Devil's Corner

By: Lisa Scottoline

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

When prosecutor Vicki Allegretti arrives at a rowhouse to meet a confidential informant, she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is almost shot to death. She barely escapes with her life but cannot save the two others gunned down before her disbelieving eyes. Stunned and heartbroken, Vicki tries to figure out how a routine meeting on a minor case became a double homicide.

Vicki's suspicions take her to Devil's Corner, a city neighborhood teetering on the brink of ruin, thick with broken souls, innocent youth, and a scourge that preys on both. But the deeper Vicki probes, the more she becomes convinced that the murders weren't random and the killers were more ruthless than she thought.

When another murder thrusts Vicki together with an unlikely ally, she buckles up for a wild ride down a dangerous street and into the crosshairs of a conspiracy as powerful as it is relentless.

©2005 Lisa Scottoline (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Entertaining and exciting." (Booklist)

"Scottoline's ability to mix humor with serious subject matter, combined with her intense research of inner city drug trafficking and a side plot involving Vicki's love life, make for compelling entertainment." (Publishers Weekly)

Outstanding

Excellent mystery - keeps you guessing until the end. The narrator was one of the best I've heard. She was able to do many different types of female voices and not too bad of a job with the male voices either.

My only observation is that I think the author could have ended a bit sooner. One of the mistakes that I think many contemporary authors make is that they feel they have to tie up every loose end. I think the book would have been just as good without the final scene with the parents. I won't say more for fear of spoiling.

Don't miss this one, though if you like mysteries. Be aware though that it's not a typical "lawyer" book. I don't remember one scene that was actually in a courtroom.

Drugs and Death

Vicki is at the row home of a CI, confidential informant, but finds out soon enough, that the problem isn't as easy as she had been told. She had come to the row home to be given information on a minor crime, when Vicki finds herself being shot at.

Vicki, a prosecutor, has found out, after this incident, that something else is wrong. She does some sleuthing on her own and finds herself wanting to know more about the serious drug problem that is affecting a nearby neighborhood.

Vicki has been told that she is not to become involved but she doesn't listen too well. She becomes involved with a woman who is definitely not someone Vicki would see as a good match for her. However, as times goes by, they become two women on a mission. Once they got started, there was no one who was going to get in their way. They will find an answer.

The story does hold your interest. I thought the book could have been shorter in listening time. The narrator, Barbara Rosenblat did a good job. Drugs and what drugs do to those who sell them, deliver them and use them is written well. I would read another book by the author, Lisa Scottoline.

Great narration!

I loved the story. I read it a few year’s ago , but this time I listened to it. I loved the way Barbara could give each character their own voice. It made me feel like I was there with Vickie and Rahema on their stake out.

Dreadful Narration

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Sadly, no. The story is fun, but the narrator is so distracting, the story gets lost.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator was awful. Long pauses in inappropriate places, almost like she lost her place and just picked up with no clue of what she'd just read.

Her rendition of African-Americans was incredibly racist--kind of like Al Jolson's black face in verbal form. More like caricatures than real people. Awful accents and the voices--ugh! Almost painful to listen to. I found myself mentally checking out, but then losing the thread of the story and having to rewind and suffer through.

Also--is she eating? The mouth sounds are distracting as well.

Do you think Devil's Corner needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It would be fun to have more Victoria Allegretti stories. Just with a different narrator.

Great pair!

Love this narrator. Ms. Rosenblat is such a joy, I've been listening to her read for years. Ms. Scottoline is superb too.

Narrator - BIG UGH!

The book was good but the narrator drove me CRAZY! If she swallows ONE MORE TIME!!! UGH!!

Lisa always delivers!

What made the experience of listening to Devil's Corner the most enjoyable?

So well written. The story kept you wondering what was going to happen next.

What did you like best about this story?

It kept my interest and I enjoyed the humor and friendship developing between the main characters.

What about Barbara Rosenblat’s performance did you like?

She is very, very good. Very easy to listen to and holds your interest.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely.

Any additional comments?

Please Lisa, keep writing! Look forward to reading all her books.

Warms your heart

Enjoyed overcoming racist motives. Realistic and believable story line and narration. Likable characters and very colorful dialogue. Please continue characters in another Scottoline book,

Barbara Rosenblat.....🙄🙄🙄

I just have an issue with each book that Barbara Rosenblat because it sounds as if she has her mouth full of spit or maybe chewing a mouth full of gum!! I have no doubt that she is an amazing person but she needs not narrate any more books.....please!!

Attorney, investigator, smart mouth

Scottoline is a master of the "humorous self realization" but cuts them back to write a gritty story of her old neighborhood which has gone from bad to pure urban blight. It is thrilling, touching, but much more serious than some of her other books which are practically light hearted with humor. There is budding romance for those who like that. The writer / narrator is always engaging to TRUE Scottoline fans. (Those who don't hate Rosenblatt's "performance" style or the few mouth noises not edited out). (People can be so prissy about such things.) This is Scottoline at her most serious and she is still fun and very entertaining.