Daddy's Girl

The Sunday Age

Sunday April 29, 2007

Lucy Sussex

Lisa Scottoline

Macmillan, $32.95

Attention, all you legal studies teachers, or law lecturers! Natalie Greco is an inoffensive US academic, whose field is legal history, and who is anxious for tenure. A colleague inveigles her into actually visiting a prison, whereupon a riot erupts. She is assaulted, hears a prison guard's dying words, and finds herself framed for murder. Little Miss Milquetoast suddenly becomes Superwoman, crime fighter. Instead of letting her over-protective family look after her, she goes on the run, intent on solving the case. Of course, she succeeds, and becomes a national heroine. Her family realise she is not a baby girl anymore, and she also makes a significant historical discovery. Like much crime fiction written for the women's market, Daddy's Girl is about wish-fulfilment. As such, the book is well-paced, even empowering fun. Read it on public transport, as it holds the attention. However, enjoyable though it is, it probably does not bear close scrutiny.

© 2007 The Sunday Age

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