Customer Reviews

Moment of Truth

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Philadelphia socialite Honor Newlin manages the modeling career of her teenager. Honor becomes a murder victim in which her husband, successful estates lawyer Jack confesses to the crime. Police Detectives Kovich and Brinkley relish the ease of solving this high profile case. District Attorney Dwight Davis concludes that the killing is premeditated and decides to go for the death penalty.

The only problem with the official scenario is that Jack is innocent of murder. He tampered with the crime scene to turn the evidence towards him instead of his daughter Paige. He thinks Paige killed her mother after suffering years of emotional abuse from the woman. Feeling guilty for not stepping in over the years, Jack feels he deserves to spend life behind bars as a form of penitence. However, Jack had not realized how competent his attorney is and how much she believes she represents an innocent person.

Fans of legal procedurals know how good a Lisa Scottoline novel always is. The exalted author's latest tale MOMENT OF TRUTH stars a cast of characters who touch the heart of the reader. Especially endearing is Jack's lawyer Mary DiNunzio, a naïve, pious, warm-hearted person whose empathy for the pain of other seems genuine. The story line is interesting, as the reader knows the truth from the onset yet somehow the thrilling plot retains a high degree of excitement as one wonders how the tale will play out. Ms. Scottoline provides a special book that deservedly will gain her even greater acclaim.

Harriet Klausner

I coudn't put this book down but I didn't want it to end. Just when you think you know where the plot is going you turn out to be wrong. I got caught up in the characters and I look forward to seeing some additions in future books.

Jack Newlin is a lawyer in a prestigious Philadelphia firm, he has also confessed to murdering his wife...To ensure his conviction he hires inexperienced lawyer Mary DiNunzio. Mary knows her client is lying but WHY??? Mary sets out to prove her client is innocent and bring the the real killer to justice. Lisa Scottoline has written a fast paced legal thriller with enough plot twists and surprise ending to have you finish the book in one sitting. Scottoline has been called "The Female John Grisham", I have to say she is MUCH better!! If you have not read any of her books start with this one and then go back and read her earlier novels.

Lisa Scottoline is often referred to as 'the female John Grisham'. I think she is better. Fresh off the success of her last novel, Mistaken Identity, Scottoline serves up a heck of a legal thriller. The book starts out with a bang. Attorney Jack Newlin arrives home to find his wife, Honor, dead on the floor. Stabbed. He then decides to make it looks like he has committed the crime, because he is convinced he knows who really did it and is committed to protecting that person. After staging the crime scene to implicate himself, Jack then calls the police--and also proceeds to hire an inexperienced lawyer, Mary DiNunzio, of the Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates. This turns out to be a huge mistake for Jack, because although Mary is inexperienced in murder trials, she has passion and heart. She doubts Jack's confession from the beginning and begins to investigate the crime. What she discovers about the crime will keep you turning pages all night long!

Once again Lisa Scottoline has taken us through unexpected twists and turns in her latest legal thriller! Judy DiNunzio, an associate in Bennie Rosato's law firm, is the heroine! Her client, Jack Newlin, has falsely proclaimed his guilt in his own wife's murder. Who is he protecting?

It's a "must" read -- a true Scottoline thriller! You won't be disappointed!

Let me start by saying that I am a big fan of Scottoline, and have enjoyed her previous works a lot. Her books are normally fast, funny, and suspenseful, with lots of interesting twists. Unfortunately, this one seems to be stretched too thin, and is flat right from the start. It is obvious who the killer is right away, and the way it is tied together at the end is really contrived and unbelievable. None of the characters are particularaly interesting either; even Mary who was a good character in previous books. And then there is the daughter who is pregnant and worried about the baby, yet has no qualms about doing drugs. The only reason for the three stars is to give Scottoline the benefit of the doubt, because as I said, I have always enjoyed her books in the past. Hopefully she will return to form next time.

How can a father and lawyer, Jack Newlin, frame himself for his wife's murder? If this sounds improbable, let me say it right now, Lisa Scottoline shows that it can be done in this fast-paced and sometimes humorous novel. Her characters are warm, well rounded and often very funny, and are enough to carry the questionable plot of this book to an interesting conclusion.

Jack's rookie lawyer is Mary DiNunzio, a genuinely warm-hearted individual, who takes his case even when sha doesn't buy his story. Her legal associates, Lou and Judy, add to this interesting mix of characters, along with Brinkley and Kovich, two Philadelphia detectives who want to wrap this case up quickly and easily.

Ms. Scottoline has again created another real winner of a book here. Also, don't miss "Mistaken Identity," her sixth novel.

This seat of your edge murder mystery grabs the reader's interest from the very first sentence ... "Jack Newlin had no choice but to frame himself for murder." The reader is jump started, like a heart in ventricular fribrillation, feeling super charged, wondering why he is willing to accept the charge and the question begs to be answered, whom is he protecting? As he is hand-cuffed and taken for interrogation, his only thoughts are, can he pull this off, worried that his lies may unravel. Suspicions about his "confession" mount as he voluntarily makes a statement without the presence of a lawyer ... which is highly unusual ... since Jack Newlin himself *is* a lawyer, but one whose specialty is contracts and estates. Lisa Scottoline creates believable characters and dialogue in this novel. The personalities jump off the page and nearly come to life. Detective Stan Kovich and Detective Brinkley have been partners in the Philadelphia Police force for many years; they feed off each other during the investigation and their synergy sizzles during key phases and important turning points throughout the book.

Jack Newlin calls a well established (but not the most distinguished) law firm to represent him. He hires a nearly newly minted lawyer, Mary DiNunzio, who jumps at the chance of representing this high profile case. He consoles himself that, as she is inexperienced, she is less likely to discover his lies. However, not long after interviewing him, Mary leaves with the gut feeling something does not sit right with what he said and how he responded. She is certain he is covering up for someone. Eventually Mary learns Jack Newlin's daughter, Paige Newlin is a model, 16 years old, who is "emancipated", living on her own. She discovers the victim, Honor Newlin, managed the daughter's modeling career and was emotionally abusive. This finding creates a rift between the lawyer and her client ... The Detectives examine the crime scene and one of them finds the back of a pierced earring ... which was *not* picked up by the crime scene investigators. This one clue gnaws at Detective Brinkley whose instincts are seldom wrong. He realizes everything presented so far was too clean-cut. He begins a solitary journey to examine tangential and peripheral possibilities which are being ignored by headquarters, especially Captain Walsh. There is overwhelming compelling evidence which points to Jack Newlin: he had called "9-1-1", made a statement of his guilt, his fingerprints are on the weapon. Since the the District Attorney for this case is Dwight Davis who most often wins for the state, the Captain does not want a media circus to unravel the well knit evidence which all implicates the accused.

This book is a gem worth discovering! Clues are provided throughout the book which point to the "real truth". There are hair-pin twists and turns helping the the reader to conclude "not everything is what it seems." Lisa Scottoline possesses a realistic writing style balanced with a good sense of humor. Conversations and descriptions of neighborhoods and the different classes of people are presented so realistically the mind's eye can picture it all perfectly. This book is a *must* *read* for every murder mystery fan.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Lisa Scottoline's 'Moment of Truth' is the story of a father trying to protect his child. Jack Newlin comes home to find his wife dead. He immediately thinks his 16-year-old daughter, Paige, committed the act. But did she? I won't give away the whole plot, but in some instances the outcome was not satisfying, two major ones towards the end in particular. There are too many easy outs.

The message in this story, to me, was that parents are often too quick to try to shield their children from taking responsibility for their actions. This is a very important message. But we don't really see anyone take responsibility for the killing of Mrs. Newlin. There is no final justice in the story, where we see the perpetrator going down in flames.

Scottoline's two most interesting characters are the detective team of Brinkley and Kovish. They have an understanding of each other, fighting and joking like an old married couple. I would enjoy reading more stories centering around these two.

'Moment of Truth' is a quick, easy, sometimes humorous "beach book."

Whey you pick up "MOMENT OF TRUTH", be prepared to give up a night's sleep! You'll have a tough time putting it down once you read that first chapter. Ms. Scottoline grips readers with the story of Jack Newlin, an attorney determined to frame himself for the murder of his wife because he believes his teenage model daughter actually committed the crime. But this novel is anything but predictable! Twists and turns abound and you've just got to hang on for dear life and see where the next turn takes you.

Buckle up and prepare yourself for a high octane thrill-ride that will leave you begging for more! My first Scottoline novel, but you can be sure it won't be my last!