Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline
Blurb:
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 Bennie no longer represents those accused of murder, but when Jason is indicted for killing the same bully he fought with as a kid, she sees no choice but to represent him.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.
Review by Brittany:
I received an advanced copy of this novel from Net Galley per my request. I'm a long-time fan of Scottoline, having read nearly all of her books, with a special love for Bennie's law firm.
Jumping back into the world of Rosato felt a little like coming home. I loved rolling around in the legalese and Bennie's intensity as a lawyer. There are times throughout the book when the focus is on the trial, and the author uses Bennie's thoughts as a way to keep the reading in the loop on the legal terms and what exactly is going on.
This book was a little different from the others because it lays out two cases, not just one. This one focuses on Jason's current murder case, while also giving the reader the information needed about the previous case that Bennie took on for Jason. The past case also allows the author to develop parts of Bennie's life to share with the reader. I enjoyed learning more about Bennie and piecing together some of her history.
The ending of the book was a bit weird to me. Scottoline always has a twist at the end that changes the case from what you think it will be, and this book was no exception. However, I felt like the twist was not readily obvious to the reader and that it was almost lazy. The author threw in a character that the reader didn't know and had that character completely upend the entire case. It wasn't one of Scottoline's best endings, but the way the case was going was compelling and kept me interested.
Overall, I do think fans of Scottline will enjoy this book, particularly if you are a fan of the Rosato & Associates novels. If you're unfamiliar with Scottline's work, this book is an easy one to jump into, requiring no prior knowledge about characters or events.
Notable quotes:
She wondered if this was what being a parent was like, giving comfort you didn't feel and reassuring someone when you were worried as hell.
She wasn't sure what to call the feeling, which touched a part of her heart so deep that she didn't even know it existed.
"Sometimes the one that gets away, gets away for a reason."
She didn't know what he wanted, and she didn't know what she wanted, either.
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