No Further Questions by Gillian McAllister @GillianMAuthor @MichaelJBooks @JennyPlatt90 @PenguinBooks @PenguinUKBooks @lovedreadinthis #NoFurtherQuestions #GillianMcAllister #BlogTour

 

Michael Joseph Books  E Book 2nd July2018  Paperback October 2018

Book Description

The Police say she’s guilty.

She insists she’s innocent.

She’s your sister.

You loved her.

You trusted her.

But they say she killed your child.

Who do you believe?

Original, devilishly clever and impossible to forget, this is a thriller with a difference.  You won’t be able to tear yourself away from the trial that will determine both sisters’ fates.

My Thoughts

I must confess I am new to the world of Gillian McAllister, I have Anything you Do Say on my Kindle, yes, but books on my Kindle seem to stay there until I run out of physical books, which very rarely happens and only ever on holiday.  And sadly I don’t have enough holidays to regularly read my Kindle books!  So special thanks to Jenny at Michael Joseph books for inviting me to be part of this blog tour, for sending me a copy of the book and thus introducing me to Gillian McAllister – now no longer an author I have heard of and am interested by, but an author whose work I can truly say, ‘I like alot’.

As described in the ‘blurb’ original – and yes it most certainly is.  The story of the sad and tragic death of baby Layla 2 months old and in the care of her Aunt Becky at the time of her demise.  Evidence gathered from autopsy indicates suffocation, Layla at 2 months is non mobile, not yet rolling so the evidence points to murder and Becky as the only possible perpetrator.

I honestly do really enjoy the modern format of writing from multiple perspectives and this is how Gillian McAllister tells this story.  With an added layer of evidence presented in court followed by the actual account of what occurred.  Martha, Layla’s mother account runs through the book, as she sits in court and listens to the evidence, desperately trying to find out what happened to her precious baby girl.  A number of witnesses are called and the evidence is compelling.  The different accounts and perspectives piece together like a jigsaw and in this way the story is told.   Set over several days in ‘real’ time as the prosecution, followed by the defence present their evidence.

With relatively short chapters this was a compelling read and despite being just over 400 pages, I found it to be a quick read – helped of course by the sharp writing.  With a very sad theme there were wise words in these pages as Martha processed her daughter’s death realised closure had to come from within.

In the acknowledgments Gillian McAllister comments on her father helping her to talk through all the witness vignettes as she was struggling to do them justice.  I have to say I think she (and her dad) did a tremendous job and I was particularly impressed with the style of the book.

I really, really liked this book, the way it was written, the plot and the way it was told.  Part crime in terms of the investigation into Layla’s death, combined with the mechanics of the court case and of course the family torn apart by grief and murder.  Great reading highly recommended by me!

This is a blog tour the E Book is out now – in time for a holiday read for those who like to travel lighter than physical books allow!  The paperback is out in October.  Do check out what others are saying about No Further Questions.  Details below.