By: Lisa Scottoline
Series: Rosato & Associates #13
ISBN: 1250027705
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 11/25/2014
Format: Other
My Rating: 3 Stars
The women of Rosato & Associates return, after the relaunch of the series that started with Accused. This second entry, Betrayed, stars Judy Carrier, who has had the starring role in only one previous Rosato book. When Betrayed opens, Judy Carrier finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her best friend, Mary DiNunzio, has just become partner and is about to become a bride, leaving Judy vaguely out of sorts. She's not jealous, but she's not happy either and she's wondering where her own career and love life are going. To make matters worse, she is rocked to her emotional foundations when she learns that her beloved Aunt Vicky has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
She races to her aunt's side, and so does Judy's mother, only to find that her aunt is dealing with the sudden death of a friend who had been helping her through chemo. The friend, Emelia Juarez, was an undocumented worker at a local farm, but her death doesn't look natural at all, to Judy. Judy begins to investigate, following a path that leads her into an underground world far more dangerous than she ever imagined. Judy has to dig to uncover what happened to Emelia, and at the same time unearth the secrets in her own family.
My Review
Lisa Scottoline returns with BETRAYED (Rosato & DiNunzio Series #2), and as usual, there is always much drama surrounding these gals, Judy Carrier and Mary DeNunzio in personal as well as their business lives.
Judy, an attorney with Rosato & Associates, Philadelphia's premier all-female law firm is caught up in the investigation of the mysterious death of a housekeeper, Iris Juarez, an illegal immigrant, of her favorite Aunt Barb (who also has been diagnosed with breast cancer). Barb loved this woman who apparently has been her true friend, helping her with her chemo and has been a loving and supportive employee.
Judy is not thrilled her boss and founding partner, Bennie Rosato, orders her to take on a series of asbestos cases, which will take so much time, and her boyfriend, Frank Lucia, proposes when she decides she wants to break up with him.
When police are called in surrounding Barb’s house, and Iris’s money is discovered the night before she is to have surgery, Judy wants to make sure Barb has no connection whatsoever. So now she is in the middle of trying to solve the case.
Having read many of Lisa’s books and a fan, I enjoyed ACCUSED, the first book in the series; however, unfortunately, BETRAYED did not live up, as not enough here to hold my interest. There is breast cancer, a mastectomy, an illegal immigrant, a dead priest, drugs, juvenile relationship issues, with a lame mystery, and family drama. It is like all over the board; and the pieces do not fit together.
In addition, listened to the audiobook, and narrator, Maria Bello unfortunately did not add any interest or enhancement. It was as she was reading from a script with no emotion. I prefer January LaVoy narrator of (Accused), as a much more engaging voice.
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