The Vendetta Defense [Hardcover]

Lisa Scottoline (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 2001

In The Vendetta Defense, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline delivers a wonderfully rich, vivid story of past sins, love, and justice.

Lawyer Judy Carrier takes the case of her career when an elderly pigeon racer named Anthony Lucia is arrested for the murder of his lifelong enemy, Angelo Coluzzi. "Pigeon Tony," as he's known to all his South Philly neighbors, confesses he killed Coluzzi because of a vendetta begun more than fifty years ago, a blood feud that has brought great tragedy to Pigeon Tony's life.

Her client's guilt, however, is only the beginning of Judy's problems. The Coluzzi family wants revenge, and they are determined to finish off Pigeon Tony and Judy before the case can go to trial. And if that isn't enough, Judy's got to contend with Tony's magnetic grandson, Frank, a man who makes her think about everything but the law, and her boss, the no-nonsense Bennie Rosato.

In a case steeped in blood and memory, it will take a stroke of brilliance to save Pigeon Tony. But if anyone just might see justice done, it's this gutsy young attorney who'll risk everything to win ... including her life.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

You can't read past the first chapter of Lisa Scottoline's newest legal thriller without mentally casting the actor who might play Pigeon Tony, the charming and totally authentic defendant who's on trial for killing the man who raped and murdered his wife, destroyed his son and daughter-in-law in a staged "accident," and has threatened the life of his grandson. Robert De Niro's too threatening, Joe Mantegna's too young, Marlon Brando's too fat, but somewhere there must be a celluloid counterpart to one of the most delightful antiheroes in recent crime fiction. Meanwhile, this wonderful character study of a man of conscience on trial for a crime of passion will divert and entertain fans of Scottoline's previous novels about Bennie Rosato's high-estrogen Philadelphia law firm (Moment of Truth, Mistaken Identity).

When Judy Carrier, one of Bennie's attorneys, takes on Tony's defense, she's faced with a legal and moral dilemma. Tony admits that he killed Angelo Coluzzi, but insists it wasn't murder but vendetta, a justifiable payback for a blood crime committed nearly half a century ago and a continent away. The Coluzzi family knows about vendetta, too--they've got their own payback planned, and the trick for Judy is keeping Pigeon Tony (and herself) alive long enough to get them to trial. There's a complication de coeur when Judy falls in love with Tony's grandson, a hunky stonemason who will do for fences what Robert James Waller did for covered bridges (Clint Eastwood's too old, Brad Pitt's too young, etc.). But all's well that ends well in a tidy little read that will probably earn Scottoline another well-deserved shot at the bestseller list. --Jane Adams

From Publishers Weekly

Is it murder or simply eye-for-an-eye justice if you kill someone who has killed members of your family? That moral conundrum lies at the heart of Scottoline's (Moment of Truth; Mistaken Identity) latest legal yarn, which gives top billing to yet another lawyer from the all-female Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates. The star here is the somewhat manic Judy Carrier, who has played supporting roles in the past. The story, however, revolves around Anthony "Pigeon Tony" Lucia, a lovable septuagenarian who killed his longtime rival, Angelo Coluzzi, who murdered Lucia's wife in their native Italy 60 years ago. Coluzzi, the wealthy, mob-connected owner of a big construction firm, always seems to get the upper hand until Pigeon Tony breaks his neck during a showdown at the pigeon-racing club where they're both members. Pigeon Tony freely admits he killed Coluzzi, but maintains he was justified because of the long-standing Italian tradition of vendetta; Carrier knows it will be a big stretch to make that argument fly before a 21st-century American jury. Aided, however, by Tony's many friends in South Philly's Italian neighborhoods, Carrier mounts a sparkling defense while dodging innumerable attempts on her life from Coluzzi's gang and trying to keep in check her amorous feelings for Pigeon Tony's ruggedly handsome grandson, Frank. Scottoline shows once again her knack for building a highly entertaining plot around an intriguingly simple legal issue and a cast of likable eccentrics. Her touch is light, and her satisfying mix of mischief, sex appeal, action and legal analysis justifies her wide following. (Feb. 27)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1st edition (February 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060185074
• ISBN-13: 978-0060185077
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,121,162 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

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lisa Scottoline does it again!, March 19, 2001

By 

"themustangsally" (Plant City, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vendetta Defense (Hardcover)

Once again Lisa Scottoline grips the reader with a fast paced novel set in South Philly. The protagonist, Pigeon Tony, is a delightful, funny, and determined man who readily admits he killed his longstanding enemy. His hatred for Angeo Coluzzi goes back to his days in Fascist Italy. Pigeon Tony feels he is justified for the killing of Coluzzi because of the deaths of his wife, son, and daughter-in-law. He, however, does not understand the American law systems classification of this act murder. Secondary to the main plot, is a love story between Pigeon Tony's grandson, Frank, and his lawyer Judy Carrier. Judy Carrier is a member of the all female law firm Scottoline has previously used run by the hard-as-nails boss Bennie Rosato. Any Scottoline fan will recognize her love for the South Philly neighborhood where her novels are set. This story will not disappoint those who enjoy the "lawyer genre".

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SCOTTOLINE IS THE BEST!, February 27, 2001

By 

Nick G - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vendetta Defense (Hardcover)

Lawyer Judy Carrier takes on a case that can make, or break her career.

Elderly pigeon racer, Anthony Lucia (pigeon Tony to his friends), is arrested for the murder of lifelong enemy, Angelo Coluzzi. Tony, and Coluzzi have had a 50 year-old vendetta against one another, bringing pain, and murder to both men for many years.

Against the wishes of her boss, Bennie Rosato, Judy takes on the case, even though her client has confessed his guilt.

As the case heats up, Judy will find herself attracted to Tony's grandson Frank, and attempts will be made to finish off Tony before the case can go to trial.

Before long, Judy, will be fighting for her life, if she is to see justice served.

"The Vendetta Defense" is another MASTERFUL thriller by bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline. The plot races along at break-neck speed; combining a colorful cast of characters, with snappy dialogue, and plot twist, after plot twist.

I have said it before, and I will say it again...Scottoline has been compared to Grisham, but that is an unfair statement because she is better, MUCH better!

Lisa Scottoline has made a career of writing interesting legal thrillers, and her new one is no exception, it ranks as one of her best, and will surely fly up the bestseller list's.

A MUST read!!!

Nick Gonnella

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Vendetta Defense is Lisa's BEST, March 7, 2001

By 

PJ (Central PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vendetta Defense (Hardcover)

Wow, Lisa Scottoline has really topped herself with the Vendetta Defense. Pigeon Tony is exasperating as he insists on telling the judge that yes, he killed Angelo, and yes, he wanted to, but no, "I no murder!" His justification fits Italian culture, but not United States law. He drives defense attorney Judy Carrier crazy as he keeps insisting "I tell judge", while she does just about everything to prevent him incriminating himself. Lisa Scottoline's characters are so real, I would know Tony (and his parade of friends, "the Tonys") in an instant if saw them or heard them talking. Judy is real too, as we get to know her through her mental dialogue, her own self-doubts contrasted with righteous indignation about the offenses Tony and his family suffered at the hands of Antonio. She knows what's right, but she also knows the law. The characters are what makes this book stand apart, but the plot is solid, the issues strong, and the writing superb. If you haven't discovered Scottoline, this is the time, and if she's already on your list of favorites, she just might move up to the top!