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deagaric's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.75 starts, rounded to 4. This was a fast-paced thriller mystery that kept me engaged the entire time. There were a few problematic aspects in the novel, but let's start with the highlights.
The book does a nice job capturing how sexual assault can impact the lives of women from all walks of life, whether they're highly educated and successful or struggling and financially unstable, quiet or outspoken, commandeering or subservient. The four women we follow are a lawyer, microbiologist, an IT specialist, and a professional cleaner. The story exemplifies how rape can be both a sex crime and a hate crime, wrapped in one vile package. It portrays long-lasting PTSD, and how sometimes fixating on revenge can be a scapegoat for pent-up rage.
The main character, Kelly McCann is a gifted, high-powered defense lawyer who has not lost a case yet. She's also a mother of two and a loving wife to a husband who is in a vegetative state. Both her and her husband were successful lawyers before his severe stroke and have an extravagant lifestyle to show for it. Unfortunately, due to the extent of her husband's medical condition, he was unable to return to work and the cost of their lifestyle fell solely on Kelly's shoulders.
This is when my perspective shifted and I started to struggle to really empathize or even like Kelly McCann, which really made the story a bit frustrating for me. Let me list a few examples:
1) Instead of downsizing their expenses, she decides to turn to the 'dark side' and defend wealthy accused rapists since that comes with a bigger paycheck. She claims she had to due to financial reasons, but realistically, her spending indicates she would rather keep rapists out on the streets rather than live within her means.
2) Her internal (and occasionally external) monologue screams victim-blaming. For example, in an interview, she accidentally stated "I've never experienced sexual assault because I've never been a party girl". Even though she admits she misspoke, this statement is putrid and honestly a senseless and tone-deaf comment for a successful lawyer to make in an interview.
3) She seems wholly ignorant to SO MANY THINGS. Like how she assumes a medical doctor wouldn't carry any STDs, and "at any rate, she hasn't shown any symptoms so far" (this is dangerous logic, some symptoms are not apparent for a long time, etc etc). C'mon, Kelly.
4) Her inability to listen to her children, her employees, or her stepdaughter. She misses obvious clues, and doesn't even know how to stay under the radar when her life depends on it. She doesn't read in between the lines which is unbelievable for such a successful lawyer. Her repeat mistakes were just very frustrating for me as a reader.
5) Her revenge plan was the most half-baked and misguided idea of all time. Sacrificing research and medical advancement (that would help the entire society) for your personal revenge was incredibly selfish, and even when someone helped her understand that this was not the right thing to do , she only half-understood. The multiple plans that follow were also anger-inducing and poorly thought out. Revenge isn't the same as justice. Her energy should have ben focused on bringing his crimes to light, rather than framing him for something different altogether.
But all my main-character-hate aside, the writing in the book was well-executed and while some of the plot twists were easy to predict, I couldn't put the book down. Some of the other characters, such as Rick Olsson and Tiffy Jenkins, were interesting and likable as well, and I only wished their storylines had the opportunity to be fleshed out. Several aspects of the plot were far-fetched, but by the half-point, I was fully engrossed in finding out how it will all play out regardless. Recommended for anyone looking for a quick-read mystery!
I greatly appreciate NetGalley and Harper Perennial for giving me the opportunity to read an early ARC prior to the July 2023 release.
The book does a nice job capturing how sexual assault can impact the lives of women from all walks of life, whether they're highly educated and successful or struggling and financially unstable, quiet or outspoken, commandeering or subservient. The four women we follow are a lawyer, microbiologist, an IT specialist, and a professional cleaner. The story exemplifies how rape can be both a sex crime and a hate crime, wrapped in one vile package. It portrays long-lasting PTSD, and how sometimes fixating on revenge can be a scapegoat for pent-up rage.
The main character, Kelly McCann is a gifted, high-powered defense lawyer who has not lost a case yet. She's also a mother of two and a loving wife to a husband who is in a vegetative state. Both her and her husband were successful lawyers before his severe stroke and have an extravagant lifestyle to show for it. Unfortunately, due to the extent of her husband's medical condition, he was unable to return to work and the cost of their lifestyle fell solely on Kelly's shoulders.
This is when my perspective shifted and I started to struggle to really empathize or even like Kelly McCann, which really made the story a bit frustrating for me. Let me list a few examples:
1) Instead of downsizing their expenses, she decides to turn to the 'dark side' and defend wealthy accused rapists since that comes with a bigger paycheck. She claims she had to due to financial reasons, but realistically, her spending indicates she would rather keep rapists out on the streets rather than live within her means.
2) Her internal (and occasionally external) monologue screams victim-blaming. For example, in an interview, she accidentally stated "I've never experienced sexual assault because I've never been a party girl". Even though she admits she misspoke, this statement is putrid and honestly a senseless and tone-deaf comment for a successful lawyer to make in an interview.
3) She seems wholly ignorant to SO MANY THINGS. Like how she assumes a medical doctor wouldn't carry any STDs, and "at any rate, she hasn't shown any symptoms so far" (this is dangerous logic, some symptoms are not apparent for a long time, etc etc). C'mon, Kelly.
4) Her inability to listen to her children, her employees, or her stepdaughter. She misses obvious clues, and doesn't even know how to stay under the radar when her life depends on it. She doesn't read in between the lines which is unbelievable for such a successful lawyer. Her repeat mistakes were just very frustrating for me as a reader.
5) Her revenge plan was the most half-baked and misguided idea of all time. Sacrificing research and medical advancement (that would help the entire society) for your personal revenge was incredibly selfish, and even when someone helped her understand that this was not the right thing to do , she only half-understood. The multiple plans that follow were also anger-inducing and poorly thought out. Revenge isn't the same as justice. Her energy should have ben focused on bringing his crimes to light, rather than framing him for something different altogether.
But all my main-character-hate aside, the writing in the book was well-executed and while some of the plot twists were easy to predict, I couldn't put the book down. Some of the other characters, such as Rick Olsson and Tiffy Jenkins, were interesting and likable as well, and I only wished their storylines had the opportunity to be fleshed out. Several aspects of the plot were far-fetched, but by the half-point, I was fully engrossed in finding out how it will all play out regardless. Recommended for anyone looking for a quick-read mystery!
I greatly appreciate NetGalley and Harper Perennial for giving me the opportunity to read an early ARC prior to the July 2023 release.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Stalking
Minor: Vomit and Violence
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