Lisa Scottoline masterfully crafts her suspense novels, and this one may be her best yet. Recommended for purchase by the Scottsboro Public Library and as a future book club selection.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's kept me wondering who was lying, and what really happened. It was hard to put this book down until I was able to finish it and have answers!

Maggie Ippolitti lost custody of her only child, Anna, when she was only a few months old. 17 years later, Maggie is overjoyed when she receives a call from Anna. After learning that her father has recently died and how miserable Anna is at her nearby boarding school, Maggie allows Anna to move into her home. Her husband, Noah, is thrilled Maggie reunited with her daughter, and welcomes Anna into the family. Their happy home quickly turns into a battleground, ending with Anna making terrible accusations against Noah. He denies everything, but is forced to move out—then Anna is killed, and Noah is accused of her murder. He swears he didn't do it, but if Noah didn't kill Anna, who did... and why?

What I Liked

The story is told in alternating chapters and told from the perspectives of Maggie and Noah. A nice twist on this dual perspective is that Maggie's portion (Before) starts at the beginning (when she is first contacted by Anna), and moves forward in a linear fashion. Noah's part (After) is the opposite—it begins near the end (on the tenth day of his murder trial), and moves backwards in time. The timelines sync around 3/4 of the way in, with time moving forward linearly for both characters. The way it's structured may be off-putting to some readers, but I loved it. It worked exceedingly well for this story, and made it an even better reading experience.

Anyone who reads thrillers knows that when a situations seems clear-cut, it's definitely not going to play out that way. I was expecting some sort of plot twist to happen, and when it came, you could have knocked me over with a feather—that's how stunned I felt.

The ending was everything I hoped for, and I was thoroughly satisfied when I finished. I love it when a book leaves no loose ends dangling!

What I Didn't Like

Umm... let's see. Oh! I know! I didn't like that it took me so long to read a book written by Lisa Scottoline. What was I thinking?! Other than that... yeah, I got nothing.

Final Thoughts

The way the story is structured is a bit unorthodox, but it adds an extra layer of suspense to an already suspenseful story. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and explosive twists, After Anna is a novel you won't soon forget.

Scottoline's writing is superb throughout, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her novels in the future.

Recommended for fans of suspense driven thrillers.

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press via Netgalley.

Another great book from Lisa Scottoline. This one had me totally baffled for most of the book. Told in before and after timelines and with such confusion as to what really happened to Anna. Amazing details of the trial story and the prison view too. Honest portrayal of family life, the ups and downs, those we are separated from and the love we still hold dear. Noah, Maggie and Caleb have a great core going and then when Anna is brought into the picture everything seems off kilter.
Completely loved this book, the twist near the end brought it all together, great story telling!!!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

Wow, talk about a page turner. This book had me flipping the pages as the story progressed to see what would happen next. I loved how the author told the story in flashbacks and also real time. Although at times I didn't care for the character's actions, the story was compelling and believable. Add in a great twist at the end and you have yourself a perfect read.

This book started slow for me. It has a back and forth, present and past model; current chapter during a trial, next chapter in the past. And repeat. I was growing a bit weary of that and anxious for the book to begin to reveal the whodunnit. In some ways that took a bit too long, but once it happened, the book raced to the end, and I whipped through the last 1/3 of the book. The ending was satisfying, even though there were some unrealistic scenes. Fun beach read.

Another fantastic Lisa Scottine read! After Anna is full of gripping twists and turns... where did everything go wrong with Anna? You will find yourself wanting “just one more chapter” desperate to find what happens next but not wanting it to end! I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

I was able to read the pre-release of this fantastic story through Net Galley for my honest opinion. I haven't read Lisa Scottoline's stories for several years and was very pleased with this story. There were some great twists and storyline was a bit rushed at the end but I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Creep but I couldn't put this book down. Not my favorite from this author but deserving a chance. Some of the plot twists were expected and some not! Overall a good yarn.

After a bout of phsychotic post partum, Maggie lost custody of her infant daughter to her controlling ex-husband who refused to let her have a relationship with her daughter. When the exhusband dies and Anna, now a teenager, comes to live with Maggie, her husband Noah, and Noah's young son, what should be a happy family reunion turns into a nightmare when Maggie is caught in the middle between Anna who insists that her stepfather has been trying to molest her and Noah who vigorously protests his innocence. Then, when Noah is put on trial for Anna's murder, it seems likely that Anna was telling the truth, but all is not what it seems. Alternating between Noah's trial and the events leading up to it, this book is Lisa Scottoline at her best. It will incite all your emotions, and take you on a gut-wrenching journey that won't let up until the very end.

A woman reunites with the infant daughter she gave up years earlier only to go through the pain of losing her in a murder. Worse, her husband is accused of the crime, and she must decide who to believe and who to condemn. Author Lisa Scottoline rushes through the essential points of a thriller and spends too much time on salacious details in her latest book After Anna.

It’s been years, but Maggie Ippolitti still thinks about the postpartum psychosis she experienced after giving birth to her daughter, Anna. Although Maggie never hurt Anna, she relinquished custody to her ex-husband and French national, Florian. The creator of an app that made millions, Florian sold his business in the States and returned to France with the baby. By enrolling their daughter in expensive boarding schools, he made sure Maggie had minimal contact with her.

It seems like a healthy dose of karma, then, when Maggie gets a call one day from Anna herself. Now 17 years old, Anna has come back to attend school in Maine. She wants to reconnect with Maggie, and Maggie couldn’t be more thrilled. She learns that Florian has died in an accident, and she is the only real family Anna has left.

Maggie drives from her home in Philadelphia to meet Anna, and the two seem to click from the start. Anna shares how much she hates her boarding school and asks to move in with Maggie, saying she wants and needs a mother. All of a sudden, Maggie feels like she’s getting a second chance to right the wrongs of all those years ago when her postpartum psychosis dictated her actions.

Her new husband, Dr. Noah Alderman, is instantly supportive, and 24 hours after meeting her for the first time Maggie brings Anna home. All seems to go well, but not long after Anna moves in the mood of the house becomes tense. Maggie and Noah seem to fight about everything now with Anna at the heart of the fights.

Anna’s accusations that Noah trying to molest her shock Maggie; she asks Noah to leave home for a while. Then Anna is murdered, and Noah is arrested for the crime and put on trial. Within days of the verdict Maggie gets news that changes everything once again, and she will have to decide who to believe and who might be lying.

Author Lisa Scottoline spends most of the book on Noah’s murder trial, building her story in sections that alternate between Noah and Maggie. The Maggie portions of the novel move forward in time from when she gets the first call from Anna to when she gets the news of Anna’s death. The Noah portions move backward from the day of his sentencing to the start of the trial. The tactic would lead readers to believe that the crux of the story, the “big reveal”, comes in the middle.

Instead, when readers reach that point, the story takes a wild turn in another direction. Because the majority of the novel focuses on the trial and the sensationalism that comes with a stepfather accused of molestation, readers will feel rushed through the “real” section of the book. Resolution comes too fast and too conveniently to satisfy anyone.

Maggie, too, comes across as an underdeveloped character. When she brings Anna home, she’s so enamored with her daughter that she ignores basic warning signs that something is not right. In fact, Maggie comes across as a timid, naïve person who can’t think for herself. Yet when the major plot twist occurs, suddenly she turns into a resourceful woman full of ideas and gumption to deal with unbelievable circumstances. This abrupt personality change is hard to believe and poorly executed.

Marketing materials would lead readers to believe this is Noah’s story, but it really belongs to Maggie. The sections belonging to Noah during the trial are still somewhat believable and interesting, but his life after the trial takes the story in a direction that feels, again, rushed and not authentic at all. In the end readers will feel cheated out of a solid story.

I recommend readers Bypass After Anna.

Another great read by Lisa Scottoline. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I really like the alternating narrator format as well as the alternating timeline that makes up the structure of the novel: Maggie--Before Anna; Noah--After Anna. I never lost interest in one storyline over the other which sometimes happens when plots alternate between characters or settings.
The twists and turns in After Anna were unexpected and led to much page turning on my part.
My only complaint would be with the ending; it seemed rushed and uneventful considering all that led to that point.

Wow. Just WOW!!! I absolutely loved this book - the characters, the storytelling, the ending - everything about it!! It became one of my top five favorite books of all time! Buckle up - you are in for a fantastic ride!!
Maggie is happily married to Noah and is enjoying life raising her stepson. She longs for her daughter, Anna, now a teenager, who she has not seen since she was a baby. Maggie suffered from postpartum psychosis and her now ex-husband took Anna away and excommunicated mother and daughter.
Seemingly out of the blue, Maggie receives a call from Anna who desires to see Anna and develop a relationship with her. Maggie is trilled and feels that now her family can be complete!
The twists and turns that come after their meeting will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning! I felt such strong empathy for some of the characters and felt strong emotion throughout the novel (the ending brought me to tears!). I strongly recommend After Anna - you will not be disappointed!
Thank you to Lisa Scottoline, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this fantastic book!

This book just drew me in from the beginning. The characters were richly written, the story well-crafted, and the pace - ’unputdownable’! I definitely recommend this to everyone looking for a gripping read. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This was a very fast paced thrilling read. I enjoyed how the story went back and forth between Maggie and Noah before and after Anna. That was very well done and enhanced the suspense and psychological drama. I also enjoyed how the story ended because I couldn’t predict it.

It's been awhile since I've read a Lisa Scottoline book. I'd forgotten what a talented author she is. Lisa continues to impress with her warm characters and relatable storylines. After Anna is different than previous books but it still drew me in from page 1. Once again mom is strong and loving and the driving force in her book, never giving up until her heart is settled. I wanted to finish After Anna in one night. The fact that the story took place on the mainline made it all that much better.

Soottoline does it again!! Great thrills, emotional, and legal intrigue. Keeps you on the edge of your seat till the very last page!!

I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.

While I did not like this book overall, there were things I did like. Caleb was an awesome kid and he rises to the occasion toward the end of the book. Wreck-It Ralph is a phenomenal name for a cat. The long-term relationship between Maggie and Kathy spans the gamut of emotion, and is a wonderful example of friendship.

The first chapter was good. I was certainly hooked enough to continue reading. The next chapter belonged to Maggie and the goddess of exclamation points, and I wasn't even to the bottom of that page before I was rolling my eyes and wanting to tape Maggie's mouth shut.

Plenty of awkward phrasing throughout, and so many misused and improperly punctuated words - the proofreader needs to be tossed overboard.

I didn't enjoy the split reverse timeline method of storytelling. It can be done well and ratchet up the suspense, but here it was just annoying. I was at 80% before the plot became interesting again.

I was disappointed in the epilogue: too much time was skipped over, and I felt like the characters didn't deserve the endings they got. In particular, too much was glossed over in the family's recovery for the end to be believable to me.

I can't recommend this book unless you are a hardcore Scottoline fan who must read every book.

Wow! I enjoyed this book, I was not expecting this to go where it did. Very well written and kept me engaged.

Let me preface this by preparing you for all of the exclamation points I am using!

This book is definitely one of the most 'un-put-downable' books I have ever read! From the moment I started reading I just couldn't stop! When I had to stop, because life, I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening! Even now that I'm done, I'm certain this hangover will take a while to get overW

The characters were amazing! Each one was a person I wanted to talk to, I had so many questions for them and I couldn't wait to read to get the information! Dr. Alderman is a pediatric allergist who is raising his son Caleb after his wife's death. He finds Maggie and is joyously finds that he and his son love her dearly. Now they are so happy together. Their little family of 3 is their happiness. 

Maggie has a past. It's not so much a secret but she isn't proud of it. It makes her sad to think back and remember. Once her past catches up with her she finds that things might not be so bad but was that all wishful thinking. 

As the days go by, it all falls apart very quickly. She finds herself in situations that she could never have even dreamed of . She is a mother on a mission to find the truth and it leads her into all sorts of mayhem. 

This book is amazing! It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! Wonderful!!