Rosato & DiNunzio Books In Order

Publication Order of Rosato & DiNunzio Books

Rosato & DiNunzio is a series of legal thriller novels written by Lisa Scottoline. The books follow the exploits of a team of female attorneys in Philadelphia as they attempt to juggle their careers and personal lives.

+The Story
The Rosato & DiNunzio series kicks things off with ‘Accused’. The first novel in the series, ‘Accused’ introduces readers to Mary DiNunzio, a successful attorney whose life takes an interesting turn when a teenage girl asks her to investigate the murder of her sister.

Allegra’s sister died six-years-ago. The police believe they caught the guilty party. Not only was Lonnie Stall seen fleeing the crime scene but he also pleaded guilty to the murder charges.

But the case never sat right with Allegra. So when the opportunity arises, she hires Mary DiNunzio to prove Lonnie’s innocence and find her sister’s killer. Unfortunately for Mary, Allegra’s parents are powerful and they have no interest in revisiting their daughter’s murder.

Mary must maneuver dangerous political waters to get to the truth and see that justice is served.
‘Accused’ often attracts mixed reviews. Readers that are new to Lisa Scottoline’s work are normally more lenient with the novel, appreciating the unique direction the mystery takes.

However, Lisa’s older fans typically lambast ‘Accused’ for being an inferior addition to the Rosato novels. While Mary DiNunzio makes her first appearance in the Rosato & DiNunzio series in ‘Accused’, which was published in 2013, the character has been around for much longer.

Lisa Scottoline came to fame when she wrote ‘Everywhere That Mary Went’, the first novel in the Rosato & Associates series. That particular novel was published in 1993 and it introduced readers to an all-female law firm in Philadelphia.

The books delved into the personal and professional lives of the lawyers of Rosato & Associates, not only Mary DiNunzio but also her boss and colleagues. Each installment in the series took readers into the POV of a particular Rosato & Associates attorney as she encountered and attempted to overcome a particularly difficult case.

The Rosato & DiNunzio series is essentially a sequel to the Rosato & Associates series. When she was first introduced in 1993, Mary DiNunzio was just another lawyer struggling to overcome the death of her husband even as she strived to climb the ladder in her firm.

She faced everything from determined boyfriends to murderers and stern enemy lawyers, and she came out on top. By the time the Rosato & DiNunzio series starts, things are looking good for the heroine.

For one thing, she has been made partner. The position comes with new responsibilities but, with each new installment in the series, she proves her willingness to defend her firm, stand up for her colleagues and overcome impossible odds to see justice done.

Mary doesn’t always believe in herself. She thinks her friends are smarter and more talented than her. As a result, she works very hard, pushes herself further than might be necessary because she thinks that is what she has to do to stay ahead.

Fortunately for the determined lawyer, she has a supportive and reliable fiancé. A considerable portion of the Rosato & DiNunzio series is spent following Mary about as she plans her wedding and prepares to start a new family.

While her fiancé’s appearances are brief and short, he is shown to be Mary’s loudest cheerleader.

These books are called ‘Rosato & DiNunzio’ because Mary shares her screen time with Bennie Rosato. Bennie created their law firm. She was Mary’s boss in the first series. She eventually recognized the woman’s talent and saw fit to promote her to the position of partner.

While Bennie does make a few appearances in Mary’s stories, Lisa Scottoline gives the character her own novels within which she is the star. People fear Bennie. She is physically, mentally and emotionally strong.

Her friends are well acquainted with her steely, no-nonsense personality. When Bennie sets her mind to a task, she doesn’t stop until she succeeds. No one can intimidate or bend her to their will.

However, it isn’t until her novels come around and Lisa takes readers into her POV that they realize just how soft and vulnerable she can be, especially when she is faced with a victim of injustice.

When the author isn’t telling Mary or Bennie’s stories, she will sometimes throw the spotlight on Judy Carrier. Like Bennie and Mary, Judy played a prominent role in the Rosato & Associates books.

Mary always admired her because of her wit and intelligence. By the time readers meet her in the Rosato & DiNunzio series though, Judy isn’t particularly happy. Her best friend Mary seems to be going places, both in her career and love life.

But Judy feels like she has stagnated. She spends this series attempting to find her place in the world.
As with the Rosato & Associates series, each installment in the Rosato & DiNunzio series follows a different member of the Rosato & DiNunzio law firm.

+The Author
Lisa Scottoline is an American lawyer who was born in 1955 in Philadelphia. A former student of the University of Pennsylvania, Lisa has an English Degree and a Law degree. She spent a few years practicing the law before retiring from the field and pursuing publishing. This was after her daughter was born.

+Accused
Everyone says Allegra Gardner’s sister was killed by Lonnie Stall. He had her blood on his clothes and he even pleaded guilty. It didn’t take the courts long to convict him. But Allegra, who is only 13, isn’t convinced.

And once she gets the financial assistance she needs, Allegra hires Mary to look into the matter. A newly minted partner at her law firm and a future bride, Mary isn’t sure she wants to go up against Allegra’s powerful parents who refuse to reopen the case.

But she also cannot bring herself to ignore an underdog who was convicted of a crime he did not commit.

+Betrayed
Judy Carrier’s life isn’t bad. But her best friend just made partner at their law firm and she will soon be married. Judy isn’t jealous of Mary but she definitely feels inadequate.

She wants more out of life. Judy is forced to put her personal problems aside momentarily when her Aunt is diagnosed with breast cancer. Judy wants to support Aunt Barb through the difficult times.

But Barb is more interested in solving the suspicious death of Iris Juarez, her friend, and an undocumented worker.