Moment of Truth begins with what appears to be an open-and-shut case. Jack Newlin, a wealthy attorney with one of the most influential law firms in Philadelphia, killed his wife in a moment of drunken passion, stabbing her repeatedly when she announced she wanted a divorce. Or at least that is what he is claiming to the police.

The fact is, Jack is framing himself because he fears his wife's murder was his daughter's crime of passion. Sixteen-year-old Paige Newlin is a successful model whose relationship with her manager-mother had been famously rocky. To make sure that he's convicted, Jack hires rookie lawyer Mary DiNunzio to defend him. But Mary doesn't buy Jack's story, and neither does the senior detective on the case. In a fascinating turn on the usual courtroom tale, then, Jack struggles to maintain his false story of guilt while his lawyer and the police struggle to prove him innocent. Meanwhile, Mary wrestles with both her uncertainty as a lawyer and with her attraction for her client.

Lisa Scottoline, often identified as the "female John Grisham," has led the pack of female authors in the legal thriller genre, winning an Edgar for her second novel, Final Appeal. Moment of Truth does have moments that don't, in fact, ring true. Why is Jack Newlin so quick to forgive his daughter when he thinks she's killed her own mother? And if he's so concerned with her welfare, why did he absent himself from her upbringing? But it's nonetheless interesting for its innovative plot conceit and its examination of high-profile murder trials. If one is able to overlook the problems with Newlin's motivation, the story Scottoline weaves is a compelling one, and her heroine, Mary, is an enjoyable, self-doubting twist on the super-lawyer at the center of most legal thrillers. --Patrick O'Kelley


From Publishers Weekly
A bullet-proof premise distinguishes this expert crime thriller from Scottoline (Mistaken Identity): handsome, successful estates lawyer Jack Newlin frames himself for the murder of his heiress wife in order to shield the real killer, their 16-year-old daughter, Paige. It doesn't matter to Jack that Philadelphia's hyper D.A., Dwight Davis, wants the death penaltyAJack is determined to protect his girl, a legally emancipated model who dabbles in crystal meth despite her recently discovered pregnancy. But not everyone is buying Jack's eager confession. Something about his story bothers veteran detective Reginald Brinkley, who's convinced that the traces of physical evidence at the murder scene point to Paige, and possibly to her preppy boyfriend, Trevor. And Mary DiNunzio, the young lawyer Jack hires for her presumed inexperience, finds herself Jack's "worst enemy" as she, too, begins focusing on the jittery teenager. Scottoline cuts a few corners: it's implausible that Mary, schooled only in "the law according to Steven Bochco," would be running such a big case unsupervised, or that this lapsed Catholic with hardwired guilt would allow herself to represent Paige while fighting for Jack, on whom she's developed an unprofessional crush. But Mary is a most appealing crusader, with a highly developed working-class wit ("she struck Mary instantly as the kind of girl for whom the delicate cycle was invented"). Sharp, funny characters, crafty plot twists, and a flavorful depiction of high- and lower-middle Philadelphia society will keep readers riveted to this tense, often mischievous page-turner. Agent, Molly Friedrich. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
YA-Lawyer Jack Newlin faces his most difficult assignment when he has to convince the police to accept his confession to a crime he didn't commit. Coming home to find his wife stabbed to death, Jack assumes the killer is their 16-year-old daughter, a super model who had recently announced her pregnancy. To insure his conviction, he hires novice lawyer Mary Di Nunzio to defend him. Not only does Mary develop a crush on him but she also is determined to prove him innocent. She makes many wrong assumptions, follows many wrong leads, and is nearly killed herself, but her faith in Jack is not shaken despite the fact that he wants her off the case when he realizes that she may discover the real truth. A book with action, suspense, romance, and humor.Katherine Fitch, Rachel Carson Middle School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
In this latest thriller from "the female John Grisham," as People has dubbed her, an innocent man frames himself for the murder of his wife, confounding defense attorney Mary DiNunzio. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.



Suspense, efficiency, spirit, and an unnerving, detailed picture of a big Philadelphia law firm.


USA Today
A lovable mix of good guys and smarmy sleazeballs [a] twisting, turning plot drives the story MOMENT OF TRUTH is an edgy tale, full of surprises.


Publisher's Weekly (*Starred Review*)
"Will keep reader's riveted."


USA Today
"An edgy tale, full of surprises."


Detroit News
"A thriller that delivers."


The Gazette
"Smart and sassy, top-notch...Scottoline could give Grisham a few tips."


New York Post
"A carefully crafted tale... Scottoline [keeps] the page-turner moving to a chilling end."



You'll dig right into this hip thriller.



Scottoline sets off plot lines like firecrackers… bedazzling the reader. … [She] is droll, intensely ironic and compassionate.


San Francisco Examiner
"This is one of those books you pick up and you can't go to bed until it's finished..."


Book Description
Moment of Truth is the story of a man who frames himself for murder.  When attorney Jack Newin discovers his wife dead in their elegant home, he's convinced he knows who killed her -- and is equally determined to hide the truth.  He decides to take the rap, and to seal his fate he hires the most inexperienced laywer he can find, a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio from the hot Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates.  But hiring Mary may turn out to be his biggest mistake.  Mary doubts Jack's confession, and her ethics and instincts tell her she can't defend a man who wants to convict himself.  Smarter, gutsier, and more persistent than she has any right to be, Mary sets out to prove what really happened -- because as any laywer knows, a case is never as simple as it seems.  And nothing is ever certain until the final moment of truth. 


Download Description
"Jack Newlin had no choice but to frame himself for murder."When attorney Newlin discovers his wife dead in their elegant home, he's convinced he knows who killed her - and is equally determined to hide the truth. He decides to take the rap, and to seal his fate he hires the most inexperienced lawyer he can find, a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio, from the hot Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates. But hiring Mary may turn out to be his biggest mistake. Mary doubts Jack's confession, and her ethics and instincts tell her she can't defend a man who wants to convict himself. Smarter, gutsier, and more persistent than she has any right to be, Mary sets out to prove what really happened -- because, as any lawyer knows, a case is never as simple as it seems. And nothing is ever certain until the final moment of truth. "An edgy tale, full of surprises" (USA Today). "A carefully crafted tale of immorality, dark secrets, and family values gone awry?


About the Author
Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times bestselling author and former trial lawyer. She has won the Edgar Award, the highest prize in suspense fiction, and the Distinguished Author Award from the Weinberg Library of the University of Scranton. She has served as the Leo Goodwin Senior Professor of Law and Popular Culture at Nova Southeastern Law School, and her novels are used by bar associations for the ethical issues they present. Her books are published in more than twenty languages. She lives with her family in the Philadelphia area.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
"Jack Newlin had no choice but to frame himself for murder."

From that riveting first line, Edgar Award-winning writer, Lisa Scottoline -- the woman some refer to as "the female John Grisham" -- ratchets up the suspense with every page in her newest thriller. Moment of Truth puts a new twist on the old tale of a lawyer hired to defend an accused murderer. Because this time, the accused isn't playing by the rules; he doesn't want to get off. And the lawyer defending him has more at stake than just her career and her client's life.

The luck of the draw and a late-night phone call give attorney Mary DiNunzio, who works in the all-woman law firm run by Bennie Rosato, a profile murder case to defend. Jack Newlin, a lawyer and the husband of wealthy socialite, Honor Newlin, comes home to find his wife brutally stabbed to death on the dining room floor. Convinced he knows who did it, Jack takes immediate steps to stage the crime scene and implicate himself. He then calls 911 and, later, confesses to the police. Then he hires DiNunzio because he figures her to be the most inexperienced lawyer he can get. But while Mary may not have much experience, she does have an instinct for the truth and a whole lot of energy that may turn her into Jack's worst nightmare.

For Mary, the case is both puzzling and frustrating. Instead of having a client who's guilty and professing his innocence, she has a client who's innocent and insisting he's guilty. Though Mary is pretty certain her client is lying, her intense attraction to him leaves her wondering if her judgment is sound. And complicating the picture is Jack's beautiful 16-year-old daughter, Paige, an emancipated minor who has been living on her own for a year while she pursues a modeling career. Paige and her mother have a long history of heated animosity and when Mary uncovers a certain secret, she begins to think Paige may be the real killer.

As Mary digs deeper into the case, she becomes more convinced that Jack is framing himself to protect his daughter. In trying to prove it, Mary runs into several obstacles, not the least of which is the Assistant D.A., Dwight Davis, who sees this case as a shoe-in for the death penalty and a stepping stone for his own career. But then Mary gets some help from a most unlikely source and the case takes a frightening turn. By the time Mary learns the truth, it may be too late to save either Jack or herself.

Scottoline has built a reputation for penning hard-hitting, fast-paced stories and this one, her seventh legal thriller, is no exception. From the hook of that first line through to the explosive conclusion, Scottoline reels her readers in, playing them on the line like a true master. Tapping into her own experiences as a trial lawyer with a prestigious Philadelphia law firm, Scottoline adds just the right amount of realism and drama to her tales. She clearly knows how to make the most of the ethical dilemmas and subtle intricacies that are part and parcel of practicing law. Combine that with a cast of well-drawn and complex characters and it's easy to see why Scottoline has a reputation for being one of the most entertaining reads around.

--Beth Amos

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A winner of the Edgar Award and the bestselling author of six acclaimed novels, Lisa Scottoline has unabashedly earned the distinction "queen of the legal thriller." Critics have celebrated her storytelling talents, noting that she skillfully depicts "personal quirks that give her characters dimension." Publishers Weekly has raved that "Scottoline's legal background lends verisimilitude" to her stories, and Kirkus Reviews has praised her ability to devise terrific plots, proclaiming that she "comes up with the best hooks in the legal trade." Now this gifted author has summoned her array of talents to pen Moment of Truth, her most exciting and unpredictable novel yet--a riveting story of a man who frames himself for murder.

Attorney Jack Newlin comes home one evening to find his wife, Honor, dead on the floor of their elegant dining room. Convinced that he knows who killed her--and determined to hide the truth--Jack decides to make it look as though he did it. Staging the crime scene so that the evidence incriminates him, he then calls the police. And to hammer the final nail in his own coffin, he hires the most inexperienced lawyer he can find, a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio, employed at the hot Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates.

Unfortunately for Jack, hiring Mary may turn out to be his only mistake.

Though inexperienced, Mary doubts Jack's confession and begins to investigate the crime. She finds that instead of having a guilty client who is falsely proclaiming his innocence, she has an innocent client who is falsely proclaiming his guilt. Her ethics and instincts tell her she can't defend a man who wants only one thing--to convict himself. Or can she? Smarter, gutsier, and more determined than she has any right to be, Mary decides to stick with the case. With help from the most unexpected sources, she sets out to prove what really happened--because as any lawyer knows, a case is never as simple as it seems.

And nothing is ever certain until the final moment of truth.

SYNOPSIS

Jack Newlin had no choice but to frame himself for murder.

When attorney Newlin discovers his wife dead in their elegant home, he's convinced he knows who killed her -- and is equally determined to hide the truth.

FROM THE CRITICS

Carol Memmott - USA Today

Moment of Truth is an edgy tale, full of surprises. Readers familiar with Philadelphia will enloy what DiNunzio calls "land memory."

Philadelphia Inquirer

Scottoline sets off plot lines like firecrackers... bedazzling the reader. ... [She] is droll, intensely ironic and compassionate.

USA Today

A lovable mix of good guys and smarmy sleazeballs... [a] twisting, turning plot drives the story... MOMENT OF TRUTH is an edgy tale, full of surprises.

San Francisco Examiner

This is one of those books you pick up and you can't go to bed until it's finished because of a realistic plot driven by likable and highly believable characters who talk like people you know. Moment of Truth truly is a thriller that delivers.

San Francisco Examiner