Book Summary and Reviews of Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray

Reader Reviews

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Janine_S

Excellent thriller
Stunning, propulsive and brilliant! I was held captive from the moment I started reading. And that ending!

Leila Reynolds is a barrister (my thanks to the author for explaining the difference between a barrister and a solicitor) who’s been given her first murder trial case which also will be prosecuted by her husband, Julian Kessler, high power attorney who hasn’t lost a case. On top of it all, her client, Jack Millman, offers no defense. The book takes us through case prep, trial and aftermath. It’s an interesting procedural read but the tension rises as Witness X’s thoughts are interposed between those of Leila’s - who is Witness X?

I enjoyed the subtlety of this book and the creeping suspense - always second guessing myself as the twists and turns abound. I truly didn’t see that ending coming. This was an all around clever story perfect for readers who love to be challenged during a thriller.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Dutton for allowing me to read this ARC.

labmom55

Multilayer plot
Dissection of a Murder is an engrossing, multilayered legal thriller. Leila is handed her first murder case, representing a prior client accused of murdering a prestigious judge. On the other side, her former mentor and current husband is the prosecutor. Her husband has a competitive streak a mile wide and all’s fair in love and war. My husband and I were competitors for over a decade. We were lucky that we could keep our business lives separate from our personal one. It was fascinating to see this husband who just couldn’t put love ahead of ego. The other issue with the case is her client’s refusal to talk or help her prepare a defense in any way. The reader is also introduced to the mysterious Witness X with her set of rules. Probably the primary rule being “trust no one”. As if things couldn’t get any more stressful for Leila, someone from her past is sending her ominous messages.

I did not see the twists which made this even more fun. I love when an author can pull one over on me. This great bit of entertainment asks the reader to decide what is Justice. Fans of legal thrillers will find the court room scenes well done. I don’t often recommend mysteries as book club selections, but this could be the exception. The main character is well developed and nuanced.

I listened to this and Joanne Froggatt did a decent job as the narrator, although she didn’t always do a good job differentiating between voices.

Bonnie Goldberg

Skillful and surprising legal thriller
It takes skill to concoct a good legal thriller and Murray has that skill in abundance. I can see why Dissection of a Murder is being well received and why it is being turned into the second season of the streaming anthology series Presumed Innocent. The twists are many and the deep dive into the British criminal law system is expertly rendered. The bones of the story Murray is telling are so solid that the additional narrative sleights of hand did not augment my reading experience but detracted from it. Murray is such a good storyteller that the novel stands on its own without all the flash. But it is the flash that sets it apart from others in the genre and which will make a great visual story.