The Truth About the Devlins

By: Lisa Scottoline

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Lisa Scottoline

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

USA Today Bestseller

Lisa Scottoline, the #1 bestselling author of What Happened to the Bennetts, presents another pulse-pounding domestic thriller about family, justice, and the lies that tear us apart.

TJ Devlin is the charming disappointment in the prominent Devlin family, all of whom are lawyers at their highly successful firm—except him. After a stint in prison and rehab for alcoholism, TJ can’t get hired anywhere except at the firm, in a make-work job with the title of investigator.

But one night, TJ’s world turns upside down after his older brother John confesses that he murdered one of their clients, an accountant he’d confronted with proof of embezzlement. It seems impossible coming from John, the firstborn son and Most Valuable Devlin.

TJ plunges into the investigation, seizing the chance to prove his worth and save his brother. But in no time, TJ and John find themselves entangled in a lethal web of deception and murder. TJ will fight to save his family, but what he learns might break them first.

©2024 Lisa Scottoline (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick

One of Mystery Tribune's Best Crime, Mystery, and Thriller Books of March 2024
One of Brit+CO's Most-Anticipated & Best New Books of 2024

"Family dysfunction and life-threatening circumstances are the least of the variety of twists and turns with which Scottoline peppers this labyrinthine plot. . . . The Truth About the Devlins is a romp with exacting amounts of soul and sabotage, surprise and success, that even the most jaded mystery reader will find it to be a jolt to his or her system.”—Bookreporter

"[Scottoline] plunges right into a story and piles the twists on along the way . . . [and] gives us a conclusion that is not only surprising but much more satisfying."—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"[In] The Truth About the Devlins, Lisa Scottoline introduces a dysfunctional family that really puts the “fun” in “dysfunctional . . . Scottoline explores those deliciously screwed-up family dynamics with gusto . . . Part family drama, part legal thriller, Scottoline proves once again why she’s a master of the genre. You’ll burn through this book in no time flat."—Mystery Scene

"A multi-layered and well plotted story that takes narrative twists and turns . . . An emotionally stirring and powerful story about justice, repercussions, redemption, and the strength of family bonds." —Fresh Fiction

another winner from Scottoline

Scottoline writes from the heart and draws you in to know and care for her characters. I tend to prefer female narrators but enjoyed Mr. Eduardo's cadence and inflection.

More TJ Devlin!

Enjoyed the story and pace. Not too many characters to keep track of. Hope the author continues with the character TJ.

A good story

A good story, but at times boring. Parts of the story just dragged on. A surprise ending.

A wonderful and intricate mystery

I loved the humanity in this book. Weaving family and forgiveness with mystery that kept you on the edge of your seat due to great twists and turns. We have all made mistakes, but this book shows that owning up to them along with hard work can lead to redemption. I loved the author’s sincere acknowledgments at the end. It takes a village to bring an excellent book to life and she graciously thanked all of her team. Kudos to all!

Why did his brother lie?

This was extremely enjoyable. I always love lisa's books. The show's family dynamics and how some addictions are shown to be worse than others when really an addiction is an addiction. I felt all of t j's pain, though. I'm not an alcoholic.

The humor! Refreshing!!

Great explanations of alcoholism and recovery! I learned quite a lot about support and praise being given instead of making someone feel guilty and ashamed.

Great story with the best narrator!

I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook! I have over 100 books in my collection and this one is Top Notch! Edoardo Ballerini is so amazing as narrator- I love his voice and the different characters he portrays. The story is both serious and break out funny - Wonderful!

Great character relationships

A great listen, the characters were complex within the family. Most families have a hard time acknowledging growth and change in each other. We don't take time to see each family member as a unique individual. We tend to "pigeon hole" each other, based on the family dynamic assigned to in childhood. Very relatable and many plot turns. Loved this story!

Awesome story.

I could not figure it out until the end. Over the last ten plus years, I have listened to more than one hundred books.
Edoardo Ballerini is the Best narrator ever. Thanks to him!

Great read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not just because I am a huge Lisa Scottoline fan. There is action, suspense, family drama, intrigue and even a smidgen of romance. I was not crazy about the narration. He made all the male characters sound like thugs or mafia bosses. Scottoline knows the legal system, and that elevates her books. I highly recommend this book.