I love Kia Abdullah books! She is quite literally the queen of court room drama. I found the subject a bit difficult this time as it involves the death of a 3 year old child (I'm a parent - we can be squeamish about these things!), but it was incredibly well written and gripping from start to finish. I'm really glad I stuck with it and would definitely recommend. Thanks to Kia Abdullah, HQ and Netgalley for the ARC.

Quite a good story. There were elements of this book that spoiled it for me. The child's seat described in the car is not right for his age this with other stuff spoiled it.

When Leila gets a panicked call off her brother in law one hot summers day her life changes in a heartbeat. Her nephew isn't at school, she was meant to drop him off. But she forgot....left him in a boiling hot car. Now her family is fractured and she's on trial. But what is she guilty of? Was it just a lapse in concentration?

This novel starts off great. It's tense, heartbreaking, everything we've come to expect from Kia Abdullah. But it really lulls in the middle and then the end is, well a bit silly. Without been too spoilerish surely you'd make sure?!? But Abdullah is a great story teller so this is still very enjoyable. Just a bit infuriating!

Wow, such a gripping rollercoaster read! Really enjoyed this book. Best book I have read so far this year. Constantly kept me guessing.

Loved this book. Great character development & so many twists specially at the end. I wasn’t sure I would like this being such an upsetting topic but so glad I read it. I would highly recommend this book.

Great characters and a completely plausible situation, albeit a nightmare where you forget you have a child in you car on one of the hottest days of the year and you go to work. I empathised with all involved and enjoyed the courtroom drama. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books by Kia Abdullah.

Wow, just wow! I very nearly stopped reading this book, as I thought I would find it too upsetting, but I am so glad I continued! This is the first book I've read by Kia Abdullah but I'll be looking out for more.

The book is very well and cleverly written. I was often trying to guess ahead, but never could have guessed this storyline at all, right up to the very end.

The story follows the court case and lives of 2 sisters and their husbands. The elder sister is responsible for having left her 3 year old nephew in a hot car, which leads to his death.

This is a highly recommended read,

This is a legal/domestic thriller which focuses on two sisters and their families.
After tragedy when Leila and Yasmin were young, Leila worked hard to gain a degree whilst caring for her younger sister.
Twenty years later, both sisters are married and remain very close. Leila owns a successful architecture firm and Yasmin is a PA and has a young son, Max.
One morning, Leila is asked by Yasmin’s husband if she can drop off Max at nursery when she goes to work. Then, he receives a call to say Max was never dropped off.
What follows is a harrowing and difficult time for both families.

As this book mainly focuses on the four adults I thought the character development was very good. Although I didn’t necessarily like them, I could imagine them and what they were like.

I felt so sorry for Leila initially, as I thought the situation was horrendous. She may have a successful job, a nice house and car but they didn’t make her feel any better about what happened.

It’s difficult to go into too much detail without giving parts away, but I found the story very tense and even though it was distressing at times, you had to keep reading to find out what happened.

I thought there was more to what happened than what met the eye but hadn’t worked out the full extent. The last 20% or so felt like twist after twist, just when you think it’s settled, there’s another revelation.

Overall I enjoyed this book and thought it was a gripping read. A couple of parts I felt were a bit unbelievable, but if they hadn’t happened then the story wouldn’t have gone the way it did. If someone is truly desperate, they would go to extreme lengths and not be thinking rationally.

I would recommend this book but be warned it isn’t a light read and deals with some difficult issues.

Thanks to HQ Publishers and NetGalley for a copy to review.

This was a clever page turner that kept me hooked from start to finish. I have read other books by the author so knew that there would be some great writing and storytelling. I was not disappointed!

Really enjoyed this book,I've never read this author before.

Fantastic twist and turn and brilliant court case very well written.

I was really looking forward to reading this but I found it quite slow and long winded. I couldn't warm to the characters. The twist was about the only thing that saved it. Other people have loved it so obviously it's just not my type of book.

Oh wow this book was absolutely awesome. I devoured it from the first chapter and couldn’t turn the pages quick enough . A tense and suspenseful read. Just brilliant,

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow-what a fabulous book. One of my favourites this year. Recommended

A brilliant drama, blurring family lines, mistakes, abuse, and illness.
Extreme trigger warnings for child death.

What appeared to be a pretty standard story throughout 95% really upped its game in the last 5%.
Following a family, after the death of a child, it follows relationships and blame as sisters find themselves on opposing sides.

My first book by this author and a fascinating read.
Courtroom meets the abyss of the human mind.
A chilling story of how past tragedies can cast their shadows into the present.
Two sisters.
Their husbands.
A fatal decision.
There are lots of twists and turns in this book, and most of what really happened is only revealed at the end of it.
I loved the story, but I think the way Leila's internal struggle before and during the trial is portraied, does strike me as unrealistic in the light of what really happened.
I understand why the author resorts to what essentially is denial, but it feels constructed (that's why I only give it 4 stars).
Having said that, I will certainly read more from this author.

Leila agrees to drop her nephew off at daycare on her way to work, when her brother in law calls her one morning asking for help. Leila agrees but, she forgets. She goes to her office and leaves Max in her car, and it's hot.

This is one emotional book - mistakes and family and heartbreak.

You have to read it!

I only realised after I finished reading Next of Kin that I had previously read another of Kia Abdullah’s books ‘Take It Back’. I must admit that I was very much in a minority of not really enjoying that book – giving it 3 stars for characters I found hard to empathise with (including the MC) and a lack of depth in the case itself, with the plot focussing on events outside of the courtroom. I’m pleased to say that Next of Kin succeeds on every point of this and then some!

The topic itself is enough to inspire empathy in anyone – the thought of accidently killing a close relative is horrific and it makes for a really compelling read. We also get chapters from both the mother Yasmin and the accused Leila and to be honest you side with both of them even though they both show their flaws. The topic in question also raises an interesting topic of debate for how career-minded women are treated and how actions we take to make ourselves seem brave can backfire on our reputation. There are also some chapters from a Detective who is trying to find out more information about the case. This gave the reader an outlet to see the crime from an outside perspective and this helped to keep the pace and suspense high throughout.

Although I was annoyed that Take It Back didn’t focus much on the courtroom, I had no such misgivings of Next of Kin. Kia doesn’t seem to have a background in law, but she certainly knows how to portray a realistic and intriguing courtroom. I really loved how the case progressed and Kia masterfully paints a picture of how various bits of information could be spun by the prosecution or the defence to help their case. I was hooked throughout, and I honestly didn’t know whether Leila was going to be found guilty or not guilty. The ending itself was nothing short of brilliant, I did not see the twist coming and the final few chapters are heart-wrenching. It really is a book which delivers on all elements.

Overall, Next of Kin is a brilliant courtroom thriller read and highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley & HQ Stories for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having previously read Kia Abdullah's books, Take It Back and Truth Be Told I was looking forward to reading Next of Kin. There's something about her writing style the draws me in, immerses me in to the story and leaves me feeling disappointed when the book ends.

It's a dark and tense domestic thriller which encompasses a family torn apart by a devastating tragedy. Whilst the characters, in my opinion, were not likable there was a certain appeal that kept you turning the pages allowing me to devour the book within a day.

I thought the plot was clever, the unlikeable cast of characters felt right for the storyline and the few twists at the end were not as predictable as I find other thrillers.

I've always loved a courtroom drama, and this was no exception. The atmosphere is brought alive and you feel like you are there being judge and jury. I honestly do love this author's writing style.

A very highly recommended book from me, one I think will be in my top books for this year.

Thank you to @netgalley for the advanced copy.

I'm still trying to decide if I enjoyed this book or not. It is well written but the content is traumatising once I suspended my disbelief. I found it a little difficult to move beyond wondering how it could actually be possible to leave a child sleeping in a car and forget all about them for long enough for them to die. However, putting that aside I thought this author dealt with such a distressing subject in a sensitive and appropriate way as she unpicked the tangled threads of the damage such a situation would do to a family and to the person who caused the death.

Wow didnt see that ending coming. The booked had me in all different emotions through-out, I didnt like any of the characters from the start however they totally made this story. The writing style if perfect and engaging. I have only read one other book by this author and they are becoming one of my favorites.