Dissection of a Murder - by Jo Murray (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

TO BE ADAPTED FOR THE SECOND SEASON OF APPLE TV+'S PRESUMED INNOCENT, STARRING EMMY AWARD-WINNER RACHEL BROSNAHAN

Nothing is as it seems--and no one is telling the truth--in this page-turning thriller about a young lawyer forced to defend a man on trial for murder against the mentor who taught her everything: her husband.

When Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case, she's shocked by the victim: a well-known, well-respected judge, whose death sent shockwaves through the legal community. She's also incredulous--she's nowhere near experienced enough to handle such a high-profile assignment--but the defendant is insistent: he wants her, and only her, to represent him.

Except he's refusing to talk. And if that wasn't complicated enough, Leila soon learns her opponent is the most ruthless prosecutor she's ever known: her husband.

It's an impossible situation, yet Leila is determined to sway the jury to her side--until she's blindsided once again by a shadowy figure from her past. Suddenly, Leila finds herself fighting not only for her client and marriage, but also to keep her own secrets buried. And if she has to rewrite the rules to win, so be it.

Review Quotes

Praise for Dissection of a Murder

"So gripping, so clever, so good. This brilliant book had me hooked from the beginning. An addictive page-turner and an exciting new voice in the genre."
―Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ugly

"A page-turning, twisty, and atmospheric legal thriller with a carefully calibrated murder mystery at its core and complex relationships that deliver the most shocking twist of all."
―Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Like Mother, Like Daughter

"Dissection of a Murder is that rarest of books, a thriller with a twist that is both shocking and entirely valid. I finished this book marveling at its ingenious construction, wanting to reread it immediately to see just how Jo Murray does it. A truly impressive debut."
―Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of The Oligarch's Daughter

"A gripping legal drama driven by complex characters with emotional range. With surprising twists until the very last page, readers won't be able to put this thriller down."
―Stacey Abrams, bestselling author of While Justice Sleeps and Coded Justice

"What a terrific read! Deftly plotted and addictive, Dissection of a Murder is written with the confidence of someone who knows the legal world completely, and who understands how thrillers work. There's a terrific twist; sharp insights; and themes of class, power, abuse, and storytelling, all skillfully woven together . . . Once we got to the trial, I couldn't put it down."
―Sarah Vaughan, international bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal

"Brilliant. One of the most suspenseful and thought-provoking novels I've read in ages. I predict it will be massive."
―Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow South and former First Minister of Scotland

"Dissection of a Murder is a delicious, compulsively readable whodunit that will leave you guessing--and on the edge of your seat--until the very last page. Murray is a whip-smart thriller writer, not to be missed. She knocked it out of the park. More please!"
--Sophie Stava, author of Good Morning America book club pick Count My Lies

"A fascinating thrill of a read, which had me gasping with its reveals. I stayed up way past bedtime to find out what was happening . . . I loved living out the courtroom experience through the eyes of a barrister. It's an immersive, shocking, deftly plotted debut, and fans of Grisham will find so much to love. What a writer to watch."
―Cesca Major, author of Reese Book Club pick Maybe Next Time

"Everything I wanted in a court room drama and more. Utterly compelling, razor-sharp tension and with whip-smart dialogue. It's Gone Girl meets The Silent Patient."
―John Marrs, author of You Killed Me First

"Combines the highwire courtroom melodrama of Scott Turow with the twistiness of a gripping suspense thriller. And with an absolute mindbender of a sting in the tail."
―Vaseem Khan, author of the Malabar House series, the Baby Ganesh Agency series, and upcoming Q series

"Anatomy of a Scandal meets Gone Girl. A sexy, tense, scandalous legal thriller."
―Isabelle Broom, author of The French Guesthouse

"I couldn't drag myself away from the pages. Dissection of a Murder is a brilliant portrayal of a murder trial through the eyes of a barrister for whom the stakes couldn't be any higher. So deftly plotted with such clever twists and reveals―I absolutely loved it."
―Nikki Smith, author of They Had It Coming

"Unputdownable . . . I read it in two sittings, desperate to know what happens. The razor-sharp plot will keep you guessing right the way through. This addictive legal drama is going to be huge."
―Kate Gray, author of Welcome To The Family

"Absolutely outstanding."
―T.M. Logan, author of The Daughter and The Holiday

"Fiendishly good. Captivating, clever, and emotionally complex . . . A legal thriller that packs a proper punch."
―Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets

"A thrilling courtroom drama that oozes with tension. As good as Grisham or Richard North Patterson. One not to be missed, Your Honor!"
―Julia Chapman, author of Date with Destiny

"So deeply satisfying: one of those books you want to read again once you know everything, just to marvel at how clever it was."
―Anstey Harris, author of The Museum of Forgotten Memories

"Utterly gripping and intricately plotted, Dissection of a Murder had me hooked from the first page to the last . . . and what a last few pages! That ending blew me away."
―Lisa Hall, author of The Woman in the Woods

About the Author

Jo Murray grew up in Teesside during the '90s, when working-class girls were told they probably shouldn't try to become barristers. Thankfully, she ignored everyone. After studying Classics at Newcastle University, she went to law school and was a criminal barrister before leaving the profession to look after her two children. She lives in North Yorkshire.