Customer Reviews

Rough Justice

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

The title gives you the short version, now here comes the longer one. I'm reading Ms. Scottoline's works in order, so this is number 5. In Rough Justice, she reprises Mary DiNunzio's character from book 1 and if my notes are right, (Ms.) Bennie Rosata's from book 3 -- which is nice because we're really getting inside these character's personalities which adds to the fun. The basic premise this time is that a guest hot-shot lawyer from out of town, Marta Richter, has just heard from her client, who, thanks to Marta's hard work, is heading toward a self-defense acquittal for killing an alleged carjacker, a confession that it was murder after all. She immediately spends the rest of the book trying to get back at him (not too sure about the "legality" of that), with help from Bennie's associates Mary and Judy. The plot is actually quite good, with a lot of twists and turns, culminating in a very good ending that had me turning pages late into the night. A number of additional corpses prevent this from being all sweetness and light, yet I think the outcome seemed fitting. My only gripe was that 2/3 of the book took place during such a bitter and deep snowstorm that roads were closed and cities crippled. Yet Marta manages to drive back and forth from Philly to the Jersey shore (!), with all kinds of shenanigans there, while the troops back at the law firm are out all night pulling the same stunts, even interviewing people at 2 o'clock in the morning!

Anyhow, "Rough" is a welcome addition to the growing Scottoline repertoire; I'll certainly be back for more, and I can overlook a little bit of unlikely traipsing around by the women for a story this entertaining! Try it.

This is the fifth book I have read by Lisa Scottoline. I was disappointed in it. I enjoyed the others. This one had to many things going on at one time, it was almost like trying to read five or six different stories at the same time. There would be a chapter about Marta, then one about the jury, then one about City Hall, then one about Steere, then one about Judy and Mary, then she would start over again with Marta. The material on Marta at the beach house of Steere was a joke, I know it is fiction but for Marta to do what she did in that much cold and snow is so far out it is unreal. I had really looked forward to reading this book as I enjoyed the others so much. Don't know if I will try another one or not.

Remember the best Law book you've ever read? Burn it. When you put your hands on ROUGH JUSTICE and start reading it, you'll never be able to put it away. Why? Cause you just don't think you're reading a book, but watching the best Law movie you've ever watched. The book is full of twists, action, wonderful characters that seem to be someone from your own family, and Lisa Scottoline goes beyond: she makes you laugh by the way she describe things and put sentences into people's mouth. SHE'S AN AMAZING AUTHOR! Remember the guy who you think is the best author of the genre? Forget him. Buy this book and see why I'm so in love with Lisa's books. Just don't start reading it if you have to work the next day.

Lisa Scottoline is a gifted and witty storyteller. Rough Justice is the sixth book of hers that I have read and the other five range from almost good to very good. Two of her best characters, Mary DiNunzio, a loveable individual, but insecure lawyer, and Bennie Rosato, a very secure hard-nosed and competent lawyer, play major supporting roles in this novel. Despite fast paced action, the book is, especially when measured against the standards of her other work, just awful. If I had read this book before any of her other novels, I would never have started any of the others.

As a writer of fiction, Scottoline is entitled to almost unlimited imagination and unexpected twists and turns. But in Rough Justice she exceeds even her broad poetic license. Not a single chapter is credible or plausible and this would be true even if the plot occurred during the spring, summer or fall. Instead all the action takes place during a 100 year blizzard in Philadelphia and although on the pages of the book, the characters struggle with the inclement weather, they still manage to get from place to place with relative ease. Every decision her characters make during course of this novel is not only inane, but each decision also lacks common sense and is usually so clearly unethical and stupid that they would shock a high school student. One might forgive Ms. Scottline if she was writing science fiction, or had set out to write the equivalent of a Grade B movie, but she maintains that her experience as a lawyer and judicial clerk are reflected in her writings and in her acknowledgment she gives credit to other professionals who helped her.

None of Ms. Scootline books are what I would call a masterpiece, but they are good summer or evening reading. They too take full advantage of Ms. Scottline's imagination and writing skill; they do not pretend to address the real world or require the reader to consider any social or contemporary problems. Unlike Rough Justice, however, they also do not require the reader to suspend the laws of nature or common sense.

How on earth did this rubbish get published? To quote another reviewer..

"I don't believe I'm still reading this thing."

Warning: Spoiler !

We are immediately led to believe that a criminal defense lawyer with 15 years experience is shocked that her client is guilty. She feels used and vows revenge even though the jury is due back before lunchtime the next morning. I am sure had the lawyer been male, he would have laughed with the client, but we are led to believe that this female attorney is outraged that her client lied to her!!

Even the case itself is stupid. An apparent clear case of self defense. The DA has nothing and yet not only does the trial last 2 months, but the defendant has been remanded in jail for a year without bail !!

The judge on the case is up for the state supreme court even though he is only a district court judge.

What follows is a disastrous, unbelievable race to find evidence that will somehow enable the client to be convicted. Most of the 'evidence' that is found would never be admissible anyway.

Our `hero' tampers with the jury, drives to her clients beach house, breaks in, finds papers for a boat, breaks into a boat yard, breaks into storage, finds a boat, finds a map with a pin hole, spends hours digging in the freezing cold, finds a box, finds a computer printout. Why her client has kept this printout is beyond me since it became worthless a few hours after they used it.

Everyone treaks across the city in knee high snow. Spend hours outside in driving blizzard conditions. Then, everythings falls into place, everything becomes clear and it is a race to the court house. The end comes quickly. Then the really stupid part, the police show up with WARRENTS!! I mean, how? why? There would be no warrant without an investigation and evidence. The only person who spoke to the police in the whole book was the jurist who knew next to nothing.

Our hero would be charged with countless offences and would probably never practice law again.

Stressing me out just writing this review.. stupid book.

Isn't weird how some people love this book and others absolutely despise it? I enjoyed it without thinking about whether it could really happen. If I want to read about reality, I'll go to nonfiction like "A Civil Action." This is pure fun. My only quibble was with the editing. Here is a sentence from my copy (first edition, hardcover, p 265): "Emil pursed his lips, which were full and vividly pink above a frosty gray mustache." I kid you not.

Marta Richter is a criminal lawyer who is about to win an acquittal for her client, Elliot Steere, a powerful real estate mogul. In a moment of hubris, Steer admits to her that he is indeed guilty of killing a man he claimed had hijacked him. Furious at her client, Marta is determined to reveal the truth about him and have him convicted. What follows is a fast-paced plot, full of twists and turns. The action switches from Marta to her associates Mary and Judy, to the presiding judge, to the assistant DA, to the jury foreman. Each one has a vested interest in the case and each one will do whatever it takes to win. Much of what happens falls into the category of "highly unlikely", but nevertheless it's great fun and an interesting read. Author Scottoline is amazingly creative with her plots and characters and always provides an entertaining

book.

This suspenseful thriller kept me on the edge. It is a fast moving story with characters you will instantly want to win. This was my first mystery by Sottoline and now finishing my seventh in three weeks.

I loved this writer - her writing is witty, amusing - I was sorry it ended. Lisa Scottoline has a true, fresh voice in the detective genre. This was the first book of hers I read. I wanted to read all the others and I am now in the middle of "Moment of Truth." I particularly like her descriptions of the men in her protagonists' families. She's really very dear, despite her mouthy personality, which I happened to enjoy, contrary to some of the (unbelievably prudish) readers below. Thanks, Lisa!

I've read hundreds of "lawyer" novels and must say that this one kept me up late, turning pages as fast as I could. I loved the cast of women lawyers, loved tough, mean, gutsy Marta, and the two appealing associates, and all the legal banter, and for once all the political infighting was interesting instead of a huge yawn.

I also enjoyed the author's short, strong, colorful writing style. That's one reason the book seemed such a fast, exciting read. As for the character growth, I saw plenty of that. Marta became humbled and decided there were things in life worth more than work. And Benny learned not to be so "ice cold" and to put her associates first.

I intend to buy and read every Lisa Scottoline book I can find.