Raised as the only child of a single mother, Philadelphia lawyer, Bennie Rosato, has a difficult time believing she has a twin sister. However, she can't totally discount the evidence staring her in the face – especially since it's her face that is staring her in the face.

Bennie doesn't have much time to consider whether or not Alice Connolly is her twin, the crucial decision for Bennie is whether or not she will defend Alice on a charge of first-degree murder. Alice has been charged with killing her boyfriend, a Philadelphia police officer.

At their first meeting, Alice tells Bennie a man claiming to be their father visited her in prison and told her to call Bennie for help. Bennie can't ask her mentally ill mother for the real story and she's never met her father, she never even knew his name.

Alice claims she was framed by police officers for murder; Bennie has experience in police misconduct cases. Alice is tough, smart and manipulative but she just might be telling the truth about not murdering her boyfriend, and about being Bennie's twin sister.

Bennie feels compelled to take the case; with the help of her associates and a retired cop, she starts putting together a defense. Meanwhile, Bennie tries to stay focused on the case and not on whether a DNA test will prove a relationship to Alice Connolly.

But the puzzle behind this case just gets more puzzling; the corruption and lies are endless, and every new fact uncovered leads to more questions. As the stakes escalate, and the trial draws closer, Bennie and her team become targets for those who would rather not see their dirty secrets come to light.

As always, Ms. Scottoline's stories include lots of riveting action. This author knows the streets and the people that make up Philadelphia, and she effortlessly brings them to life in Mistaken Identity. Also, the trial scene at the end of the book is just wonderful: taut, tense and hugely entertaining.

However, it is the lavish attention to her characters and their development that sets Mistaken Identity apart from her previous works. Ms. Scottoline really fleshes out her characters, especially Bennie and her associate, Mary. She puts them through their emotional paces and, as a reader, I was with them every gut-wrenching step of the way.

--Judith Flavell