Cate Fante is strong and sexy and wears designer suits like overpriced armor. She's just become a judge but leads a dark double life that she h... read full description
reviews
Aug 05, 2008
Jan
rated it: 
Although it's not one of Scottoline's series books, I was engrossed in the story line and the characters. Who's to say that federal court judges don't have a "secret" lives and/or a wild side. I've known several attorneys who rose to the bench (although not at the Federal level) and they were normal individuals before they became judges. "Conduct unbecoming" does enter into it; however, with so many people ignoring what Clinton did, Cate's secret little diversion may not be
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Jan 21, 2008
I usually steer clear of the mass market paperback genres, but Scottoline is a fellow Philadelphian and a graduate of my alma mater's law school, so I was curious. ...ugh! Let's just say that I'm glad I went the audio book route, so that the time I spent going through it wasn't time completely wasted. I suppose it was mildly diverting--but diverting in the same way that the magazine covers of Brangelina at the grocery store checkout are diverting. Cheap thrills, shallow, ridiculous plot line
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Jan 21, 2008
Jane
rated it: 
I have read and enjoyed many of Lisa's books but this one was disappointing. The main character was very self destructive and disrespectful of her position as a judge. As the book progressed Cate's behavior was explained by her painful past but it did not really connect well to the basic story line. It was hard to like Cate given her poor judgment and behavior. I don't want to reveal the ending but I think it would have been more believable if Cate's character had achieved resolution in a mo
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Jan 23, 2012
Nguyen
rated it:
A story of a Ferderal Judge Cate Fante that has everything but then gets her world turned upsidde down by murders related to her case. Now her secrets are throw out in the open because of a decesion by the producer to make a tv show about her and her friends.
With her reputation being put into questioned by her colleages and suspected by the police of the involments in murders. Kate is force on a run a against time to find the murderer while trying to protect her family from her mistak More...
With her reputation being put into questioned by her colleages and suspected by the police of the involments in murders. Kate is force on a run a against time to find the murderer while trying to protect her family from her mistak More...
Sep 07, 2011
Siobhan
rated it: 
I try not to be too picky about this type of book – a quick, mindless read that isn’t going to stay with me much beyond the moment I finish the last page. When such a book does stay with me, it’s for all the wrong reasons. Such is the case with Dirty Blonde.
The protagonist is a federal judge based in Philadelphia. She is presiding at a trial in which a plaintiff is suing the defendant, a television producer, for stealing what the plaintiff claims was his idea for a series. During a More...
The protagonist is a federal judge based in Philadelphia. She is presiding at a trial in which a plaintiff is suing the defendant, a television producer, for stealing what the plaintiff claims was his idea for a series. During a More...
Jan 30, 2011
Antof9
rated it: 
I'm obviously on a Scottoline binge right now -- possibly because they go so quickly, or possibly because I like orderly lists and there is one in the fronts of these books (Also by Lisa Scottoline), and so I'm getting them from the library in order of writing. Is that so wrong?
Anyway, this might be one of my favorites so far. It was definitely the cleanest. And I liked the judge a lot. Cate Fante is nothing like the Stephanie Plum-esque lawyers (lawyers!) in some of the other book More...
Anyway, this might be one of my favorites so far. It was definitely the cleanest. And I liked the judge a lot. Cate Fante is nothing like the Stephanie Plum-esque lawyers (lawyers!) in some of the other book More...
Oct 21, 2009
Michael
rated it:
Cate Fante’s career is on the rise. As Dirty Blonde opens, Cate has just been appointed a federal judge. She has a great career, the great house, all the trappings of success. But Cate also has a little secret—she likes to stop in seedy bars, pick up random men and find the nearest hotel for a little bit of adult fun.
Six months later, Cate is the federal judge on an intellectual property right’s case about the hit drama Attorneys@Law. The defendent, Richard Martz is suing big Hollywo More...
Six months later, Cate is the federal judge on an intellectual property right’s case about the hit drama Attorneys@Law. The defendent, Richard Martz is suing big Hollywo More...
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Mar 18, 2009
Melody
rated it:
I haven’t ever read any of Scottoline’s books – but apparently she’s a big deal. She has a commercial for each of her books and makes personal appearances at book groups and people devour her books. It was just the kind of escape I needed while being home recuperating from surgery. Cate is a newly appointed federal judge who has a secret – she picks up men at working class bars. That’s supposed to be shocking. I think not so much because she sleeps around – but that she sleeps around with a
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Apr 09, 2011
The
rated it:
Dirty Blonde is a cleverly imagined & scrupulously scribed gritty courtroom thriller.
Hi, my name is Diane & I am a hardcore Scottoline fan ;-}. I was 16 when I first picked up Scottoline's incredibly gripping debut, Everywhere That Mary Went. The rest is history... & years of engaging, edge of your seat entertainment.
Dirty Blonde packs a wallop w/ its high octane opening. The proficient Scottoline pulls no punches divulging the discrimination women face working in a field More...
Hi, my name is Diane & I am a hardcore Scottoline fan ;-}. I was 16 when I first picked up Scottoline's incredibly gripping debut, Everywhere That Mary Went. The rest is history... & years of engaging, edge of your seat entertainment.
Dirty Blonde packs a wallop w/ its high octane opening. The proficient Scottoline pulls no punches divulging the discrimination women face working in a field More...
Jan 15, 2010
Linda
rated it:
What a fun book! The eponymous Dirty Blonde is Cate Fante, a new federal judge with a very hot secret. She never dreams that it will become public, but there a Hollywood types involved in her latest trial, and they think her life will make a great TV drama. After she passes judgement on the lawsuit, the plaintiff and defendant each wind up dead. There are other interesting characters in the guise of Cate’s best friend, a former lawyer now struggling to do right by her little autistic son, and Ca
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Apr 12, 2011
Cindy
rated it:
This for me was more a 2.5. I devoured it, the plot galloped along at a cracking pace, but afterwards I had some questions. The judge was single, so she picked up strange men in bars for quickie sex. That just shows she wasn't into commitment, it doesn't show she was no good as a judge. I wondered how that could have attracted such a media-frenzy. The real murderer wasn't convincing too me. I'd never even considered her as the murderer, so it was a twist that beat me, but still. She wasn'
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Feb 21, 2011
Cassie
rated it:
The back matter made this sound much more salacious than it really was, and I guess I was kind of disappointed on that front. The story moves along at a pretty good clip, but the characters weren't compelling and the suspense really didn't do it for me. Cate feels appropriately ashamed of her big secret and decides to abandon her problem behavior pretty early on in the story, which sucked all of the drama and tension out of the situation, and when it's revealed to everyone, she calmly owns up to
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Apr 18, 2009
Ann
rated it: 
After a short delay in deciding if I would like the mc, Federal Judge Cate Fanta enough to engage myself in the book (her promiscuous lifestyle was off putting) I realized that this was as good as any of the recent Scottoline books with a smart and gutsy female mc who went after what she wanted with a self depreciating sense of humor and a personal style. The Philadelphia setting is enhanced by the real life town of Centralia PA, an Appalachian coal mining town that was but is now a ghost town a
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Mar 07, 2011
Moonit
rated it:
I kept getting the song Bender sings on Futurama stuck in my head while reading this book: "Single female lawyer, fighting for her clients, wearing lots of mini skirts and being self reliant. Single female lawyer, having lots of sex." To be fair, it's more about a judge than a lawyer, although technically she is both.
Fast read, and good for public transportation. I spent 8 and a half hours on buses, trains, and an airplane yesterday, in which time I was able to read the en More...
Fast read, and good for public transportation. I spent 8 and a half hours on buses, trains, and an airplane yesterday, in which time I was able to read the en More...
Jan 09, 2009
Karen
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 10, 2010
Kristina
rated it:
For IQ's 90 and under. Crudely-written, patronizing, and uninteresting, all on the same page. This is kind of impressive, actually.
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May 15, 2008
Samantha
rated it:
Let me first say this is a stand alone book and not one of Lisa Scottoline's series books. Now after that I know there's a lot of people out there that didn't like this book. They said it wasn't real. Well I'm not sure that the ending is very realistic but a judge that has a life may be real. I thought that Lisa Scottoline created a very plausible storyline. How do we know that a single female judge isn't out at the bars picking up guys and sleeping with them? And if she was...do we care? Can an
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Jan 25, 2010
Susan
rated it:
If you are into murder mysteries...Lisa Scottoline is an author you should look into! What I love in particular about her is that all of her books are set in philadelphia and living there for a few years it was really interesting.
This book was a great read and I never wanted to put it down!! Scottoline's writing makes you feel like you are right there with the characters...as I said before, if you are into murder mysteries this is the author for you and this book is one of many great More...
This book was a great read and I never wanted to put it down!! Scottoline's writing makes you feel like you are right there with the characters...as I said before, if you are into murder mysteries this is the author for you and this book is one of many great More...
May 13, 2011
Rhoda
rated it:
This book was definitely a page turner and moved along at a fast pace, however I just felt that there was a bit too much going on and none of it was explored in depth. I found it difficult to believe that there would be so much media frenzy about someone's "public" private life, particularly when they are single. I also found the revelation of the real murderer was glossed over and discarded quickly and just didn't seem believable. Good for a bit of light reading, but not wholly satisf
May 17, 2009
Gooddog32
rated it:
Single female judge has anonymous sex with men she picks up in bars -- sounds like a plot right out of the Houston newspaper except 1. She is not married 2. Hasn't sexually harassed them and 3. Has not lied about it in an email.... :) Big broohaha over something that really wouldn't have been as big an issue if she were a he.
This novel has way to much filler. Case in point where she explains in detail how she opened "Outlook Express", scrolled thru her email, and then chan More...
This novel has way to much filler. Case in point where she explains in detail how she opened "Outlook Express", scrolled thru her email, and then chan More...
Apr 28, 2009
Joan
rated it:
Ok, I admit I found this passable listening while cleaning closets. Protagonist, a newly appointed federal court judge and gorgeous,of course, has a questionable sideline that gets her into trouble when she hears a case involving "you stole my tv plot". The rational for her hobby is thin as are some of the stock characters that appear... but I wasn't expecting Proust. Sometimes less is more when throwing out shoulder pads from the 80's.
Feb 08, 2009
Emily
rated it:
For something to listen to while spending time alone, this book does the trick. For enlightening literature or any intellectual stimulation, try something else. The story kept my attention just enough to make doing the laundry more interesting. I couldn't really relate to any of the characters, and the plot was driven mostly by the trouble the protagonist had gotten herself into, making the "thrilling" aspects of the storyline sort of boring.
Nov 23, 2010
Andrea
rated it:
A QUICK READ ABOUT A FEDERAL COURT JUDGE WHO HAS A DARK SECRET. HER SECRET IS DISCOVERED WHEN A TV PROGRAMER HAS HER FOLLOWED TO DO A SERIES ABOUT HER.
HER WORLD FALLS APART WHEN A CASE SHE RULED ON RESULTS IN TWO MURDERS, AND ONE ACCIDENTAL DEATH. A ROUGE COP BEGINS TO SHADOW HER AND TRIES TO KILL HER BY HITTING HER WITH HIS CAR.
IN THE END THOUGH SHE PREVAILS - SHE GETS A BOYFRIEND, HER GIRLFRIEND GETS A BOYFRIEND, AND HER SECRET IS FORGOTTEN.
HER WORLD FALLS APART WHEN A CASE SHE RULED ON RESULTS IN TWO MURDERS, AND ONE ACCIDENTAL DEATH. A ROUGE COP BEGINS TO SHADOW HER AND TRIES TO KILL HER BY HITTING HER WITH HIS CAR.
IN THE END THOUGH SHE PREVAILS - SHE GETS A BOYFRIEND, HER GIRLFRIEND GETS A BOYFRIEND, AND HER SECRET IS FORGOTTEN.
Jun 28, 2009
Andrea
rated it:
This is another one I wish I could rate 2.5 intead of a 2 or a 3. The main problem with this book - ugh, I just didn't care about the main character. I supposed Lisa Scottoline was trying to illustrate the double standards still in society, especially in the judicial system. But really - who cares that the main character picks up strangers in bars. Although - it's really hard to feel any sort of sympathy for a character that is that stupid.
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Aug 15, 2011
Mary Jane
rated it:
Despite the inclusion of Centralia, the coal mining town with the huge underground coal fire (very close to where I grew up), I was only mildly entertained by this book. I think the reason was that I never really overcame the big secret of the main character. Delving into her past as the book progressed never connected to her present misbehaviors. I just didn't care for her; wasn't cheering for her to "win."
Oh, well.
Oh, well.
Jul 30, 2011
Eric Satchwill
rated it:
It's been a long time since I've ripped through a book like that. Several times I had to force myself to put it down at a chapter break because I knew that if I didn't, I'd never look up again and miss my bus stop.
Lisa Scottoline kept me on my toes the whole way, and I felt pulled along by Cate's struggle for life, justice, and self-discovery. I will definitely be reading more by Scottoline in the future.
Lisa Scottoline kept me on my toes the whole way, and I felt pulled along by Cate's struggle for life, justice, and self-discovery. I will definitely be reading more by Scottoline in the future.
Dec 05, 2009
Charles
rated it:
I heard this describes as a noir thriller, which was why I picked it up. It was a legal thriller, but not really noir, and not something I would usually read. It generally held my interest through the book. There were plenty of twists and turns and revelations. I didn't care much for the main character and didn't really understand her motivations. The ending was a surprise but I'm not sure it was all that well prepared for. The writing was pretty good, though.
Nov 16, 2011
4cats
rated it:
Not the best legal drama by a whole way. Read Scottoline as I really enjoy the Linda Fairstein novels about Alex Cooper, unfortunately Dirty Blonde which is about a female judge who gets caught up in a scandal and a murder (to boot) is nowhere near as good as the Alex Cooper series. The character is unlikeable, the writing has moments of pace but not enough and the plot is too unbelievable and simplistic especially the ending.
Nov 28, 2011
Sapna
rated it:
This was another brainless quick read on our drive from Miami. While storyline was more forthcoming and quickly emerging, I was getting a little annoyed by the main character, who was a district court judge, but also had a promiscuous sex life that comes out in the open (as if anyone famous can hide anything these days!) after a court case, and turns her world upside down.
Jan 08, 2010
Francine
rated it:
I've been on a Lisa Scottoline bender. She writes entertaining mysteries with a combination of history and humor. "Dirty Blonde," in particular, had me Googling around for more information on the Centralia, Pa., underground coal mine fires. She's a refreshing writer who weaves a good mystery – and who doesn't love a story about a comeback kid?
