The Murder List: A Novel of Suspense

This is what I said about the sneak peek of The Murder List: “No surprise, but it looks like author Hank Phillippi Ryan has done it again. If this sneak peek of The Murder List is any indication, you will be flipping pages as fast as you can when the book is released. I thoroughly enjoy Ryan’s Charlotte McNally and Jane Ryland series, but with her standalones Trust Me and now The Murder List she has ramped things up a notch and joined my favorite authors like Lisa Scottoline, Karin Slaughter and Sarah Pinborough for heart-stopping suspense, well developed characters and a strong plot. Even in this sneak peek I have a sense of dread and uncertainty from the very start. What exactly happened in Rachel’s past? She seems smart and show more capable but there’s something I can’t put my finger on, and she seems to defer to, or sidestep or almost be intimidated by her husband Jack. I don’t really like him and I’m not sure I trust him to have Rachel’s best interests at heart. And her new boss? What a cast of characters. Can’t wait for the release of the full book. I know I’m going to read it in one sitting and love it.”

Well, the full book was just as thrilling as that glimpse promised it would be. I had that feeling of unease throughout. I wasn’t sure who to trust or who to be loyal to. At the beginning I didn’t like Jack at all, and Martha really did seem like the Devil. But turns out there are no real heroes here. Not even Rachel. They all have so much history – with each other, with other cases, with other situations, with other people – that the story keeps magnificently twisting and turning and I was always off balance. My allegiance to, and fear of, these characters kept changing. I didn’t know who I could believe. No one was all bad, but no one was all good either. Did past events justify their present behavior? What was their real motivation for their actions?

The Murder List is one heck of a story. In-depth character studies and detail about events both past and present mixed with courtroom drama and in-the-field excitement. The secondary characters are as baffling as Jack, Rachel and Martha: Tom, Logan, Nina, Dani. So credible and sincere on the one hand, but then . . . something just doesn’t add up. This was a great mystery laced with manipulation, politics, murder, obsession and suspense, one that keep me turning pages as fast as I could, guessing and then guessing again, as layer after layer was uncovered.

Author Hank Phillippi Ryan has done it again – written a thrilling story that weaves around and around, pulling all the threads together to provide a very satisfying conclusion. Thanks to Forge Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy for my honest review. I loved The Murder List as much as I thought I would, and I heartily recommend it. show less

Like a well laid out lawyer's brief, this story sets the stage for a superb legal game of cat and mouse. The main protagonist, Rachel, a law school 3L, is spending her summer internship in the Middlesex County D.A.'s office, much to Jack's, (her husband's), chagrin. He's a well respected defense attorney whose firm Rachel intends joining upon passing the Massachusetts bar. She believes that interning with "the enemy" will yield insights to better prepare future defense cases.

Years ago, D.A. Martha, lost a murder case to Jack which shamed her and knocked her down a few notches, forcing her out of her Suffolk County D.A. post to the lower one in Middlesex County. Martha and Jack are both winners and poor losers - each holding great show more animosity for the other. Martha is eager to make the streets safer at all cost, perhaps using slightly speculative methods. Jack wants to give every poor accused perpetrator the right to a fair trial. If he can get them off on a technical detail, all the better - the DA didn't do their homework to make their case strong enough. As it turns out, Rachel too, was somewhat involved in that case as she was chief of staff to the senator whose wife was accused of the murder.

It appears that Martha still has a bad taste in her mouth regarding that case from six years back and utilizes her interns, including Rachel, to build a stronger and better case against the defense. But who does Martha have in her sites, (aside from Jack)? Therein lies the question.

Ryan deftly creates well-developed characters, each with their own flaws, making them that much more believable. She spins a tale, holding the readers interest right up to the final moments. Although setting the stage in the early chapters was a bit slow, half-way through the story the momentum accelerates as it passes through twists, turns and results in various red herrings. The climax is spectacular. If you enjoy good courtroom drama, legal and police procedurals, then this could well be a book for you.

I am grateful to Macmillan Tor/Forge Publishing and author Hank Phillippi Ryan for having provided a free uncorrected digital copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone. show less

Review of Advance Reading Copy

Rachel North once served as a member of Senator Tom Rafferty’s staff. Now, preparing for a new career, she’s a Harvard law student. This summer she is to intern with assistant district attorney Martha Gardiner. Her husband, defense attorney Jack Kirkland, is not too pleased about his wife’s assignment. But they have a dream about being partners in their own law practice, Kirkland and North, and Rachel is sure this assignment will make that partnership possible. But Rachel is wrong. And the truth may change everything she believes.

This absorbing cat-and-mouse thriller keeps readers guessing as unexpected reveals keep moving the story in new directions. Rachel, Jack, and Martha each step up to share a show more portion of the narrative from their point of view with scenes set in the past providing important backstory. Although flawed and sometimes unlikable, the characters are well-developed and authentic, nuanced and conflicted.

The strong sense of place gives the reader the sense of actually sitting in the courtroom, making these scenes resonate with both potency and believability. As the complex, skillfully-woven narrative unfolds, readers will find themselves caught between right and wrong, between innocence and guilt as the search for justice plays out. Constantly-building tension creates a sense of foreboding that, coupled with surprising disclosures, keeps the reader guessing until the denouement’s final stunning reveal that they simply won’t see coming. This unputdownable page-turner belongs on everyone’s must-read list.

Highly recommended. show less

I loved Hank Phillippi Ryan’s “Trust Me”, so I was excited to see a new book coming out. Unfortunately I did not feel that excitement once I started reading. I never felt any real connection to any of the characters.
We have two lawyers and one soon to be a lawyer. One lawyer is married to the soon to be lawyer. The two lawyers despise each other. The soon to be a lawyer is now going to be working with the despised lawyer... And this is kind of how I felt reading the book.
The story flips back-and-forth between now and six years ago. I think that might be part of my disconnection. At first I found it hard to keep track of which time we were in, along with who was who in each period.
I also feel that just as a character’s point of show more view was getting interesting, the chapter stopped and moved to a new character. It just left me feeling detached from each character.
3.5 stars rounded up. show less

This was my first book by this author and it was a real back and forth, twisty, suspenseful murder mystery. Packed with lawyers, judges, politicians, and eager law interns - all with their own agenda and secrets - this is a who-done-it that you won't be able to put down. Rachel is married to Jack, a famous defense lawyer, but works for his arch enemy, Martha - a hardnosed prosecutor. These two go head-to-head in the courtroom and out. They also stretch the letter of the law with dubious intent. Throw in some other characters with questionable ethics and you have a perfect storm. I can't say more because I don't want to give any spoilers, but the end of this one is a shocker you won't see coming.

I don't like legal thrillers, but this was a suspense/mystery/thriller about lawyers, which I like just fine! Fast paced and deviously plotted, with Hank's characteristic wit and razor sharp dialogue. She's done it again! Another stellar read with a crafty twist!

Thanks to Hank's newsletter and Netgalley for the ARC! (If you like her books, sign up for her newsletter - it's fun and there are perks!)

Wow! This book kept me guessing. Totally riveting! First I thought one character was the bad one, then another, then back to the first, back and forth. The author paced her reveals really well. Her time as an investigative reporter must have come into play with this book.

Winning is the name of the game. Jury tampering, witness tampering…all by someone within the legal system? Can this be true? And perhaps even murder to prevent exposure? The action is dizzying, heart-stopping. Everyone has an agenda…Who can you believe?

I received an advance copy of the book from the author via NetGalley. Opinions are my own.