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birdloveranne's review against another edition
5.0
RC Bray, a white man, did an AMAZING job of all the African American characters. At first I couldn't believe the choice, since so many characters are African American women! But he did it! My favorite character was Vernetta's friend, Special. I also adore her husband, whom I picture as Terry Crews!
miss617's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
First book by this author and it was a decent read. I do have a couple of gripes.
There was something wrong with the editing in a couple of places. For example, there were a few pieces of dialogue that did not have end quotation marks. There was also a quote during the trial that seemed to open mid-sentence (but had no opening quotation marks). It wasn't terrible, but the rest of the book was pretty well edited, so I'm not sure how those were missed.
Jefferson. Good lord, I did not like him at all. The way he was pressuring Vernetta was disgusting, and then the way he acted afterwards was a perfect example of toxic masculinity. The only thing I somewhat sympathized with him on was that Vernetta could have tried to spend more time with him, but he also knew what her job was when they got married. That's not to say Vernetta was blameless, but I think she folded a little too quickly during one of their arguments.
Overall, though, I enjoyed the book, even though I kind of had an idea of how it would play out. I was surprised by a couple of the twists, and there was a little statement Tina made toward the end that I thought Neddy would have picked up on. I thought perhaps I missed something or that Tina was repeating a lie she had been told. I see that Neddy isn't in the next book, which is a shame.
First book by this author and it was a decent read. I do have a couple of gripes.
There was something wrong with the editing in a couple of places. For example, there were a few pieces of dialogue that did not have end quotation marks. There was also a quote during the trial that seemed to open mid-sentence (but had no opening quotation marks). It wasn't terrible, but the rest of the book was pretty well edited, so I'm not sure how those were missed.
Jefferson. Good lord, I did not like him at all. The way he was pressuring Vernetta was disgusting, and then the way he acted afterwards was a perfect example of toxic masculinity. The only thing I somewhat sympathized with him on was that Vernetta could have tried to spend more time with him, but he also knew what her job was when they got married. That's not to say Vernetta was blameless, but I think she folded a little too quickly during one of their arguments.
Overall, though, I enjoyed the book, even though I kind of had an idea of how it would play out. I was surprised by a couple of the twists, and there was a little statement Tina made toward the end that I thought Neddy would have picked up on. I thought perhaps I missed something or that Tina was repeating a lie she had been told. I see that Neddy isn't in the next book, which is a shame.
4von's review against another edition
5.0
This is the first book in the Vernetta Henderson series. It's a legal thriller. You'll love it. I love this author.
sugarcainn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
afox98's review against another edition
3.0
Vernetta Henderson is an employment law attorney who gets put onto a criminal case after a big, public win. Tina Montgomery is on trial for the murder of her husband, the rich, insensitive, philandering Max. Lots of twists in the case. Vernetta is also trying to juggle her job and marriage, and most of the time, not doing so successfully. When both her co-counsel and husband go through trying times, she's stretched pretty thin across the case and her personal problems. Fun read, but needed an editor - tons of typos and could have been condensed some.
mgunn78's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kelsiandherbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
What would you do if your husband was a serial cheater? In the case of Tina Montgomery, everyone assumes murdering him was her way out and the ultimate revenge. But for Vernetta Henderson, an employment lawyer, defending her client Mrs. Montgomery with her arduous partner Netty is her sole focus. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of Vernetta’s high profile case is her husband Jefferson who waits at home longing for his wife to be ready to start a family. While Vernetta struggles to master criminal law, something vastly different than her employment law background, she must also balance her professional goals with the demands she faces at home.
We loved the depth of the characters and the plot twists kept us wanting more! A great courtroom drama with a leading successful Black woman felt like an episode of How to Get Away with Murder that you couldn’t turn off! Vernetta’s conflicts in a male dominated profession along with her marital ebbs and flow make her a relatable character. The high profile case added additional layers to the storyline and just when you think you’ve solved the case, author Pamela Samuels Young takes the reader on a thrilling and unexpected turn!
We loved the depth of the characters and the plot twists kept us wanting more! A great courtroom drama with a leading successful Black woman felt like an episode of How to Get Away with Murder that you couldn’t turn off! Vernetta’s conflicts in a male dominated profession along with her marital ebbs and flow make her a relatable character. The high profile case added additional layers to the storyline and just when you think you’ve solved the case, author Pamela Samuels Young takes the reader on a thrilling and unexpected turn!
shannanh's review against another edition
5.0
I have never been a fan of mysteries, but Pamela has definitely changed my mind. I made sure I had all of her other books, because this one was good and a great page turner.
iffer's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure if I've read any other legal thrillers, but I really enjoyed this. This has the readability and pacing of a bestseller, while featuring two Black women attorneys who seem realistic, relatable, and likeable, even when they are being human and not at their best (e.g. Vernetta's dealins with her husband, how both characters snipe at each other instead of being in solidarity). Although it is a bit on-the-nose, there is realistic, if uncomfortable gray in this book, both in terms of the ethics of defending someone who may or may not be guilty, as well as gender roles, code switching, and prejudice.