Legal Tender

Lisa Scottoline is a writer that pulls you in immediately and I promise you that you won't put down any one of her books unless you absolutely have to. Legal Tender introduces the character "Bennie" Bendedetta Rosato. Bennie is accused of murdering her ex-lover in this fast-paced legal thriller and as the plot thickens you are unable to tear yourself away from this book. All of Scottoline's books are absorbing and as soon as I finished reading this one I went out and bought all of them. Often I buy several books of the same author and they get boring and repetive but not so with her, its a surprise every time. She's been compared to Grisham but my opinion is she is even better!!! Don't miss Legal Tender or any of her books, you won't be disappointed!

This is the fifth book by Lisa Scottoline that I have read. After being given The Vendetta Defense, I was hooked, and am now trying to read the rest of her books methodically and in order. When you get to know a writer's style, sometimes it is disappointing to figure out the formula. So far, I have not felt this way about Scottoline. She always adds enough new twists to keep me interested.
Of course, if a reader cannot suspend a certain amount of disbelief, he or she will not like this book. There is an unmistakable degree of sly exaggeration. But like any good spoof, it tells the truth. Anybody who personally knows any lawyer even slightly will understand the author's "digs" at law firms' predilection for client billing. And Scottoline has a wicked ability to caricature the different lawyer types, much as she clearly maps out the social strata of the different floors of a law firm, starting with the Loser Floor.
One reason she maintains suspense is that all her characters are well fleshed out, evincing both good and bad qualities, so that unlike the case with usual villain archetypes, by the time the book reaches its denouement, the identity of who- actually-dun-it surprises us. And her wonderful character on the lam, Bennie Rosato, leads a merry chase because the author clearly knows her venues-- and how the system works--so well. Although more sympathetic than the typical picaresque protagonist, Rosato has enough gall and chutzpah to be convincing. The embattled heroine pulls off several little stings which give the reader a triumphant if vicarious satisfaction.
There are superb ironies here: the only person who heeds her questionable alter ego's so-called pleas for non-billable help is the head of the firm. And the elderly security guard at the tacky office of the sleazy (and hilariously inappropriately named) lawyer, Mr. Celeste, turns out to be actually more on the ball than the gaggle of smooth but naïve young gatekeepers at the posh building that houses highly successful firms.
Scottoline's undergraduate degree was in English, and it shows. Not only does she know the law, but she understands literature, and there are layers of wit and plot, as well as substance and subtext, to her writing that are enormously gratifying.
In other words, she writes good.

When I bought LEGAL TENDER, I thought to myself: this is just one more law boring book, since I usually don't like these kind of stories. I often hate books by other authors who write in the same genre. But that concept started to change when I started reading LEGAL TENDER. Lisa Scottoline has a wonderful sense of humor, the book has a plot full of twists and you just never get tired of it. Never. Soon I discovered that Lisa is the best author of that genre I've ever read. I just wish I could have all her books and much more. Now all I want is to never stop reading her. She's just impossible to forget, her books are just delightful and really, really, a wonderful entertainment.

Legal Tender is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Scottoline's characters are funny, original, and well developed. It's about time someone wrote a book about law that had women in it! This is a fresh perspective, and one that got me hooked on her books. Ordinarily, this is not the kind of book I'd read, but Scottoline has turned me on to law, murder, and mystery.

The main thing I want to post about this book, is the fact that the heroine is feeding a stray cat Snickers bars and Coke. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and to cats and authors should not print this type of potentially harmful information just to be 'cute.' I have written Lisa to get her comments, but she has yet to respond. Anyone else out there who loves animals and dislikes irresponsible authors?
Overall, my opinion of the book was fair. I found it silly and not really suspenseful.

From the very first page, it took off and kept going! Great characters, vivid landscapes, twisting plot, believeable storyline. I could not put this book down! Reading it even at red lights, it was THAT good!!

I used to be a Grisham reader but he became too vile. Scottoline on the other hand, writes with finese, humor, clear vision. She makes Grisham look like a first-grader writing his first fictional story.

Scottoline is an incredible writer, very knowledgeable, puts a tremendous amount of research into each book. Each page leads to the next without leaving the reader scratching their head with, "huh?" Every lead connects at one point or another and nothing is left out at the finish! It's a fantastic and thrilling read.

You won't be able to put it down!! HIGHLY recommend this book!!

I must begin by saying that I actually listened to this in an abridged audio version. Perhaps the abridgement affected my view of the plotting and writing style - always a possibility.

Otherwise, this novel is most of the things that other reviewers have listed. It is fast-paced. There are lots of chases. There is the typical (though not particularly believeable) love relationship that develops in the midst of the bru-ha-ha. And of course the vivid descriptions of what outfit the heroine is wearing.

I liked it. It wasn't a waste of time. It also wasn't a great work of literary significance. It was exactly what escapist fiction is supposed to be - an escape. Sure there are some areas that are a little far-fetched, but does everything we read need to be absolutely realistic?

Overall, it's not a terrible way to spend an afternoon or evening. Read it and enjoy Bennie Risotto's troubles. At least you know her troubles will be over by the time you reach the last page.

I picked up this book right before a flight to Orlando and I couldn't put it down. Although her style is often compared with Gresham, she is better. She starts off with a bang, grabs your attention and you're off and running full steam ahead. The characters are well written and fully developed. When I returned from my trip, I immediately found all of her other books because I couldn't wait to read more. Try Scottoline, you'll agree with me, she's great!

In attorney Bennie Rosato we have a strong woman who is able to keep pace with the likes of Kay Scarpetta (great character who is Patricia Cornwell's best creation yet one we are seeing with decreasing visibility as the author tries to develop a new set of characters that just don't measure up to Kay), V.I Warshawski (a great character whom author Sarah Paretsky seems to have abandoned to strange stylistic experimentation), and of course, Kinsey Milhone, the A-N (so far) series by writer Sue Grafton.Rosato is a tough attorney with values, a point of view, and a wonderful sense of determination. Loved it. Leave some of your other characters behind and write more about Bennie!She's wonderfully engaging.

This is clever writing. The narrator is Benedetta, a trial attorney and movement follower. Her law firm in Philadelphia pursues lawsuits of social importance. A friend at a white shoe firm tells Bennie that he has heard that two of the associates in her firm are defecting. He tells her that socialism does not work, autocracy does. She finds out that actually three associates are seeking other jobs. The two partners wanted to do well and do good. Then Mark, the other partner, (they are no longer involved romantically), tells Bennie it, the law firm, is finished. Mark has already found her new office space.

Philadelphia's police administration building is called the Roundhouse. Bennie feels her career crash and burn. She speaks of reporters laying techno-siege to the townhouse where the firm is located. She provides the police with a tip to prevent crime and the police decide that she has something to do with a bombing. Bennie goes to the high-powered law firm and invents a ghost lawyer in order to hide in plain sight. The story is full of action and interest.