The second installment of the Keera Duggan series didn’t quite reach the same levels of mystery and suspense as the first book, Her Deadly Game, but was a great read regardless. 

Going into this book, I was worried that it was going to be too similar to the first novel. And certainly, some aspects carry over but it still felt fresh and exciting.

The first chapter of this book is intense and really gets to the crux of being a defense lawyer. It sets the stage for Keera’s moral dilemma about whether to defend clients that she suspects are guilty. The conversations that she has with her father are so important, especially in a genre that is filled with cops, detectives, prosecutors, etc. It’s great to see the other side of it.

I loved the courtroom scenes which felt like the perfect balance of realism (with a bit of suspension of disbelief) and drama. 

The actual murder mystery itself was a bit of a letdown, especially because the identity of the killer was pretty obvious. The big plot twists towards the end were mostly around answering why someone committed murder instead of who. 

Just like the first book, I really enjoyed the family dynamics, especially between Keera and her sisters. The frustration and pettiness between Keera and her older sister Maggie was so realistic and human. 

The only part that absolutely grinds my gears is the section on giving “grace” to one's parents (or loved ones more generally). The idea that we need to cover for chronic drunk drivers who have already been given an unbelievable amount of leniency is just wild to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.