Skinny-Dipping by Claire Matturro whips a frothy chick lit legal thriller, keeping readers on their toes while trying to sort out the crimes. Lilly Rose Cleary, junior partner to a Sarasota law firm, is working her usual malpractice cases- a whiplash case caused in a kayaking incident, and a “veggie baby case” passed along to her from a senior partner. Life seems to be going at normal for Lilly- until she is put in a choke hold on her way back to the office. This incident caps off a tailspin of unusual events. First, a doctor facing a malpractice suit comes to Lilly for advice- and is dead within hours. Next, Lilly is getting shot at, but even then the (sexy) detective working on the case can’t seem to decide if Lilly is a victim or a suspect.
Matturro gives readers a sexy, sassy, determined, and witty heroine, but mixes in just enough legal jargon to make this thriller truly suspenseful. I loved that the villain is not indentified until the very end, as with many mysteries readers can pinpoint them within a few chapters. This aspect ups the intensity and need to keep turning the pages. The plot zips by quickly with a mix of memorable characters, including a depressed Rottweiler and an albino ferret, and they add an ingredient of humor to this enjoyable first novel from Claire Matturro.
