Karin Slaughter is an auto-buy author for me and this book, once again, proves why. At its core is a complex sibling relationship that is raw and authentic. The plot is gripping, brutal, and well-paced, and engages the reader from the first page. It was also interesting to read a book set in the present day that incorporates COVID and its devastating impact on so many lives. I'm looking forward to adding the hardcover to my shelf in June.

#FalseWitness #NetGalley
An excellent read.
Leigh Collier has worked hard to build what looks like a normal life. She has a good job as a defence attorney, a daughter doing well in school, and even her divorce is relatively civilised – her life is just as unremarkable as she'd always hoped it would be.Hides a devastating past…
But Leigh's ordinary life masks a childhood which was far from average … a childhood tarnished by secrets, broken by betrayal, and finally torn apart by a devastating act of violence.But now the past is catching up…
Then a case lands on her desk – defending a wealthy man accused of rape. It's the highest profile case she's ever been given – a case which could transform her career, if she wins. But when she meets the accused, she realises that it's no coincidence that he's chosen her as his attorney
I loved karin books. This book is a pure thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advanced copy.

It's always sad to have to write a negative review especially when it's a writer like Slaughter whose books I've mostly loved in the past - but there've been a few recent misses with me (Pieces of Her, The Last Widow) and I'm afraid this one falls into that category.

There's a potentially explosive plot involving sisters and mother-daughter relationships that KS can do so well - but for some reason the writing lacks the incisiveness that usually characterise these books and I found myself reading laboriously rather than being caught up with excitement and emotional engagement. This feels like it needs a tough edit to bring out the core of the story and the relationships. And 'big' moments are over in a flash without the emotional payoff they deserve.

My other issue is the heavy-handed Covid presence: it would have been fine only the book feels the need to constantly *explain* everything... how people need to be masked, how they're seated with taped off chairs between them to allow social distancing, how they're given hand gel with leaflets of how to use it... I mean, we know - we've lived through this for the last year, we know the drill. It's fine to have people remove or put on masks the way they would glasses but we just don't need this explanation as if we've just landed from an alien planet and it's something we've never heard of before.

So 2 stars only, I'm afraid for this one - but I'd read the next Slaughter like a shot.