Save me by Lisa Scottoline (review #124)

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline

Genre: Fiction, Mystery

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Format: Library Loan

* Read for 2011 A-Z Mystery Author Challenge

Surprisingly I have never read a book by Lisa Scottoline before. I was curious about this one because SO many patrons at my library were placing holds on it. I kept receiving it in my delivery several times a week and I thought, what the heck, let's try it out. I had to wait a bit but finally got it in on Monday. I read it in 2 days.

The book starts off with a bang. It jumps right in to Rose as a lunchroom mom, keeping an eye on her daughter, Melly. Melly is being bullied because of her large birth mark on her face and her mother wants to see if she can help in any way, hence the volunteer job.

After witnessing Melly's classmate Amanda make fun of her, Rose steps in and tells her to say she was sorry. At this point, the lunchroom is clearing and a teacher approaches Rose to see what was going on. Rose explains that she is trying to make a point that the school doesn't tolerate bullying. The teacher makes it clear that it's not her job to discipline and that they should make their way out of the cafeteria.

At this point the teacher leaves and not more than a few minutes later, an explosion goes off sending Rose into a panic. Melly had run off after the incident and Rose was left with Amanda and two other students that she was now responsible for to get to safety.

But she is torn. Where did Melly go? Did she make it outside or did she go and hide in the bathroom like she is known to do?

Faced with the dilemma to either save her own child or the others, she escorts the three girls half way to the exit door, pointing the rest of the way.

Melly survives and so do the other girls but Amanda is some how critically injured and in a coma. The entire community blames Rose for neglecting to bring the girls out of the building, berating her for choosing her own child over the others.

What follows is a pretty intense, fast paced ride. Rose is tortured in the press and in the community, being called a horrible mother. Wanting to not only clear her name but also find some peace for her daughter, Rose sets out to find out the truth behind the explosion at the school. After some minor digging, she discovers some dirty business going on.

I was enjoying the book up until the almost instant "Rose becomes Super Investigator" part kicked in. Sure, you feel the adrenaline of finding the truth but it all seemed too easy for her to find the truth. And though in the end Rose does good and brings the bad guys out in the light, I still didn't really feel too much towards her. In my opinion, I didn't think her character was written with much depth. She was beautiful former model with a handsome lawyer husband. She managed to get all the answers with, what seemed, like very little effort.

Review: 4/6

Overall, it was a quick, fast-paced read. It read more like a mystery than a contemporary women's fiction novel that it seems it's being marketed for. Her writing was dramatic and absorbing to read. It just fell a little short towards the end and it didn't go where I thought it would. I do wish to read Lisa Scottoline again. I would like to start with some of her older mysteries, rather than some eof her newer novels and see how those turn out.

I would recommend this for fans of mysteries and Jodi Picoult like dramas.

Book Club Pick?

Well, it does get into the drama of parenting, navigating the world of school politics, bullying, etc. I think that would spark some conversation. Also, just the question "What would you do if you were in this situation?" would be intriguing to answer.

Author Website:

Lisa Scottoline

Happy reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child