Anne Murphy is a gorgeous young associate attorney at an all-female law firm in Philadelphia. Her world is turned upside down when a stalker from her past life in California reappears after his escape from prison and is the suspect in her murder. Actually the body is misidentified as hers, as the killer has mistaken Anne's cat-sitter, Willa, for her and the people in her life all think she is dead. She must track down the killer while not revealing that she is indeed alive.
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It is a delicate balancing act set against the 4th of July holiday weekend and her upcoming representation in a sexual harrassment trial of her college acquantance and his soon-to-go-public computer software company. The action moves at an unbelievably fast pace and Anne has distractions aplenty ranging from her poorly timed sexual involvement with the opposing counsel, unwanted sexual advances from her own client, the initial pettiness of her jealous/stand-offish co-workers, her bitter feelings of abandonement towards her own mother and her preoccupation with comfortable, fashionable, and trendy footwear.
Ms. Scottoline has created a very interesting plot, although in many ways the time frame is beyond implausable, the characters and setting help to move the reader through to the surprise conclusion. This story is so rich in elements of love, hate, murder, obsession, friendship, revenge, lust, infidelity and humor proving to provide the reader with a roller coaster ride of emotions.
The review of this Book prepared by David Fletcher
Anne Murphy is being stalked by someone suffering from erotomania. As a result, she is declared dead when her cat sitter is mistaken for her and killed. Anne must find the murderer and avenge the victim's death as well as free herself from the stalker.
The review of this Book prepared by Grace Aqualina
HarperCollins, June 2002, 25.95, 320 pp.
ISBN 0060185147
Beautiful, sassy and bright lawyer Anne Murphy left California and moved to Philadelphia, where she took a job at the legal firm of Rosato & Associates. In her present case, she is representing her old friend in a sexual harassment lawsuit and is particularly pleased when a legal point goes her way. She decides to head out to the Jersey Shore for the Fourth of July Weekend and has her friend Willa cat-sitting her precious feline.
When she reads about her own “death” in the newspaper, Anne immediately realizes that Willa was shot in the face and since there is a strong resemblance between them, the media and Bennie and friends thought it was she who died. When she reveals herself to them and explains it was probably her stalker who followed her to Philadelphia after he escaped from jail, the gang puts a ring of protection around her. Although she is grateful for their friendship and kindness, she is determined to take control of the situation, which comes to a head on the night of July 4th.
Lisa Scottoline, renowned for her legal thrillers, has written an excellent crime drama starring characters from previous novels. The friendship between the women is a beautiful thing to behold and is only one of the reasons readers will stick with this book until the perpetrator either is caught or succeeds. COURTING TROUBLE is Ms. Scottoline's best work to date.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
