Devil's Corner

Devil's Corner by Lisa Scottoline

Victoria Allegretti is a rookie Assistant US Attorney. Her partner is an FTA agent called Morty. Vicki and Morty go to meet with an informant on a gun case that looks like it's going nowhere. Everything goes wrong from the moment they get to the interview and Vicki winds up the only survivor. Morty dies in her arms, killed by two thugs who left with drugs after shooting him and the informant, along with her unborn child. Vicki goes to meet with Raheema, the defendant in the gun case and instead of having her released since there is no more case, she kind of loses her mind and attacks the defendant, right in front of the defense attorney. Vicki gets suspended, but, does this deter her? No. Instead she decides to investigate the murder of her informant and her partner on her own while lusting after her married friend and mentor.

Devil's corner refers to a neighborhood in Philadelphia. Lisa Scottoline sets her works in Philly and she does a really good job with it. You get a true sense of the city, warts and all in her books. Not every author does a good job with the locales in their books. I think John Sandford is great with the way he writes locational information in his books, which are primarily set in Minnesota. Jennifer Weiner really gets Philly down pretty well in her books, too. Sarah Dunn wrote a chick lit book set in Philly that I didn't think did justice to the city at all. I love when an author gives a feel for the setting of the book. It's important that the reader gets a sense of where the action is taking place.

This was not one of the Bennie Rosato books, but a stand alone with completely new characters. I really like the Benie Rosato books. The characters are appealing and the books are well written. As far as this book goes, I like Vicki. I like the buddy action with Raheema and I think if it could be remotely plausible (but I don't see how it could), I wouldn't mid reading about them again. However, button down, private school, Harvard educated Vicki always seems, not just out of her element, but not consistent with her character.

There was a lot of good in this book, but I can't say that I was totally won over. I'll be waiting to see what happens when Scottoline's next series book hits the shelves.