Book Review: Devil's Corner

Lisa Scottoline's latest criminal thriller was inspired by a real-life crack cocaine trial involving one of Philadelphia's most violent gangs (Scottoline - a former trial lawyer - apparently still enjoys watching trials just for fun). In a departure from her previous noves featuring the all-women law firm of Rosato & Associates (featured, for example, in her last book, Killer Smile), Devil's Corner introduces a new heroine in assistant U.S. Attorney Vicki Alegretti, a determined prosecutor whose hunger for justice intensifies after a routine visit to a confidential informant goes violently awry.

Alegretti is working a relatively routine gun trafficking case involving a confidential informant who is testifying against a woman she claims is her "best friend." The friend - a woman named Reheema - supposedly bought a couple of guns with the intent to resell them. Alegretti and her ATF partner visit the informant, only to interrupt a robbery/murder in progress. Vicki's partner Morty is critically wounded; the assailants flee, leaving Vicki to wait for the ambulance while Morty dies. Investigators subsequently discover the body of the unexpectedly pregnant informant upstairs; she had been brutally shot to death.

Her boss tells her to go about her business and leave the investigation of Morty's killers to the ATF, but Vicki can't let it go. She begins to investigate on her own. She begins with Reheema, the defendant in the criminal case involving the informant. Reheema is a beautiful but angry young woman from the dangerous gang-infested West Philly neighborhood of Devil's Corner. The morning after the incident at the informant's house, Vicki confronts Reheema during a legal conference that turns physical. Guards have to separate the two women and Vicki's boss is irate when he learns that Vicki started the physical conflict - and that at this point, not only will Reheema walk because the CI is dead, now she may have grounds for a lawsuit against the government for Vicki's "assault" on her while she was in custody.

Article Author: W.E. Wallo

W.E. Wallo is a book and movie junkie whose writings have appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

Visit W.E. Wallo's author page — W.E. Wallo's Blog