In Her Defense: A Reese's Book Club Pick

IN HER DEFENSE is a mind game of a book. Malicka starts out the story with a trial. All the players are lined up and have their set place. Then the reader gets to know Augusta. This is where the things get complicated.Here is the thing. I think people are going to go crazy for this book or they will not. There is an intricate web of relationships, emotions, and deception which all hinge on the reader investing in Augusta. Personally, I found the way the story played out fascinating. It was as if I were a fly on the wall discovering just how this therapist, Jean Guest, got her claws into young and vunerable people. I truly felt for Augusta and how desperately she wanted to please Jean. The emotional maniplulation and deciet was expertly written as well as designed to captivate.IN HER DEFENSE pulls you in slowly at first as the author crafts the perfect stage. Then she tugs at the strings of the curtain and everything begins to unravel as the truth is revealed. This was a story I found difficult to walk away from until I found out how it ended.

It took me until 30% to realize wtf this book was about. It was very readable- I finished it in 3 days. Once you get it, you’ll want to keep reading for the conclusion. I found all of the characters to be extremely annoying. But once again I rated this 4 for the fact that it kept me interested enough to binge it. Highly recommend for fans of dark academia. I couldn’t help but picture Gislaine Maxwell as the character of Jean- an older woman who preys on younger girls and grooms them. (🤢). The narrator at times you feel bad for but mostly annoyed by. Not sure why she held onto evidence that could have been used in the first trial. Idk what the point of that was. But this would be a great book club book to discuss.

Philippa Malicka’s In Her Defense turns a celebrity court case into a messy battle over truth, power, and entitlement. Anna Finbow is the famous face at the center of the trial and Augusta “Gus” Bird is her personal assistant who steals the spotlight every time she refuses to stay silent. The opening interview where Gus says honesty is her worst trait becomes eerie foreshadowing once the trial begins and everyone around her starts twisting truth into whatever benefits them most. Anna only values honesty when it protects her image, which makes her outrage later feel almost laughably hypocritical.This story leads you through watching powerful people weaponize influence against vulnerable women. Anna carries serious mean girl energy throughout the trial. She bulldozes everyone around her while still expecting sympathy when things stop going her way. Her confrontation with Gus after the verdict perfectly captures how entitled she really is. I appreciated that Gus finally chose honesty for Mary’s sake. The verdict allows Mary a chance at peace away from the constant manipulation surrounding her life.The novel also feels deeply rooted in wealthy people problems. The characters speak about assistants, therapists, lawyers, and employees with a level of detachment that made much of the story feel insulated from reality. It reads like a world shaped by privilege and nepotism where reputations matter more than accountability. That distance made it difficult to emotionally connect with many of the characters despite the courtroom drama being compelling at times.The epilogue adds an interesting layer about identity and ownership. Jean’s life is portrayed as being replaced by a new version of herself once her role in Mary’s world disappears. It feels very much like setup for a sequel. I can see readers wanting to continue with these characters, though I personally felt satisfied leaving the story here.As an audiobook, Anna Popplewell’s narration did not work particularly well for me. Her thick British accent blended many of the character voices together. The blurring made scenes harder to follow during dialogue-heavy moments. The accent heavy performance became fairly monotone after a while and flattened the tension that the courtroom scenes needed.Readers who like morally complicated characters and slow reveals about truth versus perception will probably have a great time with In Her Defense. The celebrity scandal atmosphere keeps the pages moving even when the characters are frustrating. Pick up In Her Defense if you enjoy courtroom dramas filled with messy wealthy families, unreliable narratives, and women weaponizing social power against each other.

Slow moving. Not my favorite Reese book.

Was very surprised to find out this was a debut novel! The writing was great, held my attention, and I ended up reading in 24hrs! This book goes through a heartbreaking story about a girl, Mary, who is estranged from her family, but they are blaming it on a "therapist" who essentially grooms her clients. The story is told through a close family friends point of view and it goes back and forth between Mary's experiences in art school, and the courtroom where this case is being played out. Absolutely loved it and really makes you think long and hard about the people you trust!