From Publishers Weekly
Scottoline's previous thrillers (Dead Ringer; Courting Trouble; etc.) have featured the women of the all-female Philadelphia law firm Rosato and Associates, and have concerned the usual elements of murder, stalking, bribery and corruption. This novel by the former trial lawyer and Edgar Award winner, while embracing the requisite ingredients, is especially engaging because of its personal angle: growing out of Scottoline's discovery of her own grandparents' alien registration cards, the book involves the case of an Italian-American who was interned during WWII. Amadeo Brandolini emigrated from Italy to Philadelphia, where he started a family and worked as a fisherman. When the war broke out, the FBI arrested and imprisoned him (along with 10,000 other Italian-Americans). He lost everything and wound up committing suicide in the camp. Rosato and Associates' young star, Mary DiNunzio, steps up to represent Brandolini's estate as it sues for reparations. Mary "grew up in South Philly, where she'd learned to pop her gum, wear high heels, and work overtime" and silently prays to saints when she can't find things. This case, a pro bono one, means a lot to her; the local small business owners and family friends she grew up with want retribution for Brandolini as much as she does. Mary puts all of her energy into the job, and when clues suggest Brandolini's death may have been a homicide, she becomes even more enthralled. As Mary learns more, the enemy camp (another Italian-American family, the Saracones) turns its murderous eye on her. Scottoline skillfully weaves a complicated, gripping and fast-paced tale, at turns comical, nerve-wracking and enlightening. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Spunky, young lawyer Mary DeNunzio becomes passionately entwined in a dusty, old estate settlement involving an Italian-American immigrant who comes to life in Mary's imagination. When an associate is murdered, Mary is convinced it's related to her case and pursues the truth against all odds. Barbara Rosenblat deftly delivers many colorful secondary characters. Her treatment of older people is especially sensitive and credible. She presents the heroine with an almost neutral voice, underplaying Mary's South Philadelphia identity. An interview with the author at the end of the recording provides entertaining insight, especially on the topic of Italian-Americans interned during WWII. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
In the latest installment of Scottoline's best-selling series starring the all-female Philadelphia law firm of Rosato & Associates, young Mary DiNunzio takes center stage. Mary has taken on a pro bono case representing her "peeps"--an Italian American business group (the circolo) working on behalf of the estate of Amadeo Brandolini, who committed suicide while interned during World War II. The estate seeks reparations, and Mary feels drawn to the case, so much so that others fear she's obsessed with it. Under the guise of taking a vacation, Mary visits the site of the internment camp in Montana where Amadeo killed himself and finds herself with still more unanswered questions. Interesting author's notes at the end of this engaging drama disclose Scottoline's own discovery of her grandparents' internment, lending this unusual story a welcome authenticity. Expect another hit from Scottoline, who has proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that legal thrillers are not a male-only subgenre. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
New York Times–bestselling author Lisa Scottoline￯﾿ﾽs Killer Smile is another compelling legal thriller featuring the lawyers at Rosato & Associates. Even at Bennie Rosato￯﾿ﾽs all-female Philadelphia law firm, Mary DiNunzio doesn￯﾿ﾽt always fit in. She￯﾿ﾽs tough enough in the courtroom, but on her own time, she￯﾿ﾽs still the nice girl -- the young widow, charmed by the Italian neighborhood where she grew up, who frequently prefers the past to the present. Right now, Mary￯﾿ﾽs putting a lot of non-billable hours into researching the possibility of gaining reparations on behalf of the estate of Amadeo Brandolini, an Italian immigrant who lost everything -- including his life -- while in a U.S. internment camp during World War II. She thought it would be a simple matter of fact checking -- verifying death records and substantiating the value of the property Amadeo lost due to unfounded political fears. But the facts Mary needs are buried unreasonably deep for a mere a case of wrongful death. And soon Mary￯﾿ﾽs devotion to righting wrongs puts her in the path of a very present danger that could be hiding behind any "killer smile." Sue Stone

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Everybody around lawyer Mary DiNunzio has decided she isn't allowed to be a Young Widow anymore, even though she didn't know there was an official cut-off. They're all trying to fix her up - her South Philly Italian parents, her best friend Judy Carrier, even the office security guard." "All Mary wants to do is immerse herself in a case everybody else calls "The History Channel," a pro bono representation of the Brandolini estate. The roots of the matter sink deep into the past, when Amadeo Brandolini emigrated to Philadelphia, started a family, and built up a small fishing business. At the outbreak of World War II, Brandolini was arrested by the FBI as part of a mass internment of Italian-Americans and was sent to a camp in Montana, where he eventually committed suicide. Now, more than sixty years later, his son's estate hires Mary to sue for reparations." Mary vows to vindicate Amadeo even though it won't be easy. With only a lock of hair, an old wallet, and a sheet of paper filled with odd doodles to go on, the tenacious lawyer begins to research the case but finds instead puzzling new questions. Someone doesn't want Mary to find the truth, and before long, her life is threatened. Suddenly, the quiet, squeaky-clean good girl who never left Mercer Street is risking her life and limb to finger a killer and lay a beloved ghost to rest.

FROM THE CRITICS

Richard Lipez - The Washington Post

This winning series always has snappy plots and interesting legal lore. But it's the affectionate and witty take on DiNunzio's bumpy love life -- here she's been widowed for two years and just begun dating -- that's consistently appealing, as are her South Philly extended family and neighborhood life.

Publishers Weekly

Scottoline's previous thrillers (Dead Ringer; Courting Trouble; etc.) have featured the women of the all-female Philadelphia law firm Rosato and Associates, and have concerned the usual elements of murder, stalking, bribery and corruption. This novel by the former trial lawyer and Edgar Award winner, while embracing the requisite ingredients, is especially engaging because of its personal angle: growing out of Scottoline's discovery of her own grandparents' alien registration cards, the book involves the case of an Italian-American who was interned during WWII. Amadeo Brandolini emigrated from Italy to Philadelphia, where he started a family and worked as a fisherman. When the war broke out, the FBI arrested and imprisoned him (along with 10,000 other Italian-Americans). He lost everything and wound up committing suicide in the camp. Rosato and Associates' young star, Mary DiNunzio, steps up to represent Brandolini's estate as it sues for reparations. Mary "grew up in South Philly, where she'd learned to pop her gum, wear high heels, and work overtime" and silently prays to saints when she can't find things. This case, a pro bono one, means a lot to her; the local small business owners and family friends she grew up with want retribution for Brandolini as much as she does. Mary puts all of her energy into the job, and when clues suggest Brandolini's death may have been a homicide, she becomes even more enthralled. As Mary learns more, the enemy camp (another Italian-American family, the Saracones) turns its murderous eye on her. Scottoline skillfully weaves a complicated, gripping and fast-paced tale, at turns comical, nerve-wracking and enlightening. Agent, Molly Friedrich. (On sale June 1) Forecast: Scottoline's last book, Dead Ringer, debuted at #5 on the New York Times bestseller list-her personal best. Killer Smile is poised for similar success, aided by a 13-city author tour and national radio and print ads. Look for an Innovators profile of Scottoline in the April 26 issue of PW. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

After Dead Ringer, Mary DiNunzio and the all-women law firm of Rosato & Associates are back in another installment of the popular series. While it's chock-full of Scottoline's trademark murder, mayhem, and merriment, this time she has a more important and personal story to tell-that of the little-known internment camps for Italian Americans during World War II. Scottoline discovered her own grandparents' alien registration cards, giving her the impetus and passion to bring this story to light. DiNunzio has taken on a pro bono case for the family of Amadeo Brandolini, an Italian immigrant fisherman who settled in Philadelphia but died under mysterious circumstances in one such camp in Montana; now, his family is seeking retribution. DiNunzio takes his case to heart, but her fervent research uncovers more subterfuge than she was supposed to find. Her crazy blind dates offer some comic relief, but the threats, violence, and bodies continue to pile up, and the truth remains elusive throughout this complex and riveting tale. Highly recommended for all fiction collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/04.]-Stacy Alesi, Southwest Cty. Regional Lib., Boca Raton, FL Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile

Spunky, young lawyer Mary DeNunzio becomes passionately entwined in a dusty, old estate settlement involving an Italian-American immigrant who comes to life in Mary's imagination. When an associate is murdered, Mary is convinced it's related to her case and pursues the truth against all odds. Barbara Rosenblat deftly delivers many colorful secondary characters. Her treatment of older people is especially sensitive and credible. She presents the heroine with an almost neutral voice, underplaying Mary's South Philadelphia identity. An interview with the author at the end of the recording provides entertaining insight, especially on the topic of Italian-Americans interned during WWII. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews