Review of Accused (Rosato & Associates #12) by Lisa Scottoline

Accused: A Rosato & Associates Novel 

by Lisa Scottoline

Publication Date: October 29, 2013

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

ISBN-10: 1250027659

ISBN-13: 9781250027658

I received this superb audiobook from Macmillan Audio. It is Lisa Scottline’s newest Rosato & Associates mystery.

The Novel

Accused is about Attorney Mary DiNunzio, who is now a partner at Rosato and Associates, a law firm with a cast of other pleasant ladies who are not only her colleagues but her also her friends.  Mary is hired by 13 year old Allegra Gardner to find out who really killed her sister, Fiona. Allegra believes the wrong man is in prison for her sister’s murder.

I absolutely loved Mary’s character.  She is quiet, down to earth, and wears her heart on her sleeve. She also carries guilt like she does her brief case or purse. She has the stereotypical Italian parents – a loud father and a mother who thinks the world can be cured with food and prayer. Mary also has three surrogate uncles who are her family’s closest friends. The three Tonys are delightful group of old men. Pigeon Tony, Tony from down the block and Tony Two Feet are constantly getting into all kinds of good natured trouble but Mary couldn’t imagine her life without them.

The story starts with a congratulatory party being held for Mary for her promotion by Bennie Rosato, the firm’s lead partner.   At her party are her co-workers, including her best friend, Judy, her parents, the Tonys and her boyfriend, Anthony. The party is cut short when they receive a phone call that a member of the Gardner family, a wealthy and prestigious Philadelphia family, wants to hire them.

Thirteen year old Allegra may be young but she is a genius who is dead set on solving her sister’s murder and is adamant that the man in prison is innocent. Her parents, Jane and John, will try to stand in her way.  Their intentions are pure as they do not want to open up any old wounds. They want their daughter to move on but don’t yet realize they, too, have not moved on.

Mary believes Allegra despite overwhelming evidence that Allegra may have mental health issues.  The case and her personal concern for her client create a wedge between Judy and her. The case also brings back some bad memories for Mary and when Anthony asks her to marry him, she finds herself even more overwhelmed. Like the Gardeners, Mary has not moved on from the murder of her first husband.

Mary fights zealously for her client but she soon finds this may cost her life.  Mary thinks she may know who actually killed Fiona but that miscalculation nearly sways her away from the real killer.  Figuring out the killer is will leave the reader at the edge of their seat until the very end.  And the killer is right under Mary’s nose and that discovery will shake the entire Gardner family.  

The Author

Lisa Scottoline is a New york Times bestselling author of 21 novels, including Accused.  She has 30 million copies of her books in print and they have been published in over 35 countries.  She lives in Philadelphia and was once a practicing lawyer, and a single mother.  You can read more about Lisa at her website.  

Purchasing Accused

You can purchase Accused through Amazon and other online retailers and book stores.

I did not receive compensation for this review.  I did, however, receive a free audiobook for my review.