I am in no way putting down Ms. Spears or her book. The Woman in Me is a quick, entertaining read that, for me, unfortunately seemed to spend more time on the celebrity gossip topics and too little on the legal wranglings involved with ending her conservatorship. More often than not, we read celebrity memoirs to be entertained, and The Woman in Me definitely fits that bill.

As we all know, for every mega-hyped book, there are many excellent books that fly more under the radar. For readers looking for a celebrity memoir that is more of a full-bodied life story, or those that found The Woman in Me served to whet their appetite for even more celebrity accounts, following are six older, lesser known, or under-hyped celebrity biographies, journals, and essays that are all excellent reads.

Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood by Danny Trejo

Recounting the truly unbelievable life that he has led, Danny Trejo takes the reader through his heroin addiction, to prison, through sobriety and recovery, and on to Hollywood in a book that is nothing short of incredible and inspirational. 

Starring in hundreds of movies and television shows (that is not an exaggeration as his IMDB listing includes over 400 roles), Trejo has become the most well known scene-stealing “bad guy” on screen. But as he makes quite clear in Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood he is so much more than that off-screen.

The most common word used through every review of his book is “raw” and it is easy to see why as his clear and honest words take the reader from some of the lowest low’s imaginable and on to redemption and success.

Grace Notes: My Recollections by Katey Sagal

Some of Katey Sagal’s most well-known works are Married With Children, 8 Simple Rules, Futurama, and Sons of Anarchy, but she has been in dozens and dozens of roles since the early 70’s – and even that list practically ignores her music career (which you should not do!)

Grace Notes is written as a series of essays, as if she was recounting events for her friends or family, and that is exactly the voice that comes through her writing. These are most certainly not the recollections of Peggy Bundy or Gemma Teller. Sagal speaks openly and honestly about being in and around the entertainment industry for her entire life. She recounts the deaths of her parents, her very public pregnancy loss, and so many other ups and downs of life as she puts forth her struggles and successes in both her personal and professional life. This is one of those books that will stay with you long after you have finished reading.

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

If you scan the reviews of Taste: My Life Through Food, the word you will see repeated over and over again is “charming”. From seeing many interviews and appearances by Stanley Tucci, that comes as no surprise.

Written as something of a companion piece to Tucci’s previously released cookbooks, Taste: My Life Through Food takes the reader behind the recipes, telling the stories of where they come from, describing the emotions and memories associated with them, and giving behind the scenes tales from some of his “foodie” movies, such as Julie & Julia and Big Night.

The role food plays in our lives in so many ways other than simple sustenance is beautifully illustrated in Tucci’s work.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

In this one case, I am going to highly, highly recommend the audio version of Greenlights. Audio versions of books are always great, but this is a particularly special case. I am convinced that listening to McConaughey himself tell you these stories in his slow Southern drawl is simply a different experience that you just can not get by reading the book yourself. (On the other hand, however, there are family and childhood pictures in the physical book that you miss out on with the audio).

An unusual combination of a memoir and a guidebook, Greenlights is a thoroughly enjoyable read, but it also contains some nuggets of wisdom that it’s safe to say everyone needs to hear!

I Was Better Last Night by Harvey Fierstein

There is a chance you might not know his name, but I can almost guarantee that you know his incredibly unique voice. A Tony-award winning actor and playwright, he has spent decades on stage and screen, and in I Was Better Last Night, Fierstein opens up about everything: sex, romance, excesses, addictions, conflicts, and ultimately wisdom and success.

At times hilarious, and at times heart-breaking, Fierstein’s memoir is thoroughly entertaining, but also thought-provoking as societal and cultural shortfalls and changes (particularly regarding the gay community) are laid bare.

Finding Me by Viola Davis

I am not sure if I can call Viola Davis’s Finding Me under-hyped, as it was an Oprah’s Book Club pick (so it clearly received some degree of attention). But it can never receive enough attention, in my opinion.

This powerful, inspirational story will grab hold of you from the very first written words, and simply will not let go. This truly unflinching look at the life of a woman who has clawed her way out of tragic, traumatic beginnings and has fought to find her purpose, self-love, and acceptance with a ferocity that jumps right off of the page.

You will find the word “masterpiece” used frequently in reviews of this book, and having read this, you will almost certainly have to agree with that description.

The post Celebrity Memoirs, Beyond The Hype appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Told from multiple points of view as well as multiple timelines, These Still Black Waters tells the story of Neve Maguire, who has returned to the home where she spent her summers throughout her childhood and teenage years. Neve and her teenage daughter are seeking safety and security after a recent violent event that shattered their simple domestic life. Unfortunately for these characters, almost immediately upon arrival they are stunned to find that violence has already destroyed their idea of protection and comfort.

When a body turns up (almost literally) in their own backyard, Neve crosses paths with Detective Jess Lambert. Lambert has recently returned to law enforcement after suffering through her own personal tragedy and is still definitely struggling to keep her head above water—mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Facing one’s own choices and decisions and facing the resulting consequences of one’s actions are major themes throughout the story. McDonald does a masterful job of conveying the pain her characters are suffering with to the reader. The intensity of those emotions reaches a fever-pitch as McDonald deftly pulls and squeezes the heartstrings of the reader. Never in a manipulative or gratuitous way, but in a way that feels earned and genuine as she has laid her characters bare and created fully developed “real” people that her readers can’t help but feel connected to.

Both Neve Maguire and Jess Lambert are strong, well-written female characters with fascinating backstories that have brought each of them individually to the point in their lives where we, the readers, meet them. Fans of the strong female characters, engrossing stories, and gasp-inducing twists in McDonald’s previous thrillers will doubtlessly enjoy what they will find in These Still Black Waters.

These Still Black Waters is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up These Still Black Waters? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Two women struggle toward a dark truth as a killer avenges the sins of the past in a twisting novel of suspense by the USA Today bestselling author of Do No Harm, Behind Every Lie, and The Night Olivia Fell.

After a violent home invasion, Neve Maguire returns with her daughter to Black Lake, her childhood summer home, hoping for a fresh start. But when the body of a woman is found floating among the reeds in the lake behind her house, she fears she has made a horrible mistake.

Neve is hiding secrets, though. Detective Jess Lambert can tell. Recently back after her own personal tragedy, Jess knows what it’s like to live with skeletons in your closet, and she’s sure Neve has a few of her own.

When another woman’s body is found, Jess and Neve are forced to confront a horrible truth. Because one thing is clear: the darkness of the past is waiting. And the secrets of Black Lake are only just beginning to surface.

The post Review: These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Kimball knew Joan years ago, but when she suddenly appears to hire Kimball to investigate her, perhaps, soon-to-be ex-husband, a job that should be fairly ordinary becomes anything but that. After the case takes a completely unexpected turn, Kimball realises too late that it is entirely possible that nothing in this case is quite what it seems. Worst of all, he suspects that to solve the case he has found himself embroiled in, it is likely he will have to go back and re-examine the worst day of his entire life, in hopes of finding answers. Kimball enlists the help of the devious and brilliant Lily Kintner as it becomes clear that a murderer is not only on the loose, but is headed in Kimball’s direction.

Fans of Swanson’s work, particularly The Kind Worth Killing, will undoubtedly enjoy The Kind Worth Saving as it recaptures the twists, the pace, and the fascinating characters of the former. But as mentioned above, the earlier book does not have to have been read first. Everything a reader needs to know about the past is re-capped within the text. The Kind Worth Killing was my introduction to Swanson and remains one of my all-time favourite thrillers and The Kind Worth Saving pairs exceptionally well with it. Any reader who enjoys diving into the excitement of the traditional cat-and-mouse chase will find that plus so much more in Peter Swanson’s newest novel.

The Kind Worth Saving is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Kind Worth Saving? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

In this spectacularly devious novel by New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson—featuring the smart and complex Lily Kintner from his acclaimed novel, The Kind Worth Killing—a private eye starts to follow a possibly adulterous husband, but little does he know that the twisted trail will lead back to the woman who hired him.

There was always something slightly dangerous about Joan. So, when she turns up at private investigator Henry Kimball’s office asking him to investigate her husband, he can’t help feeling ill at ease. Just the sight of her stirs up a chilling memory: he knew Joan in his previous life as a high school English teacher, when he was at the center of a tragedy.

Now Joan needs his help in proving that her husband is cheating. But what should be a simple case of infidelity becomes much more complicated when Kimball finds two bodies in an uninhabited suburban home with a “for sale” sign out front. Suddenly it feels like the past is repeating itself, and Henry must go back to one of the worst days of his life to uncover the truth.

Is it possible that Joan knows something about that day, something she’s hidden all these years? Could there still be a killer out there, someone who believes they have gotten away with murder? Henry is determined to find out, but as he steps closer to the truth, a murderer is getting closer to him, and in this hair-raising game of cat and mouse only one of them will survive.

The post Review: The Kind Worth Saving by Peter Swanson appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

An incredible combination of domestic thriller and psychological suspense, It’s One of Us examines truth, lies, and secrets from the individual level, between partners in a couple, as well as what we are willing to admit to the rest of the world. Ellison’s books are known to be binge reads and It’s One of Us is an excellent example of exactly why.

When the body of a missing woman is recovered and detectives begin to look into her murder, this investigation threatens to rip apart a couple who barely even knew the woman. More secrets come to light with every twist and turn and the reader will hardly be able to put the book down!

Fans of Alice Feeney should definitely enjoy It’s One of Us (as well as Ellison’s other best sellers) as there is a similarity in the way they tell stories through shifting points of view. Though I can’t put my finger on exactly why, I was at times also reminded of some of my favourite Linwood Barclay thrillers, so I would also highly recommend Ellison to fans of his writing.

While I sometimes bristle at trigger warnings, it should be noted that pregnancy loss is a major element throughout this story, and is sometimes rather graphically depicted. Someone highly sensitive to that topic should tread carefully. There is a note about discussions of infertility, but this is part of the Author’s Note at the end of the book, perhaps coming too late for readers not prepared for this topic.

It’s One of Us is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up It’s One of Us? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .

Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately  wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park.

DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired.

As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?

This twisting, emotionally layered thriller explores the lies we tell to keep a marriage together–or break each other apart . . .

The post Review: It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Pearl, the younger of the Crenshaw sisters, still living in their childhood home in Austin has gained hundreds of pounds, literally carrying the “weight” of the trauma and secrets of the past around with her. Pearl is, in part, based on the author’s sister and it is clear that Baldwin holds great love for this character. Her self-awareness and honesty with herself once she determines a course of action for her future is both refreshing and endearing.

Ruby, Pearl’s older sister has been living in Dallas, and just as it could be said that Pearl is carrying the weight of her secrets, Ruby has been running from hers. But even running for miles everyday has not let Ruby outrun her past.

At the same time that Pearl has set herself on a positive path, Ruby’s life implodes (through a method only today’s technology could manage) and it is equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and cringe-inducing. The sisters embark on a new type of experience together, realising that as adults they still love each other, but no longer really know each other.

As someone who in recent years finally began to examine and change her own relationship with food, there were times throughout The Sisters We Were that I literally had to set the book down for a minute because Baldwin’s writing of Pearl was almost too on-the-money. It was incredible to watch Pearl go through life-changing steps, not as a perfect person, not as someone who never had missteps, but as someone who had made her mind up, and was determined to see things through.

The Sisters We Were is a rare example of a book that the reader leaves loving every main character in the story. They are all so genuine and real that there is just that moment of sadness after the last page, when you realise you are going to miss Pearl and Ruby. And don’t even get me started on Pearl’s best friend Perry. As the author stated in an Instagram conversation, “The world needs more Perrys,” and that is the absolute truth.

The Sisters We Were is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Sisters We Were? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Pearl and Ruby’s choices drove them apart.

Finding their way back to each other might be the only way forward.

The weight of their family secrets could not have shaped Pearl and Ruby Crenshaw any differently. Ruby’s a runner, living in Dallas and only reluctantly talking to their mother, Birdie, when she calls from prison. Pearl is still living in her mother’s fixer-upper and finds herself facing a line in the sand: her weight is threatening to kill her. She’s hundreds of pounds beyond the point where she can celebrate her curves or benefit from the body positivity movement, and unless she takes drastic action, the future looks dire.

But when Ruby’s buried rage explodes in a hilariously viral way, the mistake has life-altering consequences. Now the sisters are back living under the same roof and forced to put the pieces of their separate lives together again. Funny, cinematic, and bursting with heart, this is a story of hope and redemption that celebrates the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

The post Review: The Sisters We Were by Wendy Willis Baldwin appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Sylvie’s legal career is on the exact path that she planned, and her personal life has recently gotten on track as well after meeting her new, somewhat younger, beau Gareth. Her oldest friend, Tess, however has received a terrible medical prognosis and now Tess has brought back skeletons from the past that she is convinced she and Sylvie must correct, as she fears her time may be short. Wrestling with her loyalty for Tess, but also concern for what the consequences could be in her own life, Sylvie’s life tumbles and unravels, heading toward circumstances she no longer has any control over.

I loved that It Ends At Midnight brought up a thousand questions about relationships, who we trust, who we believe, and why. Are we still friends with someone after many years because we truly have love for that person, or is something darker at play? Is it that they know so much about us that we can scarcely afford to not be friends with them? Or is it just comfort after all these years…familiarity, maybe?

Readers will likely find themselves “figuring out” where this story is going several times—they will almost certainly be wrong. Tyce has surprises up her sleeve all along the way, making this a compulsive, intense read from start to finish. It Ends At Midnight is a chilling psychological thriller that is sure to please!

It Ends At Midnight is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up It Ends At Midnight? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

“I devoured this gripping novel in a couple of sittings, and raced to the shocking end.” – Alex Michaelides, New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient and The Maidens

From the acclaimed, Sunday Times bestselling author of Blood Orange comes a thriller of a party spiraling into murder when one guest’s plan to right old wrongs ends in blood, told with Tyce’s signature dark and propulsive twists.

It’s New Year’s Eve and the stage is set for a lavish party in one of Edinburgh’s best postcodes. It’s a moment for old friends to set the past to rights – and move on.

The night sky is alive with fireworks and the champagne is flowing. But the celebration fails to materialize.

Because someone at this party is going to die tonight.

Midnight approaches and the countdown begins – but it seems one of the guests doesn’t want a resolution.

They want revenge.

The post Review: It Ends At Midnight by Harriet Tyce appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Tracy’s characters are easy to care about, with their realistic back-stories and consistent personalities. Detective Nolan, her partner, Detective Crawford, and so many other characters that appear throughout the series start to feel like old friends that you are glad to catch up with. They are reintroduced in each book in such a way that a reader could this up as a standalone novel, or start from the beginning of the series, Deep Into the Dark, and they can enjoy these characters and the compelling stories either way.

Unfortunately, former soldier Sam Easton, a fascinating study in veterans returning to civilian life, is less involved in the action here than he was in Deep Into the Dark or Desolation Canyon. He is still included, but I personally always want to see more of Sam. The overall cast is large, however, which gives the reader lots of potential suspects to scrutinise, but also other law enforcement professionals in other jurisdictions that the reader gets to see Detective Nolan interact with. I would personally love to see some of these other new characters return to work with Maggie, Al, and Sam in future cases.

Readers that enjoy a good “old fashioned” detective story will find so much to love in this series, and The Devil You Know, even though it is the third book in the series is an excellent place to start.

The Devil You Know is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Devil You Know? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan returns in The Devil You Know, the next book in the series where P. J. Tracy “seems to have found her literary sweet spot” (New York Times Book Review).

Los Angeles has many faces: the real LA where regular people live and work, the degenerate underbelly of any big city, and the rarified world of wealth, power, and celebrity. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan’s latest case plunges her into this insular realm of privilege, and gives her a glimpse of the darkness behind the glitter.

The body of beloved actor Evan Hobbes is found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide a day after a fake video ruins his career. It’s not clear to Nolan if it’s an accident, a suicide, or a murder, and things get murkier as the investigation expands to his luminary friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Hobbes’ agent is dealing with damage control, his psychotic boss, and a woman he’s scorned. But when his powerful brother-in-law is murdered, he and Nolan both find themselves entangled in a scandalous deception of deadly proportion that shakes the very foundation of Hollywood’s untouchables.

The post Review: The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Isabelle’s desperate need to find her child, and complete refusal to accept the unsolved, cold case labels she hears from detectives has ended her marriage, is taking a serious and significant toll on her health, and may even be destroying her sanity, but she has continued to do everything in her power to keep the search going. She speaks at true crime conventions, she has her own suspect list and details of all of her neighbours, and frequently checks in with the assigned detective. But so far this has all been to no avail.

Interspersed throughout the current situation that Isabelle is dealing with, the reader sees glimpses from her childhood in Beaufort, South Carolina. These passages have such an incredible sense of atmosphere as the stifling stillness of the marsh creates a tension all its own. There is a feeling of dread and danger long before the details of the past are revealed to the reader, and it truly sets these sections apart. Even readers who do not traditionally like “dual time-line” stories will find themselves engaged with these glimpses into the character’s past, as solutions and answers dangle just out of reach.

While All the Dangerous Things is full of everything that is current and “now,” true crime conventions, podcasts, and social media taunts, but these are all used with great benefit in this story, never as clichés or buzzwords. Every detail is intricately plotted and brings the reader full circle, turning pages faster and faster. Fans of her debut novel, A Flicker in the Dark, will find everything they loved about Willingham’s writing back again in All The Dangerous Things.

All the Dangerous Things is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 10th 2023.

Will you be picking up All the Dangerous Things? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.

Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.

Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.

The post Review: All The Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

More than 40 million Americans have purchased at-home DNA kits (like 23 and Me, Ancestry, or MyHeritage) thus creating massive databases of information, not only about the person submitting a sample, but all of his/her biological relatives as well. This was the creation of genetic genealogy. Shared DNA sequences between related individuals could help cold case detectives identify DNA left at a crime scene, even if the actual perpetrators DNA was not in any law enforcement or criminal justice database. Undoubtedly an earth-shattering change in the ability to solve old cases, but as Humes addresses, there are those looking at the issue not from a crime-solving perspective, but instead looking at it as perhaps the last shred of privacy an individual may have, and the necessary protection of that privacy. While most readers, depending on their background, will see this argument solidly from one point of view, it is of tremendous benefit that Humes has clearly represented the concerns on both sides. While you many not change your stance, there is always something to be learned by at least looking at the opposing viewpoint.

At its heart, this is a story of a dedicated detective and his decades-long efforts to get answers for the Van Cuylenborg and Cook families. Detective Jim Scharf is an unforgettable character in this story and his determination and compassion can not be overstated. He is the hero of this story, in absolutely every sense of the word.

One of my favourite aspects of The Forever Witness is how well it reminds us that all of the technology we use (and often take for granted) everyday was not always there. We did not always have the answers at our fingertips. For some of us, 1987 does not feel like it was all that long ago, but as Humes frequently reminds the reader, it was a completely different world than the world we find ourselves in today. It feels almost anxiety-inducing to even think about making an overnight trip with no cell phones and no GPS, but when Tanya and Jay set out on their fateful trip it was the most normal thing in the world. From a law enforcement standpoint, there were few surveillance cameras of any type, quick and easy border crossings between the U/S. and Canada were standard, and information exchange between departments or jurisdictions literally moved, as Humes states, “at the speed of paper.” Even at the trial stage, we see a world where there are not yet any CSI-style television shows, so the jury has no expectation of a magical forensic moment, and in addition we see a frank discussion among the jurors regarding sexual consent in no-nonsense terms that we might not likely hear expressed the same way in 2022. The Forever Witness is certainly a must-read, but would also be an incredible selection for a book club as the topics that will arise for discussion and debate are innumerable.

The Forever Witness is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Forever Witness? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

After 30 years, Detective Jim Scharf arrested a teenage couple’s murderer—and exposed a looming battle between the pursuit of justice and the right to privacy.

When Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were murdered during a trip to Seattle in the 1980s, detectives had few leads. The murder weapon was missing. No one witnessed any suspicious activity. And there was only a single handprint on the outside of the young couple’s van. The detectives assumed Tanya and Jay were victims of a serial killer—but without any leads, the case seemed forever doomed.

In deep-freeze, long-term storage, biological evidence from the crime scenes sat waiting. Meanwhile, California resident CeCe Moore began her lifetime fascination with genetic genealogy. As DNA testing companies rapidly grew in popularity, she discovered another use for the technology: solving crimes. When Detective Jim Scharf decided to send the cold case’s decades-old DNA to Parabon NanoLabs, he hoped he would bring closure to the Van Cuylenborg and Cook families. He didn’t know that he and Moore would make history.

Anyone can submit a saliva sample to learn about their ancestry. But what happens after the results of these tests are uploaded to the internet? As lawyers, policymakers, and police officers fight over questions of consent and privacy, the implications of Scharf’s case become ever clearer. Approximately 250,000 murders in the United States remain unsolved today. We have the tools to catch many of these killers—but what is the cost?

The post Review: The Forever Witness: How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder by Edward Humes appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

For readers unfamiliar with this series, there is character growth and development that carries over from book to book, but each book has its own self-contained story of a court case with a fascinating crime hanging in the balance. I highly recommend reading the series in order, but one could certainly pick up any of the books (in any order) and still find a fascinating, well-crafted puzzle of a mystery.

In The Darkest Place, Robin accepts the request of a judge to represent a truly depraved criminal, but this decision reaps entirely unexpected and disastrous consequences that turn Robin’s life upside down. While trying to put the pieces of her life back together, she finds herself working through her own tragedy to help with a case (that happens to be centered in her own hometown) that involves surrogacy, assault, abuse, and kidnapping.

This case will take the reader to truly dark places as there are detailed and prolonged discussions about child abuse within the scope of the court case. It is an almost entirely clinical discussion in the form of expert testimony, but for those sensitive to this issue, it will be a difficult read. Much like in actual court cases, this is not a quick mention but is instead an extensive portion of the chapters dealing with the case.

The twists and the turns along the way are riveting, however, and they simply do not stop. Seeing Robin, as well as the other investigators, deal with such difficult and painful subject matter deepens the reader’s connection with these characters—through the highs and the lows. Each book in this series is excellent, but The Darkest Place is on an entirely different level and further elevates the entire Robin Lockwood series.

The Darkest Place is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Darkest Place? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Defense attorney Robin Lockwood faces an unimaginable personal disaster and her greatest professional challenge in the next New York Times bestselling Phillip Margolin’s new legal thriller, The Darkest Place.

Robin Lockwood is an increasingly prominent defense attorney in the Portland community. A Yale graduate and former MMA fighter, she’s becoming known for her string of innovative and successful defense strategies. As a favor to a judge, Robin takes on the pro bono defense of a reprehensible defendant charged with even more reprehensible crimes. But what she doesn’t know—what she can’t know—is how this one decision, this one case, will wreak complete devastation on her life and plans.

As she recovers from those consequences, Robin heads home to her small town of Elk Grove and the bosom of her family. As she tries to recuperate, a unique legal challenge presents itself—Marjorie Loman, a surrogate, is accused of kidnapping the baby she carried for another couple, and assaulting that couple in the process. There’s no question that she committed these actions but that’s not the same as being guilty of the crime. As Robin works to defend her client, she learns that Marjorie Loman has been hiding under a fake identity and is facing a warrant for her arrest for another, even more serious crime. And buried within the truth may once again be unexpected, deadly consequences.

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