In Her Defense (A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick)
A Novel
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3.6 • 242 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB SELECTION
“You’re going to lose your mind over this one…it is so, so, so good. I couldn’t put it down.” —Reese Witherspoon
A young woman at the periphery of a high-stakes celebrity trial is the only one with the evidence that can make or break the case—but spilling her secret could ruin her life in this twisty psychological thriller.
The whole country has been riveted by the high-profile celebrity trial: Beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow standing in court, accusing her daughter’s therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter, Mary, for her own financial gain. Jean insists Mary’s traumatic memories arise from her upbringing and her time studying at a prestigious art school in Rome—wounds only Jean’s therapy can heal. But as the trial unfolds, it’s Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee—a seemingly insignificant bystander, a nobody—who holds the key to unraveling the tangled web of family secrets, lies, and deceit.
What really happened to Mary in Rome? And, if her memories can’t be trusted, how will anyone ever uncover the truth behind her estrangement? Twisty and propulsive, In Her Defense is a compulsively readable psychological suspense debut for fans of Lucy Foley and Laura Dave.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this juicy thriller, a celebrity lawsuit exposes a web of dysfunction where nobody comes out looking innocent. TV star Anna Finbow has barely spoken to her daughter Mary since Mary began seeing a new therapist named Jean Guest. Now embroiled in a very public trial, Anna’s convinced that Jean brainwashed Mary into hating her. The only one who knows the truth is the weirdly fascinating Augusta, Mary’s casual friend, occasional hookup, and part-time dog walker, who’s seen this messy situation from both sides—including the therapist’s office. Every path in Philippa Malicka’s dark tale leads to something toxic, inappropriate, or unhinged. After all, Jean (whose approach to her job resembles that of a cult leader) first heard about nepo baby Mary from Augusta herself—in therapy. But is Jean’s pressure on Augusta to introduce her friend any worse than Augusta’s own manipulative plans? It’s easy to lose yourself in this brilliantly sordid mystery.
Customer Reviews
Frustrating to read
Reading this felt like running in circles and never reaching a destination. Narrator had such a scattered and immature view of everything around here that it became frustrating waiting for some sort of big reveal that just never came. It became difficult to even like the main character. I have read and loved all the books from Reese’s book club except this one.
Disappointing
Pretentious and boring. Never went anywhere. Unlikeable cast of characters. Ended abruptly,