Just when I thought this book was predictable -- you should never think that when reading a Hank book. It blew me away. I was kind of upset with myself for not figuring out the ending -- but don't be. It's very fun ride and you will love her storytelling.

This was a really great thriller that has an ending that will have you going back and reviewing all that went on in the story to see if you missed any clues, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from this author. Tons of twists and turns that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last and the addition of the legal aspects just gave the story even more depth. I highly recommend this story to all lovers of thrillers.

Hank Phillippi Ryan is my favorite mystery writer. Her plots are always complex tapestries of interwoven people and incidents, and "The Murder List" is no exception. Right up until the last few pages, I had my theories of whodunit and why, but I was completely off. Of course, it seems obvious when it's laid out in the final pages, and any doubts I still had were blown away by the epilogue. Wow!

This novel's setup is a little different than most in that you get to time travel a bit in the middle. I have to admit, after the first section, I was a little frustrated by the main character, Rachel North. She came across as needy and weak, and her husband struck me as arrogant and controlling. As the book progressed, and we saw them both at an earlier point in their relationship, my opinions changed about both of them, though her more than him. It was a really interesting way to present these interconnected storylines.

Another thing Ryan did to shake things up was to start out mostly in Rachel's point of view, and then she gradually added in chapters from some of the other characters' perspectives. That provides a lot of "Aha!" moments.

As usual with an HPR novel, I had a really hard time putting this book down. Each case - because this involves several murders and a lot of lawyers - is compelling. I loved how we got to see the opposing points of view of the prosecution and the defense. It was also kind of frustrating to see the kinds of backroom dealings that may influence the outcomes of jury trials.

I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy trying to solve a mystery chapter by chapter, as well as anyone who loves legal thrillers or procedurals.

Dual timeline mystery from Hank Phillippi Ryan that follows Rachel in her days as staff in Mass. State Senate President's office, and six years later as an intern law student in the Middlesex County D.A.'s office. She's now married to a defense attorney 15 years her senior, who she first encountered during jury duty and bonded with in the wake of a tragedy after the trial. A strong opening scene, and some fascinating twists and turns but I had a hard time liking Rachel or understanding why she would have married Jack. He seems peevish and arrogant and cruel in the present day and she wheedles him for approval. The end was bonkers but did resolve the action effectively.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor Forge for this DRC.
The Murder List is a legal thriller cat and mouse romp. Rachel has reinvented herself but her past is being reopened. Unreliable characters and court room drama make this a fun read.
#TheMurderList #NetGalley

This was a decent read. It was a little too lawyer like for me but the ending really saved it. I knew who did it from the beginning but the way she wrapped it up was good. There wasn't enough suspense for my liking but it wasn't a bad cop drama. Or I suppose court drama.

Not bad! To say more about the plot is to spoil, so I only say that while the final twist was not that surprising (there were some telling signs), but it still is fresh and well-done. The authoress had thought about her plot obviously and the build-up of the story is precisely set up. There may be a gentle nod towards Agatha Christie, and as a big fan of The Queen of the Crime I say - nicely done!

The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan is a standalone legal thriller. The story in this book is one that is told by alternating between the past and present timelines with the investigation into an old cold case.

Rachel North is a law student who happens to be married to a defense attorney, Jack Kirkland. Being a defense attorney Jack obviously does not have a great relationship with the prosecutor, Martha Gardner. Rachel being a student however is now interning at the prosecutor’s office putting her in the middle.

Before Rachel had married Jack she had been working for a senator and during her time in that job a co-worker had been murdered. Jack had been the defense in that case and had gotten it thrown out. Now Rachel’s boss is reopening the case when a new lead comes in.

The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan really intertwined two things that I really enjoy in a book together that solidified my four and half star rating. One of those is simply being a legal thriller which I have a soft spot for and never quite find that often probably automatically made this an intriguing read for me. The other element that the author had in this book was a nice twisty ride that led to a fabulous ending which brought my rating up too. After reading this one I will definitely look to read this author again.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Awesome suspense and mystery in this book. Ms. Ryan is one of my favorites. Murder list came out during the pandemic and I relied on my books to get me through. I immensely enjoyed this one.

Hank Philippi Ryan, one of my favorite writers, here provides a standalone thriller that will knock your socks off. What starts out as a potential legal thriller in the tradition of John Grisham quickly departs into Ryan's trademark themes of misdirection, and complex and twisty trails. The question is: what does law student Rachel North want, and at what cost? What role will her high-powered attorney husband play in the process. This is a satisfying novel all the way through; Ryan really ratchets up the action in the last 75 pages!

Murder List is a legal thriller/court room drama absolutely bursting with unreliable characters and the back and forth chase. There were lots of twists and turns and surprises along the way. The unreliability starts when the main character goes to work for the husband’s enemy/rival saying it would be good for them in the long run to know how she works. From that point alone, you know you are in for a fun ride! Buckle up.

Ryan's novel is somewhat predictable, but the way that he untangles the plot slowly works for the reader. We are always hanging on the edge to know what happens next. I have many mystery-loving friends who would want to read this book and be engrossed by it. Readers who enjoys fast reads will want to pick up this book. Ryan's writing helps the story flow and builds the suspense that readers crave.

A new, standalone mystery/suspense novel, THE MURDER LIST follows law student Rachel North. Driven and very smart, she's managed to snag an internship at the Boston DA's office. She's sure that she's just starting on a career path that will lead to great success and a bright future.

It's a twisty novel, with legal and criminal shenanigans, questionable loyalties and agendas, and high stakes. Well-written, with very well done characters. The novel is a very good blend of psychological suspense and legal thriller. If you're a fan of either of these genres, then I think you'll find something to like in THE MURDER LIST. I enjoyed this. Recommended.

A thrilling legal drama! I am a big fan of this author’s books. This is a standalone into another area, legal thriller, and I love it. Rachel North’s future is planned to the last detail. Law school, pass bar exam, join as partner in husband’s firm. Perfect life. Until it is not..... A excellent page turner!!
Thanks Net Galley for an ARC.

This is one heck of a read. One of the things I liked most about it was that there are so many shades of gray in the story line and the characters. Reading along, it was hard to determine if there was a single “bad guy” or not. We want Martha, the ADA who has been Jack Kincaid’s nemesis for years, to be the only antagonist in the story, but is she? It’s hard to say much more about that without giving some of the plot away, and I don’t want to do that. I want other readers to keep guessing like I did and have a hard time putting the book down.

It was also nice to see the situations in the story from various points of view. The three main characters, Rachel, Jack, and Martha had the stage most often, and it added a lot to the story to get a glimpse into what was going on in their heads as the story progressed. No irritating head-hopping, just smooth transitions from one person to the next.

All in all, this was a terrific read with great suspense and drama, and I highly recommend it.

What a rush! Author Hank Phillippi Ryan is definitely a new favorite author for me! This book kept me reading into the night. It is a fast paced thriller, complete with murder, intrigue, and courtroom drama. You will not believe how it ends! I loved this one!

This was the first Hank Hank Phillippi Ryan book I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. The plot was fast-moving with lots of suspense, twists and turns and one real whopper at the end that had me stunned. Ryan is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of her books.

The Murder List is one of those books that was recommended time after time to me, and it was so good! Now I’ll be telling everyone to read it too.

I was looking for my next page turner and hoped the hype would ring true, and was happy that it did and then some.

Rachel is a law student, married to a man named Jack, who happens to be very successful. As rivals, Jack meets top prosecutor Martha, and the two hate each other from the start.

It becomes odd when Martha wants Rachel to become her apprentice, and from there things take many twists as the reader tries to uncover how the lives of each character intersects.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forge Books for the free copy. All opinions are my own

First I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for lending me a copy in exchange of an honest review.

Now, I have to say that I enjoyed this one a lot, I love thrillers and this one didn't disappoint. Every character was well written, the story was compelling.
I would recommend it to my peers and friends for sure.

I haven't enjoyed legal thrillers in sometime, but this was a fun cat-and-mouse game and all around enjoyable read.