I read most (if not all) of Lisa Scottoline’s Rosato & Associates series and would have thought I’d read most of the spin-off series (Rosato & DiNunzio) but Goodreads tells me I’ve only read a couple.

It fortunately doesn’t matter as previous knowledge of the lawyers’ or firm’s exploits aren’t at all necessary in this sixth in the series.

Feared
by Lisa Scottoline
Series: Rosato & DiNunzio #6
on August 14th 2018
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Crime Fiction, Legal Procedural
ISBN: 1250099595
Pages: 352

Goodreads

When three men announce that they are suing the Rosato & DiNunzio law firm for reverse sex discrimination—claiming that they were not hired because they were men—Mary DiNunzio and Bennie Rosato are outraged. To make matters worse, their one male employee, John Foxman, intends to resign, claiming that there is some truth to this case.

The plaintiffs’ lawyer is Nick Machiavelli, who has already lost to Mary once and is now back with a vengeance —determined not to not only win, but destroy the firm. It soon becomes clear that Machiavelli will do anything in his power to achieve his end…even after the case turns deadly. The stakes have never been higher for Mary and her associates as they try to keep Machiavelli at bay, solve a murder, and save the law firm they love…or they could lose everything they’ve worked for.

Even though it’d APPARENTLY been a while since I’d caught up with Bennie, Mary and Judy – the partners of the firm – they all seemed to be pretty much as I’d left them. (As if waiting for me to return! 😉 )

Obviously life’s moved on though and Mary’s very pregnant, so the lawsuit and threat to their livelihood couldn’t come at a worse time. I don’t remember Bennie being quite so black / white / difficult in previous novels or the earlier series, but Mary’s lack of confidence was familiar…. and this time around we find out Judy’s been keeping a secret from her best friend. (Which was a bit left field here, but may have been introduced in previous books in this series.)

I was reminded that the strength of this series (and its predecessor) very much lie with the wonderful characters Scottoline has created and continues to develop.

This is actually less of a legal procedural than others in both series as most of the time is spent trying to prevent a court case. And then of course the unexpected death means things are even more complex. So the book’s more about trying to understand hidden agendas and possible vendettas than courtroom dramas, and there are a few twists thrown in so nothing’s as obvious as it initially seems.

Interestingly the court-case causes Judy and Mary (in particular) to do some navel-gazing. They realise they’ve often proudly referred to their ‘all-female’ firm and are horrified that their single male associate may have felt sidelined.

Earlier in the year I commented on the lack of legal procedurals about and then had a spate of novels featuring lawyers and thrillers / mysteries unfolding in courtrooms, though I really don’t seem to read as many as I did back in the 1990s. I can’t help but wonder if my reading habits have changed or if they’re less popular now.

This book however was like coming home to an old friend. I did kinda miss the whole courtroom drama thing, but it was an enjoyable read that required me to change plans so I could read it in a sitting.

Feared by Lisa Scottoline was published by St Martin’s Press (Macmillan US) and now available.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.