REVIEW: The Divorce Lawyer by Ellie Monago

The Divorce Lawyer by Ellie Monago

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 2nd May 2024

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Published: 10th May 2024

★★ 2 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I am helping to destroy a woman’s life. I know my client is lying. But if I don’t play along, it will be my own life on the line…

I’ve worked so hard to be the lawyer I am today. Helping as many women as I can—including my sister—escape toxic marriages makes it all worth it.

But as I stand in the courtroom, listening to this poor woman break down sobbing, my stomach twists. I can’t look. Her husband says she can’t be trusted. Her child is about to be taken away from her. And it’s all my fault.

Because she is not my client. Her husband is.

Peter is everything I fought against for years: a rich and powerful man who will do anything to get what he wants. I would have never represented him. If I’d had a choice.

But what could I do after Peter knocked at my door, and said he knew everything about me? And how far will I have to go to protect my secrets and my family?

An unputdownable and completely addictive psychological thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists, that will keep you turning the pages until the very end! Fans of Freida McFadden, The Perfect Marriage, and Valerie Keogh will love this pulse-racing novel.

MY THOUGHTS:

We meet up with Esther Khan once again after the previous book "The Custody Battle" in which she was the main character's divorce lawyer. Esther has always prided herself on fighting for the rights of women who find themselves victims to men who are little more than bullies. But this time she is fighting for her life. This time she is blackmailed into representing the bully himself - Peter Tramboni. And she hates herself for who she's turning into as Tramboni's minion...because that's essentially what she's become.

Soon after winning his custody case in which he gained full custody of his four year old son Stride (who calls their child Stride?) and a party to top all parties to celebrate his illustrious win, Tramboni is then murdered...and Esther becomes prime suspect.

Added to th mix is Peter's protege Avery who coded and created new technology Sleight (as in sleight of hand "now you see it, now you don't") in which messages can be sent and disappear and where the messages can be read out loud even if the recipient doesn't have the app. The technology seems to be highly invasive and it isn't long before Avery herself falls victim to foul play. And once again, Esther becomes the suspect.

When the reveal does come, it's not as jaw-dropping as it is eye-rolling and head shaking as unfathomable bordering on ridiculous. I certainly didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book, which I found myself struggling with at times too. But this one was bogged down with a lot of tech talk, stupid decisions and unlikeable characters with a plot that just seemed to drone on from beginning to end. I liked Esther far more in the first book as Madeleine's divorce lawyer and thought we would get more of that...but no. This was a let down and a disappointing one at that.

I found this tale to be decidedly dark and depressing and not in an interesting or riveting way.

I would like to thank #EllieMonago, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDivorceLawyer in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ellie Monago is the pen name of an acclaimed novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail.