Dissection of a Murder
- Judith D Collins
- May 11
- 8 min read
Updated: May 11
By: Jo Murray
Narrator: Joanne Froggatt
Penguin Audio
ISBN: 9798217177004
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: 05/05/2026
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
TO BE ADAPTED FOR THE SECOND SEASON OF APPLE TV+’S PRESUMED INNOCENT, STARRING EMMY AWARD-WINNER RACHEL BROSNAHAN
Nothing is as it seems—and no one is telling the truth—in this page-turning thriller about a young lawyer forced to defend a man on trial for murder against the mentor who taught her everything: her husband.
When Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case, she’s shocked by the victim: a well-known, well-respected judge, whose death sent shockwaves through the legal community. She’s also incredulous—she’s nowhere near experienced enough to handle such a high-profile assignment—but the defendant is insistent: he wants her, and only her, to represent him.
Except he’s refusing to talk. And if that wasn’t complicated enough, Leila soon learns her opponent is the most ruthless prosecutor she’s ever known: her husband.
It’s an impossible situation, yet Leila is determined to sway the jury to her side—until she’s blindsided once again by a shadowy figure from her past. Suddenly, Leila finds herself fighting not only for her client and marriage, but also to keep her own secrets buried. And if she has to rewrite the rules to win, so be it.
My Review
"Courtroom drama meets domestic thriller perfection in Jo Murray's dazzling debut, DISSECTION OF A MURDER, coming to Apple TV September 2026!
"A silent defendant. A husband who won't back down. A witness who knows your darkest secret."
Murray brings her real-life barrister experience to her electrifying debut, making every courtroom scene feel 100% authentic. The "Battle of the Spouses" dynamic is brilliant, claustrophobic, and kept me guessing until the final, shocking revelation.
Imagine defending a silent client in your first murder trial while your own husband—the most ruthless prosecutor you know—is trying to tear your case apart.
Highlights:
Elevator Pitch: A rising defense barrister fights her first murder case—and her prosecutor husband—while a shadow from her past threatens to expose her.
Intro: Murray’s debut is a razor-sharp blend of authentic courtroom drama and high-stakes domestic noir.
Setting: Set in the rain-slicked streets and wood-paneled courtrooms of Durham, England.
Theme: Explores power, gender inequality in the law, and the dangerous ways we "re-invent" our identities.
Characters: Leila is a gritty, relatable underdog; Julian is her charming but ruthless rival; Witness X is the haunting "wild card."
Standout Features: The claustrophobic "Battle of the Spouses" dynamic where marriage and law collide. The legal maneuvering. Murray (a real-life barrister) brings a level of "insider detail" that makes the courtroom scenes electric.
Author Writing: Expertly paced with the clinical precision only a former criminal barrister could provide.
Title Significance: A double entendre for both the forensic investigation and the public picking-apart of Leila’s life.
Vibe: Clinical, atmospheric, and utterly heart-pounding. Sharp and suspenseful. It’s a "cerebral" courtroom drama with a "wicked edge."
Metaphor: The plot is like an "autopsy"—one careful cut at a time until the ugly truth is exposed.
Takeaway: A chilling reminder that the courtroom isn't just about the law—it’s a stage where the most convincing story wins, regardless of the truth.
Why Read: Perfect for fans of Alice Feeney who want procedural accuracy mixed with "gasp-out-loud" twists.
Audio 🎧: Coming May 19! Joanne Froggatt will be "perfection." She always brings a "steely resolve" to the narration that will keep you hooked through every legal twist. I look forward to listening.
"The Defendant is Silent, but the Past is Screaming"
My Thoughts:
A masterclass in "domestic legal noir" that proves Jo Murray is a major new voice in the genre.
While the courtroom procedural elements are flawless, it’s the suffocating tension of the Reynolds-Kesler marriage that makes this unputdownable. It’s rare to find a thriller that is both intellectually sharp and emotionally devastating, but Murray sticks the landing with a final reveal that I truly didn't see coming. If you loved the high-wire act of Anatomy of a Scandal but crave the dark, intimate deception of Alice Feeney, this is your next 5-star read.
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars
"A sophisticated, propulsive, and explosive cat-and-mouse legal thriller debut. The most addictive legal thriller of 2026!"
Recs: The Holdout by Graham Moore,Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan, or His & Hers by Alice Feeney.
Adaptation: The novel is set to be adapted for the second season of the Apple TV+ anthology series Presumed Innocent, (loved) with Rachel Brosnahan slated to star as Leila.
Special thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for graciously providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 5, 2026
May 2026 Must-Read Books
Best Debut Legal Thriller
Praise
So gripping, so clever, so good. This brilliant book had me hooked from the beginning. An addictive page-turner and an exciting new voice in the genre."
―Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ugly
"A relentless, twisting legal drama that combines courtroom suspense, unforgettable characters, and a knockout ending. Jo Murray writes with the authority of a courtroom veteran and a gift for swervy storytelling. An impressive debut from a writer to watch."
―William Landay, New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob
"A page-turning, twisty, and atmospheric legal thriller with a carefully calibrated murder mystery at its core and complex relationships that deliver the most shocking twist of all."
―Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Like Mother, Like Daughter
"Dissection of a Murder is that rarest of books, a thriller with a twist that is both shocking and entirely valid. I finished this book marveling at its ingenious construction, wanting to reread it immediately to see just how Jo Murray does it. A truly impressive debut."
―Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of The Oligarch's Daughter
"A gripping legal drama driven by complex characters with emotional range. With surprising twists until the very last page, readers won’t be able to put this thriller down."
―Stacey Abrams, New York Times bestselling author of While Justice Sleeps and Coded Justice
"What a terrific read! Deftly plotted and addictive, Dissection of a Murder is written with the confidence of someone who knows the legal world completely, and who understands how thrillers work. There’s a terrific twist; sharp insights; and themes of class, power, abuse, and storytelling, all skillfully woven together . . . Once we got to the trial, I couldn’t put it down."
―Sarah Vaughan, international bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal
“Former barrister Murray lays out her intricate plot with the aplomb of a seasoned lawyer steering a jury to a verdict, shedding light on procedural idiosyncrasies and gender inequality within the British legal system en route to a jaw-dropping final twist. Readers will find this criminally captivating.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Murray’s riveting debut is filled with murky twists and characters whose deceptive veneers cover dark secrets . . . [a] complex legal-psychological thriller.”
―Booklist, starred review
"Dissection of a Murder is a razor-sharp legal thriller that cuts far deeper than guilt or innocence. Jo Murray pulls you inside a world where justice isn’t blind, and every truth has a body count. When a brilliant barrister is forced to defend the one man who could destroy everything she’s built, the courtroom becomes a battleground of secrets, obsession, and devastating lies. This story hits like a hammer: relentless, propulsive, and astonishingly human. I couldn’t look away."
―Leslie Wolfe, author of The Surgeon
"Brilliant. One of the most suspenseful and thought-provoking novels I've read in ages. I predict it will be massive."
―Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow South and former First Minister of Scotland
"Dissection of a Murder is a delicious, compulsively readable whodunit that will leave you guessing—and on the edge of your seat—until the very last page. Murray is a whip-smart thriller writer, not to be missed. She knocked it out of the park. More please!"
—Sophie Stava, author of Good Morning America Book Club pick Count My Lies
"A fascinating thrill of a read, which had me gasping with its reveals. I stayed up way past bedtime to find out what was happening . . . I loved living out the courtroom experience through the eyes of a barrister. It’s an immersive, shocking, deftly plotted debut, and fans of Grisham will find so much to love. What a writer to watch."
―Cesca Major, author of Reese's Book Club pick Maybe Next Time
"Everything I wanted in a courtroom drama and more. Utterly compelling, with razor-sharp tension and whip-smart dialogue. It’s Gone Girl meets The Silent Patient."
―John Marrs, author of You Killed Me First
"Combines the highwire courtroom melodrama of Scott Turow with the twistiness of a gripping suspense thriller. And with an absolute mindbender of a sting in the tail."
―Vaseem Khan, author of the Malabar House series, the Baby Ganesh Agency series, and the upcoming Q series
"I tore through this compelling, propulsive courtroom thriller rich with secrets and deceit. It is an intelligent, tense, and many-layered exploration of the types of power we wield over each other, and it felt entirely fresh. It is cleverly and forensically written. I delighted in being repeatedly deceived and the ending made me gasp. I’m still thinking about it! Utterly thrilling."
―Emma van Straaten, author of Creep
"Anatomy of a Scandal meets Gone Girl. A sexy, tense, scandalous legal thriller."
―Isabelle Broom, author of The French Guesthouse
"I couldn’t drag myself away from the pages. Dissection of a Murder is a brilliant portrayal of a murder trial through the eyes of a barrister for whom the stakes couldn’t be any higher. So deftly plotted with such clever twists and reveals―I absolutely loved it."
―Nikki Smith, author of They Had It Coming
"Unputdownable . . . I read it in two sittings, desperate to know what happens. The razor-sharp plot will keep you guessing right the way through. This addictive legal drama is going to be huge."
―Kate Gray, author of Welcome to The Family
"Absolutely outstanding."
―T.M. Logan, author of The Daughter and The Holiday
"Fiendishly good. Captivating, clever, and emotionally complex . . . A legal thriller that packs a proper punch."
―Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets
"A thrilling courtroom drama that oozes with tension. As good as Grisham or Richard North Patterson. One not to be missed, Your Honor!"
―Julia Chapman, author of Date with Destiny
"So deeply satisfying: One of those books you want to read again once you know everything, just to marvel at how clever it was."
―Anstey Harris, author of The Museum of Forgotten Memories
"Utterly gripping and intricately plotted, Dissection of a Murder had me hooked from the first page to the last . . . and what a last few pages! That ending blew me away."
―Lisa Hall, author of The Woman in the Woods
"The twists and slights of hand. The gasp out loud moments! A truly heart-pounding, shock-fest of a thriller."
―Cressida McLaughlin, author of The Secret Mistletoe Promise
"What a book! Compelling, authentic, brilliantly written, and incredibly clever. And that ending . . . just wow! I absolutely loved it."
―Charlotte Levin, author of If I Let You Go
About the Author
Jo Murray grew up in Teesside, England, during the ’90s, when working-class girls were told they probably shouldn’t try to become barristers. Thankfully, she ignored everyone. After studying Classics at Newcastle University, she went to law school and was a criminal barrister before leaving the profession to look after her two children. She lives in North Yorkshire. Read More
