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    Save Me: A Novel
    Save Me: A Novel
    Save Me: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    Save Me: A Novel

    Written by Lisa Scottoline

    Narrated by Cynthia Nixon

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Think Twice and Look Again comes an emotionally powerful novel about a split-second choice, agonizing consequences, and the need for justice

    Rose McKenna volunteers as a lunch mom in her daughter Melly's school in order to keep an eye on Amanda, a mean girl who's been bullying her daughter. Her fears come true when the bullying begins, sending Melly to the bathroom in tears. Just as Rose is about to follow after her daughter, a massive explosion goes off in the kitchen, sending the room into chaos. Rose finds herself faced with the horrifying decision of whether or not to run to the bathroom to rescue her daughter or usher Amanda to safety. She believes she has accomplished both, only to discover that Amanda, for an unknown reason, ran back into the school once out of Rose's sight. In an instance, Rose goes from hero to villain as the small community blames Amanda's injuries on her. In the days that follow, Rose's life starts to fall to pieces, Amanda's mother decides to sue, her marriage is put to the test, and worse, when her daughter returns to school, the bullying only intensifies. Rose must take matters into her own hands and get down to the truth of what really happened that fateful day in order to save herself, her marriage and her family.

    In the way that Look Again had readers questioning everything they thought they knew about family, Save Me will have readers wondering just how far they would go to save the ones they love. Lisa Scottoline is writing about real issues that resonate with real women, and the results are emotional, heartbreaking and honest.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateApr 12, 2011
    ISBN9781427211330
    Save Me: A Novel
    Author

    Lisa Scottoline

    Lisa Scottoline was a trial lawyer before turning to writing full-time. She won the prestigious Edgar Award for her second legal thriller, ‘Final Appeal’, and her first thriller, ‘Everywhere That Mary Went’, was nominated for the same high honour. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives with her family in Philadelphia.

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    Reviews for Save Me

    3.5/5

    67 ratings61 reviews

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    • 4/5
      On the day Rose volunteered at her daughter's elementary school to help in the lunchroom, an explosion in the kitchen sets fire to the school. Rose manages to get two little girls out of the lunchroom and to the hallway which leads to the playground outside, then she races back into the fire to find her daughter who was in the bathroom when the fire occurred. Initially, Rose is hailed as a hero for saving her daughters life. But then it is discovered that one of the little girls Rose had led to the hallway was still in the building. She was rescued, but in serious condition. At that point, Rose is reviled as a woman who saved her daughter's life at the expense of another child. In the aftermath of the fire, tempers rage and lawsuits are threatened. Rose is afraid her family will be the target of a criminal investigation. As she tries to piece together what happened that day, she keeps discovering bits of information that don't add up. Apparently the fire which killed three employees, was not an accident at all and Rose begins to realize that there are far bigger issues at stake than an elementary school fire.I really enjoy Lisa Scottoline's books. They are suspenseful and difficult to stop reading once started. "Save Me" is no exception. She addresses the issues of bullying, the insularity of small towns, corporate greed and political cover-ups. It seemed at times that there were really too many issues addressed and sometimes Rose's actions seemed a little far-fetched for a stay-at-home Mom living in a small town. But, the suspense and fast-paced kept me on the edge of my seat and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      A woman's hard choice between saving 2 school girls she is in charge of or saving her own daughter when a fire breaks out in the school lead to division, pain, and loss.What would you do?
    • 3/5
      I can't say it was riveting. It didn't hold my attention like some of her other books, . I could go a week or more without picking it up again. It was ok, just not my cuo of tea.
    • 2/5
      Let me preface this by saying that Lisa Scottoline is a great lady. I've had the privilege of meeting her several times and marvel at her warmth and sense of humor. And I've read several of her books including LOOK AGAIN which I particularly enjoyed. I just can't say the same for SAVE ME. I couldn't relate to her "super mom" main character who goes to extreme lengths to right the wrongs that have been done to her. Still, I think Lisa's fans will enjoy SAVE ME as they turn the pages faster and faster to reach its explosive climax.
    • 4/5
      It started off really intense - at least for a mom. I could totally imagine myself being this woman. Then somewhere in the middle the connection loosened. I am not sure what happened. I still enjoyed the book but the realism was a bit off at the end.
    • 3/5
      The premise of Save Me sounds interesting enough -- but the novel quickly digresses into a cacophony of side plots and farfetched theories. The protagonist, Rose, is an unsympathetic creature whom I wanted to have more fire at the beginning -- she seemed to just sit back and let everything happen to her. Then, all of a sudden, she began doing insanely stupid actions. It just made little sense to me. I kept reading because, honestly, I was fascinated with what direction Scottoline was going to go in next.
    • 3/5
      Eh. The last half of the book was better then the first half. I could not relate to Rose in this book making it extremely difficult to enjoy. I also don't care for a child's voice (as a main character) in a book, authors never really pull that off very well.
    • 3/5
      I loved the first part of this book. Rose McKenna faces a tough dilemma when an emergency occurs while volunteering at her daughter's school: which child to save first? This scenario, and the second-guessing that comes later, is very well done.But the other parents at the school react far more strongly than one would anticipate. Rose did a good job -- but they somehow think she should have been superhuman. It didn't feel right to me that there was almost no community support; would've been far more believable if the parents were divided over the issue. And then the story completely lost its credibility when Rose becomes an amateur detective trying to figure out the root cause of the emergency. Too many coincidences, and too much out-of-character behavior.
    • 4/5
      Lisa's latest book is a page turning, suspenseful read, but it does raise ethical, moral and thoughtful questions. How far would you go to protect a loved one? Do we step in to protect our children when they need us, or does that make things worse? How doe we convey to our children (and some adults) that bullying is serious business and it consequences are heartbreaking. Because we know the story from Rose's POV, we find ourselves immediately sympathetic to her. As I was reading, I wondered how we would react if we were told the story from another mom's POV. Would we be as sympathetic to her? A great read that does get a bit over the top, but still well worth the time.
    • 4/5
      I have never read anything written by Lisa Scottoline before, and after reading Save Me and I can't wait to read all her novels! What a beautifully written, amazing story. I found my self feeling the same emotions as Rose, the main character, right along with her as I was reading. Lisa really hits home when describing bullying and it's effects on everyone. Save me is a must read and a page turner, I had a hard time putting this book down! The story was just incredible. Having said that, I was constantly distracted by the extreme number of chapters. Save Me has 89 chapters, none more than a few pages long. Also, I was a bit agitated by the fact that the main characters name kept being shortened from Rose to Ro. I felt it was unnecessary and sloppy work. Rose is a short enough name and shouldn't need to be shortened for any kind of effect to take place. Regardless, I will be recommending this book to as many people as possible, it was a great read!
    • 2/5
      Synopsis: Save Me starts off with a suburban mom (Reesburgh, PA), Rose McKenna working as a lunch mother at her daughter's school when suddenly an explosion rips through the school's cafeteria, killing three staff members. She leads to girls to safety before running to rescue her own daughter Melly. After being dubbed by the media as somewhat of a hero, Rose soon learns she might face civil and criminal charges because one of the girls she saved was seriously injured in the fire. The same girls who teased her daughter Melly for having a rose colored birthmark on her face just minutes before the fire, and Rose confronted the same girls about bullying. After being told she might face a charges, Rose, her husband Leo who is a lawyer, and her attorney discuss a defense plan that includes filing a lawsuit against the school for the lack of training for fire drills. Rose takes it upon herself to investigate the truth behind the mysterious fire. She enlists the help of a construction worker at the school who may know answers, as well as a visit to a local factory where she unravels more questions and answers regarding the fire. Rose slowly unravels the truth, and is forced to face a dark secret from her own past. She discovers an intricate web of lies, cover-ups, and conspiracies which all lead to the ultimate answers regarding the questions of the school explosion/fire, whether or not she is a local hero by saving three girls and her own daughter, and whether she can face the demons from her past. Review: The jacket description on the cover of the book leads the reader to believe Rose is a dedicated mother who would do anything for her child, but I didn't know Scottoline would instead blur the lines between mother and superhero; dramatic fiction and young adult mystery. The novel beings with much promise, as the synopsis above indicates. The story sounds exciting, thrilling, and has potential. A school explosion, a mom saving her own daughter, other children getting injured in the fire with the hero to blame, as well as the swell of the media, possible criminal charges, and haunting secrets from Rose's past. All the great markings of a great story... Unfortunately, the story as a whole lacks realism and substance. The story Scottoline creates is simply absurd and far-fetched: A school explosion that is actually a conspiracy due to a politician's mistress working at the school? A small community turning a mother into a pariah for saving kids in a fire but accusing her of leaving someone else's daughter behind only to be injured and questioning her motives for saving her own daughter? A mom who drops her kids off with family friends (her husband is out of town on a court case and he rarely checks in) so she can sneak off in her mini van to do detective work with a construction worker and make an incognito visit to a local factory to get answers about a possible murder cover-up? This storyline would not even be successful as a movie plot on Lifetime Movie Network. Besides the story mimicking a Nancy Drew sleuth novel, the characters are one-dimensional and the dialogue is unrealistic. The way she portrays the characters, the things they say, and the way they act in certain situations is impractical and unlikely, behaviors and dialogue you might find in a young adult novel or in a cheesy after school movie. I think it's obvious to say this novel was a grave disappointment, which is surprising because Lisa Scottoline has written many fantastic novels. This story had a lot of promise based on the description on the jacket as well as the set up in the beginning of the story, but my expectations for this stand-alone novel fell short. The story lacked character development, realistic dialogue, and mystery the entire way through. If you're looking for a good dramatic novel with a lot of strong characters, thick plotlines, and excellent writing, pick up a Jodi Picoult novel. If you're looking for a nail-biting, edge of your seat mystery, pick up a different Lisa Scottoline novel. If you're looking for a superhero book, read a graphic novel. If you're looking for a detective/sleuth novel, pick up a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book. But sadly, I would not recommend this book for any reason. With that said, please don't judge Lisa Scottoline's other works based on this novel alone. Save Me is by no means an accurate representation of her writing skills or creative imagination. I believe Scottoline wanted to try something new but was too far out of her comfort zone, and Save Me is the result of that. I would recommend her other books, but definitely not this one.
    • 3/5
      I really almost gave up on this towards the beginning. I believe if I was reading it not listening I would have put it down. It was reminding me of a Jodi Picoult book and I have trouble with her books and as a rule don't read them. This book turned out ok overall. It was uncomfortable and hard to listen to in parts. I will try other books by Lisa Scottoline but this just wasn't my favorite. I love her columns and live for Sunday to read them!!
    • 3/5
      This is a tired story that's been told too many times. Not Scottoline's best work.
    • 4/5
      Wow, this book was really interesting! Imagine being faced with moral, legal and ethical decisions that can change your life and so many others. Rose McKenna is a loving mother of two children, Melly and John. Melly is a young third grader that is constantly teased because of a port wine stain on her cheek. Rose tries to help and protect her daughter from being bullied and it all backfires in her face. The cafeteria that Rose is talking to the bullies in explodes, leaving Rose to decide between saving her child or the young girls directly in front of her. Rose makes a decision and her intentions are good while the outcome is not perfect. Rose is accused of leaving some children to die in order to save her own. The town turns against Rose, just when she is starting to uncover the real reason behind the explosion. In the middle of the book, the clues and pieces start to fit together and snow balls into an action packed mom meets superhero scene that makes you feel good in the end. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a wonderful read!
    • 4/5
      If faced with an event where you were given the choice of saving your own child or the children in front of you, what would you do? I hope I never have to find out. In the book Rose is a very caring mother. She cares for her daughter Melly so much that she has moved her to a new school because her daughter was constantly being bullied. Melly carried a port wine birthmark on her cheek. It made her the target of many kids. To try to stop this Rose volunteers at the school in hopes of stopping this bullying. She is in the cafeteria and watches Amanda Gigot smear jelly on her cheek to make fun of Melly. Melly flees into the restroom in tears. Rose decides to talk with Amanda and the other girls. It is at this moment in time that there is an explosion in the kitchen across from the restroom where her daughter is. Now she must decide whether she should get her kid out and abandon the girls in front of her or get them to safety and then go back for her daughter. Rose decides to usher the girls into the hallway and to the door and then go back for her daughter. She manages to get her daughter out and is being called a hero until they realize Amanda is inside and is severely injured. Now people are accusing her of leaving other children inside and taking care of her own. Rose goes on a trip to find the cause of the explosions and finds herself in places she should not be trying to tie together everything she is learning. This was one of those books that kept you on the edge of your seat throughout. I really enjoyed the story. At times I felt that the author threw too much into the mix that made the mother seem like she was someone who was super-human. All in all, I can definitely recommend this book to everyone.
    • 3/5
      I was thrilled to win an Early Review of Save me sent from St. Martin's Press. I couldn't wait to dive into the story. I have read a few of Lisa Scottoline's books and have fairly enjoyed them. The description of this novel reminded me of similar books to Jodi Picoult which I always devour.You are grabbed right in the first chapters when a cafeteria explosion starts a fire. Rose who is volunteering to be a lunch-mom to keep an eye on the bullying that is happening to her daughter Melly must make a big decision. Who will she rescue? Her daughter or the two girls who are bullying her daughter.So Rose leads Amanda and her friend to the hallway that leads to the door to head out of the school and then goes back for her daughter. Now Rose is considered a hero, until the stretcher rolls by with Amanda on it. Amanda ran back into the fire to get her ipod and ends up in a coma and now Rose is accused of saving her own daughter over the others.The first half really grabbed my interest but the second half felt like a completely different novel.
    • 4/5
      About a month ago on Crime Fiction Collective, I wrote a review of two books that shared the theme of bullying. More recently, I read Lisa Scottoline's latest book and wished I could have included it in that review.Rose McKenna's eight-year-old daughter Melly was born with a facial birthmark, a wine-colored blotch on her left cheek. They've already had to move once because of the way Melly was treated at school. When she tells her mother that it's happening again, Rose volunteers in the school cafeteria to keep an eye on her. When she sees her classmate Amanda putting jelly on her face in mockery of the birthmark, Melly runs to the girls' room to hide. Rose begins to chastise Amanda, but is interrupted by an explosion which knocks her momentarily unconscious. When she comes to, she leads Amanda and her two friends to the exit before turning back to find Melly.Rose does get her daughter out of the building, but then learns that Amanda isn't with the other girls, having apparently gone back inside for something. Melly is taken to the hospital, treated for smoke inhalation and sent home a few days later. Amanda remains unconscious for some time.Amanda's mother and many of the other locals blame Rose for not making sure that Amanda was out before she went back for her own daughter, and Rose learns how ostracized Melly has felt all her life. Rose decides that the only way to fix the situation is to figure out what caused the explosion and track the resulting events, a decision that causes her to realize who she is and what she's really capable of.Unlike the heroines of the Rosato and Associates series, the protagonist of this stand-alone is not a lawyer (though her husband is), but an ex-model, so her investigative skills are definitely those of an amateur. But she somehow manages to ask the right questions of the right people in her quest to find out what really happened. This is a quick read, with cliff-hanger chapter endings that keep the reader hooked. The ending is perhaps a little pat, but essentially satisfying.*FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
    • 4/5
      Rose McKenna volunteers in her daughter Melly's school because her daughter is being bullied by Amanda. An explosion means that McKenna must decide who to save first, her daughter or Amanda and her friends. After making her decision, events that follow create a lawsuit, rocks her marriage and the bullying continues on a different level. As you follow McKenna in her detective work to see what really transpired and who ordered the explosion, and why, you will find it difficult to put the book down. Not to give away the rest of the plot, rest assured, buying and reading this book will keep you turning the pages until the very end. The author does a great job in describing the events and the characters, allowing you to feel as if you are right there as McKenna discovers the horrific way that criminal minds work. The twists and turns are enough to keep you interested, but the final pages are the frosting on this cake, as Amanda explains the one fact that was needed, why did she go back into the building after the explosion?
    • 4/5
      I thought this was a good read. I had never read a book by the author before, but will definitely be interested in her other novels now.The story opens with Rose concerned over the bullying her daughter, Melly endures as a third grader with a red birthmark on her face. Rose volunteers as a lunch mom to try and put a stop to the bullying, and that day a huge explosion sets off a fire in the lunch room.Rose is faced with the ultimate decision. Save her daughter who has run off to the bathroom or save the three girls who have been bullying Melly.What follows is the story of the consequences of Rose's decision. The story was tense, suspenseful and turned into a bit of a thriller at the end.For a large portion of the story I was pretty angry at all the other moms and how they seemed to bully and gang up on Rose.The book seemed to have three different parts to it. The first involves a moral dilemma, the second involved the bullying from fellow parents and the legal ramifications of Rose's decision and the last was a bit super-mom hero, turned undercover investigator.Overall I thought it was a terrific book. It was thought provoking, and emotionally riveting.
    • 3/5
      Starts well, but descends into an implausible series of coincidences and conspiracies
    • 2/5
      Well, here's what I thought. The first 50pgs - great - the next 150 awful - the last 150 redeeming. I hated the first half of this book so much that I couldn't get past it. There was no way to redeem it for me but it did get better. The story is about a lunch room volunteer trapped in a fire with the choice to save 2 other girls or her own daughter. She tried to save all 3 but it wasn't good enough and she got a lot of crap from other parents about her saving her own daughter and not the other two. Rose came off as weak, passive doormat and I had a really hard time with that. At one point, I almost didn't even continue to read it but then she went and uncovered and help catch all the bad guys.I will not recommend this book to anyone.I won this from LibraryThing.com!
    • 4/5
      This was a highly charged book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Not quite a 5 star as I didn't like the ending it felt kinda unrealistic compared to the rest of the book.
    • 4/5
      Lisa Scottoline is one of my most favorite authors. Her books are always a great read. This one was a little different style than the previous ones. It starts out as Rose volunteering to be a lunch room monitor. Rose' daughter, Melly, was often picked on because of a birth mark on her cheek. Kids are mean and Rose wanted to see just what was going on at this school and just how she is being treated. The community she lives in is a small community and she has already switched schools once due to the "bullying" Melly takes. An unfortunate event takes place while Rose is there and she is thrown into a predicament that no person, let alone a mother, wants to be in. An explosion erupts and turns this normal day into one that will be a living nightmare. As an adult, Rose has to choose who to save. The choice she makes will determine the path the story takes. Rose is blamed for one child being in a coma, and the media follows her around harassing her to no end. Rose is determined to get to the bottom of this one way or another and becomes a "Super Hero". Rose eventually relies on her own want and need to find out the who, what, and why of story. From the beginning to the end Rose went from a "lunch room Mom" to a "Super Hero", with a lot in between. I have read a lot of reviews on this book and tend to disagree many of them. This is a touching book, it is a bit of a different style then Lisa's usual writing, but it is an excellent read. It will keep you guessing, with twists and turns and leave you satisfied at the end.
    • 4/5
      This was my first book from Lisa Scottoline. I thought that she wrote legal thrillers mostly but this book was not one of those. There were lawyers involved (the main character Rose is married to one) but this isn't a Grisham type novel. Based on the description on the inside jacket and the front cover endorsement from Jodi Picoult, I expected a Picoult-like book with the "issue of the week" and crazy twist at the end. This book was not a Picoult book either. Instead, it is an emotional, mystery-thriller about a mother who decides to take matters into her own hands when things are stacked up against her and her family.Rose McKenna is the mom of Melinda (who goes by Melly), an elementary school girl who loves Harry Potter. Melly shares something with the Potter boy--a birthmark on her face. Unfortunately, Melly's isn't a lightning bolt but a large red blotch on her cheek. She is teased and bullied at school, particularly by Amanda, a girl in her class in the new school she just started. Rose is a volunteer lunch monitor at Melly's school one day when Amanda starts bullying Melly. As Rose intervenes, Melly runs off and there is a massive explosion in the kitchen. Rose has to make a split second decision--get the girls (including bully Amanda) right in front of her out of the building or go get her daughter, who is trapped in the bathroom down the hall. Her decision ends up affecting more than just her family and something out of her past that she has been running from comes back to haunt her.In the aftermath of the fire, there are possible legal consequences for Rose based on her actions. Rose decides to do some digging into the school and the cause of the fire. The story really picks up at this point and really never lets go.Rose's character really grew over the course of the book. Even though some of the sleuthing scenes seemed a little far fetched, the book never pushed too far into the realm of ridiculous. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would be willing to give Ms. Scottoline another shot.
    • 3/5
      When I picked up this book, I was very intrigued by the story line, but was left disappointed. The book starts out in one direction and morphs into something completely different. At the end of the book, the twists and turns will keep you guessing, but I wanted the book to continue in the direction it began with, at the beginning.
    • 2/5
      I had high hopes for this book and sadly it really didn't live up to my expectations. I sat down and read this book within a matter of hours but to me it felt like days. This book felt more like two books than one, but maybe that is because it seemed to drag on. I had a hard time connecting with Rose or any character in this book. I am not a mother so I have never experienced the love that Rose feels towards Melly and John. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I was a mother. The best (or most interesting) part of the book is the last quarter. The only person I would probably recommend this book to would be a mother.
    • 3/5
      A fast paced story about a mother's dilemma. Rose McKenna has become a lunch mom volunteer at her daughter's school. Melly is being bullied at school because of a congenital birth mark on her face and Rose wants to keep an eye on her. Probably not the best of reasons to offer her services and it lands her in a whole heap of trouble. Catching the bullying ring leader making fun of Melly, Rose politely "tackles" the offending child which delays some of the children's departure from the school cafeteria. An horrific explosion from the next door kitchen completely destroys the cafeteria and the kitchen itself, killing three members of staff and injuring some of the youngsters. As a consequence, Rose has to make the ultimate decision, whether to save her own child who has run to the nearby disabled toilet to escape her tormentors, or to save Amanda...the chief bully. It's a bit like "Sophie's Choice".....but far less harrowing.Rose makes her choice, one which appears to be the correct one......but there are unforeseen consequences and her life turns in to a living nightmare. Then an incident from her past also catches up with her. A secret she has kept from her husband and friends rears it's ugly head to torment her once again. The finger of blame is well and truly pointed at her.I have read several of Lisa Scottoline's books and have enjoyed them..this is no exception. They are in the genre of Jodi Picoult, so lovers of her books will certainly enjoy this one. A good beach read and an excellent novel for a book club, with lots to discuss and analyse.
    • 4/5
      I really wanted to like Save Me by Lisa Scottoline. The premise is very intriguing. A mother having to choose between saving her child or another child who has wronged her child. However I found the main character, Rose very whiny. I just couldn't get past that. About the only character I had feelings for was her daughter Melly, who wasn't in the story near enough. The pacing is brisk, and Lisa Scottoline keeps you turning the pages, but ultimately the story just fell flat for me.
    • 5/5
      Bestselling author Lisa Scottoline is known for writing novels that stir the emotions and make readers think about things most would rather not confront. In her latest book, Save Me, Scottoline tackles the issue of bullying as well as, the question of how far a person would go to protect their children? Readers will find this book, riveting and full of gut-wrenching suspense as the main character must make a split second decision that will change her life forever. Save her own child or save the child who constantly bullies her daughter?Rose McKenna had no idea that her day to volunteer as lunch mom at her daughters school would end in tragedy. When an explosion rocks Reesburgh Elementary School Rose is forced to make a split second decision. She can save the children who are closest to her or her own daughter who is trapped in a bathroom. To make matters worse one of the children she could save is Amanda, the girl who has tormented Rose's daughter Melly for months. Amanda and many others bully Melly because she has a strawberry birthmark on her face. Rose doesn't have time to think and leads some of the children to safety before she saves Melly. But Amanda somehow makes her way back inside once Rose's back is turned and sustains serious injuries. Rose is vilified by just about everyone from Amanda's mother to the school officials who blame her for Amanda's injuries. Rose must figure out what caused the mysterious accidental fire in order to save her family, her marriage and ultimately herself.This book is so completely absorbing that readers will find themselves lost in the pages. It's definitely hard to put down! It has the fast pace of a thriller, but the amount of emotion that this novel brings to the surface is simply amazing. Scottoline is known for her emotionally stirring plots and this one is not a disappointment in that area. There are moments when you find that your pulse has sped up and your breathing is a little short as you read. It's that realistic!As a reader I tend to read books to escape my normal day which usually includes, the dog, the kids and all that sort of thing. But this book was different. It spoke to me on a level that I wasn't expecting. Having children of my own, I sympathized with Scottoline's main character Rose. She is torn between protecting her daughter from school bullying or letting her daughter solve her own problems. It's an issue that has been around for a long time, but bullying has certainly changed a lot from when I was a child. It has spread to social media and other avenues that kids can't get away from when they go home at night. Making it that much more important to kids today. I thought the author did a fantastic job of bringing this issue to the forefront. Kids and parents who have suffered from bullying will be able to relate to this book in a profound way.The other issue that Scottoline focuses on in this book, is the question of what we as parents would be willing to do to protect our children. If we had a split second to decide whether to save our own children or someone else's child, what would we do? Would we save those that were right next to us or would we move heaven and earth to save our own children? I'm not sure that any of us as parents, as readers and just as people could honestly say what we would do unless we were faced with that decision head on. I would like to think I would do the right thing, but I'm not sure what the right thing would be... It was certainly something I thought long and hard about as I read this book and saw the things that happened to Rose after her decision and I think readers will do some real soul searching with this question as well. Scottoline gives her readers a lot of food for thought in all of her books and this one is no different.The mystery or crime aspect of the book was also thrilling. Rose must figure out what happened. What caused the explosion that changed her life. She doesn't just lie down under pressure. Though she is facing losing everything, her family, her livelihood, her marriage, she presses on. I have heard some who have read this book say that it was unrealistic that a mother could figure all this out when the police couldn't and I understand the argument, but I also know that outside sources often lead to solving crimes. People look at things differently, especially when they have different motivations. I thought it was completely plausible that Rose was able to come to the right conclusions. She had more at stake, she wasn't the police and more people would talk to her. She was there when the explosion happened and had a different perspective on the entire crime. I think Scottoline did a remarkable job of showing just how Rose could have solved this thing.I recommend this one to readers who enjoy thrillers and mysteries. But I also recommend it mothers and parents. Those who are dealing with bullying or have been bullying in the past. And remember adults get bullied too! There are many ways to bully someone. This is a very emotional book, so be prepared for that. It's not light and fluffy. Make sure you have plenty of time to read before you start it because you won't want to put it down!Save Me is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
    • 3/5
      This is the first novel I've read by Lisa Scottoline. I'm not normally much of one for mysteries, but I chose it from Librarything's Early Reviewer program because the premise sounded interesting. At first, this novel seemed like sort of a family drama. Rose, Melly's mother, is volunteering at the grade school when there is an explosion in the teacher's lounge. She has an impossible decision to make - save the children right in front of her, or save her daughter in the restroom. She does her best to save everyone, but receives backlash when one of the girls, Amanda, ends up in a coma. I thought that was all there would be to this book. Nope! Suddenly, characters have secret pasts, there's a murder mystery, conspiracies... For the most part, all of that came out of left field for me, but it wasn't entirely unbelievable. Scottoline wove the plots together pretty well, and tied everything up neatly by the end. This was an entertaining read, but I don't think I'll re-read it, and I would probably only recommend it to readers who enjoy "chick-lit" or mysteries. I'm also doubtful that I'll read anything else by Lisa Scottoline.