Lady Killer [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Lisa Scottoline (Author), Kate Burton (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2008

Mary DiNunzio is strong, smart, and she's got plenty of attitude. In recent years, she's become a big-time business-getter at Rosato & Associates, but the last person she expects to walk into her office is Trish Gambone, her high school rival. Trish's life has taken a horrifying turn. She's terrified of her live-in boyfriend, who's an abusive, gun-toting drug dealer for the South Philly mob. There's only one problem—Mary remembers the guy, too, and had a major crush on him.

Before Mary knows it, Trish vanishes. Then a dead body turns up in an alley, and Mary is plunged into a nightmare. She goes on a one-woman crusade to unmask the killer, and on the way, finds new love in a very unexpected place. But before the novel's shocking surprise ending, Mary is forced to confront some very uncomfortable truths about her own past, and the profound effects of lifelong love—and hate.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Philadelphia attorney Mary DiNunzio, last seen in Killer Smile (2004), agrees to help her high school nemesis, Trish Gambone, at the start of this less than convincing thriller from bestseller Scottoline. Trish, whom Mary used to regard as the quintessential Mean Girl, has turned in desperation to the lawyer, the all-around Most Likely to Achieve Sainthood at St. Maria Goretti High School, because she wants to escape from her abusive, and possibly Mafia-connected boyfriend, Bobby Mancuso. Trish rejects Mary's practical suggestions for dealing with Bobby, but once Trish disappears, Mary finds herself under pressure from other high school classmates as well as people from her old neighborhood who blame her for not doing enough. Mary unwisely hides a connection with Bobby from the Feds, who then shut her out of the search for Trish when they learn of it. Scottoline fans will cheer Mary as she stumbles toward the solution, but others may have trouble suspending disbelief. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times bestselling author of fourteen novels. She writes a weekly column called "Chick Wit" for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and has won many awards, including the Fun Fearless Fiction Award by Cosmopolitan magazine and the Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America. She teaches Justice and Fiction at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and appears in Court TV's crime series, Murder by the Book. Her books are published in more than twenty languages, and she is a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: HarperAudio; Abridged edition (February 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061459208
• ISBN-13: 978-0061459207
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,918,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lisa Scottoline is the New York Times bestselling author of seventeen novels including her most recent, THINK TWICE, and also writes a weekly column, called Chick Wit, for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Lisa has won many honors and awards, notably the Edgar Award, given for excellence in crime fiction, and the Fun Fearless Female Award from Cosmopolitan Magazine. She also teaches a course she created, called Justice and Fiction at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and regularly does speaking engagements. There are twenty-five million copies of her books in print, and she is published in over thirty other countries.Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. degree in English, and her concentration was Contemporary American Fiction, taught by Philip Roth and others. She graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She remains a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, where she lives with her array of disobedient pets.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome return for Mary DiNunzio, March 8, 2008

By 

Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lady Killer (Hardcover)

Scottoline is in her best form when she's writing about Mary DiNunzio, a three-dimensional complex character who's just fun to be around. Mary's still ambivalent about being a lawyer (although she's becoming a rainmaker in her firm, thanks to the residents of her old neighborhood). She still goes home to her mom when things get tough. And she's still an associate at Bennie Rosato's firm.

So what does Mary do when her old high school classmate (Trish) shows up, married to the mob and an apparent victim of domestic violence? Never mind that Trish led the Mean Girls, the snooty gang that did everything they could to make Mary's high school life miserable. Mary gives Trish some lawyerly advice, worried for her classmate's safety. When Trish disappears, Mary risks everything to find her...including some trips to off the wall places far from Center City Philadelphia.

Only Scottoline knows how to combine human interest with edge of the chair suspense. Just about every character has a piece of story, just enough to be memorable. Mary rounds up clues in classic detective story fashion, but shatters tradition with a romantic comedy interlude.

It's hard to imagine a better urban mystery - a page turner with soul and attitude. The only bad part is...it's impossible to put down and once you're through, you have to wait at least a year to find out what's next. Will one of these associates finally make partner (they did in the first and -- in my opinion -- best book, when they worked at the white shoe law firm). Will Mary finally fall in love for more than a few pages? Will we learn more about Judy, besides the facts that she's a perfect gal pal who defies fashion conventions? Will Mary buy a house and get a dog, like Bennie's goldens? And whatever happened to Mary's cat (or did I miss something)?

It's just a few hours and already I'm in Scottoline withdrawal...and homesick again for that great town of Philadelphia.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scottoline's back with a bang!, February 27, 2008

By 

Brian Baker (Santa Clarita, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lady Killer (Hardcover)

Thank God, after the "Dirty Blonde" misstep of a couple of years ago.

I've enjoyed all of Scottoline's books right from word one (except "Dirty Blonde"), especially the ones that take place in the world of continuing character Bennie Rosato (Scottoline's "alter ego"?), and this one's simply a feast of goodies.

Fast-paced and tightly plotted, the characterizations are vivid, engaging, and in many cases truly hilarious.

To begin with, I just love the character of Mary DiNunzio. She cracks me up! If she were a real person, I'd want to date her. She's such a true girly-girl, in the midst of some crisis she'll be worrying about her fashion statement, or whether her stockings have a run, or whatever. It is just hilarious!

The Mean Girls, pivotal secondary characters in the plot of this book, are simply a hoot.

The plot itself is tightly knit, and moves along without any glitches or hitches, crafted with Scottoline's deft touch for discrete misdirection. Like a magician, while you're watching her right hand, her left hand carries off the illusion.

A solid five stars for a really entertaining read.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I stopped caring about the book when Mary stopped caring about herself, October 15, 2008

By 

Marie Anne A. "Mary" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lady Killer (Hardcover)

It was painful to read about the talented Mary DiNunzio giving up her world for Mean Girl and Goretti alum, Trish Gambone. Mary comes off as pathetic and desperate for acceptance. She screws up work, friendships, and a potential relationship so she can help Trish. I never felt sorry for Mary; I just felt embarassed for her. Once the author revealed the murderer, I stopped reading.

There's way too much going on in Lady Killer. We've got South Philly Italian culture, Mary's low self-esteem, Mary's widowhood, kookie neighbors and coworkers, an abusive boyfriend, high school bullies, Mary's high school ex-boyfriend, mob connections, and MARY'S BIG SECRET.

I fgured out the secret in the middle of the book. It wasn't shocking, but some readers might be offended. The secret does and doesn't help the story. I think it is treated too lightly. When Mary reveals the secret, it just isn't **so shocking**. (Is that why Judy and Anthony show no emotion?) I also didn't believe that Mary was in love with Bobby Mancuso, now Trish's boyfriend. I thought she had a lusty teenage crush on the guy.

To add to the nonsense is Bonnyhart, a small town in the Poconos. How and why Mary ended up there is just too unbelievable.

Does Mary owe anything to Trish? Yes, Trish asked for Mary's help. Mary gave her legal counsel. Trish disappears. Should Mary get involved? Or, should she just wait until if and when Trish returns? And what about Mary's honor? The close-knit Italian neighborhood snubs Mary when they think she's snubbed Trish.

If Scottoline eliminated all the extras, this book would have been much better. And, Scottoline should have made Mary's involvement a little more believable. Because Lady Killer received a number of 4 and 5 star reviews, I will be reading the earlier Mary DiNunzio books.