ever certain until the final moment of truth. Editorial Reviews The Barnes & Noble Review "Jack Newlin had no choice but to frame himself for murder." From that riveting first line, Edgar Award-winning writer, Lisa Scottoline -- the woman some refer to as "the female John Grisham" -- ratchets up the suspense with every page in her newest thriller. Moment of Truth puts a new twist on the old tale of a lawyer hired to defend an accused murderer. Because this time, the accused isn't playing by the rules; he doesn't want to get off. And the lawyer defending him has more at stake than just her career and her client's life. The luck of the draw and a late-night phone call give attorney Mary DiNunzio, who works in the all-woman law firm run by Bennie Rosato, a profile murder case to defend. Jack Newlin, a lawyer and the husband of wealthy socialite, Honor Newlin, comes home to find his wife brutally stabbed to death on the dining room floor. Convinced he knows who did it, Jack takes immediate steps to stage the crime scene and implicate himself. He then calls 911 and, later, confesses to the police. Then he hires DiNunzio because he figures her to be the most inexperienced lawyer he can get. But while Mary may not have much experience, she does have an instinct for the truth and a whole lot of energy that may turn her into Jack's worst nightmare. For Mary, the case is both puzzling and frustrating. Instead of having a client who's guilty and professing his innocence, she has a client who's innocent and insisting he's guilty. Though Mary is pretty certain her client is lying, her intense attraction to him leaves her wondering if her judgment is sound. And complicating the picture is Jack's beautiful 16-year-old daughter, Paige, an emancipated minor who has been living on her own for a year while she pursues a modeling career. Paige and her mother have a long history of heated animosity and when Mary uncovers a certain secret, she begins to think Paige may be the real killer. As Mary digs deeper into the case, she becomes more convinced that Jack is framing himself to protect his daughter. In trying to prove it, Mary runs into several obstacles, not the least of which is the Assistant D.A., Dwight Davis, who sees this case as a shoe-in for the death penalty and a stepping stone for his own career. But then Mary gets some help from a most unlikely source and the case takes a frightening turn. By the time Mary learns the truth, it may be too late to save either Jack or herself. Scottoline has built a reputation for penning hard-hitting, fast-paced stories and this one, her seventh legal thriller, is no exception. From the hook of that first line through to the explosive conclusion, Scottoline reels her readers in, playing them on the line like a true master. Tapping into her own experiences as a trial lawyer with a prestigious Philadelphia law firm, Scottoline adds just the right amount of realism and drama to her tales. She clearly knows how to make the most of the ethical dilemmas and subtle intricacies that are part and parcel of practicing law. Combine that with a cast of well-drawn and complex characters and it's easy to see why Scottoline has a reputation for being one of the most entertaining reads around. --Beth Amos - bn.com Review A carefully crafted tale of immorality, dark serets, and familily values gone awry...Scottoline [keeps] the page-turner moving to a chilling end. - New York Post A smart and sassy, top-notch thriller. The plot moves at a fast pace, with plenty of twists, yet Scottoline takes the time to make her characters human. - Gazette A thriller that delivers. - Detroit News An edgy tale, full of surprises. - USA Today Suspense, efficiency, spirit, and an unnerving, detailed picture of a big Philadelphia law firm. - Washington Post Book World You'll dig right into this hip thriller. - Glamour This is one of those books you pick up and you can't go to bed until it's finished because of a realistic plot driven by likable and highly believable characters who talk like people you know. Moment of Truth truly is a thriller that delivers. - San Francisco Examiner Scottoline sets off plot lines like firecrackers... bedazzling the reader. ... [She] is droll, intensely ironic and compassionate. - Philadelphia Inquirer Moment of Truth is an edgy tale, full of surprises. Readers familiar with Philadelphia will enloy what DiNunzio calls "land memory." - USA Today - Carol Memmott A bullet-proof premise distinguishes this expert crime thriller from Scottoline (Mistaken Identity): handsome, successful estates lawyer Jack Newlin frames himself for the murder of his heiress wife in order to shield the real killer, their 16-year-old daughter, Paige. It doesn't matter to Jack that Philadelphia's hyper D.A., Dwight Davis, wants the death penalty--Jack is determined to protect his girl, a legally emancipated model who dabbles in crystal meth despite her recently discovered pregnancy. But not everyone is buying Jack's eager confession. Something about his story bothers veteran detective Reginald Brinkley, who's convinced that the traces of physical evidence at the murder scene point to Paige, and possibly to her preppy boyfriend, Trevor. And Mary DiNunzio, the young lawyer Jack hires for her presumed inexperience, finds herself Jack's "worst enemy" as she, too, begins focusing on the jittery teenager. Scottoline cuts a few corners: it's implausible that Mary, schooled only in "the law according to Steven Bochco," would be running such a big case unsupervised, or that this lapsed Catholic with hardwired guilt would allow herself to represent Paige while fighting for Jack, on whom she's developed an unprofessional crush. But Mary is a most appealing crusader, with a highly developed working-class wit ("she struck Mary instantly as the kind of girl for whom the delicate cycle was invented"). Sharp, funny characters, crafty plot twists, and a flavorful depiction of high- and lower-middle Philadelphia society will keep readers riveted to this tense, often mischievous page-turner. Agent, Molly Friedrich. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.| - Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly A wealthy Philadelphia lawyer comes home one evening and finds the body of his wife, who has been brutally stabbed to death. He frames himself for the murder, confesses to the crime, and hires an inexperienced attorney to handle his defense. That is the beginning of the complex, twisted plot of Moment of Truth. It keeps the listener involved and guessing to the end. The story takes you on an entertaining tour of Philadelphia and into the workings of its police and court systems. Its characters are a real strength; they are engaging and believable even when they act in an irrational manner. Though this is a suspense novel dealing with serious legal issues, it is written with a good deal of humor. The author, a lawyer, does not hesitate to poke fun at the legal profession. Barbara Rosenblat does an excellent job of effectively portraying a wide variety of characters. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections. Christine Valentine, Davenport Coll., Kalamazoo, MI Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information. - Library Journal YA-Lawyer Jack Newlin faces his most difficult assignment when he has to convince the police to accept his confession to a crime he didn't commit. Coming home to find his wife stabbed to death, Jack assumes the killer is their 16-year-old daughter, a super model who had recently announced her pregnancy. To insure his conviction, he hires novice lawyer Mary Di Nunzio to defend him. Not only does Mary develop a crush on him but she also is determined to prove him innocent. She makes many wrong assumptions, follows many wrong leads, and is nearly killed herself, but her faith in Jack is not shaken despite the fact that he wants her off the case when he realizes that she may discover the real truth. A book with action, suspense, romance, and humor.-Katherine Fitch, Rachel Carson Middle School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.| - School Library Journal A dynamite performance of Scottoline's latest novel. Philadelphia attorney Mary Di Nunzio is defending her first murder case: a high-end corporate lawyer, she believes, has framed himself for a murder he didn't commit. The fast pace, smart plot and believable characters all complement Rosenblat's Olympian vocal talents. In her narration, Rosenblat imbues the characters with fully fleshed identities, creating distinctive voices and filling it all with a wry, knowing wink and nod. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine - APR/MAY 00 - AudioFile