Review of The Wicked Wives

[Dana Lawrence Lohn]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Wicked Wives" by Gus Pelagatti.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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In the true crime spirit of Dateline and Snapped comes The Wicked Wives: A Novel Based on a True Story by Philadelphia attorney Gus Pelagatti, who was born and raised just blocks from where this real-life story unfolded in 1938. This reviewer was born forty years later and about forty miles away and never previously heard this wild story, a murder scandal in which seventeen wives were tried for mariticide.

The story centers on a conflict between two male leads. Hero and Assistant District Attorney Tom Rossi seeks to solve these crimes, imprison the offenders, and climb the prosecutorial ladder with his victories. Villain and tailor Giorgio DeSipio seduces the wives and conjures the dastardly plots that result in the demise of their fraudulently insured husbands.

There is richness and empathy in the telling of Giorgio's illicit romances and their consequences, more than a reader might expect. The gorgeous Joanna truly loved DeSipio; the bewitching Eve saw him merely as a tool; the icy Lillian enjoyed both DeSipio and another physically as part of achieving her ambitions. In contrast, Rossi's romance with Hope, the biracial nurse and love of his life, is banal and ploddingly conflictual, even during detailed bedroom scenes - until it's not; I'll leave that one there so as not to spoil one of the book's inventive plot twists.

A reader who enjoys vividly-told legal drama, American history, and an occasional twist of humor will love this book. The courtroom scenes are thoughtfully written and authored by a gentleman well familiar with Pennsylvania law. Trial content can notoriously be very dry, but in Pelagatti's hands, it's delightfully dynamic and strikingly sexual. This is notably not a book for a sensitive reader offended by graphic language.  

The high point of this book is elderly neighbor Bertha's courtroom description of Giorgio's lothario successes. This cleverly written scene is funny enough for readers to laugh out loud, and I would rate the book highly just for that scene, but the entire book is strong enough to warrant a 5 out of 5 rating. Gus Palagetti deserved to be incredibly proud of his first and only published book; he passed away in 2021 at the age of 82, and was lauded after he died for his legal, political, and literary contributions to the Philadelphia community. He left a tremendous legacy of which Wicked Wives is deservedly part.

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The Wicked Wives
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[Harshitha G B]

So there are two male leads and two villains weaving story along with wives who are major characters in the play. This book feels intresting by looking at your review. so purposely trapping one person and punishing. Interesting one and your review helped me lot to know about this book.

[Kareen Hez]

I love books with courtroom scenes, so based on your review and high rating, I think I will enjoy this one. I'll get my hands on the book at the first chance I get. Thank you for the great review!

[Ashwini Tawade]

Thank you for your review. It's good to know a bit about you, the author, and this interesting real-life story. I will want to read this book.

[Risper Ouma Anyango]

I am glad you enjoyed this book and I won't read this book because I am not very found of legal drama. However, your review is to die for and hs all the information necessary for a fun read.

[Gerry Steen]

Ahhh. Sad that Gus Pelagatti passed away so soon after authoring this well-written story. It must have given you chills to know that these heinous crimes happened so close to where you grew up even though it was forty years earlier. During the Depression years, people did a lot of desperate acts. This book will keep me riveted to each page. Great review as usual, Dana!

[Rose Lineani]

This review has me hooked! I love true crime novels, especially ones based on real historical events. Adding the courtroom drama sounds like a perfect blend. Great review @Dana Lawrence Lohn

[David Awunor]

I had to read the reviews twice to comprehend the plot. The review is brilliantly written, and I am impressed. The story line is nice and piqued my interest, so I have added it to my to-read list.

[Alissa Nesson]

Thanks for a wonderful review! I love your sophisticated, easily-understandable writing style coupled with a personal touch. I read this book relatively recently and I also really enjoyed it. I hadn’t heard of this scandal either. I had to look it up online afterwards to compare the reality with the fiction. I especially appreciated that it made me laugh and that the wives were actually painted pretty sympathetically.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Dana, you always come up with books that I would love and this is one of them for sure. I can't wait to get stuck in and I'm sure I'll enjoy it as much as you did. Thanks again.