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afreeby's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Child abuse
lpdx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Addiction, and Alcoholism
outsmartyourshelf's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Hannah Rokeby's first day on campus (or grounds) at the University of Virginia is vital for her plan to succeed. She needs to get herself noticed at The Innocence Project, a non-profit organisation that take on possible miscarriages of justice. The biggest case at the moment is that of convicted killer, Michael Dandridge, & the Project is hoping to have his conviction overturned. Hannah wants in on the case, but not to help, but to make sure Dandridge stays behind bars for good.
The first glimpse of Hannah we get is a short email correspondence between her & the leader of the Project, Prof Rob Parekh, where Hannah has no compunction in alluding to blackmail in order to secure a spot on the team. This sets the tone for Hannah for most of the book, a character who has no scruples in screwing over another person (sorry Hazel) to get what she wants, which in this case is revenge for her mother. The narrative is told mainly from Hannah's point of view, with some chapters from her mother's diary setting the scene.
I was all for giving this book 4+ stars as it grabbed my attention from the outset. The story was intriguing, fast-paced & looked to be barreling along to a gripping conclusion - but then, for me, it went wrong. Because I enjoyed reading it for most of the book, I'm rating this 3.5 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
The first glimpse of Hannah we get is a short email correspondence between her & the leader of the Project, Prof Rob Parekh, where Hannah has no compunction in alluding to blackmail in order to secure a spot on the team. This sets the tone for Hannah for most of the book, a character who has no scruples in screwing over another person (sorry Hazel) to get what she wants, which in this case is revenge for her mother. The narrative is told mainly from Hannah's point of view, with some chapters from her mother's diary setting the scene.
I was all for giving this book 4+ stars as it grabbed my attention from the outset. The story was intriguing, fast-paced & looked to be barreling along to a gripping conclusion - but then, for me, it went wrong. Because I enjoyed reading it for most of the book, I'm rating this 3.5 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Violence
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