Book Review: Dirty Blonde

Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline

I've never read any novels by Scottoline, but I know she's popular with our patrons, and her novels have been compared to Grisham's earlier works for gritty, engaging courtroom suspense novels. I was searching for a new audiobook when I stumbled upon this 2006 title.

This stand-alone novel (Scottoline also have a series of recurring characters) features Cate Fante, a young federal judge (age 39) with a secret life that she keeps away from the courtroom. After presiding over an explosive Hollywood case, a murder, a suicide, and a threatened judge culminate in a twisty, turny novel that keeps the reader flying through the story until the end. Filled with great supporting characters, a fantastic heroine (despite her "secret", you can't help but like and cheer for Fante), and a lot of detail, this is a entertaining read with an ending I didn't see coming, though the ending does come up quickly.

I really enjoyed this read by Scottoline, and will definitely read more, and recommend her titles to patrons in the future. Rock on!

Note: I listened to the audio edition, narrated by the fantastic Babara Rosenblat. Rosenblat has a husky, smoker's voice that is filled with great inflection, variety and is very engaging to read. She really brought Cate to life for me - a great listen!