My Thoughts
Esther has a real moral problem; she has to represent a client who she knows is manipulative and a liar. The story revolves around how she assists Peter, a relatively wealthy and powerful man, in kidnapping the little boy from his mother, whom the lawyer-narrator perceives as the principal decision-maker.
Nevertheless, Peter gets terrible news from Esther’s past and threatens to make her tell her secret. Her tension grows in proportion to her blame as she follows his words and effectively supports the ruination of an innocent man’s life. You will appreciate her awful situation and her guilt for the mistake.
The pace is pretty fast, gliding from the courtroom chapters to the parts describing Peter and Esther’s reflections on her job, family, and what she has abandoned to save herself. The characters are complex and not always likable.
This suspenseful character-driven novel looks set to become a controversial morality discussion among readers that will challenge them to the trade-off, abuse of power, legality, moral ethics, and to what length one would go in the age of impossible choices where the career and family welfare are at stake. The story is disturbing and makes you think, and it is a perfect novel for legal thriller lovers.
Thank you to Jess Readett, Bookouture for the invitation, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it.
