17 November 2025

This book’s blurb had me intrigued the moment I read it, and wow, what a great read.

Dissection of a Murder is a tense, layered legal thriller that wastes no time pulling you straight into the chaos. Jo Murray creates an intricate web of lies, ambition, and buried secrets, and at the centre of it all stands Leila Reynolds—a young lawyer thrown into the deep end with a case she is wildly unprepared for.

Leila is handed a high-profile murder charge involving a revered judge whose death has shaken the legal world. The twist? The defendant insists on her and only her, despite her lack of experience—and he refuses to tell her anything. Watching Leila try to build a defence out of silence is compelling, frustrating, and addictively suspenseful.

Adding even more pressure, the prosecutor on the case is none other than her own husband—ruthless, brilliant, and determined to win at all costs. Their marriage becomes another battlefield as Leila tries to remain professional while navigating rising tensions at home. Murray does a fantastic job capturing the strain, moral conflicts, and emotional toll of such a tangled situation.

As if that weren’t enough, a shadowy figure from Leila’s past surfaces, threatening not only her case but her entire life. The slow drip of revelations keeps the story moving at a brisk pace, and the courtroom scenes are particularly engrossing.

This is a twist-filled thriller that explores loyalty, power, and what happens when the truth becomes too dangerous to tell. While some character motivations could have used a bit more depth, and a couple of reveals arrive quickly, the overall ride is gripping and highly entertaining.

Bold, sharp, and full of tension, Dissection of a Murder is an excellent read for fans of legal suspense who enjoy strong heroines, messy secrets, and high-stakes courtroom drama.