Publisher: Harper Audio
Published: November 2, 2021
Source: Netgalley via Publisher
Summary:
In this fast-paced thriller, Wanda M. Morris crafts a twisty mystery about a black lawyer who gets caught in a dangerous conspiracy after the sudden death of her boss . . . A debut perfect for fans of Attica Locke, Alyssa Cole, Harlan Coben, and Celeste Ng, with shades of How to Get Away with Murder and John Grisham’s The Firm.
Everyone has something to hide…
Ellice Littlejohn seemingly has it all: an Ivy League law degree, a well-paying job as a corporate attorney in midtown Atlanta, great friends, and a “for fun” relationship with a rich, charming executive, who just happens to be her white boss. But everything changes one cold January morning when Ellice arrives in the executive suite and finds him dead with a gunshot to his head.
And then she walks away like nothing has happened. Why? Ellice has been keeping a cache of dark secrets, including a small-town past and a kid brother who’s spent time on the other side of the law. She can’t be thrust into the spotlight—again.
But instead of grieving this tragedy, people are gossiping, the police are getting suspicious, and Ellice, the company’s lone black attorney, is promoted to replace her boss. While the opportunity is a dream-come-true, Ellice just can’t shake the feeling that something is off.
When she uncovers shady dealings inside the company, Ellice is trapped in an impossible ethical and moral dilemma. Suddenly, Ellice’s past and present lives collide as she launches into a pulse-pounding race to protect the brother she tried to save years ago and stop a conspiracy far more sinister than she could have ever imagined…
My thoughts:
As soon as I saw this was being compared to How to Get Away With Murder, I knew I had to read it. That was one of my favorite shows and let me just say…the comparison works!
For a debut, this one kicks butt! I loved how it starts off with a bang and never really lets up. There are so many little twists throughout to keep it moving and to keep you guessing as to where it is all leading. I loved our main protagonist, Ellice Littlejohn – she definitely has major Annalise Keating vibes working in her favor!
I liked the structure of the story, how for the most part it is told in the present, but occasionally goes back to the past to fill in some much needed backstory on Ellice’s history. This ends up being crucial to everything that is going on and like peeling back the layers of an onion, we realize that there are some pretty big secrets that Ellice has been hiding.
I really liked this one and loved not only the mystery of who was behind all the murders but also just how timely it was. I don’t read a ton of legal thrillers, but this one really kept me engaged and I will certainly be keeping an eye out to what comes next from this author.
Audio thoughts:
I was able to grab an early listening copy of this book and flew through it. Once I started listening to it, I just didn’t want to stop and that is in part due to the story, but also because the narrator, Susan Dalien, did such a great job bringing the story to life. I’ve listened to her before and she really does a great job with the different voices and her pacing is always spot on.
