Thursday, January 21, 2016

The Ex by Alifair Burke

Twenty years ago she ruined his life. Now she has the chance to save it. Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the victims was connected to his wife’s murder three years earlier—there is no doubt in her mind as to his innocence. The only question is, who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why? For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets and absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him? 


Jack Harris' wife was murdered several years ago and although he says he has moved on in his life, mainly because of his teenage daughter, Buckley, he clearly has not.  His file cabinets are full of case files relating to the man who he feels was responsible.  When that man is shot dead, along with two others, during Jack's attempt to meet a woman he met online, he is their prime suspect.

Olivia Randall used to date Jack back in the day.  They were together several years until Olivia did something that has left a tarnish of guilt on her life ever since.  When she sees that Jack has been arrested, she decides to represent him as his lawyer.  She knows Jack is innocent.  But the man she used to know, or thought she knew, may not be the same.

Filled with twists and turns, The Ex flashes back to Jack and Olivia's past to help authenticate their current relationship and provide contrast to the differences of how they have changed and grown over the years.  While this is important to the story, it doesn't deflect from the current events of Olivia delving into the investigation to prove that Jack is innocent.

While I wasn't surprised by the ending, I was surprised with the repercussions of some character decisions on the facts of the case. Or in this case, the lack of...in some instances.  I didn't connect with any characters, which really bothered me because I really didn't care who did it.  But I had to know why, so I continued my journey with The Ex.

If you're looking for a standard murder mystery, then The Ex is worth a go.  But if you're looking for the darker side of a thriller, you won't find that thrill here. 


* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Wendy

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The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.

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