Endless thrills in legal thriller

THE quest for justice takes centre stage in Lisa Scottline’s “Exposed”, which hit the market recently.

Fans of courtroom drama and legal thrillers should read this. “Exposed” has a brilliant storyline that is both entertaining but also informative.

Simon Pensiera, a sales rep, is wrongly fired from work for alleged unproductivity when the truth is that the firm no longer wants to pay for his daughter’s medical expenses, which have drastically risen.

He seeks the services of old friend Mary DiNunzio to represent him when he takes his former employers to court.

This, however, creates an explosive scenario as DiNunzio’s partner, Bennie Rosato, represents the company’s holding firm. The conflict of interest between the two lawyers rip their law firm apart as the battle that ensues turns them into adversaries, with friends and colleagues forced to choose sides.

When Simon’s former boss is found murdered, all leads point in his direction and he becomes the prime suspect, adding more woes to his already problem-laden life.

Scottline does a great job of creating captivating characters. DiNunzio is a compassionate person, who would do anything to help friends and family, and this is displayed earlier on with her reaction when Simon relays his predicament to her.

“Mary felt a surge of anger, the kind she always felt when somebody had been wronged. But here, it had happened to someone she knew and loved. Simon. And Rachel.”

The story brings out many societal aspects, displaying situations that some people have to go through when their loved ones are in need of expensive medical assistance. Imagine being laid off from work for dubious reasons when you are in desperate need of funding for your child’s cancer treatment. Such is the case in this book where such unlawful dismissals are challenged.

Scottoline is the best-selling author of over 20 novels, with more than 25 million copies of her books in print. This book is the fifth instalment in the “Rosato and DiNunzio” series, whose other titles include “Accused” and “Corrupted”.