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bek_p87's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
At first I thought I knew where this story was going - in fact my early critique was that it telegraphed the ending - but it very much did not go where I thought it would. At places the writing was not great - which was 'explained' by the diary device - but overall it was fine. I found the ending satisfying, and I loved how the mystery unfolded on the way there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Drug use
salmobina's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Blood, Violence, Rape, and Abortion
readerette's review against another edition
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:
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gaslighting, Death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Stalking, Classism, Abortion, and Vomit
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
ncoletti's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Alcoholism
Moderate: Rape
alexismsw's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
albon's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Moderate: 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
irenemarie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Disclaimer: I received a copy through a GoodReads giveaway. Thank you to William Morrow & co for the opportunity to read this book.
This book is a page turner. The foreshadowing had me eating straight from Dervla McTiernan's hands to the point I was thinking 'am I ever so clever or is this predictable?' only to have the storyline ramped up to 11 and shocked at the direction the plot goes. Cannot wait for the tv series to come.
This book is a page turner. The foreshadowing had me eating straight from Dervla McTiernan's hands to the point I was thinking 'am I ever so clever or is this predictable?' only to have the storyline ramped up to 11 and shocked at the direction the plot goes. Cannot wait for the tv series to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Police brutality, and Rape
Minor: Vomit
art_books_chemistry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
For my first ARC read this was incredible to start with. I guessed bits and pieces of the ending along the way, some things earlier than others, but some of it I didn't guess for the correct reasons, so did I really guess correctly? McTiernan turned this into a wild ride that I think can be enjoyed by those uninitiated in the justice system as well as those within it. That being said, the latter is the reason I'm not giving this 5 stars.
I don't consider this a spoiler since it's the central plot from the beginning and seen in the synopsis. The prisoner involved in the trial is being retried after Project Innocence successfully argued for his sentence to be vacated. Considering the facts revealed about the case, I find this huge point to be unrealistic. Part of the reason, from my non-fiction study on IP, that they are able to get people out of prison is because our justice system in the US does not allow for 'double jeopardy'; you cannot be tried twice for the same crime. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions, judges do have discretion allowing them to make exceptions. I just don't believe this would have been one of those times that a federal circuit court would have made such a decision because of the nature of the evidence that caused the sentence to be vacated.
I loved that McTiernan referenced real case law and facts about the Innocence Project. There was also good social commentary on why different types of people are lawyers. Plus, whether purposeful or not, I loved the nod to Legally Blonde towards the end.
I definitely recommend reading this!
I don't consider this a spoiler since it's the central plot from the beginning and seen in the synopsis. The prisoner involved in the trial is being retried after Project Innocence successfully argued for his sentence to be vacated. Considering the facts revealed about the case, I find this huge point to be unrealistic. Part of the reason, from my non-fiction study on IP, that they are able to get people out of prison is because our justice system in the US does not allow for 'double jeopardy'; you cannot be tried twice for the same crime. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions, judges do have discretion allowing them to make exceptions. I just don't believe this would have been one of those times that a federal circuit court would have made such a decision because of the nature of the evidence that caused the sentence to be vacated.
I loved that McTiernan referenced real case law and facts about the Innocence Project. There was also good social commentary on why different types of people are lawyers. Plus, whether purposeful or not, I loved the nod to Legally Blonde towards the end.
I definitely recommend reading this!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Rape
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