I would like to thank Penguin UK-Michael Joseph and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘No Further Questions’ written by Gillian McAllister, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Martha is involved with setting up her own charity in Kos and when it’s imperative she travels there, and husband Scott is also going to be away, she asks sister Becky to take care of eight-week-old baby Layla for two nights. Layla suffers from silent reflux and cries constantly but as Becky’s own young son Xander was an easy baby to care for she’s positive she’ll be able to manage and is happy to take over responsibility for her. But Becky struggles to cope with Layla’s constant screaming and during their absence baby Layla dies.
As we’re taken step-by-step through the Court case following the arrest of Becky we’re given flashbacks of what happened before, during and after Layla’s death. The jury has to decide whether this was a case of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or if Layla was suffocated.
I was completely absorbed from page one and as my opinion kept veering from Becky being guilty, to her husband Marc’s involvement, to Layla’s death being a terrible accident, I realised I was holding my breath waiting for the verdict. ‘No Further Questions’ has been cleverly written with a gripping plot, twists and turns and an ending that was unbelievably shocking. It’s an excellent novel, one of the best I’ve read, and shows what an amazingly talented writer Gillian McAllister is.

Two sisters.

One in the stands watching as pieces of a puzzle are seemingly put together.

The other left with an overwhelming feeling of guilt and regret.

This is the unforgettable story of Martha and Becky.

Becky stands accused of murdering Martha's 8 week old baby, her niece for that matter. Evidence seems to point to only one outcome but somethings just don't add up/

No Further Questions is a thrilling novel, taking place in the courtroom but delving back over previous days, more importantly that fateful night when baby Layla lost her life.

Could Becky really be guilty of this awful crime?

I gave this novel 4 stars not because I didn't enjoy any part of it but because I'd guessed the twist quite early on although I was never sure of the logistics until later on in the story.

What Gillian McAllister has created is something clever, and more importantly something believable, this could happen in real life and it makes you wonder how you'd feel if put in either sister's position. Would you trust your sibling or trust in the evidence presented in front of you?

As you read you almost become part of the jury yourself, trying to work out if everything is as black and white as some would like you to believe.

Over all I was impressed, well thought out, plenty of emotion thrown in and an outcome that will no doubt leave you shocked!

A dead baby and a gripping court case. One sister accused of murder the other grieving and wanting answers.. This is a great but sad story and a real who dunnit. I would recommend.

No further questions tells the story of Martha and Becky, close sisters. Martha and her husband have a baby, Layla and when Martha goes back to work, asks Becky if she would be an ad hoc nanny. Unfortunately Layla is a baby with severe reflux and cries A LOT. However, when Martha and her husband are away and Becky has Layla overnight, something happens and unfortunately Layla does not survive the night. What happened on the night in question? Did Becky lose control because of the crying and hurt Layla, however unintentional that may have been? Martha doesn't know what to believe, but can't bring herself to think that her sister murdered her 8 week old baby.

The story takes place in the courtroom where Becky is on trial for murder. Various witnesses from the night in question and character witnesses for Becky are called to the stand. These give you a good insight into what possibly could have happened that night, however, on the other hand, Martha brings us back in time to various points where herself and Becky were close over the years growing up. That gives you a different perspective on what might have happened on the fateful night in question.

Unfortunately I tried to like this book, I really did. Having had a baby with severe reflux myself I empathized with Martha and with Becky, and I understood the medications and actions that were mentioned in order to minimize the reflux. I couldn't understand how both of the baby's parents left their 8 week old, in clear pain and distress with a relative while they went away overnight (even if this was work-related). I felt this story dragged on and on and was far too slow. There were times during some of the witness statements that I felt like it was moving a bit faster only for it to slow right down again by which time my interest was seriously waning. Unfortunately by about 60% I found I no longer cared about any of the characters and did not finish the book.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Ms McAllister for an e-arc of No Further Questions in exchange for my honest review.

Two sisters who see each other every day. They can read each other's minds and tune into each other's emotions.
It all changes on one fateful night. Now one sister has been charged with the death of the other sister's baby. This book is an emotional rollercoaster, I was hooked from the first page. This book and the feelings and emotions it brought out in me will stay with me long after I have finished the last page.
When the verdict came in it was not what I was expecting in fact I was shocked.
This book is beautifully written, it made me laugh and there were plenty of tears. This is a must READ.
I would like to thank the author Gillian McAllister, Penguin U K- Michael Joseph and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

Gosh, but, this is hard to review! I'm still broken (having literally just finished reading it) and feel emotionally and physically drained having read it in, pretty much, one sitting. The reason I find it hard to write the review is that I can't say I enjoyed reading it, rather it pulled me in, dragged me around in a turmoil of emotion and threw me out again.

It's an incredibly emotional read about 2 sisters facing each other in court and it's also about love and family and heartbreaking grief and it's so well written.

What surprised me, even as I read it, was how riveting the storyline is and how well it flows. Despite it being a court room drama, which could be very slow paced and boring, it's anything but and all of the characters are interesting and have depth.

Wow! It's really good. As I say, I can't describe it as an enjoyable read and you'll definitely need tissues! But, gosh, it's so well written and so, so good.

Thanks to netgalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for the opportunity to preview.

Gillian McAllisters books are getting better and better.
This was a court room drama finding out what really happened to baby Layla.
Easy to read and to follow and each chapter follows a character which I enjoy. I found it fast paced which is great as I find some court room dramas get drawn out.
It was relevant and I liked the way we learnt all about everyone’s personalities, how they interact with each other and also how events have made them the people they are and how they may react.
Was gripped to the end.
A must read

A tragedy which is sensitively relived in the courtroom. The questioning is, at times, harsh and even difficult to listen to. I read this in one sitting as I had to know what happened. Two sisters helping each other out. The characters are honest and real, the story poignant. This book should come with a mascara warning, I wasn’t expecting to weep so much at the very dramatic conclusion.
Netgally advanced review copy.

Gillian McAllister has become one of my go-to authors since I read her debut novel Everything But The Truth and with No Further Questions her place as one of my favourite authors has been firmly cemented. This book absolutely took me through the wringer and I was reduced to tears on more than one occasion.

A story of two sisters facing the ultimate test of their relationship. Becky is accused of smothering her 8 week old niece Layla who was in her care while both parents were away. There is far more to this story which we learn through flashbacks to "the night of". McAllister drip feeds us details from that fateful evening and I raced through the book. At one point I was convinced I had worked everything out but changed my mind several times.

The idea of the families involved being so fractured by Layla's death really got to me. These two sisters, bound together by love but torn apart by doubt, got under my skin and into my mind for days after I had finished.

Obviously No Further questions deals with the very emotive subject of the death of a baby which at times is a difficult read. The statements from the attending paramedic, A&E consultant and pathologist were the ones that broke my heart a little. I was also touched by the narrative from Martha (Layla's mother) about how hard she had found the early days of Layla's birth and how she felt about the bonding process. This struck such a chord with me.

Gillian McAllister just gets better and better with each book and I can't wait to see what's next from her!

What a fantastic read, believable characters, kept me guessing right until the end, and what an ending! I hadn’t guessed it! Will be looking for further books by Gillian McAllister. Great read.

Martha is a new mother to Layla and struggling to juggle her busy life. Tragically Layla is found dead whilst in the care of Martha's sister, Becky. Becky is now on trial for murder. Martha has already lost her daughter, is she really about to lose her sister as well?

Well, McAllister certainly puts the reader through the mill with this book, I have never felt so emotionally invested in a book, the heartbreak that Martha and her family are going through flows off the pages and I too was emotionally stricken by the plot. 

McAllister always finds unique ways to tell her story, here we read from the eyes of the different witnesses, slowly uncovering the truth. McAllister manages to give the witnesses a personality succinctly whilst also presenting their evidence and moving the plot along. This made for a refreshing way of reading, whilst also proving enjoyable. 

'No Further Questions' is proof that a thriller does not need plot twists to be good. The main twist, in my opinion, is obvious but it does not matter and in no way took away any enjoyment for me. Instead I got swept up in the emotional roller-coaster that McAllister presents in the form of Martha and her family, seeing how all their different relationships are impacted by Layla's death is incredibly powerful reading. 

'No Further Questions' is so tight and well tuned, the plot will grip you and you will find yourself invested in the most horrific of ways. This is a superior read, incredibly tough at times but incredibly worthwhile as well. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK for an advance copy.

Oh how I love the wonderful Gillian McAllister! She has done it again - written an incredible novel that has the right amount of all things good melted together into a superb amalgamation. This was an ideal read for me - as a law graduate I was intrigued by the premise and the fact that it includes a trial scenario obviously appealed to my legal background and as most friends know - mystery and thrillers are one of my most read genres - the two converged to create a not-to-be-missed title for me. I was praying that with such a fab concept McAllister would execute it to perfection. I had no need to worry in that respect.

I guess what everyone wants to know is - Is it as good as her others? Yes, yes it most certainly is! I'll be shocked if this isn't a summer bestseller. It deserves to be. "Everything But The Truth" and "Anything You Do Say" were published in March 2017 and October 2017 respectively, and were both loved by the majority of readers, including myself. It is getting a lot rarer to find a book in the crime genre that truly blows you away - there are so many mediocre thriller writers around and until you read a particular title it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between a potential bestseller and a total dud. That is unless you have read and enjoyed the author previous works, as is the case here. This definitely helps in this game of Russian roulette and not knowing exactly what you're going to get!

"No Further Questions" is bound to be another McAllister success and most likely will be adorned with the title of Sunday Times Bestseller as her previous two were. At its heart, "No Further Questions" is a courtroom drama and a story that is brimming with emotion (which I wasn't expecting). The plot was impeccably paced and keeps your interest throughout. Reflecting the differents of people who each play a part in a real courtroom McAllister's characters are diverse and there are quite a collection. The conclusion was a stunner of a finish for me!

Becky has been accused of murdering her sister Martha's baby, Layla. The police are adamant that she is guilty but she is also adamant that she is no murderer - only one of them can be correct? But which one? Things are certainly not as they appear to be. Is she really sincere about events? Or is she as evil as people believe she is?

As you can see the storyline is a dark and emotionally resonant one that will get you hook, line and sinker pretty quickly. McAllister sure knows how to write - this is one of those books you need to clear your diary for enabling you to finish it within a day. I feel "No Further Questions" will appeal to all crime buffs but I think it especially appealed to me due to being in that sector years ago and knowing a little about the systems that are in place when someone commits a crime as serious as Becky has been accused of added to my enjoyment of the novel. This got me good and proper and I knew I needed to read it in one sitting as I wanted to find out how the story concluded and what happened to Becky. The characters here are all rather unlikable with realistic flawed personalities. Fortunately, I do not feel that it is essential to always have characters that are likeable especially in a book from the crime genre.

This book served as a reminder to me as to just how magnificent McAllister's titles really are. I feel she is vastly underrated in the genre and is not as reknowned as she ought to be. All of this, whilst authors with lesser writing skill and credentials become incredibly famous almost overnight in some cases - it simply doesn't seem right to me but I recognise that not all of us enjoy the same books or authors. Claire Douglas, Liz Lawler and Holly Seddon's reviews say it all really and most importantly - are 100% spot on.

Highly recommended to fans of McAllister as well as those still to try her books. There would certainly be worse ways to spend an afternoon! Do yourself a favour and pick this one up! I am going to go back and re-read the others before her next offering is published.

All in all, an original, riveting and superior courtroom drama that will appeal to a wide audience. I hope people pick it up over the summer and read it whilst relaxing in the garden with a Pimms. Admittedly it is a deceptively dark read and will be appreciated by those of us who think - that the darker a title the better!

Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This was a very poignant read and a tear jerker. The death of a baby and what happened to cause her death will grip you and wrench your emotions.I liked the courtroom scenes they seemed very authentic ,and as we got to know the main characters I couldn't wait to find out what had really happened .I thought this was totally original and very well done.No spoilers from me you will have to read the book, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

No Further Questions grabbed me right from the start. It’s structured around a trial - so that’s always going to be a winner with me, because I do love a courtroom drama. The circumstances of this one are both unusual and awful - Becky is on trial for murdering her sister’s baby; Martha, her sister, watches from the public gallery, unable to fathom whether or not Becky is guilty, constantly changing her mind about what she believes, unable to reach any kind of certainty.

It’s a heck of a setup and I loved the way the narrative of the trial was structured; as we hear from each witness - medical staff, social workers, friends and acquaintances of Becky - the story flashes back to recount what that witness actually experienced at the time. This was a very effective way of telling the story.

I didn’t know what to believe, either. Evidence points to Becky’s guilt - she was the only person there when baby Layla died. But Martha and husband Scott have their own guilt to deal with too, for having left their eight-week-old baby - even when, in Martha’s case at least, it was for the most admirable of reasons. (I was in awe of what Martha had achieved, in seeing an urgent need and refusing to walk away.)

Whenever I did get an inkling of what may have happened if the obvious explanation was incorrect, I dismissed it as it didn’t seem to fit with the evidence. Martha’s biggest fear is perhaps never knowing what really happened - but I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that there is, ultimately, a resolution.

I loved Gillian McAllister’s second book, Anything You Do Say - I have yet to read the first, though I have it sitting on my Kindle waiting for an opportunity. No Further Questions is just as good and kept me engrossed throughout, with believable characters and relationships and a compelling - if often distressing - mystery at its heart.

This book is seriously traumatic in every sense of the word, it does not pull any punches and kicks you straight in the stomach. Brilliantly written, it deserves to go right to the top of the listings. A huge 5* from me.

This story begins in the courtroom at the trial of Becky, who is accused of murdering her niece, 8 week old Layla.  Becky was recently hired by her sister Martha to be nanny to Layla and after becoming increasingly bored with her current job, she jumps at the chance as, being a mother herself to Xander, who was a very well behaved baby, she thinks it will be easy, she couldn't have been more wrong.  Layla is not an easy baby and constantly cries, surely this is enough to tip anyone over the edge, or is it?

We can all be very quick to judge a person based on what we hear, but things aren't as clear cut in this case as you would think, even Martha wants to believe her sister is innocent, but if Becky didn't do it, then who did?

This is a very tense courtroom drama, that with each witness giving their evidence, had me changing my mind constantly, did she or didn't she? I was convinced more that she was innocent than guilty but there was still that niggling doubt at the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe it was her and it kept me hooked right to the end, praying that I was right but hoping that justice was done for poor little Layla.

This latest book by Gillian McAllister is superbly written and she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, if you want an edge of your seat drama with a great twist then I highly recommend this one, it's a cracking read!

I would like to thank Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the approval and will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.  5 stars

The death of a child (not a spoiler, it’s in the blurb) would always be a challenging read but I think Gillian McAllister has done a great job with this book in sensitively handling this awful topic. Add into the mix two sisters with a very close relationship and then put one on trial for the child’s murder and you have a heart-rending story. As each new witness presented their evidence I was wavering back and forth with where the blame lay. I did have a gut feeling about it but the evidence didn’t seem to support it and I had to wait for the big reveal to be sure. A great page turner of a book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 fantastic stars!

This is a brilliant book, so well written, told from many different perspectives, piecing together a tragic story.

You get emotionally drawn to all the characters despite some of their behaviours, and I was so engaged with this book that I read it in 24 hours.

Highly recommended.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

-- "The police say she's guilty. She insists she's innocent. She's your sister. You loved her. You trusted her. But they say she killed your child. Who do you believe?" ------

I loved this author's first two books, 'Everything But the Truth', and 'Anything You Do Say', so I went into this book with pretty high expectations. Despite that fact that I guessed the ending about half way through the book (only reason this gets 4 stars, instead of 5), I still really enjoyed this one. Gillian McAllister has yet again managed to deliver a truly heart-racing read that was both moving and beautifully-written.

The plotline as a whole was heartbreaking to read. I completely sympathized with the characters and I felt so emotional imagining what they were going through. Even though I had guessed the ending, it was written so incredibly well! It broke my heart.

Another brilliant yet moving read from this author, highly recommend! Really looking forward to Gillian's next!

An incredibly well written book once again from the very talented Ms McAlister. Highly emotive, harrowing and wonderfully gripping, the storyline held me captive throughout. I guessed the twist well before the end but this in no way detracted from the impact of the ending. Outstanding.