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In Her Defence

The NEW Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, February 2026. A dark and gripping courtroom drama for fans of Gillian Flynn and Ripley

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 ***A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK 2026***
THE STUNNING DEBUT NOVEL FROM A NEW STAR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE

'So, so, so good! You don't know what's real and you don't know who to trust. I couldn't put it down . . . you're going to lose your mind over it' REESE WITHERSPOON

'A gripping courtroom drama I absolutely inhaled' GRAZIA

'A courtroom drama with the pulse of a thriller . . . kept me gripped from page one' PRIMA

'Dark and suspenseful, In Her Defence will keep you on your toes, questioning who to trust' WOMAN'S OWN

'Exploring many forms of love and abuse, In Her Defence is enraging and moving at the same time' LITERARY REVIEW

'In Her Defence has pace, the lush backdrop of Rome, and many wonderfully wealthy characters destroying their lives' THE TIMES

Everyone is watching . . .

Wealthy and famous, Anna Finbow stands in court, accusing therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter Mary to gain access to her trust fund.

Jean claims that the dark memories she's helped Mary uncover are real. That therapy has offered her a chance to finally heal from childhood trauma, and she would be better off away from her family's damaging influence.

I'll tell you now . . . you shouldn't believe either of them.

'Smart, elegant and endlessly unsettling' ABIGAIL DEAN
'A brilliant mix of courtroom drama, psychological thriller and love story' JP DELANEY
'A stunning debut' ERIN KELLY
'I was completely hooked from the first page to the very last!' MEGAN MIRANDA
'Beautifully written and brilliantly addictive' VALERIE KEOGH
'Haunting and twisty' LIV CONSTANTINE
'I devoured it' DEBBIE HOWELLS
'A star-making debut' JULIA HEABERLIN

READERS ARE RAVING ABOUT IN HER DEFENCE

'WHAT. A. BOOK. I just finished and I am totally shook'
'Twisty, thrilling and unputdownable. If I could give it more than five stars I would'
'This book is so suspenseful it practically feels like horror'
'Razor-sharp plotting and deeply believable characters'
'I LOVE a courtroom drama, but this was so much more!'©2026 PM Lipton Ltd Domestic Thrillers Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting

Critic reviews

Smart, elegant, and endlessly unsettling. This is a novel full of delicious, vivid details: the ambiguous characters, the unforgettable settings, the unnerving psychology (Abigail Dean, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of GIRL A)
What a beautifully written debut! Compulsively readable, a brilliant mix of courtroom drama, psychological thriller and love story, it pulls off the rare trick of being an unputdownable page-turner with real emotional depth. I can't wait to see what Malicka does next! (JP Delaney, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE GIRL BEFORE)
A stunning debut that jumps deftly between courtroom thriller and a twisting, tender tale of lust, trust, friendship and betrayal (Erin Kelly, internationally bestselling author of HE SAID / SHE SAID)
Philippa Malicka delivers both a twisting courtroom trial and a haunting character study in this wholly absorbing debut. In Her Defence explores the reliability of memory, the shifting nature of truth, and the fine line between obsession and love. I was completely hooked from the first page to the very last! (Megan Miranda, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of YOU BELONG HERE)
I devoured it in one day. It's tense, twisted and beautifully written, and both an unsettling and compelling story of obsession and vulnerability (Debbie Howells, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE BONES OF YOU)
A haunting and twisty story of obsession, memory, and the blurred line between healing and harm. Part courtroom drama, part psychological love story, In Her Defence will stay with you long after you've turned the final page (Liv Constantine, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE LAST MRS. PARRISH)
A brilliant, star-making debut - a potent courtroom drama packed with complex characters, deft psychological twists, and buttery prose. The narrator is not so much unreliable as a mystery even to herself, and you'll be reading way past midnight to solve the puzzle of who she is (Julia Heaberlin, bestselling author of BLACK-EYED SUSANS)
A mesmerising, intricately plotted psychodrama you won't be able to put down (or forget). Beautifully written, this is as assured a debut as they come - I inhaled it (Otegha Uwagba, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of LITTLE BLACK BOOK)
A riveting, seductive novel about the exploitation of power and control, expertly crafted and not to be missed! (Sophie Stava, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of COUNT MY LIES)
All stars
Most relevant
This is an incredible book. I just couldn’t put it down. The plot is so clever, the characters jump off the page and the narrator is perfect. I binge listened to this over two days and loved every minute of it. What a brilliant first book from this writer. Highly recommend!

Absolutely brilliant! The best book I have listened to in forever!

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Gripping to the end as unable to guess the outcome. Well written flowing unusual story

Excellent production

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I really had such high hopes for this book. I was hoping for some gritty court drama/thriller, covering issues about therapy and disclosure, but it is a very basic story about cohesive control of very daft needy rich women.
The court sections are short and lack intensity.
I felt so fed up with Gus and her story, she lacked depth, and instead spent too long describing curtains or paintings or food.
I like the female take, the suggestion that damaged people are vulnerable, but this is nothing new!
This book never really ever explains Jean, this was a mistake, I wanted more about why, how, for what reasons.
It’s just basic and frustrating.

A Let Down

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It was an interesting subject and left a bit open ended which I think was an elegant way of dealing with the topic

Engaging story right from the start

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I’ve recently listened to a lot of books with big reveals but the twists and turns of this story are seductive and unfurl, trickling you hints and keeping on tenterhooks for clues. There’s an almost coming of age type element to the story which reminded me a bit of Megan Nolan’s acts of desperation. Anyway, it’s really good and the take on the unregulated therapy industry was thought provoking too.

A very enjoyable listen

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