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The Cooperating Witness: A Susan Sorella Mystery
Suffolk Law Student Susan Sorella is tending tables at her father's restaurant in Boston's North End when the head of the local mob pays her a surprise visit. What he tells her sends her on a mission to save an innocent man accused of gunning down the mob's accountant.
Susan's an intern for Bobby Coughlin, a burned-out defense attorney who cops his clients out faster than they can sign his retainer agreement. The judge, having drop the accused triggerman in Bobby's lap, is pushing for a quick guilty plea. Bobby wants to supply it before he has a nervous breakdown.
Susan has to battle Bobby's fear of failure, his sexism, the D.A., crooked FBI agents, their homicidal informants, and a cooperating witness to get to the truth. She's not a lawyer yet but with her neck for digging up evidence and the wise guys on her side, can she get to the truth before an innocent man goes to jail?
Susan's an intern for Bobby Coughlin, a burned-out defense attorney who cops his clients out faster than they can sign his retainer agreement. The judge, having drop the accused triggerman in Bobby's lap, is pushing for a quick guilty plea. Bobby wants to supply it before he has a nervous breakdown.
Susan has to battle Bobby's fear of failure, his sexism, the D.A., crooked FBI agents, their homicidal informants, and a cooperating witness to get to the truth. She's not a lawyer yet but with her neck for digging up evidence and the wise guys on her side, can she get to the truth before an innocent man goes to jail?
- GenresThrillerLegal Thriller
348 pages, Paperback
Published February 25, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 18, 2026
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
law student susan was interning for bobby a burnt out defence attorney so when a case was dropped on bobby susan had no choice but to invest her time into it...
the case was murder and their client was saying he was innocent.... bobby had no interest in the case and wanted a plea deal but their client wasnt playing ball
susan was frustrated by bobby but then the unexpected happened one night she was visited by a mob boss at her fathers restaurant who gave her some important information to help with the case....
things were going to get very interesting if only bobby would get more invested in the case....
have to say i love court cases but this one didnt really hit the mark for me.... and i cant give an actual reason why.... i found it difficult to understand susans character and at times i felt she wasnt written right at times ... there are things women do and dont do and i felt this at times with susan character but it may just be me....
law student susan was interning for bobby a burnt out defence attorney so when a case was dropped on bobby susan had no choice but to invest her time into it...
the case was murder and their client was saying he was innocent.... bobby had no interest in the case and wanted a plea deal but their client wasnt playing ball
susan was frustrated by bobby but then the unexpected happened one night she was visited by a mob boss at her fathers restaurant who gave her some important information to help with the case....
things were going to get very interesting if only bobby would get more invested in the case....
have to say i love court cases but this one didnt really hit the mark for me.... and i cant give an actual reason why.... i found it difficult to understand susans character and at times i felt she wasnt written right at times ... there are things women do and dont do and i felt this at times with susan character but it may just be me....
August 31, 2024
She will be given some information which will help save an innocent man. The defense lawyer tends to strike a deal before the ink on the contract is dried. She will clash heads with him as she wants him to protect an innocent man. How will she get on? Will he do what she wants? See how she gets on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
March 4, 2026
This book captured me right from the beginning. I enjoyed getting to know Susan the law student and liked how most those she encountered treated her respectfully. I recommend this read if you like courtroom drama.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 17, 2026
This is a well-written, enjoyable book. None of the typos and grammatical errors that are found in too many BookSirens offers. It is advertised as a legal thriller, but I found it to be more of a mystery than a thriller.
The protagonist Susan Sorella is a law student working with a worn-out lawyer Bobby Coughlin. I admired Susan's enthusiasm and loved her connection to the mobster Frank Romano. Susan's father and the Italian restaurant Gabriella's that he runs were interesting and added a lot to the story. The antipasto described in Chapter 49 had my mouth watering.
I once did some court-appointed criminal defense work and found the legal system realistically portrayed.
I plan to read the next book in the series to see if Susan maintains her enthusiasm as she progresses in the legal field.
I received a free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The protagonist Susan Sorella is a law student working with a worn-out lawyer Bobby Coughlin. I admired Susan's enthusiasm and loved her connection to the mobster Frank Romano. Susan's father and the Italian restaurant Gabriella's that he runs were interesting and added a lot to the story. The antipasto described in Chapter 49 had my mouth watering.
I once did some court-appointed criminal defense work and found the legal system realistically portrayed.
I plan to read the next book in the series to see if Susan maintains her enthusiasm as she progresses in the legal field.
I received a free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 27, 2026
Excellent!
This first book in the Susan Sorella series was well written. The author kept me wondering until the very end how he would conclude the legal case. Highly recommended!
This first book in the Susan Sorella series was well written. The author kept me wondering until the very end how he would conclude the legal case. Highly recommended!
July 29, 2026
CAUTION: Spoilers.
The first paragraph of Chapter 44 tells you all that you need to know about this book, because it is a litany of stock phrases and cliches. To whit: “The moment of truth...courtroom was packed...media were there in full force...stomachs might be doing flip-flops...didn’t have a care in the world...couldn’t sit still…” And many more as the chapter progressed.
Worse is to come, as in chapter 45, “...like vultures waiting for the blood to start flowing…” Vultures much prefer carrion, which is dead meat and therefore devoid of blood flow.
The story has Susan Scarpella as the protagonist; the antagonist...might have been any of several of the other characters in the book. She is a law student interning for a public defendant lawyer who is handed a murder trial by a judge, and she decides to conduct her own investigation because the lawyer wouldn’t.
Spoiler: An enormous plot hole occurred to me while I was reading it and if you wish to avoid a spoiler, skip to the next paragraph: forensic evidence. There was none linking the secondary character to the alleged perpetrator or the crime scene, or… anything to do with the murder, and nobody seemed to think that was of any testimonial or exculpatory value. In fact, the entire premise fell apart due to the superficial treatment of forensic evidence and the investigation as a whole. A known murderer says, “they were my accomplices,” and that appears to have been sufficient for the courts, and the same goes for the quite obviously apathetic and inept defence lawyer. No search of either defendant’s home for possible forensic evidence, no checking of alibis or the perpetrator’s story for factual inaccuracies. Not even a mention of interviews or interrogations by the authorities.
The book was not an easy read, because the author insisted on telling rather than showing as a priority. He repeatedly told the reader how the character was feeling – and at times switching within the same paragraph – rather than taking the opportunity to demonstrate it through the character’s actions. This very quickly made the book tedious and dull. It also meant that the clues within the story failed to leave any impact. There was no sense of place – whether it was an office, boardroom, restaurant, or anywhere else. I’ve never been to Boston, and never will, but the author’s responsibility is to take me there and give me some experience of the place. He failed.
The author may well be an expert in courtroom proceedings – given he lectured in law – but at writing, he is not. I wasn’t expecting Michael Ondaatje or Anthony Doer or Lee Child, but the resultant manuscript is far removed from Amazon’s description: “...a riveting courtroom drama and psychological mystery of true literary merit…” No, it is nothing like that.
Characters are described as “handsome” or “good-looking.” Also “well-dressed.” In what way? My unfamiliarity with US law may be evident, but I would also question heavily, the ethics of two separate lawyers combining their defence activities: surely there is a danger that one or other of the lawyers – who are duty-bound to do the best for their client above all else – might try to exonerate their client at the expense of the other defendant? It would be a major concern for me if I were defending either of the accused.
Rather than build tension, the telling removed it, because the reader was hearing the (often jumbled) thoughts of the character in detail, rather than the too-sparse details of the surroundings, the dialogue, and the plot.
The resulting mess is a legal thriller for those who care nothing for forensics in general and the legal system in particular, which is a major shortcoming for this type of novel. What to call such a “thriller”? Boring.
The first paragraph of Chapter 44 tells you all that you need to know about this book, because it is a litany of stock phrases and cliches. To whit: “The moment of truth...courtroom was packed...media were there in full force...stomachs might be doing flip-flops...didn’t have a care in the world...couldn’t sit still…” And many more as the chapter progressed.
Worse is to come, as in chapter 45, “...like vultures waiting for the blood to start flowing…” Vultures much prefer carrion, which is dead meat and therefore devoid of blood flow.
The story has Susan Scarpella as the protagonist; the antagonist...might have been any of several of the other characters in the book. She is a law student interning for a public defendant lawyer who is handed a murder trial by a judge, and she decides to conduct her own investigation because the lawyer wouldn’t.
Spoiler: An enormous plot hole occurred to me while I was reading it and if you wish to avoid a spoiler, skip to the next paragraph: forensic evidence. There was none linking the secondary character to the alleged perpetrator or the crime scene, or… anything to do with the murder, and nobody seemed to think that was of any testimonial or exculpatory value. In fact, the entire premise fell apart due to the superficial treatment of forensic evidence and the investigation as a whole. A known murderer says, “they were my accomplices,” and that appears to have been sufficient for the courts, and the same goes for the quite obviously apathetic and inept defence lawyer. No search of either defendant’s home for possible forensic evidence, no checking of alibis or the perpetrator’s story for factual inaccuracies. Not even a mention of interviews or interrogations by the authorities.
The book was not an easy read, because the author insisted on telling rather than showing as a priority. He repeatedly told the reader how the character was feeling – and at times switching within the same paragraph – rather than taking the opportunity to demonstrate it through the character’s actions. This very quickly made the book tedious and dull. It also meant that the clues within the story failed to leave any impact. There was no sense of place – whether it was an office, boardroom, restaurant, or anywhere else. I’ve never been to Boston, and never will, but the author’s responsibility is to take me there and give me some experience of the place. He failed.
The author may well be an expert in courtroom proceedings – given he lectured in law – but at writing, he is not. I wasn’t expecting Michael Ondaatje or Anthony Doer or Lee Child, but the resultant manuscript is far removed from Amazon’s description: “...a riveting courtroom drama and psychological mystery of true literary merit…” No, it is nothing like that.
Characters are described as “handsome” or “good-looking.” Also “well-dressed.” In what way? My unfamiliarity with US law may be evident, but I would also question heavily, the ethics of two separate lawyers combining their defence activities: surely there is a danger that one or other of the lawyers – who are duty-bound to do the best for their client above all else – might try to exonerate their client at the expense of the other defendant? It would be a major concern for me if I were defending either of the accused.
Rather than build tension, the telling removed it, because the reader was hearing the (often jumbled) thoughts of the character in detail, rather than the too-sparse details of the surroundings, the dialogue, and the plot.
The resulting mess is a legal thriller for those who care nothing for forensics in general and the legal system in particular, which is a major shortcoming for this type of novel. What to call such a “thriller”? Boring.
June 26, 2026
I received an ARC through "Booksirens" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This is the 1st story in the series and introduces Susan Sorella, a law student interning with Bobby Coughlin, a lawyer just working on low crime cases. Susan is visited by Frank Romano, a friend of her father and a crime boss, who explains to her that Bobby will be assigned a client charged with murder and lets her know that Nicky, the client, is innocent. Bobby does get assigned Nicky and Bobby is scared to work on this case since the last one that was like this resulted in Bobby's client committing suicide in jail. Bobby's intent was to work to get a plea deal and not go to trial. Because this case involved another client, that arrangement did not come up when the case went to trial.
Follow Susan and she winds up doing her own investigation with getting little help from Bobby. Learn the backstory of how the arrest was arrived at who was behind bringing it to the Prosecutor. Discover what Susan went through and what information she brought to the forefront once the defense had a turn presenting to the jury.
The ending is surprising and the book is well worth the read, don't miss out.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
This is the 1st story in the series and introduces Susan Sorella, a law student interning with Bobby Coughlin, a lawyer just working on low crime cases. Susan is visited by Frank Romano, a friend of her father and a crime boss, who explains to her that Bobby will be assigned a client charged with murder and lets her know that Nicky, the client, is innocent. Bobby does get assigned Nicky and Bobby is scared to work on this case since the last one that was like this resulted in Bobby's client committing suicide in jail. Bobby's intent was to work to get a plea deal and not go to trial. Because this case involved another client, that arrangement did not come up when the case went to trial.
Follow Susan and she winds up doing her own investigation with getting little help from Bobby. Learn the backstory of how the arrest was arrived at who was behind bringing it to the Prosecutor. Discover what Susan went through and what information she brought to the forefront once the defense had a turn presenting to the jury.
The ending is surprising and the book is well worth the read, don't miss out.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
April 16, 2026
I was granted the Cooperating Witness: A Susan Sorella Mystery ARC. This is my honest review.
I LOVE a good thriller and if it's a legal mystery / thriller so this was right up my alley.
The book, for me, started out a bit slow with several characters and it took me a minute to wrap my head around who was who… so it wasn't an immediate page turner for me. A bit of getting to know you. I was a bit frustrated through about 50 pages but I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did.
All the characters and the stories started coming together. There's dirty politics, the mob, the good guys and not so good guys. Susan is a law student and a tough cookie this was a wild ride overall.
It was GREAT and I couldn't wait to see how this was going to turn out. The writing was really good and kept me engaged. I will definitely be reading the other books in the series.
I LOVE a good thriller and if it's a legal mystery / thriller so this was right up my alley.
The book, for me, started out a bit slow with several characters and it took me a minute to wrap my head around who was who… so it wasn't an immediate page turner for me. A bit of getting to know you. I was a bit frustrated through about 50 pages but I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did.
All the characters and the stories started coming together. There's dirty politics, the mob, the good guys and not so good guys. Susan is a law student and a tough cookie this was a wild ride overall.
It was GREAT and I couldn't wait to see how this was going to turn out. The writing was really good and kept me engaged. I will definitely be reading the other books in the series.
September 21, 2026
This was a gripping legal thriller with plenty of tension, secrets, and high stakes. I really enjoyed following Susan as she dug deeper into a case that clearly wasn’t adding up. I loved her determination and the way she refused to back down, even when the odds were stacked against her.
The courtroom and investigative elements kept me invested, and there were enough twists and danger to keep me wondering how everything would come together. The story did get a little slow in spots for me, but overall, I thought it was a solid and entertaining listen.
Rebecca H. Lee and Steve Marvel did a great job bringing the characters to life. Their narration fit the tone of the story really well and made this an enjoyable audiobook experience. If you enjoy legal thrillers with murder, corruption, and a determined young law student chasing the truth, this one is worth checking out!
The courtroom and investigative elements kept me invested, and there were enough twists and danger to keep me wondering how everything would come together. The story did get a little slow in spots for me, but overall, I thought it was a solid and entertaining listen.
Rebecca H. Lee and Steve Marvel did a great job bringing the characters to life. Their narration fit the tone of the story really well and made this an enjoyable audiobook experience. If you enjoy legal thrillers with murder, corruption, and a determined young law student chasing the truth, this one is worth checking out!
October 10, 2026
Welcome to Boston and the Susan Sorella series. The Cooperating Witness is a thrilling beginning to this series. Susan is an intern with Bobby Coughlin when he is assigned to defend a murder suspect. Susan believes in his innocence and she sets out to prove it. Will she succeed?
The performance by Rebecca H. Lee and Steve Marvel was phenomenal. Rebecca H. Lee was magnificent as kind, intelligent law student/intern Susan. I could feel her fear, uncertainty, vulnerability, intelligence, curiosity and love through her voice. Steve Marvel was spectacular as scared, uncertain Bobby. They both portrayed all other characters perfectly. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.
Thanks to the author and High Gravity Productions for this ALC.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Story 5 stars Performance 5 stars
The performance by Rebecca H. Lee and Steve Marvel was phenomenal. Rebecca H. Lee was magnificent as kind, intelligent law student/intern Susan. I could feel her fear, uncertainty, vulnerability, intelligence, curiosity and love through her voice. Steve Marvel was spectacular as scared, uncertain Bobby. They both portrayed all other characters perfectly. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.
Thanks to the author and High Gravity Productions for this ALC.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Story 5 stars Performance 5 stars
May 18, 2026
Read it, Read it, Read it
Being a Boston native, married to an attorney, as well as the father of an attorney ( Suffolk Law), I strongly recommend everyone read the Cooperating Witness. The writing and the “action “ certainly holds your attention, but the narrative of the local towns and places adds a depth of color that only someone who has lived in Greater Boston can provide? Having completed my surgical residency at a major hospital close to the North End, the actions of the FBI are not as out of character as one might think. My only minor criticism is that none of the characters spoke with an authentic Boston accent LOL
Being a Boston native, married to an attorney, as well as the father of an attorney ( Suffolk Law), I strongly recommend everyone read the Cooperating Witness. The writing and the “action “ certainly holds your attention, but the narrative of the local towns and places adds a depth of color that only someone who has lived in Greater Boston can provide? Having completed my surgical residency at a major hospital close to the North End, the actions of the FBI are not as out of character as one might think. My only minor criticism is that none of the characters spoke with an authentic Boston accent LOL
June 4, 2026
Susan is a law student, intern, and waitress at her family's restaurant. She is interning for Bobby, a defense lawyer, who has lost his drive to succeed, taking on easy cases and plea deals. That is, until a judge assigns him a murder case. Seeing that Bobby has no interest in helping his client, Susan steps up and starts investigating. Clue by clue, she gathers the clues. It adds up to an unbelievable truth, but is Susan able to bring it to light in time to save their client? Although this book started very slowly, it speeds up as more clues are found. I loved the characters and the twists. Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC of this book.
March 23, 2026
Boston law student Susan Sprella is interning for a less that stellar lawyer who unexpectedly gets handed a murder case. And then the head of the Boston mob approaches Susan with information about the case. A good set up, but the novel doesn't quite live up.
The characters are all a little flat and one dimensional. All treat Susan as a seasoned litigator, which seems odd given she has yet to pass the bar. And every motivation of every character is laid out for the reader to see. The novel lacks mystery at times - show don't tell!
The characters are all a little flat and one dimensional. All treat Susan as a seasoned litigator, which seems odd given she has yet to pass the bar. And every motivation of every character is laid out for the reader to see. The novel lacks mystery at times - show don't tell!
March 27, 2026
A first book about Susan Sorella, ambitious and self-focused law student, intern in this story. Her self-absorbance means she goes out of her way to help a client, while ignoring her bosses instructions. Her naivety could cost her everything. Every experience is something you should learn from. Susan really still has a lot to learn. Not a perfect crime novel, but one worth passing a few hours trying to work out what’s going on. Thank you to Relay Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
May 7, 2026
Closer to 4 stars. The book had a decent plot although the author was stingy with the clues (for those of us who like to figure it out before the reveal). I had figured out who but not why. My main problem with this book was the writing: I found the pace slow and the characters shallow. There was no excitement or suspense; the story just plodded along.
Obviously this is one of a series. I can't imagine reading more of the same.
Obviously this is one of a series. I can't imagine reading more of the same.
August 5, 2026
The Cooperating Witness is a great introduction to Susan Sorella, a law student interning with a criminal defense attorney. Susan is instrumental in the defense of a man wrongly accused of killing a mob accountant. The Boston setting adds to the drama. Corruption is discovered within the FBI. The resulting story contains all the twists and turns that make crime dramas successful. I look forward to reading other books in the series.
August 30, 2026
VERY GOOD STORY!
This was just a doggone good story! I really enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the characters in the story and their personalities and how they grew into their part of the book.. absolutely enjoyable book. I couldn’t wait to get back to it every night to get it finished and find out how they caught the bad guys.. and I like stories with good endings! Read this story you will really like it!
This was just a doggone good story! I really enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the characters in the story and their personalities and how they grew into their part of the book.. absolutely enjoyable book. I couldn’t wait to get back to it every night to get it finished and find out how they caught the bad guys.. and I like stories with good endings! Read this story you will really like it!
May 18, 2026
An interesting storyline which vividly portrayed the legal system at its finest as well as the clever addition and portrayal of the mob that added extra depth to the plot as a whole.
The FMC was both strong and determined throughout the story with the ending having a satisfying conclusion.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book.
The FMC was both strong and determined throughout the story with the ending having a satisfying conclusion.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book.
September 28, 2026
Legal fight.
Susan is a tenacious, intelligent law student. She’s on her first murder case with some pertinent information thrust upon her. There was just enough legality to keep it a legal thriller but not enough to overwhelm or bore. In a myriad of twists and secrets, she’s on the case to free an innocent man.
Come read with me @booksy.tx.ana
ALC from high gravity productions
Susan is a tenacious, intelligent law student. She’s on her first murder case with some pertinent information thrust upon her. There was just enough legality to keep it a legal thriller but not enough to overwhelm or bore. In a myriad of twists and secrets, she’s on the case to free an innocent man.
Come read with me @booksy.tx.ana
ALC from high gravity productions
April 30, 2026
Language
Here is another person who is willing to profane that which many worship by using their names as vulgar exclamations. In addition, this person has no better grasp of language than to flip out f-bombs as common terms. There are better authors available elsewhere.
Here is another person who is willing to profane that which many worship by using their names as vulgar exclamations. In addition, this person has no better grasp of language than to flip out f-bombs as common terms. There are better authors available elsewhere.
May 20, 2026
Great Story from excellent author and lawyer!
Great story from excellent author and lawyer! Mike’s education, training and experience as a top-notch litigator help make this mystery very compelling.
Great story from excellent author and lawyer! Mike’s education, training and experience as a top-notch litigator help make this mystery very compelling.
May 16, 2026
Loved this book cant wait to read the rest of the series
May 28, 2026
Exciting legal thriller.
June 1, 2026
An excellent story for Perry Mason fans. (Yes, there is the typical Perry Mason moment during the trial.) The courtroom details felt accurate, and the story was engaging and compelling. I wasn't sure how I was going to like one of the characters, but Mr. Avery redeemed him for me. There is plenty of action, both inside and outside of the courtroom, which kept me turning the pages. I highly recommend this series and look forward to more of the stories.
I received a review copy from the author via BookSirens, and this review reflects my honest and voluntary opinion.
I received a review copy from the author via BookSirens, and this review reflects my honest and voluntary opinion.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews