Attractive, sexy, and tough-minded, Cate Fante has just become a federal judge - though she isn't quite sure she belongs. At only thirty-six, Cate feels as if she's joining the world's most exclusive retirement village. She's intimidated by a job described in the Constitution of the United States. And she worries inwardly that she only looks the part; dark blonde hair in a chignon and a Chanel suit donned like overpriced armor. But Cate keeps all her doubts a secret. And, as it happens, much else. For Cate leads a dark, double life - one that she doesn't even tell her best friend about - and it comes shockingly to light with a murder in a case before her. Overnight, her secrets are spilled all over the tabloids, her boyfriend dumps her, and her judgeship hangs in jeopardy. And when a killer comes after her, she runs for her life - embarking on a trip that ends in her own mysterious past.

About the Author

Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times best-selling author, a former trial lawyer and is a recipient of the Edgar Award for crime fiction. Her books are published in more than twenty languages and she remains a life-long resident of the Philadelphia area, where many of her books are set. Her most recent titles include Devil's Corner, Killer Smile and Dead Ringer (all published by Pan).

Reviews

As a veteran reader of several Scottoline audios (including Moment of Truth and Devil's Corner), Rosenblat is completely at home with the author's characters and style. She gives the listener a clear sense of newly appointed Federal Judge Cate Fante's brash public presentation as well as her private life, which includes soft spots for a friend's autistic son and for sleazy men. But women judges, like Hebrew National Franks, are held to a higher standard, so Fante finds herself battling her colleagues as well as the bad guys. Rosenblat's pace is near perfect-nimble enough to capture the fast lives of the characters and to propel the reader through this vibrant whodunit, yet always enunciated clearly so that not a single word is lost. Fante's hilariously deadpan asides are perfectly delivered. Rosenblat is such an enthusiastic reader that she even recreates sound effects, such as bullets flying and tires rupturing. With Harper Audio hiding the CD numbers inside the disc's rim, some listeners might wonder "Where am I?" rather than "Who done it?" as they search for the next disk. Altogether, Rosenblat provides an excellent performance of one of Scottoline's best works. Simultaneous release with the HarperCollins hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 23). (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"Scottoline...renders snappy dialogue and vivid descriptions of her native Pennsylvania in this engaging...suspense about consequences and truths." -- Booklist

Edgar Award-winning author Scottoline has returned with yet another intriguing female protagonist. Here, listeners are introduced to dirty blonde Cate Fante, a new federal judge in Philadelphia. As smart as Cate is, she has a dark, risqu? side that is rapidly catching up with her, just as she dismisses a controversial case. The "wronged" parties are plotting revenge, and Cate's extracurricular activities provide just the ammunition they need. As with her previous novels, Scottoline does a fine job infusing humor and understandable legal terminology into her narrative. Reader Barbara Rosenblat again performs Scottoline's work and does a superb job with the text, giving each character a distinct personality. The production flows well and is of good quality. Recommended, particularly for public libraries with general fiction and/or mystery collections and for those that include other Scottoline titles. Nicole A. Cooke, Montclair State Univ. Lib., NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.