I had almost given up on a new Jilly Truitt novel from Beverley McLachlin. Book two, Denial, was published in 2021 which seems like such a long time to wait between novels! Cue my excitement when, earlier this year, I learned book three, Proof, would be published. I think it’s now my favourite of all three books!

Here’s the book’s description:

Jilly Truitt has always put her job as a criminal defense lawyer first, but becoming a new mother has changed her priorities. For the first time in her career, she’s taking some long-overdue time away from her firm and the day-to-day grind of cases, enjoying the quiet delights of motherhood.

Then the daughter of celebrity pop star Trist Jones goes missing and his ex-wife, Katie, is charged with kidnapping. Everyone from the police to the media believe Katie is guilty—her reputation was ripped to shreds in the tabloids during their divorce and subsequent custody battle. Call it mother’s intuition, but Jilly has her doubts. Katie’s whole life was about being a mother, and she and Trist were very public about their problems conceiving. After everything she went through to have a child, Katie claims that she would never do anything to hurt her daughter, and she begs Jilly to take her case.

Jilly agrees, but Katie’s prospects don’t look good. Police have found a witness who says he saw Katie with Tess the afternoon she disappeared, and they are close to giving up the search. The best chance Jilly has of clearing Katie’s name is to find the missing girl. But as the weeks go by, the police begin to suspect that Tess might be dead. With the threat of a murder charge hanging over Katie’s head, Jilly must find the real kidnapper and save Tess before it’s too late.

What I enjoy about this series is that it’s about a female lawyer and one who isn’t working in some “glamorous” role that I feel like we see far too often in media. No, Jilly is a criminal defense lawyer, meaning she’s in court and not always defending honourable individuals. Sometimes they’re guilty. And it’s a hard slog to gather the evidence to go to court. This might sound like it could make for a boring read but McLachlin makes it work. Which, you know, makes some sense. She knows the law inside and out, given she’s a former Chief Justice of Canada, but she’s also seen a lot and understands the human element of it.

I’ve actually done something I don’t usually do - I’ve edited the book’s description. Just one line but I think it’s an important removal because I had read it and the whole time I was wondering why that crucial piece of evidence wasn’t being revealed. If you want to find out what that line is, go ahead and check Goodreads. If you read the series, please let me know if you agree!

I don’t read a lot of thrillers anymore and this book was just the perfect blend of mystery and thriller. While there’s clearly a mystery to be solved here, there’s so much more tension and danger involved, which, to me, tips it into thriller territory. Part of that is because Tess is still missing while Jilly is preparing for trial. Will she ever be found? Will anyone be harmed? What’s the real story? And given what’s happened to Jilly in the past, I didn’t know for sure that everyone was going to make it out of this novel alive.

Proof was a great third installment in an interesting and captivating series. Beverley McLachlin’s writing has gotten stronger as the series progresses. I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s next for Jilly Truitt.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Beverley McLachlin, the author of Proof, was the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canada. Now retired, her expertise in Canadian law has been the basis for her powerful legal thrillers, which feature criminal defence attorney Jilly Truitt. I found the two previous books thought-provoking and informative about the Canadian legal system, but they were also an example of gripping storytelling with well-developed characters. I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for Proof, which was fast-paced and suspenseful.
I apologize for my late review. I recently moved and had to wait to have WiFi installed, so I was unable to use the internet, and it was even longer for me to have my Kindle connected. 'Proof' was published on September 17th.

Celebrity pop star Trist Jones and his recently divorced ex-wife Kate are both distraught. Their adorable, photogenic, mixed-race daughter Tess has vanished. The five-year-old disappeared from the beach where she was playing when Trist fell asleep. The tabloids trashed Kate's reputation during the divorce and custody battles, and the public has come to dislike her and believe she is guilty of kidnapping and even killing Tess. Claims that Kate was an unstable and unfit mother were supported with harsh words from the child's loving nanny, Selma.

Jilly is now at home on maternity leave. The killing of her partner, the baby's father, left her grief-stricken. She is beginning to enjoy her role as a new mother but lacks confidence and misses the thrill of her role as defence attorney.

Having been persuaded to meet the depressed Kate, who is being charged with abducting her child and possibly her murder, Jilly has developed compassion and sympathy for her and agrees to take her case. She sincerely believes that Kate is innocent. Jilly realizes that her preferred role in life is participating in a court trial. She manages to obtain outstanding child care while working to defend Kate.

A shifty man claiming to be a photographer has a blurry photo of a woman with Tess on a boat the day she vanished. He claims he saw Kate clearly. The photo could be of any woman of similar build and hair colour who had some involvement with Tess. A shoe and piece of Tess's bathing suit have washed ashore. Police conclude that Tess is now dead, while other evidence suggests to Jilly that she may be alive. With Kate now charged with murder, Jilly prepares to defend Kate. Her behaviour is extreme. She goes outside her role as a lawyer to actively investigate other possible suspects and to find Tess alive. She is aware that playing detective could get her disbarred. She is independent, fierce, and arrogant. She knows she can weaken the prosecutor's case and is highly critical of the police.

Among the suspects is Trist's new girlfriend, who has no intention of mothering Tess and plans to move to Los Vegas with him. This may have caused Kate to act desperately, knowing she would not see her daughter again. Why was Selma, the former nanny, declaring Kate's instability and possible guilt? Selma's emotional attachment to Tess goes far beyond her nanny role. A child resembling Tess
has been seen accompanied by an older man. Was she abducted by a pedophile?

Will the little girl be found alive and the true culprit arrested? It seems that Jilly's confidence and arrogance are justified. The prosecutor, who was her mentor, gives up and retires. The head of the police investigation apologizes to Jilly for handling the investigation better than they did. I was concerned that Kate may still be too unstable to regain partial unsupervised custody.

Recommended for readers who enjoy a twisty mystery and those who like legal thrillers. This book works as a stand-alone, but reading the previous two books is encouraged.

I heard that Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, was coming to the Toronto Public Library to discuss her latest Jilly Truit legal thriller.

I hadn’t read the first two books in the series, Full Disclosure and Denial, so I read those books first. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of the third book Proof.

All 3 books are excellent. I recommend reading the books in order to better appreciate Jilly’s character development.

I thoroughly enjoyed Proof. It was a thrilling page-turner.

Beverley McLachlin’s talk tonight was fascinating. She is very sharp for 81.

What a lovely summer read! A captivating lake read! While I figured out “who-dun-it” I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the characters. I am a big fan of strong women figuring out life and Jilly offers that it spades. This was my first read from Beverley McLachlin and I’m going to read the first two in this series and catch up before the next one is out! Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for the honest review. This is a well developed and fast paced book written by someone who obviously understands Canadian law. A great read!

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Beverley McLachlin, and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Now the retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Beverley McLachlin has turned her attention to writing legal thrillers. In this third novel of the Jilly Truitt series, McLachlin once again dazzles with a stunning case that is sure to pull the reader into the middle of a criminal investigation. Kate Sinclair-Jones is accused of murdering her daughter, Tess, though the body has not been found. Enter Jilly Truitt, who agrees to meet with Kate while on maternity leave. What begins as a favour soon turns into a full-blown involvement in the case and Jilly cannot turn away from her client. As the truth is slowly revealed, both Kate and Jilly discover honesty is not a commodity that is regularly traded when a murder conviction stands before them, making the case all the more difficult to defend. A stunning thriller that paints a wonderful picture of Canada’s Pacific Coast and exemplifies Beverley McLachlin’s abilities outside the courtroom.

Jilly Truitt has long been one of Vancouver’s most dedicated defence attorneys, but the birth of her daughter changed that. Left. to be a single parent when her partner was gunned down, Jilly has turned into a depressed state. Trying to raise Claire and focus on that task, the past haunts Jilly every day. Her career seems to have taken a back-burner to new motherhood. At least until a fateful call comes one day in September.

After news emerges that the daughter of celebrity musician, Trist Jones, has gone missing, the media machine kicks into high gear. His ex-wife, Kate, is accused of kidnapping, though the lack of a body leaves many to wonder if little Tess might have been killed. Both Trist and Kate are frantic, but the court of public opinion firmly believes that the mother is to blame, based primarily on the bitter divorce and loss of custody. While Jilly is not sold on everything, it is a call to serve as Kate’s attorney during a police interview that pulls Jilly into the mix. She reluctantly agrees to help Kate this one time, but when the truth comes crashing down in that interrogation room, Jilly cannot pull herself away. Claire is at home with a nanny and family friend, but Jilly is not ready to shelve her career any longer. The thrill of defence work is too strong.

As the police reveal that they have a witness who saw Kate taking Tess out in a boat moments after Trist noticed the little one missing. Jilly cannot fathom what else they have. When one shoe and a torn bit of bathing suit fabric turn up, things take a definite turn, sending Kate into a deeper depression, but still holding out hope that Tess might be out there. The thought that Kate killed her daughter out of spite emerges as the likely motive and the police refuse to stand down. The Crown seeks to send Kate to trial for murder, so Jilly will have to do all that she can to prove her client’s innocence, while also coming to terms that she prefers work to being at home with Claire.

As days turn to weeks, Kate’s innocence erodes even more and Jilly tries to work the insurmountable mountain as they prepare for trial. A murder defence is hard enough, but one without a body makes it all the more difficult. When some evidence emerges, Kate’s innocence is left in doubt with Jilly, who cannot believe that this important information was kept from her. Now, it will be a race to the truth, with little help from the Crown or police, to find Tess or at lest prove that someone else harmed her. A gripping thriller that left me begging for more. Beverley McLachlin shows how strong a writer she is for those who enjoy the genre.

Not only do I love a good legal thriller, but also the world of the courts. I followed Chief Justice McLachlin’s career as a young student of politics and was delighted to see her enter the world of thriller writing when she left the High Court. McLachlin’s three novels in this series have been stellar pieces of writing, filled with Canadian law and a great deal of powerful storytelling. The narrative begins at a quick-pace and never loses its momentum throughout. The story is able to juggle numerous themes without diluting the central focus. Great character development permits the reader to relate and connect with those who emerge throughout the novel. Jilly Truitt has been through the wringer and this novel only exemplifies yet another period in that process, as the reader sees her spark with work and a diminishing passion for motherhood.

Plot points are central the a good legal thriller. McLachlin provides many to keep the reader curious and wondering. Just when things seem predictable, a few twists are tossed in for good measure, keeping the reader left to rethink their notions. As the case progresses, there is little time to rest on one’s laurels, as the life of a little child and future of her mother hang in the balance. A stellar piece of writing that had me hooked from the opening paragraphs and did not let me down with its ending.

Kudos, Madam McLachlin, for another great addition to the Jilly Truitt series.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Jilly is persuaded to return to work as a defence lawyer, despite the fact that she is grieving for her murdered partner and their baby is still very young. She is asked to represent Kate, the mother of a missing 5-year old child. Kate is soon charged with murder and Jilly has become so involved by this stage that she agrees to take the case on pro bono. Her law partner Jeff takes this surprisingly well, considering the amount of time and resources Jilly devotes to the case. As Jeff points out, she spends as much time trying to prove Tess is still alive as she does preparing for the murder trial.

I found the beginning slow, the middle a page-turner, and the ending odd. The solution to the mystery of what happened to Tess was satisfactory, but the way it was narrated didn't really ring true. I assume, given the writer's credentials, that the legal aspects were depicted accurately, but at times Jilly's behaviour seemed extreme. My only other quibble was Jilly's apparent belief that no mother had ever before worked and cared for a baby at the same time and in the same way. In fact Jilly had lots of support and almost supernaturally wonderful childcare arrangements.

A child has disappeared and her mother is charged with her disappearance and murder but is this case as cut and dry as it seems?

If you have yet to read Beverley McLachlin’s novels you are missing out. As the former Chief Justice of Canada’s highest court she has much experience and expertise to draw on and this story won’t disappoint.

Appropriate for any murder/thriller genre fans the Canadian setting and canadianisms offer something special for Canadian readers.

Although I did predict the outcome I found this read very enjoyable, it’s a perfect length (doesn’t get bogged down in needless wordy details) and is paced well. You can just the right amount of insight into the characters to understand and relate to them, particularly of protagonist Jilly Truitt.

This is a stand alone story but it’s worth checking out her previous novels as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Proof", the third 'Jilly Pruitt' novel from Beverley McLachlin.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series, I jumped at the chance to get my hands on this one! And I was not disappointed.
Now a recent widow and new mother (in that order), Jilly is adjusting to life with a newborn, and taking some well deserved time away from cases to focus on getting her life back together.
But then Tess Taylor-Sinclair - young daughter of a pop star and his troubled ex-wife, Kate - disappears from a secluded beach where she was vacationing with her father, and the mother is accused of kidnapping and murder (without a body). Jilly, ever empathetic, decides to take the case and is plunged into family drama, secrets, half-truths and threats.
Jilly doggedly prepares her client's defence, but the cards seem to be stacked against her: the police have ceased looking at any avenues other than that the mother did it. But the deeper that Jilly digs, the more she and her team discover that make it look increasing like all is not what it seems to be on the surface.
Loyal readers will not be disappointed. Can be read as a standalone, but you really should read the previous two books for deeper insights.