Review: Dante's Wood by Lynne Raimondo

A Mysterious Review of …

Dante's Wood by Lynne Raimondo. A Mark Angelotti Mystery.

Review summary: The characters at the core of this psychological thriller are very well drawn. As the plot moves briskly forward, neither new series character Mark Angelotti nor the reader is quite prepared for the truth as it is revealed. This is a strong start to this series. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Dante's Wood
Lynne Raimondo
A Mark Angelotti Mystery
Seventh Street Books (January 2013)

Publisher synopsis: Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti knows that genes don't lie. Or do they?

Back at work after a devastating illness, Mark believes he has put his past behind him when he is asked to examine Charlie Dickerson, a mentally handicapped teenager whose wealthy mother insists he is a victim of sexual abuse. Mark diagnoses a different reason for Charlie's ills, but his prescription turns deadly when a teacher is murdered and Charlie confesses to the police.

Volunteering to testify on Charlie's behalf, Mark's worst fears are realized when paternity tests show the victim was pregnant with Charlie's child. Now it's up to Mark to prove Charlie's innocence in a case where nothing is as first meets the eye.

Not even genes — Mark's or Charlie's — can be trusted to shine a light on the truth.