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Most Wanted
Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby. Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated. After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.
Two months pass and Christine is happily pregnant. but one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders-and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.
Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Riveting and fast-paced, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?
Two months pass and Christine is happily pregnant. but one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders-and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.
Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Riveting and fast-paced, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?
12 pages, Audiobook
First published April 12, 2016
2115 people are currently reading
14509 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Scottoline
137 books15.6k followersLisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar award-winning author of 33 novels. Her books are book-club favorites, and Lisa and her daughter Francesca Serritella have hosted an annual Big Book Club Party for over a thousand readers at her Pennsylvania farm, for the past twelve years. Lisa has served as President of Mystery Writers of America, and her reviews of fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter for the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled Chick Wit, a witty take on life from a woman’s perspective, which have been collected in a bestselling series of humorous memoirs. Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in English, and cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she taught Justice and Fiction. Lisa has over 30 million copies of her books in print and is published in over 35 countries. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,765 reviews
February 9, 2016
I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Thank you to both.
I had never read anything by this author and, based on the book description, was really looking forward to this story. Sadly, this book was very disappointing to me.
The entire storyline was just so implausible to me. Usually if I struggle with the foundation of the story I can overlook it if the book is well-written and has strong characters. Unfortunately, the entire time I was reading this all I kept thinking was this woman is an idiot, this would never happen, and her husband is a douche nozzle.
By the time I reached the end of the book, I just didn't care whether or not the donor was a serial killer. What was my takeaway from this book? That this couple should not parent a child together!
Based on this book, I'm not sure if I would delve into any of Ms. Scottoline's other work. I'll have to think about that before taking the plunge.
I had never read anything by this author and, based on the book description, was really looking forward to this story. Sadly, this book was very disappointing to me.
The entire storyline was just so implausible to me. Usually if I struggle with the foundation of the story I can overlook it if the book is well-written and has strong characters. Unfortunately, the entire time I was reading this all I kept thinking was this woman is an idiot, this would never happen, and her husband is a douche nozzle.
By the time I reached the end of the book, I just didn't care whether or not the donor was a serial killer. What was my takeaway from this book? That this couple should not parent a child together!
Based on this book, I'm not sure if I would delve into any of Ms. Scottoline's other work. I'll have to think about that before taking the plunge.
June 22, 2016
Remember when you were a little kid and you'd get into squabbles that went like this: is not, is to, is not, is too, is not, is too? Now imagine an entire novel like this.
Chapter 1--Christine sees a recently arrested serial killer on the news and thinks he looks like the photo of the anonymous sperm donor who is the biological father of her fetus. Her husband says the killer is not their donor. Is too. Is not. Is too.
Chapter 2--The best friend is brought in for a consultation. Nah, it's not him. Is too. Is not. Is too.
Chapter 3--Call the sperm bank and ask if their donor is the killer. Can't tell you. Tell us. Can't. Tell us. Can't.
Christine and her husband disagree on how to proceed, so naturally Christine takes matters into her own hands and begins doing reckless and dangerous things despite being three months pregnant. What follows is an utterly implausible story. It's small wonder the plot runs off the rails given that the underlying premise is preposterous. Why would a sperm bank put up photos of the anonymous donors on a publicly accessible website? How could anyone remain anonymous if his photo is up there for the world to see just like a puppy on Petfinder?
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I entered because I have read and enjoyed Scottoline's work in the past. Indeed, I've heard her speak at conferences, and she's smart, funny, and charming. I'm not sure what happened here. Maybe she came up with a "high concept" and then couldn't figure to how to make it work. Could too. Could not. Could too.
COULD NOT!
Chapter 1--Christine sees a recently arrested serial killer on the news and thinks he looks like the photo of the anonymous sperm donor who is the biological father of her fetus. Her husband says the killer is not their donor. Is too. Is not. Is too.
Chapter 2--The best friend is brought in for a consultation. Nah, it's not him. Is too. Is not. Is too.
Chapter 3--Call the sperm bank and ask if their donor is the killer. Can't tell you. Tell us. Can't. Tell us. Can't.
Christine and her husband disagree on how to proceed, so naturally Christine takes matters into her own hands and begins doing reckless and dangerous things despite being three months pregnant. What follows is an utterly implausible story. It's small wonder the plot runs off the rails given that the underlying premise is preposterous. Why would a sperm bank put up photos of the anonymous donors on a publicly accessible website? How could anyone remain anonymous if his photo is up there for the world to see just like a puppy on Petfinder?
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I entered because I have read and enjoyed Scottoline's work in the past. Indeed, I've heard her speak at conferences, and she's smart, funny, and charming. I'm not sure what happened here. Maybe she came up with a "high concept" and then couldn't figure to how to make it work. Could too. Could not. Could too.
COULD NOT!
March 15, 2016
I finished this book a few days ago and I had to take some time to gather my thoughts. This is the first book I’ve read from Lisa Scottoline and obviously I was expecting a different experience. Who picks up a book hoping they don’t like it?
My biggest issue with the storyline was how unbelievable it felt. I totally get this is a work of fiction, but I still want to feel like the situation I’m thrown into is plausible in some capacity. On top of that, I can’t get over this nagging thought that it all seemed pointless in the end anyway.
Here’s a couple that’s struggled to conceive and was only able to do so with donor sperm. A few months into the pregnancy Christine happens to catch a newscast of a serial killer being arrested and she freaks out because he looks like the pictures included in their donor’s profile. Sure, it’s understandable to be upset, but in the scheme of things, does it really matter?
If you’re like me, your thoughts on nature vs. nurture might play a part in how you view this scenario and Marcus and Christine's reaction. For me everything hinged on one question - if you’ve decided to carry your baby to term, what’s the point of learning if the serial killer is in fact donor 3319? There’s nothing anybody can do to change the baby’s DNA, but the parents can raise him with love and instill values. Isn’t that the best any parent can do in any situation? Biological or not, no one decides the fate of their children or who they become. And those thoughts are why I failed to see the point of the entire book.
Christine’s actions only alienated Marcus. When he blurts out that he doesn’t want the baby and even mentions termination, in a weird way I could almost justify his actions because of hers. She whines that he’s not trying to be a part of the pregnancy, but then she pushes him away, lies and goes on a crusade to prove the donor’s innocence? All because she feels some sort of connection to him? Gross. I just didn’t get how she could feel more sympathy and understanding for a stranger than her own husband.
Nothing felt realistic about the investigation. Not one single thing. And the ending was just further proof that the story was pointless. If her other books are anything like this one, I have to pass.
“Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.”
My biggest issue with the storyline was how unbelievable it felt. I totally get this is a work of fiction, but I still want to feel like the situation I’m thrown into is plausible in some capacity. On top of that, I can’t get over this nagging thought that it all seemed pointless in the end anyway.
Here’s a couple that’s struggled to conceive and was only able to do so with donor sperm. A few months into the pregnancy Christine happens to catch a newscast of a serial killer being arrested and she freaks out because he looks like the pictures included in their donor’s profile. Sure, it’s understandable to be upset, but in the scheme of things, does it really matter?
If you’re like me, your thoughts on nature vs. nurture might play a part in how you view this scenario and Marcus and Christine's reaction. For me everything hinged on one question - if you’ve decided to carry your baby to term, what’s the point of learning if the serial killer is in fact donor 3319? There’s nothing anybody can do to change the baby’s DNA, but the parents can raise him with love and instill values. Isn’t that the best any parent can do in any situation? Biological or not, no one decides the fate of their children or who they become. And those thoughts are why I failed to see the point of the entire book.
Christine’s actions only alienated Marcus. When he blurts out that he doesn’t want the baby and even mentions termination, in a weird way I could almost justify his actions because of hers. She whines that he’s not trying to be a part of the pregnancy, but then she pushes him away, lies and goes on a crusade to prove the donor’s innocence? All because she feels some sort of connection to him? Gross. I just didn’t get how she could feel more sympathy and understanding for a stranger than her own husband.
Nothing felt realistic about the investigation. Not one single thing. And the ending was just further proof that the story was pointless. If her other books are anything like this one, I have to pass.
“Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.”
July 8, 2018
Well, that is 3 hours of my life that I desire to take back. This sure was a doozy! I am not a stranger to best-selling author, Lisa Scottoline. In fact, I have read at least seven of her other books. I was really disappointed with how fast an intriguing plotline descended into absolute ridiculousness. What would you do if you found out your sperm donor might actually be a serial killer?
In Most Wanted elementary school teacher, Christina wants to find out more about "the biological father" while her husband Marcus is all bent on revenge and suing the clinics. Soon their marriage falls into disarray and Christina sets out on a one woman mission playing Nancy Drew.
Now there was a great essay on motherhood from the author and she also has a section on all the research and consultations with people she conducted during the writing of the book. Scottoline also says she has long wanted to write a story about a teacher and give them a chance to be a hero. Fair enough, but as a teacher myself I felt that Christina was so clueless that I wondered if she was able to tie her own shoes. Not to mention how argumentative she became to every single person in her life when she was in over her head.
Maybe it's a case of "it's me, not the book " but this book has become memorable for all the wrong reasons.
In Most Wanted elementary school teacher, Christina wants to find out more about "the biological father" while her husband Marcus is all bent on revenge and suing the clinics. Soon their marriage falls into disarray and Christina sets out on a one woman mission playing Nancy Drew.
Now there was a great essay on motherhood from the author and she also has a section on all the research and consultations with people she conducted during the writing of the book. Scottoline also says she has long wanted to write a story about a teacher and give them a chance to be a hero. Fair enough, but as a teacher myself I felt that Christina was so clueless that I wondered if she was able to tie her own shoes. Not to mention how argumentative she became to every single person in her life when she was in over her head.
Maybe it's a case of "it's me, not the book " but this book has become memorable for all the wrong reasons.
September 3, 2019
While I’m laid up I’m reading some past books I’ve had on my shelf for far too long.
I chose this one, I wish I hadn’t. I’ve got this on my ‘ struggled like hell’ Goodreads shelf.
It really wasn’t the book I was anticipating. I enjoyed the blurb!
Lisa Scottoline is not a person I’ve not heard of before or indeed, read before.
She’s on my “hit and miss” authors radar.
This is simply one that I just couldn’t handle.
It could have been so much better. The woman who is portrayed in this book sounds like a squabbling little girl.
“Yes it is”
“No it isn’t”
“It is”
“It isn’t”
And quite right, it isn’t for me
March 3, 2024
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”
― Lisa Scottoline, Most Wanted
Picture this ladies;
What would you do if you went to a Sperm Bank, got a Doner, were happily pregnant and then found out your baby's father could be a serial killer?
That's the premise behind this book. It is by Lisa Scottoline, an author I really dig. She really does come up with some wild premises!
I really enjoyed reading this for a few reasons:
First off, , there isn't a dull moment in the whole book..at least for me there wasn't. I have read a few of Lisa Scottoline's books now and I find I like her style. She certainly knows how to weave an interesting tale.
Second....the concept had me fascinated. And I liked how the tension built.
That being said, I did feel the first half was better then the second as it becomes more about playing detective but some other people may not mind that. I know I have seen some reviews complaining about that. I agree that I really would have preferred the focus to be on the horrible Sperm donor bank who seems like they're stalling on giving out any information. I admit being a bit let down where t he second half chose to wander.
The thing is...it is still riveting. I so wanted to know how t his one would turn out. I do think it is a page turner.
So I did enjoy the whole book very much and would give it a 4. . It was a unique premise and really kept my interest.
― Lisa Scottoline, Most Wanted
Picture this ladies;
What would you do if you went to a Sperm Bank, got a Doner, were happily pregnant and then found out your baby's father could be a serial killer?
That's the premise behind this book. It is by Lisa Scottoline, an author I really dig. She really does come up with some wild premises!
I really enjoyed reading this for a few reasons:
First off, , there isn't a dull moment in the whole book..at least for me there wasn't. I have read a few of Lisa Scottoline's books now and I find I like her style. She certainly knows how to weave an interesting tale.
Second....the concept had me fascinated. And I liked how the tension built.
That being said, I did feel the first half was better then the second as it becomes more about playing detective but some other people may not mind that. I know I have seen some reviews complaining about that. I agree that I really would have preferred the focus to be on the horrible Sperm donor bank who seems like they're stalling on giving out any information. I admit being a bit let down where t he second half chose to wander.
The thing is...it is still riveting. I so wanted to know how t his one would turn out. I do think it is a page turner.
So I did enjoy the whole book very much and would give it a 4. . It was a unique premise and really kept my interest.
April 15, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I am a long time fan of Lisa Scottoline so it pains me to say that this book missed the mark for me. I haven't read all of Ms. Scottoline's novels but I have read quite a few over the years and this one is my least favorite of the bunch by a lot. I just found the entire plot of this book to be utterly ridiculous. I really tried to just go with it but throughout the book there was a little voice in the back of my head telling me that nobody would do these things. I had a hard time getting into this book because it was so unbelievable.
Christine and her husband, Marcus, have been through a lot in their quest for a child. After learning that Marcus is infertile, they decide to use a sperm donor and for Christine to become pregnant. Everything is going great until Christine sees a new story about the arrest of a serial killer who happens to look exactly like their donor. Their life is suddenly in turmoil and they feel like they need to know if this killer is really their donor. Would the traits to become a murderer be inherited? Did he have a mental illness that wasn't disclosed? They are full of questions.
Marcus wants to use the courts to find answers to their questions while Christine decides to use a more hands on approach. The pair do not see eye to eye on how to handle this situation at all and their marriage may be in jeopardy. Christine continues with her actions despite their disagreement. Before you know it, she is investigating murders, visiting jails, and doing a lot of hands on research.
I didn't connect with any of the characters in this book except Griff, the grumpy lawyer that didn't have too big of a role in the story. Marcus was a jerk for most of the book. I get that he had issues to deal with because of his infertility and everything but he needed to be over that before Christine became pregnant. Christine's connection with the donor was just odd. One moment, I would think that I understood Christine and then she would do something off the wall and I would realize that I didn't get her at all.
I was also less than impressed by the mystery in the story. I have a hard time believing that Christine would be able to figure out anything that the police and FBI couldn't. She was reckless in her quest for the truth. When the answer to the mystery was revealed, it just needed to come out of nowhere and was rather unsatisfying. Everything seemed to work out a little too easily in the end after all the issues in the story.
I was disappointed in this book. It had some good moments but overall, it wasn't up to the level of story that I have come to expect from Lisa Scottoline. I am still a huge fan of this author and plan to continue reading her work.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
Not my favorite Scottoline book. The plot seemed overly ridiculous to me but what do I know.
I am a long time fan of Lisa Scottoline so it pains me to say that this book missed the mark for me. I haven't read all of Ms. Scottoline's novels but I have read quite a few over the years and this one is my least favorite of the bunch by a lot. I just found the entire plot of this book to be utterly ridiculous. I really tried to just go with it but throughout the book there was a little voice in the back of my head telling me that nobody would do these things. I had a hard time getting into this book because it was so unbelievable.
Christine and her husband, Marcus, have been through a lot in their quest for a child. After learning that Marcus is infertile, they decide to use a sperm donor and for Christine to become pregnant. Everything is going great until Christine sees a new story about the arrest of a serial killer who happens to look exactly like their donor. Their life is suddenly in turmoil and they feel like they need to know if this killer is really their donor. Would the traits to become a murderer be inherited? Did he have a mental illness that wasn't disclosed? They are full of questions.
Marcus wants to use the courts to find answers to their questions while Christine decides to use a more hands on approach. The pair do not see eye to eye on how to handle this situation at all and their marriage may be in jeopardy. Christine continues with her actions despite their disagreement. Before you know it, she is investigating murders, visiting jails, and doing a lot of hands on research.
I didn't connect with any of the characters in this book except Griff, the grumpy lawyer that didn't have too big of a role in the story. Marcus was a jerk for most of the book. I get that he had issues to deal with because of his infertility and everything but he needed to be over that before Christine became pregnant. Christine's connection with the donor was just odd. One moment, I would think that I understood Christine and then she would do something off the wall and I would realize that I didn't get her at all.
I was also less than impressed by the mystery in the story. I have a hard time believing that Christine would be able to figure out anything that the police and FBI couldn't. She was reckless in her quest for the truth. When the answer to the mystery was revealed, it just needed to come out of nowhere and was rather unsatisfying. Everything seemed to work out a little too easily in the end after all the issues in the story.
I was disappointed in this book. It had some good moments but overall, it wasn't up to the level of story that I have come to expect from Lisa Scottoline. I am still a huge fan of this author and plan to continue reading her work.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
Not my favorite Scottoline book. The plot seemed overly ridiculous to me but what do I know.
December 29, 2024
This was my first Lisa Scottoline book. I was hooked right away with the possibility that a serial killer had possibly been a sperm donor.
Then the book devolved into highly improbable scenes. I almost threw the book across the room because it seemed so unlikely. I told myself that it’s fiction and to keep reading.
The dialogue also seemed unlikely. The couple have a dog and a cat. When the wife is going away for a few days and her husband will be out of town, she said she has taken care of the animals. Most people would say the names of their cat and dog.
I did read the book until the very end. It isn’t a book I would recommend but I will try to read other books by Lisa Scottoline.
Then the book devolved into highly improbable scenes. I almost threw the book across the room because it seemed so unlikely. I told myself that it’s fiction and to keep reading.
The dialogue also seemed unlikely. The couple have a dog and a cat. When the wife is going away for a few days and her husband will be out of town, she said she has taken care of the animals. Most people would say the names of their cat and dog.
I did read the book until the very end. It isn’t a book I would recommend but I will try to read other books by Lisa Scottoline.
May 26, 2016
“Assassins take no pride in fighting fairly. We take pride in winning.”
-----Robin Hobb
Lisa Scottoline, the award-winning New York Times bestselling author, pens an enticing and thrilling story of lies, suspense and truth in her new crime-fiction book, Most Wanted that traces the journey of a woman who after long struggle became pregnant, only to find out that the sperm donor is actually a serial killer and now she must travel to the end of the earth to find out the truth on whether the donor is a serial killer or not, with or without her vague-natured sterile husband.
Synopsis:
Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby. Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated. After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.
Two months pass and Christine is happily pregnant. but one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders-and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.
Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Riveting and fast-pace, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?
Christine Nilsson, an elementary school-teacher, will go at any lengths to find out the identity of the donor of her unborn child. Scared and curious with the fact that the donor 3319 resembles the man from the breaking news who is convicted of killing off as many as three nurses. Now Christine must travel to the prison where this vile and conniving is imprisoned and she must get the truth out of him. Little did she knew that this man is scheming and misdirecting in nature and he used his skills to turn Christine towards his cause and soon he is running from one place to another to buy this man his freedom.
I've never before read any books by this popular author, and I must say, I do not regret not reading her previous books. And honestly, I thought given the fact that Lisa Scottoline is a master story teller of thrillers with complicated plot and development, this book too will surprise and shock the readers in a positive way, instead this book shocks and surprises the readers in a negative way. The story development is lousy, as from the very start, the story line sounds predictable and there is not much thrill or excitement or unusual or complex or psychologically twisted turns or events to keep the readers rooted till the end.
Firstly, the story line sounds vague, this story is supposed to be one woman's quest to figure out on whether the identity of her unborn baby's sperm donor is a killer or not, instead she jumps into the investigation of the crimes committed by the donor's lookalike or maybe the donor himself. There is no logic both emotional or moral to prove the fact that a determined woman suddenly turns soft towards a serial killer. Anyhow, I had to move forward with the story in case the author has some promising and enthralling climax, but no, there also the things felt rushed and it felt like the author wanted things to look unnatural even in the dull ending.
The author's writing style is articulate enough to give birth to the readers attention despite of the boring and meaningless story line. The narrative could have been much better, a little less emotional and more engaging and challenging to keep the readers glued to the story line. The pacing is really slow and honestly, I did not care with what pace the story progressed.
The characters are equally dull and unrealistic and their un-human-like demeanor makes things even more complicated and it is long before the climax, that a reader is bound to lose interest from their issues. The protagonists's unjustified actions will make the readers heart feel with hate and anger. The supporting cast, some were well-etched out, whereas others failed to make their presence felt in the story.
The author deals with marital issues and have handled that part quite sensitively and the readers, here, are bound to nod their heads in agreement with the issues faced between two married couples when they do not agree with one another's opinions or decisions. But when both the spouses are determined and stubborn with their choices, then a rock-hard marriage can also harbor some crack in it. Unfortunately, this was the only authentic part from the book which might make the readers feel connected with the situation.
Overall, this book can be skipped and I would recommend crime fiction readers to overlook this popular and favorite author at least for this time. As it will save your both their precious time and money.
Verdict: Boring, uninteresting and thoroughly pointless thriller that has no thrill or suspense to keep the readers hooked on to it.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
-----Robin Hobb
Lisa Scottoline, the award-winning New York Times bestselling author, pens an enticing and thrilling story of lies, suspense and truth in her new crime-fiction book, Most Wanted that traces the journey of a woman who after long struggle became pregnant, only to find out that the sperm donor is actually a serial killer and now she must travel to the end of the earth to find out the truth on whether the donor is a serial killer or not, with or without her vague-natured sterile husband.
Synopsis:
Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby. Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated. After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.
Two months pass and Christine is happily pregnant. but one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders-and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.
Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Riveting and fast-pace, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?
Christine Nilsson, an elementary school-teacher, will go at any lengths to find out the identity of the donor of her unborn child. Scared and curious with the fact that the donor 3319 resembles the man from the breaking news who is convicted of killing off as many as three nurses. Now Christine must travel to the prison where this vile and conniving is imprisoned and she must get the truth out of him. Little did she knew that this man is scheming and misdirecting in nature and he used his skills to turn Christine towards his cause and soon he is running from one place to another to buy this man his freedom.
I've never before read any books by this popular author, and I must say, I do not regret not reading her previous books. And honestly, I thought given the fact that Lisa Scottoline is a master story teller of thrillers with complicated plot and development, this book too will surprise and shock the readers in a positive way, instead this book shocks and surprises the readers in a negative way. The story development is lousy, as from the very start, the story line sounds predictable and there is not much thrill or excitement or unusual or complex or psychologically twisted turns or events to keep the readers rooted till the end.
Firstly, the story line sounds vague, this story is supposed to be one woman's quest to figure out on whether the identity of her unborn baby's sperm donor is a killer or not, instead she jumps into the investigation of the crimes committed by the donor's lookalike or maybe the donor himself. There is no logic both emotional or moral to prove the fact that a determined woman suddenly turns soft towards a serial killer. Anyhow, I had to move forward with the story in case the author has some promising and enthralling climax, but no, there also the things felt rushed and it felt like the author wanted things to look unnatural even in the dull ending.
The author's writing style is articulate enough to give birth to the readers attention despite of the boring and meaningless story line. The narrative could have been much better, a little less emotional and more engaging and challenging to keep the readers glued to the story line. The pacing is really slow and honestly, I did not care with what pace the story progressed.
The characters are equally dull and unrealistic and their un-human-like demeanor makes things even more complicated and it is long before the climax, that a reader is bound to lose interest from their issues. The protagonists's unjustified actions will make the readers heart feel with hate and anger. The supporting cast, some were well-etched out, whereas others failed to make their presence felt in the story.
The author deals with marital issues and have handled that part quite sensitively and the readers, here, are bound to nod their heads in agreement with the issues faced between two married couples when they do not agree with one another's opinions or decisions. But when both the spouses are determined and stubborn with their choices, then a rock-hard marriage can also harbor some crack in it. Unfortunately, this was the only authentic part from the book which might make the readers feel connected with the situation.
Overall, this book can be skipped and I would recommend crime fiction readers to overlook this popular and favorite author at least for this time. As it will save your both their precious time and money.
Verdict: Boring, uninteresting and thoroughly pointless thriller that has no thrill or suspense to keep the readers hooked on to it.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 23, 2015
Another masterpiece from Scottoline! Must read.
March 2, 2019
**LISTENED TO THE AUDIOBOOK, FELT THE SAME***
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read several books by Ms. Scottoline and it seems as though it’s either hit or miss with her novels. My favorite book was “Every Fifteen Minutes” which was a true psychological thriller. I’m not quite sure what genre I would put this book in, chick lit, mystery, etc. It was somewhat disappointing.
The main topic that this book explores is infertility and how it affects couples and their relationship. As the book opens Christine is wrapping up the end of her job as a teacher and is happily finally pregnant after trying for 3 years. They used a donor this time and everything is going well. That is, until Christine sees a television broadcast of a man convicted of serial killings, she is certain that the man is her donor.
She and her husband Marcus have a heated debate about where they should go from here. He is threatening to sue the doctor and sperm bank for not properly screening their donors, Christine is only certain that she wants to keep this baby.
What happens next and throughout the end of the book is just too unbelievable of a story. Christine and her friend decide to find out if this man is the donor and whether or not he is guilty of the crimes he is being accused of. First of all the access that Christine is able to gain to the jailed man is not plausible, nor is her continuing “investigation” or fight for his freedom. Things just don’t proceed this way in real life.The fact that she finds a semi-retired attorney in this small town willing to be counsel to the accused is also far fetched.
All of the while that Christine is off doing her sleuthing she is lying to her husband and alienating the very person she needs the most for support through a pregnancy and child rearing. Instead she is constantly there to support and show sympathy to this stranger.
Having personally had a daughter go through infertility treatment I know how difficult it is on the woman and husband and also their relationship. I think perhaps that’s why I feel that this sensitive subject was not dealt with in a plausible storyline.
This is not a bad read, just not up to Ms.Scottoine’s best books. I can’t say that I would recommend this book to anyone. I would certainly hate for anyone who is going to use a sperm bank to read this book as it is pure fiction and not based on any factual information about sperm banks and how they screen their donors, etc.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read several books by Ms. Scottoline and it seems as though it’s either hit or miss with her novels. My favorite book was “Every Fifteen Minutes” which was a true psychological thriller. I’m not quite sure what genre I would put this book in, chick lit, mystery, etc. It was somewhat disappointing.
The main topic that this book explores is infertility and how it affects couples and their relationship. As the book opens Christine is wrapping up the end of her job as a teacher and is happily finally pregnant after trying for 3 years. They used a donor this time and everything is going well. That is, until Christine sees a television broadcast of a man convicted of serial killings, she is certain that the man is her donor.
She and her husband Marcus have a heated debate about where they should go from here. He is threatening to sue the doctor and sperm bank for not properly screening their donors, Christine is only certain that she wants to keep this baby.
What happens next and throughout the end of the book is just too unbelievable of a story. Christine and her friend decide to find out if this man is the donor and whether or not he is guilty of the crimes he is being accused of. First of all the access that Christine is able to gain to the jailed man is not plausible, nor is her continuing “investigation” or fight for his freedom. Things just don’t proceed this way in real life.The fact that she finds a semi-retired attorney in this small town willing to be counsel to the accused is also far fetched.
All of the while that Christine is off doing her sleuthing she is lying to her husband and alienating the very person she needs the most for support through a pregnancy and child rearing. Instead she is constantly there to support and show sympathy to this stranger.
Having personally had a daughter go through infertility treatment I know how difficult it is on the woman and husband and also their relationship. I think perhaps that’s why I feel that this sensitive subject was not dealt with in a plausible storyline.
This is not a bad read, just not up to Ms.Scottoine’s best books. I can’t say that I would recommend this book to anyone. I would certainly hate for anyone who is going to use a sperm bank to read this book as it is pure fiction and not based on any factual information about sperm banks and how they screen their donors, etc.
June 19, 2016
I started this book a few days ago, and I'm stopping on page 82 because it's become A Book I Want to Hurl Against The Wall.
The husband is a Total Alpha Asshole, for starters, talking over his wife, the female genetic counselor at the fertility clinic who has a masters and 20 years experience, the female therapist at the fertility clinic who's been working with them, and the female at the sperm bank he talked to--er, yelled at on the phone the night before when she told him that, because of ***the contract he and his wife signed with them*** the sperm bank cannot tell them the identity of the donor, who wanted to remain anonymous, but they pulled all of the donor's sperm from the shelf and they're investigating if the donor is the serial killer (because the couple's doctor contacted the bank after the couple contacted their doctor with their concerns, because the wife saw the killer on TV and was like, "HOLY SHIT THAT'S MY DONOR!"). He also won't listen to a damn thing the doctor--a man--says about waiting for the bank to do an investigation and the bank being contractually bound not to reveal the donor's identity. Mr. Jackass feels that because his wife is pregnant by Donor 3319 (or whatever the donor number is), that trumps the contracts. It's been less than 24 hours since everything went pear-shaped, mind you. Since Mr. Jackass isn't getting the answers he wants when he wants them (read: right damn now), he's talked to a lawyer--without saying a thing to his wife, who is pregnant with a child that could be fathered by a serial killer--and is looking to go forward with a lawsuit against the sperm bank and, by connection, the fertility clinic. He was also willing to consider aborting the child. Which he never shared with his wife. But that came out when they were talking with their therapist at the fertility clinic and the clinic's fertility counselor, who'd come in to talk with them about the inheritability of 'serial killer tendencies' (my word). Pisses me off how he's an asshole to people who people who have zero control over the situation, like the woman he talked to on the phone. He, as the CEO of his own business, should damn well know how contracts work and that you are not going to get anywhere unless you can produce--IN WRITING--something that counters what the company says about having sworn to keep the donor's identity under wraps. Also, the company said they were investigating, and seeing as it's only been a few hours since the serial killer was caught and all this went down,...yeah. *twitchtwitchtwitch* Like I said, Jackass should know how contracts work. That YOU ARE BOUND BY THEM. That personal desires DO NOT CHANGE THAT. That feeling entitled to answers DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE UNDER THE TERMS OF A CONTRACT. Jackass wants to sue the company into telling him and his wife the name of the donor? And suing the clinic? What the hell did they do wrong? The sperm bank is one that has an excellent nationwide reputation and very strict standards. They take about 1% of applicants. Jackass thinks they should have stricter psychological screening standards. *snorts loudly* Seriously? SERIOUSLY? How the hell are they supposed to screen for serial killers? Where the hell is the medical malpractice in this, Logan? Explain to me where there's any medical malpractice in using the sperm of a donor who passed all the screening tests for STDs, genetic diseases and conditions, all the psych tests they do have in place, and all the other tests and screenings the bank have and run? Their doctor didn't do anything wrong. He trusted the bank to provide high-quality sperm, just like they always have in the past. There's no way any suit against the doctor/clinic would hold up. I have no idea about a suit against the sperm bank, but seeing as it's been about 24 hours since everything hit the fan, there's hardly been time for the bank to do much of anything on their end, and while it wouldn't take long to confirm if the donor was the killer or not, in terms of looking at the name in their private records, they'd want to have a legal CYA in place regardless and that can take some time. Jackass needs to sit down, shut up and. Chill. His. Heels. He's given pretty much no thought to his wife, what she must be feeling, what she must be going through. F*ck this guy. I cannot stand him.
I'd give the book half a star, but that's not possible.
The husband is a Total Alpha Asshole, for starters, talking over his wife, the female genetic counselor at the fertility clinic who has a masters and 20 years experience, the female therapist at the fertility clinic who's been working with them, and the female at the sperm bank he talked to--er, yelled at on the phone the night before when she told him that, because of ***the contract he and his wife signed with them*** the sperm bank cannot tell them the identity of the donor, who wanted to remain anonymous, but they pulled all of the donor's sperm from the shelf and they're investigating if the donor is the serial killer (because the couple's doctor contacted the bank after the couple contacted their doctor with their concerns, because the wife saw the killer on TV and was like, "HOLY SHIT THAT'S MY DONOR!"). He also won't listen to a damn thing the doctor--a man--says about waiting for the bank to do an investigation and the bank being contractually bound not to reveal the donor's identity. Mr. Jackass feels that because his wife is pregnant by Donor 3319 (or whatever the donor number is), that trumps the contracts. It's been less than 24 hours since everything went pear-shaped, mind you. Since Mr. Jackass isn't getting the answers he wants when he wants them (read: right damn now), he's talked to a lawyer--without saying a thing to his wife, who is pregnant with a child that could be fathered by a serial killer--and is looking to go forward with a lawsuit against the sperm bank and, by connection, the fertility clinic. He was also willing to consider aborting the child. Which he never shared with his wife. But that came out when they were talking with their therapist at the fertility clinic and the clinic's fertility counselor, who'd come in to talk with them about the inheritability of 'serial killer tendencies' (my word). Pisses me off how he's an asshole to people who people who have zero control over the situation, like the woman he talked to on the phone. He, as the CEO of his own business, should damn well know how contracts work and that you are not going to get anywhere unless you can produce--IN WRITING--something that counters what the company says about having sworn to keep the donor's identity under wraps. Also, the company said they were investigating, and seeing as it's only been a few hours since the serial killer was caught and all this went down,...yeah. *twitchtwitchtwitch* Like I said, Jackass should know how contracts work. That YOU ARE BOUND BY THEM. That personal desires DO NOT CHANGE THAT. That feeling entitled to answers DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE UNDER THE TERMS OF A CONTRACT. Jackass wants to sue the company into telling him and his wife the name of the donor? And suing the clinic? What the hell did they do wrong? The sperm bank is one that has an excellent nationwide reputation and very strict standards. They take about 1% of applicants. Jackass thinks they should have stricter psychological screening standards. *snorts loudly* Seriously? SERIOUSLY? How the hell are they supposed to screen for serial killers? Where the hell is the medical malpractice in this, Logan? Explain to me where there's any medical malpractice in using the sperm of a donor who passed all the screening tests for STDs, genetic diseases and conditions, all the psych tests they do have in place, and all the other tests and screenings the bank have and run? Their doctor didn't do anything wrong. He trusted the bank to provide high-quality sperm, just like they always have in the past. There's no way any suit against the doctor/clinic would hold up. I have no idea about a suit against the sperm bank, but seeing as it's been about 24 hours since everything hit the fan, there's hardly been time for the bank to do much of anything on their end, and while it wouldn't take long to confirm if the donor was the killer or not, in terms of looking at the name in their private records, they'd want to have a legal CYA in place regardless and that can take some time. Jackass needs to sit down, shut up and. Chill. His. Heels. He's given pretty much no thought to his wife, what she must be feeling, what she must be going through. F*ck this guy. I cannot stand him.
I'd give the book half a star, but that's not possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2016
Can you imagine the thing you want most in the world could potentially turn into a psycho killer based on their genetic makeup? Christine Nilsson doesn't have to imagine but she does have to investigate. After seeing the capture of a serial killer dubbed the "Nurse Murderer", Christine's picturesque idea of finally having the baby and family she's most wanted, could simply become a nightmare.
Christine and Markus Nilsson are unable to conceive children and enlist the help of fertility specialist who decide the plan of action would be to use a sperm donor. Christine and Markus pour over hundreds of potential male donors when one remarkably handsome face beckons her um... egg to... um... you know. They picked this sperm donor based on his similarities to their own genetic makeups. Blond, blue eyed, medical student, all the bells and whistles really one would look for in a donor. After successfully conceiving, Christine is not far along in her pregnancy when a random news bit draws her attention and forces her to track down her sperm donor who is the spitting image of a crazed serial killer that could quite possibly be guilty.
Against her better judgment and the advice of her husband, she seeks to find the truth. What begins as a potential debate of whether our DNA matters so much turns into a quest for the truth. The truth of who really killed the nurses and who her "baby daddy" really is.
Most Wanted is instantly catching. Most of Lisa Scottoline novels are. I sat back and looked forward to enjoying the ride of what I thought would be a sparring match between Nature vs Nurture. To my (somewhat) disappointment, that was not the case here. Although I was thoroughly entertained by this novel 50% in, I was kinda taken aback when it turned more into a mystery novel then the "chick-lit" I was hoping for.
I know, I know... you don't have remind me that the book blurb does suggest suspense, as much of Scottoline's novels fall under that category, I was still hoping for a suspenseful court battle or more legalese speak in her other novels featuring the female legal team Rosato and DiNunzio. Instead what seemed like a potential good discussion on the hot topics touched upon in Most Wanted fell flat once Christine turned into an amateur sleuth. The hot topics that were grazed lightly is the whole fertility process and it's toll on marriage, the debate that no amount of nurturing can change the narcissistic gene bestowed on our genetic makeup, or even that fertility is big business that should have more standards. Simply making sure there are no abnormalities such as Down's Syndrome, blood conditions, or histories of cancer aren't enough when screening potential egg or sperm donors. I wanted more of this.
Instead I got a thrilling mystery that for all intents and purposes was good. The actual killer was nowhere on my radar. My gripe is simply that the thrilling conclusion was thrown in simply so Scottoline's core audience would be able to say they didn't see that coming. Essentially for me, there was no tension. Sure, I fought with the idea of Jeff Turncoat being the killer or not as Christine's investigation gave more red flags... that weren't quite red flags because Christine said so. Sure she has to believe the father of her unborn child is an angel so she can rest assure her soon-to-be angel won't whack her and her husband's heads off as they sleep in their beds. But... there was no suspense in this regard, just plain old information.
Above all, I'm a fan of Lisa Scottoline and I did enjoy Most Wanted. It's a cautionary tale to anyone who intends to conceive with a stranger. I just wish the story had more depth and didn't turn into a cat and mouse game. The end was bizarre and thrilling yet too cliche for me. Essentially, Scottoline's latest is a good read. It doesn't deter me from reading more of her novels. I just simply know that it's not the most wanted outcome for a novel I invested so much time in.
Copy provided by St Martin's Press via Netgalley
Christine and Markus Nilsson are unable to conceive children and enlist the help of fertility specialist who decide the plan of action would be to use a sperm donor. Christine and Markus pour over hundreds of potential male donors when one remarkably handsome face beckons her um... egg to... um... you know. They picked this sperm donor based on his similarities to their own genetic makeups. Blond, blue eyed, medical student, all the bells and whistles really one would look for in a donor. After successfully conceiving, Christine is not far along in her pregnancy when a random news bit draws her attention and forces her to track down her sperm donor who is the spitting image of a crazed serial killer that could quite possibly be guilty.
Against her better judgment and the advice of her husband, she seeks to find the truth. What begins as a potential debate of whether our DNA matters so much turns into a quest for the truth. The truth of who really killed the nurses and who her "baby daddy" really is.
Most Wanted is instantly catching. Most of Lisa Scottoline novels are. I sat back and looked forward to enjoying the ride of what I thought would be a sparring match between Nature vs Nurture. To my (somewhat) disappointment, that was not the case here. Although I was thoroughly entertained by this novel 50% in, I was kinda taken aback when it turned more into a mystery novel then the "chick-lit" I was hoping for.
I know, I know... you don't have remind me that the book blurb does suggest suspense, as much of Scottoline's novels fall under that category, I was still hoping for a suspenseful court battle or more legalese speak in her other novels featuring the female legal team Rosato and DiNunzio. Instead what seemed like a potential good discussion on the hot topics touched upon in Most Wanted fell flat once Christine turned into an amateur sleuth. The hot topics that were grazed lightly is the whole fertility process and it's toll on marriage, the debate that no amount of nurturing can change the narcissistic gene bestowed on our genetic makeup, or even that fertility is big business that should have more standards. Simply making sure there are no abnormalities such as Down's Syndrome, blood conditions, or histories of cancer aren't enough when screening potential egg or sperm donors. I wanted more of this.
Instead I got a thrilling mystery that for all intents and purposes was good. The actual killer was nowhere on my radar. My gripe is simply that the thrilling conclusion was thrown in simply so Scottoline's core audience would be able to say they didn't see that coming. Essentially for me, there was no tension. Sure, I fought with the idea of Jeff Turncoat being the killer or not as Christine's investigation gave more red flags... that weren't quite red flags because Christine said so. Sure she has to believe the father of her unborn child is an angel so she can rest assure her soon-to-be angel won't whack her and her husband's heads off as they sleep in their beds. But... there was no suspense in this regard, just plain old information.
Above all, I'm a fan of Lisa Scottoline and I did enjoy Most Wanted. It's a cautionary tale to anyone who intends to conceive with a stranger. I just wish the story had more depth and didn't turn into a cat and mouse game. The end was bizarre and thrilling yet too cliche for me. Essentially, Scottoline's latest is a good read. It doesn't deter me from reading more of her novels. I just simply know that it's not the most wanted outcome for a novel I invested so much time in.
Copy provided by St Martin's Press via Netgalley
April 16, 2016
Well I got to the halfway mark on this one and can’t go on any further. Firstly, it is not the story I was hoping for. Christine and Marcus are expecting a baby that has been conceived with sperm from an anonymous donor. They have seen the donor’s profile and photo but do not know his identity, until Christine sees a newsflash showing the arrest being made of a suspected serial killer. She just “knows” that is their sperm donor. So far, so good. I really thought this might turn out to be a pretty good “nature versus nurture” story but that just didn’t happen and it wasn’t explored in the way that I would have personally liked. It becomes more of a search for the truth when, faced with the sperm bank’s refusal to admit the identity of the donor because of a confidentiality contract, Christine takes it on herself to approach the donor and get the truth out of him.
I didn’t like Christine’s husband one little bit, especially the way he spoke to people demanding answers “right here, right now” and stomping his foot into the bargain. He didn’t really show much concern at all for what Christine was feeling. I also felt the story got bogged down with minutiae a little too much in descriptions of clothing and particularly every meal that Christine ate.
My main concern though was the editing. I know I received an early review copy from the publisher (through Netgalley) and you can expect some proofing errors but this seemed riddled with some real howlers. For example, Christine goes to bed wearing a tee shirt and sweatshirts. I bet she got hot in the night. The one that finally caused me to throw in the towel was when the donor said that he had donated anonymously because he knew his parents would not approve. Why bother being anonymous for that reason when your parents are already dead?
There was a final one that really sticks in the mind and that is when fertility was described as in illness. I just don’t get that – it is a condition, yet, but surely not an illness?
I didn’t like Christine’s husband one little bit, especially the way he spoke to people demanding answers “right here, right now” and stomping his foot into the bargain. He didn’t really show much concern at all for what Christine was feeling. I also felt the story got bogged down with minutiae a little too much in descriptions of clothing and particularly every meal that Christine ate.
My main concern though was the editing. I know I received an early review copy from the publisher (through Netgalley) and you can expect some proofing errors but this seemed riddled with some real howlers. For example, Christine goes to bed wearing a tee shirt and sweatshirts. I bet she got hot in the night. The one that finally caused me to throw in the towel was when the donor said that he had donated anonymously because he knew his parents would not approve. Why bother being anonymous for that reason when your parents are already dead?
There was a final one that really sticks in the mind and that is when fertility was described as in illness. I just don’t get that – it is a condition, yet, but surely not an illness?
October 17, 2017
Christine Nelson has wanted nothing more than to be a mother. When she and her husband, Marcus have trouble conceiving, they use a sperm donor in order to have their child. Soon after Christine finds out she's pregnant, a news story comes on about a serial killer who is killing nurses. The killer looks a lot like their sperm donor and Christine will not rest until she finds out the truth. Traveling from Connecticut to Pennsylvania, she uses all her available resources to find out who the father of her child is no matter what her husband thinks.
Lisa Scottoline writes a book that is almost impossible to put down. Gripping from start to finish, Most Wanted sends you on a roller coaster ride that you never want to get off of. Zachary Jeffcoat is the name of the sperm donor. Everyone on the east coast knows him right now as the Nurse Killer. He claims he is innocent and Christine wants to believe him for no other reason than she doesn't want to be carrying a baby that could turn out to be a serial killer, can you imagine?
When Christine decides to visit Jeffcoat in prison, her husband thinks she is making a big mistake. But like all mothers, protecting her child is her number one priority and she will not rest until she knows if she is carrying a possible serial killer or not.
Lisa Scottoline writes a book that is almost impossible to put down. Gripping from start to finish, Most Wanted sends you on a roller coaster ride that you never want to get off of. Zachary Jeffcoat is the name of the sperm donor. Everyone on the east coast knows him right now as the Nurse Killer. He claims he is innocent and Christine wants to believe him for no other reason than she doesn't want to be carrying a baby that could turn out to be a serial killer, can you imagine?
When Christine decides to visit Jeffcoat in prison, her husband thinks she is making a big mistake. But like all mothers, protecting her child is her number one priority and she will not rest until she knows if she is carrying a possible serial killer or not.
March 18, 2016
I received this book as an ARC - thank you! I've read and enjoyed books by this author in the past, but this one didn't do it for me. The premise is wildly unbelievable and the protagonist comes across as dumb (regarding someone mentioning a postmortem photo - "you mean, like, dead?") and not especially likeable. The husband character is a whiny brat. The only character I related to was the grumpy lawyer who didn't want to be bothered with this nonsense.
April 5, 2017
Top 50 Books of 2016!
Lisa Scottoline's impressive MOST WANTED, is an emotional gripping mix of domestic suspense, action, drama, wit, mystery; psychological, crime, medical, and legal thriller --all rolled into one "killer" page-turner!
What would you do if you discovered the father of your child may be a sociopath?
Christine and Marcus Nilsson are having a baby. Due to Marcus shooting blanks, and many failed attempts at conceiving, the couple decides to go the sperm donor route, versus adoption. After much research, they decided on Donor # 3319 with a sperm bank. A promising medical student, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a terrific background. Perfect, right?
Her last day at school at her going away party--teacher, Christine sees a news broadcast of a serial killer who has been arrested for a series of murders--killing nurses. She thinks he looks similar to their donor's photo.
She becomes obsessed with learning the identity. She has to know. At first, Marcus is not concerned; however, the more they uncover, it could possibly be true. Marcus and Christine do not agree on the path to take, causing all sorts of conflicts, as things begin to spiral out of control. Tensions are high.
From hiring an attorney (loved Gary), to try and force --with a lawsuit (Homestead Bank), to uncover information as to the donor, to martial problems and stress between the couple. Marcus wants no part of a serial killer's child, and even mentions abortion. In the meantime, Christine is frantic, having just left her teaching job she loves to prepare for motherhood, and now this. Her life is falling apart. The baby, the husband, the life she dreamed of. Marcus is not acting like a supportive father.
She recruits her best friend and decides to take matters into her own hands. She does not have time to wait for legalities. She needs to know. Fearless, she will go straight to the maximum security prison to meet with the donor and pretend she is a freelance reporter. She will not tell her husband---a girl's getaway. She will get answers, one away or another. Christine is one sharp cookie!
However, the trip delivers more than she expected. The serial killer, says he is innocent. This guy looks nothing like a killer. What happens next will lead Christine to turn to some major sleuthing--from becoming a paralegal, working with an eccentric lawyer, and a full crime investigator in the trenches (she could give Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum a little competition--especially with the "Ranger" connection) --too funny.
All the while pregnant, desperately seeking answers to prove if her donor is, or is not a serial killer. Without her husband's help or support. (loved her tenacity). Marcus feels threatened; from his own manly issues, and now his wife is running after a serial killer.
The mystery and suspense intensify, with more complications surrounding the murder, where we meet a cast of secondary characters which add some wit and fun to balance the ongoing impending danger. All the while, a good looking serial killer is in prison, spinning more stories than you can imagine.
What is the truth and what is a lie?
There is so much evidence; however, Christine feels Zachary is innocent one minute, and guilty the next. The only way to prove it is to find the real killer if indeed it is not him. When more people turn up dead, there is cause for alarm. She has to help. A copycat? Her husband thinks she has lost her mind. Christine is in danger of losing her husband, marriage, family, baby, and her life--- the closer she gets to the truth. Who is the real serial killer?
What a multi-layered complex, fast-paced enthralling whodunit! Ordinary people" caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Your head will be spinning.
MOST WANTED poses controversial, ethical and moral dilemmas, as well as highly charged contemporary legal domestic topics. No one does it better than Scottoline --From the superb character and plot development to a strong unstoppable female heroine--you will root for. With plenty of intensity, twists, and turns to keep you glued to the pages.
Readers will get a kick out of the "partners-in-crime" duo (Christine/Griff-lawyer) personalities; strongly reminding readers of the Oscar-winning tour de force “Erin Brockovich” (Julia Roberts) and Edward L. Masry (Albert Finney) team.
Lisa Scottoline's best yet! Fans and new readers are going to LOVE!
Look for One Perfect Lie Coming April 11, 2017. One Perfect Lie is a riveting and suspenseful family drama, and by the time you close the book, you will realize that nothing was as it seemed at the beginning.
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 Stars ++ Cover Love!
JDCMustReadBooks
Lisa Scottoline's impressive MOST WANTED, is an emotional gripping mix of domestic suspense, action, drama, wit, mystery; psychological, crime, medical, and legal thriller --all rolled into one "killer" page-turner!
What would you do if you discovered the father of your child may be a sociopath?
Christine and Marcus Nilsson are having a baby. Due to Marcus shooting blanks, and many failed attempts at conceiving, the couple decides to go the sperm donor route, versus adoption. After much research, they decided on Donor # 3319 with a sperm bank. A promising medical student, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a terrific background. Perfect, right?
Her last day at school at her going away party--teacher, Christine sees a news broadcast of a serial killer who has been arrested for a series of murders--killing nurses. She thinks he looks similar to their donor's photo.
She becomes obsessed with learning the identity. She has to know. At first, Marcus is not concerned; however, the more they uncover, it could possibly be true. Marcus and Christine do not agree on the path to take, causing all sorts of conflicts, as things begin to spiral out of control. Tensions are high.
From hiring an attorney (loved Gary), to try and force --with a lawsuit (Homestead Bank), to uncover information as to the donor, to martial problems and stress between the couple. Marcus wants no part of a serial killer's child, and even mentions abortion. In the meantime, Christine is frantic, having just left her teaching job she loves to prepare for motherhood, and now this. Her life is falling apart. The baby, the husband, the life she dreamed of. Marcus is not acting like a supportive father.
She recruits her best friend and decides to take matters into her own hands. She does not have time to wait for legalities. She needs to know. Fearless, she will go straight to the maximum security prison to meet with the donor and pretend she is a freelance reporter. She will not tell her husband---a girl's getaway. She will get answers, one away or another. Christine is one sharp cookie!
However, the trip delivers more than she expected. The serial killer, says he is innocent. This guy looks nothing like a killer. What happens next will lead Christine to turn to some major sleuthing--from becoming a paralegal, working with an eccentric lawyer, and a full crime investigator in the trenches (she could give Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum a little competition--especially with the "Ranger" connection) --too funny.
All the while pregnant, desperately seeking answers to prove if her donor is, or is not a serial killer. Without her husband's help or support. (loved her tenacity). Marcus feels threatened; from his own manly issues, and now his wife is running after a serial killer.
The mystery and suspense intensify, with more complications surrounding the murder, where we meet a cast of secondary characters which add some wit and fun to balance the ongoing impending danger. All the while, a good looking serial killer is in prison, spinning more stories than you can imagine.
What is the truth and what is a lie?
There is so much evidence; however, Christine feels Zachary is innocent one minute, and guilty the next. The only way to prove it is to find the real killer if indeed it is not him. When more people turn up dead, there is cause for alarm. She has to help. A copycat? Her husband thinks she has lost her mind. Christine is in danger of losing her husband, marriage, family, baby, and her life--- the closer she gets to the truth. Who is the real serial killer?
What a multi-layered complex, fast-paced enthralling whodunit! Ordinary people" caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Your head will be spinning.
MOST WANTED poses controversial, ethical and moral dilemmas, as well as highly charged contemporary legal domestic topics. No one does it better than Scottoline --From the superb character and plot development to a strong unstoppable female heroine--you will root for. With plenty of intensity, twists, and turns to keep you glued to the pages.
Readers will get a kick out of the "partners-in-crime" duo (Christine/Griff-lawyer) personalities; strongly reminding readers of the Oscar-winning tour de force “Erin Brockovich” (Julia Roberts) and Edward L. Masry (Albert Finney) team.
Lisa Scottoline's best yet! Fans and new readers are going to LOVE!
Look for One Perfect Lie Coming April 11, 2017. One Perfect Lie is a riveting and suspenseful family drama, and by the time you close the book, you will realize that nothing was as it seemed at the beginning.
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 Stars ++ Cover Love!
JDCMustReadBooks
December 18, 2017
Christine is finally pregnant, thanks to an anonymous sperm donor. She and her husband know a bit of the background of their donar and what he looks like, but not much else. About two months into her pregnancy, she sees a picture on TV of a man arrested as a serial murderer. The man looks like her donor, but the sperm bank refuses to give them any information. Christine’s husband wants to sue the bank, but Christine has other ideas. And her ideas lead her to the prisoner who may be her donor. This suspenseful tale is filled with twists that will keep you turning pages. As Christine and her husband view different solutions to their problem, their marriage seems to be falling apart at time that they desperately need each other. This well-written story covers several thought-provoking questions. What would you do if you were Christine?
April 12, 2016
The story started off with a bang- the couple found that their sperm donor might be a serial killer. What a dilemma! My interest was piqued and I settled down to enjoy the ride. Alas, The story just went south from there. The characters were just so unbelievably irritating. There were too many impractical scenarios and the fairytale ending just makes it worse.
That said, the subject matter was interesting. I learned a few things about the eggs and sperms donation industry. If only the story goes more along this line, and not in the illogical direction that it went, it would have been a superb read.
Thank you Netgalley. Really grateful to have been given the chance to read.
That said, the subject matter was interesting. I learned a few things about the eggs and sperms donation industry. If only the story goes more along this line, and not in the illogical direction that it went, it would have been a superb read.
Thank you Netgalley. Really grateful to have been given the chance to read.
January 13, 2019
This one was good not as many twists as the last few of Scottolines books that I have read. But still I read it fast and was happy with the outcome.
May 8, 2016
Oh this book. What an eye roller it was. I have never yelled "Oh come the hell on!" to a book so many times in my life. I'm not sure I can review this book without spoilers, so click below:
April 12, 2016
So a serial killer walks into a sperm bank and…er, yeah. It does sound like the beginning of a dirty joke. Let me start again.
Say that your whole life, your womb cried out for occupation. Tiny pink socks and fuzzy blankies and Pampers commercials make you break out in hives of anticipation. But after years of trying, you realize that your true love is, well, let’s just say his little swimmers are not swimming, they’re not even in the water, they’re up on the beach having a mojito or maybe back at the hotel already. Cue more painful trying, invasive procedures and ultimately giving up, your love’s ego bruised and his virile manliness left in burning piles of ash in his own mind.
With time and therapy, you sooth the savage beast and convince him that sperm donation is the way to go. You obsess over the profiles of potential donors, ordering up personality traits and physical features, praying to find the right take-out platter of body parts and talents that will meld with your own into the perfect child. Give me a tall, blonde, handsome and smart in a turkey baster to go, please!
After all of this, your wish is granted. But as the stork fairies granteth, so they taketh away. Barely two months into your pregnancy, you see a young man being arrested on tv for the brutal serial murders of three nurses…a man who looks disturbingly like the photo of your donor.
Just pause here to ask yourself what you would do next. Cry, scream, freak the holy heck out? Check. Call the sperm bank to confirm your suspicions? Contact a lawyer to find out your options when the doctor gives you the run-around? Check! Go and meet the accused killer in jail under some flimsy pretense, ultimately decide he must be innocent and sign on as his personal Nancy Drew in order to clear his name? Right. That seems perfectly rational. Check!
You think I’m kidding about that last part, but no. So far I’ve only covered the most believable, plausible parts of this novel. As I told a friend when she asked if she should check it out: “Only if you want your kids to hear you muttering things like ‘Bitch, please’ while you’re reading.” I did spend an unusual amount of time talking out loud to this book and there were points during the second half when I felt my eyes might roll right out of my head.
I don’t feel like I can properly explain my criticism without spoilers, so if you want to be surprised stop reading now and go pick up the book! For the rest of you, let me just dive right into the heart of things. The guy in prison isn’t the killer. Big deal, you might say, there’d probably be no book if he was. Or it would be a far darker book instead of a breezy beach read. The problem lies in the fact that every shred of evidence (and it’s overwhelming to a blood-spattered-O.J.-in-a-slowmo-Bronco-chase level. I mean, the guy spends pages lovingly holding forth on the beauty of dissecting the human body. His job just happens to involve him carrying around the SAME human bone saw that was used in the murders. Plus a shovel and trash bags. He just happens to meet each of the murdered women at their workplaces and flirt with them–in three separate states, on the days of each of their murders. And more, and more…)
Which could be fine and simply written off as standard mystery novel slight of hand, look over there, kids, while the real murderer works in the shadows. However, when the killer is revealed, you might note that not one scrap of a clue could be found in the entire book to lead you in this person’s direction. The mom, in her sleuthing capacity, does interview this person for all of three minutes, asking exactly the same questions as she does of ten or so other people. You could literally just pick a random character from the book and have an equal shot at guessing their identity.
And it isn’t as if we have time to delve into the psyche of the killer, since moments after their identity is revealed, they are quickly dispatched. By running in front of a mack truck. Which has only been used in at least one episode of every crime show in the last five years. It seems like she wrote the ending with the idea of selling the movie rights firmly in mind. The last few scenes, which I will not spoil, had me laughing at the sheer audacity of the author.I told another friend the entire plot of the book, practically frothing at the mouth in my ranting, and two days later she called me up. Without preamble, she was like “I still can’t believe that person got hit by a truck!”
The thing is, it’s an interesting idea. I was willing to go down the rabbit hole with this author. I was even willing to accept the implausibly dippy mom, who is smart enough to be a teacher, but nearly unquestioningly accepts the word of a total stranger in prison. I could see how, upon learning that you might be carrying some kind of demon spawn inside of you, your brain might do funny things and immediately skip to trying to prove the innocence of the father.
I think what bothers me so much is the laziness of the writing. There are all sorts of ways the plot could have been tied together to make sense. For instance, if the killer had been an ex-lover or bitter coworker trying to frame the young man by following him around and murdering women he met, it wouldn’t have left the story so gaping-hole random.
Still, it isn’t a terrible book. If you’re looking for something that will leave you thinking and talking about it for much longer than it takes to read, this is it. It would actually make a perfect book club choice. I can see some heated debates and gossipy laughter being generated by this rough gem.
Say that your whole life, your womb cried out for occupation. Tiny pink socks and fuzzy blankies and Pampers commercials make you break out in hives of anticipation. But after years of trying, you realize that your true love is, well, let’s just say his little swimmers are not swimming, they’re not even in the water, they’re up on the beach having a mojito or maybe back at the hotel already. Cue more painful trying, invasive procedures and ultimately giving up, your love’s ego bruised and his virile manliness left in burning piles of ash in his own mind.
With time and therapy, you sooth the savage beast and convince him that sperm donation is the way to go. You obsess over the profiles of potential donors, ordering up personality traits and physical features, praying to find the right take-out platter of body parts and talents that will meld with your own into the perfect child. Give me a tall, blonde, handsome and smart in a turkey baster to go, please!
After all of this, your wish is granted. But as the stork fairies granteth, so they taketh away. Barely two months into your pregnancy, you see a young man being arrested on tv for the brutal serial murders of three nurses…a man who looks disturbingly like the photo of your donor.
Just pause here to ask yourself what you would do next. Cry, scream, freak the holy heck out? Check. Call the sperm bank to confirm your suspicions? Contact a lawyer to find out your options when the doctor gives you the run-around? Check! Go and meet the accused killer in jail under some flimsy pretense, ultimately decide he must be innocent and sign on as his personal Nancy Drew in order to clear his name? Right. That seems perfectly rational. Check!
You think I’m kidding about that last part, but no. So far I’ve only covered the most believable, plausible parts of this novel. As I told a friend when she asked if she should check it out: “Only if you want your kids to hear you muttering things like ‘Bitch, please’ while you’re reading.” I did spend an unusual amount of time talking out loud to this book and there were points during the second half when I felt my eyes might roll right out of my head.
I don’t feel like I can properly explain my criticism without spoilers, so if you want to be surprised stop reading now and go pick up the book! For the rest of you, let me just dive right into the heart of things. The guy in prison isn’t the killer. Big deal, you might say, there’d probably be no book if he was. Or it would be a far darker book instead of a breezy beach read. The problem lies in the fact that every shred of evidence (and it’s overwhelming to a blood-spattered-O.J.-in-a-slowmo-Bronco-chase level. I mean, the guy spends pages lovingly holding forth on the beauty of dissecting the human body. His job just happens to involve him carrying around the SAME human bone saw that was used in the murders. Plus a shovel and trash bags. He just happens to meet each of the murdered women at their workplaces and flirt with them–in three separate states, on the days of each of their murders. And more, and more…)
Which could be fine and simply written off as standard mystery novel slight of hand, look over there, kids, while the real murderer works in the shadows. However, when the killer is revealed, you might note that not one scrap of a clue could be found in the entire book to lead you in this person’s direction. The mom, in her sleuthing capacity, does interview this person for all of three minutes, asking exactly the same questions as she does of ten or so other people. You could literally just pick a random character from the book and have an equal shot at guessing their identity.
And it isn’t as if we have time to delve into the psyche of the killer, since moments after their identity is revealed, they are quickly dispatched. By running in front of a mack truck. Which has only been used in at least one episode of every crime show in the last five years. It seems like she wrote the ending with the idea of selling the movie rights firmly in mind. The last few scenes, which I will not spoil, had me laughing at the sheer audacity of the author.I told another friend the entire plot of the book, practically frothing at the mouth in my ranting, and two days later she called me up. Without preamble, she was like “I still can’t believe that person got hit by a truck!”
The thing is, it’s an interesting idea. I was willing to go down the rabbit hole with this author. I was even willing to accept the implausibly dippy mom, who is smart enough to be a teacher, but nearly unquestioningly accepts the word of a total stranger in prison. I could see how, upon learning that you might be carrying some kind of demon spawn inside of you, your brain might do funny things and immediately skip to trying to prove the innocence of the father.
I think what bothers me so much is the laziness of the writing. There are all sorts of ways the plot could have been tied together to make sense. For instance, if the killer had been an ex-lover or bitter coworker trying to frame the young man by following him around and murdering women he met, it wouldn’t have left the story so gaping-hole random.
Still, it isn’t a terrible book. If you’re looking for something that will leave you thinking and talking about it for much longer than it takes to read, this is it. It would actually make a perfect book club choice. I can see some heated debates and gossipy laughter being generated by this rough gem.
January 22, 2018
This book follows Christine who is recently pregnant with her first child and going to be stopping working so she can raise her child. Christine and her husband Marcus ended up conceiving via a donor after many trying months. Christine and Marcus have hidden the fact that they ended up using a donor from most people.
My one favorite part about the book was the mystery itself. The author did a great job unraveling the clues of what was going on. I did want to keep reading the book until I figured out exactly what happened and who the murder was. This was basically the only reason I was able to finish this book.
I had so many issues with this book right from the beginning. I just couldn’t stand Christine as the main character; her personality was under my skin quickly into the book. Christine was making every issue about herself and putting herself in a lot of danger while making these decisions that she was trying to justify. It was like she couldn’t listen to any rational information and then started in my mind freaking out.
The plot was also a struggle for me when reading this book. There was a pretty logical way to get the answer that Christine craved of who her donor was, but she just couldn’t wait. I understand that waiting was going to be challenging, but every decision after that she made was just completely out of left field and only put herself in more danger. I struggled to find a way to relate to Christine or even follow her thought pattern so it was challenging for me to feel any sympathy for her.
Also, I have NO idea what was going on in Christine’s and Marcus’s marriage, but I have a lot of questions on how the ending is even possible.
If I had to suggest when to read this book I would suggest this as a nighttime read. I found a large amount of stopping points and could put it down easily.
I received this book from Netgally for to provide an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book.
My one favorite part about the book was the mystery itself. The author did a great job unraveling the clues of what was going on. I did want to keep reading the book until I figured out exactly what happened and who the murder was. This was basically the only reason I was able to finish this book.
I had so many issues with this book right from the beginning. I just couldn’t stand Christine as the main character; her personality was under my skin quickly into the book. Christine was making every issue about herself and putting herself in a lot of danger while making these decisions that she was trying to justify. It was like she couldn’t listen to any rational information and then started in my mind freaking out.
The plot was also a struggle for me when reading this book. There was a pretty logical way to get the answer that Christine craved of who her donor was, but she just couldn’t wait. I understand that waiting was going to be challenging, but every decision after that she made was just completely out of left field and only put herself in more danger. I struggled to find a way to relate to Christine or even follow her thought pattern so it was challenging for me to feel any sympathy for her.
Also, I have NO idea what was going on in Christine’s and Marcus’s marriage, but I have a lot of questions on how the ending is even possible.
If I had to suggest when to read this book I would suggest this as a nighttime read. I found a large amount of stopping points and could put it down easily.
I received this book from Netgally for to provide an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book.
June 18, 2016
A good summer read. About half way through I thought to myself, "I know where this going." Wrong. Later I thought I knew who the bad guy was. Wrong. Ok, I know how this is going to end. Wrong again. It was nice to read a book that I was totally in the mood for AND it wasn't predictable.
My only negative was with the main character. Everything she did she got lucky, from lying about who she was and believed, given the benefit of the doubt to gaining information. But...I liked her.
On a personal note: my 15yo son went on his first date and naturally my husband and I peppered him with questions about his new girl because as parents that's what we do, lol. Have you met her parents? yes, well just her mom. She's a donor baby. *awkward silence* Really? Wow. That's so cool!
My only negative was with the main character. Everything she did she got lucky, from lying about who she was and believed, given the benefit of the doubt to gaining information. But...I liked her.
On a personal note: my 15yo son went on his first date and naturally my husband and I peppered him with questions about his new girl because as parents that's what we do, lol. Have you met her parents? yes, well just her mom. She's a donor baby. *awkward silence* Really? Wow. That's so cool!
March 4, 2017
Knock, knock "Hi, I'm investigating the death of your neighbor."
"Oh hi, I'm Susan Jones"
Knock, knock "Hi, I'm investigating the death of your neighbor."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Joe Smith"
Knock, knock "Hi, I'm investigating the death of your neighbor."
"Hello, I'm Sarah Thomas"
An entire chapter consisted of that. The infuriating MC interviewing two blocks of neighbors who repeat almost the same story. What really bothered me was the neighbors introducing themselves back to her. Am I just super rude and that's how the rest of the world works? I'd never think to introduce myself to some random who showed up on my doorstep.
"Oh hi, I'm Susan Jones"
Knock, knock "Hi, I'm investigating the death of your neighbor."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Joe Smith"
Knock, knock "Hi, I'm investigating the death of your neighbor."
"Hello, I'm Sarah Thomas"
An entire chapter consisted of that. The infuriating MC interviewing two blocks of neighbors who repeat almost the same story. What really bothered me was the neighbors introducing themselves back to her. Am I just super rude and that's how the rest of the world works? I'd never think to introduce myself to some random who showed up on my doorstep.
March 15, 2017
Well if I am admitting to skimming chapters, it is not good! Only die hard fans of this author would love this. Really treated infertility like an illness and then the story was so out there. And this story could've been a good hundred pages less just in how it is overwritten. Everything was extra described. She washed her hair using Moroccan oil for extra shine.(pointless and no value to story) she walks into a building then a whole paragraph describing the lobby (pointless and no value to story).I have liked some of this authors stories in past but sorry not this one!
October 11, 2016
What a disappointment! I cannot remember the last time I read a book as anticlimactic as this one. What was the point really? Terrible plot development, no twists, no surprise, just a boring novel any amateur could have scripted.
July 13, 2017
Christine, finally pregnant, is overjoyed with the prospect of being a mother, and plans to be a stay at home mom. By a random coincidence, a news blurb on the TV while they are cleaning up from the party her fellow teachers threw her, rocks her to the core. A man arrested as a possible serial killer looks just like the picture of the sperm donor they used. The donor chose to remain anonymous, and the sperm bank refuses to disclose the name of the donor. Christine's husband, Marcus, is disturbed and appalled, seeking the advice of a lawyer. Christine's emotionally distraught and is determined to find the true identity of their donor. She will go to any lengths to uncover the truth.
The story is fast paced, interesting and at times made me pause to give thought to"what would I do?" Yet, there are a lot of situations that I found implausible, giving the book a lack of credibility. But it is fiction and it made for a good summer read.
The story is fast paced, interesting and at times made me pause to give thought to"what would I do?" Yet, there are a lot of situations that I found implausible, giving the book a lack of credibility. But it is fiction and it made for a good summer read.
February 20, 2016
I received a copy of this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review. I enjoy Lisa Scottoline's writing style and typically really enjoy what I've read of her work, but Most Wanted just didn't work for me. I like the initial premise, shock and disturbing questions about what would happen if you were inseminated by someone accused of being a serial killer, but after that, the story took a turn for the unbelievable for me. I suppose I appreciated Christine's tenacity, but her actions and the story just seemed very far fetched.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2017
This is the second book of Lisa Scottoline's that I have read. It started off really strong. The fact that she touches on a subject many people in the world live through everyday: infertility is completely a new angle. We find out that it's not always a easy road getting what you wish for. The book is very interesting indeed. Slow at some points but get your detective thinking cap on. Also be prepared to cry if you are a person who connects with characters easily. I even shed a few tears. The ending is fast paced and shocking. A recommended read for something relaxing and emotional.
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