SYNOPSIS
WOULD YOU BELIEVE HER
2013
Melissa Slade had it all: beauty, money, a successful husband and beautiful twin babies. But in the blink of an eye, her perfect life became a nightmare – when she found herself on trial for the murder of her little girls.
PRESENT DAY
Jonathan Hunt covered the original Slade Babies case for the local newspaper. Now that new evidence has come to light, Jon’s boss wants him back on the story to uncover the truth.
With Melissa’s appeal date looming, time is running out. And, as Jon gets drawn deeper into a case he’s wanted to forget, he starts to question Melissa’s guilt.
Is Melissa manipulating Jon or telling him the truth? Is she a murderer, or the victim of a miscarriage of justice?
MY REVIEW
The prologue begins with Melissa in a prison van taking her to court in 2018 five years after the death of her twins. She has been convinced to pursue an appeal of wrongful conviction.
Part one of the book the chapters alternate between Jonathon and Melissa. Jonathon is a reporter for a local newspaper, who is told to cover the story by his boss Claire who wants big headlines especially if Melissa is granted an appeal. Before the bigger newspapers get the story.
It starts back in the April of 2018. Jonathon is informed that there could be an appeal after new evidence has come to light. Jonathon doesn’t want to cover the case as he believed Melissa to be guilty he had sat through and reported on the original trial in 2013. He had a wife then who was expecting their third child her name had also been Melissa and their baby was going to be a little girl. But his wife had been killed by a driver using his mobile phone as she crossed the road on a zebra crossing. Leaving Jonathon to raise their two boys alone.
Melissa’s chapters revolve around what happened she has been keeping a journal whilst in prison writing about the death of her twins. She also covers what happens to her whilst in prison not only is she a target because she has been found guilty of killing a baby but also the fact she is an ex police officer.
The second half of the book is Jonathon’s perspective followed in the alternating chapter with Kelly’s perspective she is a young journalist just learning the ropes with the help of Jonathon.
Jonathon and Kelly are tasked with trying to find everyone who was at the house on the evenings that the twins died.
Jonathon is convinced that Melissa is guilty but Kelly isn’t as convinced.
I loved Jonathon and Kelly the way he takes her under his wings and helps her with some early assignments then he has to work with her on the Slade Murder Case. Kelly is very bright and sometimes works using her initiative. Working this case there are things they find out which for obvious reasons I cannot go into detail on without spoilers
Did Melissa kill her twins? Was it cot death on both occasions? Or was it more sinister and someone else killed one or both.
I really enjoyed this book the characters are great I could actually imagine a second book with Jonathon and Kelly in. The storyline flows really well it’s one of those books that once you have started you just can’t put it down until you get to that last page and it’s finished then you feel that disappointment that It’s over. There a number of other characters in the book that have secrets. But you will have to buy the book to find out what those secrets are and who has them. I couldn’t work out whether she was guilty or not.
A great read I highly recommend this book giving it a 5 out of 5 from my point of review.
Thank you to #netgalley #Harpercollins #Dianejeffrey
All opinions and views are my own and unbiased and honest.
THE AUTHOR
Diane Jeffrey grew up in North Devon, in the United Kingdom. She now lives in Lyon, France with her husband and their three children, Labrador and cat.
Diane’s debut psychological thriller, Those Who Lie, was a kindle bestseller in the USA, Canada and Australia and spent several weeks in the top #100 kindle books in the UK.
He Will Find You, set in the Lake District and Somerset and published in August 2018,is her second novel.
This book The Guilty Mother is Diane’s third book, which publishes on the 2nd August 2019, and in paperback and audio on 17th October.
Diane is an English teacher, when she’s not working or writing, she likes swimming, running and reading. She loves chocolate, beer and holidays.
Above all, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Readers can follow Diane on Twitter @dianejeffrey
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