Lisa Scottoline

This is only a brief review as I don't want to give anything away. There are plenty of twists that caught me by surprise adding to the pure enjoyment of reading this book so I wouldn't want to take that away from anyone.
I will say that I loved this book it is a book that is extremely high up on my list of books I recommend to family and friends.
It is also going to make a great Christmas present for my step-dad!
This is the first book I have read from this author and from enjoying this one so much I will look forward to reading more of her work.… (mer)

Lisa Scottoline always weaves a good tale. Loyalty is set on the island of Sicily and covers the start of the mafia. Therefore, there are a few evil deeds, some murders, and revenge.
It starts when a young child is kidnapped and taken to a madhouse. Franco Fiorvanti did the crime for a baron, expecting to gain favor, and own his own lemon grove. Yet, Sicily's class system would never let him rise to power, so he chose a path of power grabbing - which is basically the start of the mafia.
In another thread, a young lawyer, Gaetano, tries to find the kidnapped child, and loses his job, and a child in the process. Mafalda, a young mother, has a daughter, Lucia, who is the color of milk, not olive skinned. She is outcast. Alfredo is the lone Jew in Sicily, as all other Jews were removed.
The is the story of good vs. evil, and which will prevail? Very interesting historical novel with a twist of mystery, too!… (mer)

Happy Publication Day!(March 29,2022)

Tense and suspenseful, Lisa Scottoline's What Happened to the Bennetts is a thrilling story with enough twists and turns to keep you engaged till the very end.

When an attempted carjacking results in the death of their teenage daughter Allison, the Bennetts- Jason and Lucinda and their son Ethan find themselves in the WITSEC program for protection against an organized crime family whose son was one of the carjackers and was killed by his accomplice the same night. Traumatized by the violence they witnessed , overcome with grief over the loss of Allison and afraid for their own lives they reluctantly leave their home, friends and lives behind and move to a safe house under FBI protection till they are to be relocated. While the investigation and search for the perpetrator continues, Jason who owns a court reporting business finds himself doubting the efficacy of the FBI’s efforts and tries to dig deeper into the events that led to the horrific tragedy. While following numerous theories and suspects, some shocking revelations come to light and what follows is a thrilling chase for answers to what was behind all that happened on that fateful night. Public speculation behind the family’s overnight disappearance leaves friends , neighbors and colleagues asking questions and pointing fingers often at Jason himself . With his family’s lives upended , Jason takes in upon himself to find those responsible for his daughter’s death and his quest takes him on a dangerous path putting his own life and those of his family in peril.

While Jason’s search for answers takes up most of the story we also get a close look at the family’s grief and their reactions to losing Allison . The author’s sensitive depiction of the emotional reactions and resulting behavior of each of the family members is very well written. Though the narrative does lose its pace at times and some parts could have been kept shorter, nowhere does it make you lose interest and does keep you waiting with bated breath to find out what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group-Putnam for providing an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.… (mer)