Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan

5 reviews

maddyob's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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readerette's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

The plot was promising but unfortunately nothing came together for me. If you can suspend belief about how long it takes for someone to trust someone who blackmails them, what a severe beating actually does to a person, car chases, and how the law and law enforcement works, this one might be fun for you. 

Some of the things I didn't enjoy:
  • The character development felt half-finished so I wasn't really rooting for anyone, just curious how it would turn out. 
  • Information is kept from the reader so you just have to be passively along for the ride rather than being able to unfold the mysteries as you go. 
  • The description of the violence perpetrated against a character at one point made it seem like they wouldn't survive, and then they were up and about the next day, driving, walking, talking coherently and using their brain while hopped up on painkillers and with broken ribs, a smashed face and bruised organs.
  • The courtroom scene is completely beyond belief, which ruins one character's redemption arc and the "just desserts" for another, because it would never happen the way it was portrayed. 
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acosyreader's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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chaptersofchase's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

The Murder Rule || Book Review

The Murder Rule || William Morrow & Harper Audio {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 5.10.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

I listened to this twisty legal mystery through Libro.FM - thank you, Harper Audio, for the gifted audiobook! The narrators were excellent, and I loved how McTiernan added enough mystery to each chapter that you wanted to keep reading/listening to. I believe I finished The Murder Rule in less than 48 hours as I was constantly finding things I could do to give me more listening time.

I had my suspicions on what the twist to the story might be, but I'm happy to say I was absolutely wrong. I didn't see it coming, and I was surprised at the storyline's direction.

The Murder Rule highlighted the corrupt nature of our legal system and made me feel sick as they referenced case after case of people who had been unnecessarily prosecuted and subsequently found guilty.

✌🏼 Dual timeline (current & journal entry)
⚡️ Corrupt small town
🤔 Unreliable MC (but it makes sense)
🤯 Twisty ending

❌- rape, drug use, graphic physical assault in a bar

I recommend reading The Murder Rule if you enjoyed reading Far Gone by Danielle Girard.




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savvyrosereads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

Out May 10, 2022 [Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 4/5 stars

Everyone thinks Hannah is a third-year law student dedicated to helping secure the release of a wrongfully convicted man as part of her volunteer work with the Innocence Project. In reality, her goal is to make sure he never gets out of prison.

I was already a big fan of Dervla McTiernan, so when I heard she was writing a book set in the U.S. and featuring a law student, I was extremely excited. Fortunately, the book itself didn’t disappoint! I sped through it in just over 24 hours (a compliment in itself) and was thoroughly pulled in by the plot, the characters, and the various twists.

While I felt like there may have been a few glosses on the law, legal world, or criminal law and procedure that weren’t perfectly realistic/accurate, this is a novel and not a legal treatise, and I appreciated the overall high level of accuracy—I was definitely getting a few law school flashbacks as I read! The pacing of the novel was also really well done, with just enough information fed quickly enough to keep me interested without spilling all the secrets too early, and a conclusion that gave just the right amount of closure without seeming too neat. In short, the recipe for a solid and compelling legal thriller.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: legal thrillers; buried family secrets; explorations of justice.

CW: Murder; sexual assault; physical violence/abuse; alcoholism.
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