Denial

I am very grateful to a reader friend that I met via the 2021 LibraryThing Christmas card exchange for suggesting that I might enjoy books by Beverley MacLachlin. I missed the advisement that "Full Disclosure" was the 1st title written but I'll be reading that in the very near future! I enjoyed "Denial" as a stand-alone but when possible I like to read books in a series in order. It wasn't mentioned this was a series in the note received or at time of purchase so I didn't realize that both titles are about the character Jilly Truitt, criminal defense attorney.

Beverley McLachlin was the Chief Justice of Canada from 2000 to 2017. She is the 1st woman to hold that position and the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canadian history. In 2018, show more her 1st legal thriller was published and "Denial" is a riveting 2nd novel.

The writing is excellent, the story compelling, the characters and dialogue realistic. The author is clearly familiar with both sides of the law, prosecution and defense, witness statements and testimony at trial, and the crucial weight of evidence (burden of proof, admissibility, relevance, weight and sufficiency) of what can be admitted into the record of a legal proceeding.

Early on I had a suspect and immediately knew when the set up occurred of a different suspect. But even though my sleuthing opinion didn't falter I could not find the clue(s) to motive. I thought my suspect's alibi was weak but understandably accepted by law enforcement. The suspense kept building through the investigation and trial and I couldn't wait for the verdict. I was absolutely blown away by the twists. What a wild roller coaster ride! WoW!

Best legal thriller I've read in a long time! show less

I enjoyed this book better than the first in the series. I found the characters had more depth, and the plot was more intricate. There were twists near the end that I wasn't expecting! It is clear that the author, a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, knows the law well and both the court room scenes and the workings of the defense team were so authentic. The case related to a woman who wanted medical assistance in dying but did not qualify under existing legislation, so it was topical.

My only issue is that there were too many references to the first novel, which I read a long time ago. I don't remember some of the actions referred to. In the end, I don't think this mattered to the story, but it was annoying.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I found this hard to put down and the courtroom scenes were excellent. On the other hand the references to Jilly's past were irrelevant to the story and distracting, and even Mike's reintroduction was more of a plot device than real background character development. The writing is 'workmanlike', which is fine for a plot-driven story like this one, and I enjoy the Vancouver setting. The ending was a bit much for me: I prefer justice to be done and to be seen to have been done.

Before writing a review of Denial it’s important to inform that the author, Beverley McLachlin, served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 2000 to 2017. She is the longest serving Chief Justice as well as being the first woman in that position. Because legal thrillers are one of my favorite genres, I was delighted that McLachlin has turned to writing legal fiction in her retirement. This is the second instalment in the Jilly Truitt series but it reads well as a stand-alone. Truitt is a successful criminal defense lawyer who can pick and choose her clients. When asked to defend Vera Quentin, the wife of a legal acquaintance, she is hesitant. She is accused of murdering her mother who had been battling cancer for a show more long time. The press have called it a mercy killing but Vera maintains her innocence. The courtroom scenes are at the heart of this novel and the author’s career surely gives them authenticity. The characters are varied and the reader will sometimes have difficulty telling the good from the bad. Just a note to point out that there is an interesting interview with John Grisham and Beverley McLachlin at the back of the book. Denial is highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. show less

Jilly Truit has become known as a very good criminal lawyer who frequently is sought for high profile cases. When Joseph Quentin asks her to defend his wife Vera who has been charged with murder, she feels she should decline the request because she has heard that Vera is in denial and all the evidence clearly indicates she did it. As Joseph is known as "The Fixer" in legal circles and if he can't help his wife, who will be able to?

The prosecutor is Cy Kenge who Jilly has tangled with before and she has discovered is willingly to bend the rules to win. While this case is taking much of her time, she becomes involved in helping an immigrant girl who is being used by in a prostitution ring that catered to supply young women to wealthy men. show more This led to danger for Jilly.

Much of the book takes place in the courtroom but moves a very exciting pace with some surprises along the way. You may need to record the many characters who make up the novel just to keep track who is who. show less

The author is a former supreme court judge in Canada. Her first legal mystery was just ok and I expected this one, her second, to show some improvement, but it was not to be. McLachlin's writing is flat, pedestrian, missing the quality that would lift it up. The plot is ok, but the novel just didn't do the job for me. The dreary cover is a good fit.

A sequel to the first Jilly Truit murder mystery Full disclosure by Beverly McLaughlin. This time she is asked to defend Vera Quentin for killing her elderly mother with an injection of morphine to end her suffering from bladder cancer. Since her death is not imminent, the rules of MAID Medical Assistance in Dying do not apply. It’s a good story with a parallel involvement into human trafficking. This is a stand alone tale so one does need to have read the first novel. A twist in the plot at the end is a big surprise.