Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline
I consider myself an adventurous reader. I’ll read just about anything, and in desperate times have been known to finish books I didn’t even like. I enjoy discovering new authors, and I always peruse my friends’ bookshelves for inspiration. But when selecting a book for airplane travel, I do not experiment. For trip day, I require a reliable, escapist read. I want a book by a brand name author that is guaranteed to keep me happily engaged for two or more hours, despite lack of oxygen, cramped seating, and starvation. Flight #1088 is not when I plan to catch up on the books from my high school summer reading list.
In fact, my idea of real panic is to wedge myself into my seat, open my novel, and be bored after ten pages. Help! The alternatives at 30,000 feet are not enticing– talk to my seatmate, stare out the window, sleep (lots of luck), read the American Way Magazine? The selection of the appropriate escape fiction is vitally important to a successful travel experience.
Accordingly, I can happily recommend Lisa Scottoline, a former trial lawyer, and the author of a dozen, consistently readable legal thrillers. Most of her novels take place in the Philadelphia area. Many of them involve either directly or indirectly the all female firm of Rosato & Associates. Several of the best ones feature Mary DiNuzio, a hardworking, and earnest young woman at the firm.
Daddy’s Girl does not, except for a passing mention, concern Rosato & Associates. But the lead character, law professor Natalie Greco, bears a remarkable resemblance to the Rosato girls. Smart and serious, Natalie feels slightly out of place at the University as well as with her loud, sports-obsessed family. Instead of a cat, she has a comfortable boyfriend. In a moment of weakness, Natalie allows a handsome colleague to persuade her to teach a class at the local prison.
On her first visit to the prison, a violent riot breaks out. A dying guard asks Natalie to deliver a cryptic message to his wife. Natalie dutifully contacts the wife, who finds her late husband’s words baffling as well. But Natalie is unable to forget the mysterious message. There is something about the prison incident that arouses Natalie’s suspicions.
Succumbing to her inner Nancy Drew, Natalie starts asking questions. Her snooping immediately lands her in serious trouble. She is accused of murder, and soon this conservative, good girl is on the run from the law. (Problems like this never happened in The Case of the Old Clock!) Relying solely on her courage, creativity, and costume changes, Natalie must outwit the police, find the real killers, and determine the meaning of the guard’s final words. Although there is never any doubt that Natalie will triumph, the briskly- paced narrative and wily plot twists will keep you eagerly turning the pages.
The mystery is satisfactorily solved just in time for touchdown at LaGuardia.