Christina Dalcher’s The Sentence is a gripping legal thriller that plunges readers into a semi-dystopian world where the stakes of justice are life and death. The novel explores the controversial topic of capital punishment through the eyes of Justine Boucher, a state prosecutor who must navigate the moral complexities of a legal system where prosecutors risk their own lives if they wrongly convict someone to death. Dalcher masterfully weaves a narrative that challenges readers to rethink their views on justice and morality, all while keeping them on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists and turns.
The dual perspectives of Justine and Jake Milford, a death row inmate, add depth to the story, creating an emotional and philosophical dialogue about guilt, innocence, and redemption. The ambiguous ending invites readers to reflect on their own beliefs about justice, making The Sentence not just a thrilling read but also a thought-provoking one. Dalcher’s ability to balance intense drama with ethical inquiry makes this novel a standout in contemporary fiction.

This was an addictive, original and extremely thought provoking book that is ultimately one of the best books I've read this year.

It deals with a few contentious or hard-hitting issues, including gun ownership, the death penalty, murder, revenge, domestic abuse and child neglect. It is a very serious and heavy book! However, these issues are dealt with in a thoughtful and considerate way, and often the onus is put on the reader to decide what they think the best course of action is. It asks us to look inside ourselves, putting ourselves in the shoes of this wide cast of characters.from a range of backgrounds, and asks us to face up to certain moral dilemmas in which we have to decide for ourselves, what would we do in their shoes?

If you're looking for a book with a clear cut structure or clear cut answers for what can be done about the death penalty, for examples, this is not it. However, if you're looking for a compelling and sophisticated book about some of the most difficult topics concerning modern day America, then you really are in for an absolute treat.

Christina Dalcher proves herself once again to be an excellent crafter of stories, and this story in particular made me see the death penalty in a different light to any way I've ever considered it before. The narrative style felt very natural also, which made the story feel quite believable in lots of ways, adding to its impact.

I would 100% recommend anyone with an interest in the issues facing the modern Western world, or anyone who loves a good crime thriller (though I wouldn't say that's what this is) to read this book!

Christina Dalcher has previously focused on language, education and all-women communities and now she presents a chilling look at the death penalty.
In The Sentence, prosecutors have to be sure of their convictions otherwise they will be executed in addition to the criminal. It looks at several sides of the "eye for an eye" debate and the consequences and aftermath. Really makes you think and consider law, ethics and morals of this divisive issue. There is no right decision...
Story wise, there were some bits that didn't make sense in context and it didn't feel as dystopian as Dalcher's other books but still (I can't say good or enjoyable because of the content) worth a read.
I am simultaneously excited and worried about what aspect of society Christina Dalcher will concentrate on next.

This was good but not my favourite from this author in the past. I will not be reading any more books by them

Generally, I really enjoy C. Dalcher's novels but this one was a DNF for me once I reached halfway. The story felt very repetitive and it was too slow for my liking, nothing was happening apart from remembering old days. The protagonist was not very charismatic either.

Christina Dalcher's books always give you plenty to think about - set in a close but somewhat dystopian future.

This story examines the morality of capital punishment, with a theory of eliminating the death penalty by flipping things around on the prosecutor - if evidence comes to light later to disprove the conviction, the prosecuting lawyer will be put to death, thereby discouraging the penalty to be enacted.

Justine Boucher is a prosecutor, against the death penalty, but has broken this stance once while in a delicate emotional state herself. Now the evidence comes to her attention that all was not as had appeared...

The narrative flips between Justine's point of view, and that of death row inmate Jake Milford, on death row because of Justine.

As well as a book to get you thinking, this is a book of the power of women, the power of female love and relationships. The female characters are beautifully written and come to life on the page, not just Justine, but also Emily Milford, the wife of the convicted.

Christina’s books always surprise me in the best way and this was no different. I loved the concept and can’t wait to read more books by her.

Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

A fictional read but a believable dystopian thriller from this author. Tackling a controversial subject in our justice system - the death sentence. Told from the perspective of Justine Boucher as prosecutor, a fervent supporter of the death penalty and Jake a prisoner on death row. Putting a rhetorical question to the reader - would you commit if someone to death if they were later found innocent and you would then face the same penalty? Leaves you lingering over the subject matter long after you’ve finished the book. Second book I’ve enjoyed by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for a gifted copy of this book.

Finally, Christina Dalcher has come up trumps! I've read a few of Dalcher's books now. All of them have had intriguing premises but have ultimate left me wanting. This was again a book with a premise which grabbed my attention but, because of previous experiences, I didn't have any expectation that this story would be any more satisfying than my previous reads of her work.

I was delighted to find this one grabbed me and kept hold. Set in an America where the death penalty has been all but banned by a clause that requires prosecutors who seek the death penalty to be executed themselves should the convicted person later be found to have been innocent, we follow an anti-death penalty prosecutor as she races to discover if the only defendant she has ever sought the death penalty for was really guilty.

Main character Justine is complex and we're shown not just the present her but also flashbacks to the past which help us to see how she came to be the person she is now and what led to her decision to ask for the death penalty in that one case. I enjoyed the way the timeline was structured and where the plot led the characters at the end.

I’ve loved every thought provoking book the author has written. An interesting take on the death penalty and what would you do as a prosecutor if your life was the gamble when seeking it.

I absolutely adore Christina Dalcher's books and this one was no exception. I loved the story line of this book and was really rooting for the characters throughout this book.

I love Christina Dalcher. Her books just grab me right from page 1 and keep me engrossed right to the very last word. The Sentence was her usual speculative fiction that makes you wonder what the world might be like in the near future if just one thing changed and how that would shape our lives as women.
I really enjoyed the idea of being absolutely certain that a person is guilty before sentencing them to death. That's how it should be, right? But could you ever be so certain that you would bet your life on it?
Well that's exactly what is expected of Judges in the society that The Sentence is set in. And if it all goes wrong and you've made a bad judgement? Then you are sentenced to death yourself!
Fascinating and thought provoking as usual.
The only reason that I have this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that I couldn't imagine myself in that situation or having to face those decisions because I'm not, nor would I ever be, a judge. So none of it would apply to me. Whereas in Dalchers' previous books I've been able to imagine myself in the situations the MCs face and get really sucked in to thinking about how I'd handle things.

I absolutely love it when and author becomes a go to trusted author. Christina Dalcher has firmly plonked herself in that category. I have loved all of her books.

The Sentence tackles the very contentious topic of the death sentence. For a person to have the death sentence issued to them then the person who issues it must be 100% sure because if not they have to pay with their life.

Dalcher's writing in The Sentence put me in mind of Jodi Picoult. She has taken a very divisive topic and makes you question your belief in it. I think when a writer can have you look at a topic in a different way and become empathetic to a characters situation then they have done a damn good job.

This is probably Christina Dalcher's most powerful book to date and the tension I felt and the need to keep reading was immense. I could not put it down.

I cannot wait for Dalcher's next book.

The Sentence by Christina Dalcher is available now.

For more information regarding Christina Dalcher (@CV_Dalcher) please visit www.christinadalcher.com.

For more information regarding HQ (@HQstories) please visit www.hqstories.co.uk.

I loved the concept presented in this novel, and its forces questions on morality of the death penalty. The idea that someone becomes responsible for the decision of someone’s fate, but if proven innocent when it is too late then the person responsible must then pay for the sentence they gave someone else by now suffering it for themselves. It was certainly a dystopian ideal that struck me from the beginning, and one that worked extremely well in Dalcher’s novel.

A-maz-ing!! The Sentence is the kind of book that makes you hold your breath it's so good.

I've always been interested in philosophical discourse regarding the death penalty, and the most compelling argument is always, what if an innocent person is killed. The counter-argument always being, but if the evidence leaves no doubt, and the crime is so heinous, then surely it can be justified. The Sentence has both these arguments at its core, and it's written so brilliantly. I'm not going to spoil anything by talking about specific details of the plot, but if you like a thriller that's really smart and sophisticated and makes you think, The Sentence is for you. Absolutely awe-inspiringly brilliant!!

I really enjoyed both Vox and Master Class by this author, who is making a solid name for herself in the realm of ethical dilemma fiction.

This was a five-star read for me all the way through until the ambivalent ending, which felt a little bit anticlimactic and a bit of a cop-out – although I’m not sure how else the book could realistically have ended.

The story explores the ethics of murder, justifiable murder and execution via the concept of the Reforms Act: would you still ask for the death penalty if your own life hung on the other side of that scale?

Main character Justine was mostly likable but got a little whiny and pious at times. I found it hard to believe that anyone could be SO certain of right and wrong all the time!

I was hooked on this thriller throughout, but felt it wrapped up a little too quickly without fully making use of the potential introduced by characters like Ted, Kris and (maybe) Danny. There were a couple of Chekhovian guns that I felt the author left unfired in the final resolution, which felt like a shame. It’s not often I wish a book was longer and more drawn-out!

The philosophical issues raised in the book are well-reasoned and argued to a logical conclusion but the thriller plot was cut a little short, which was disappointing as I really did buy into it completely and was very invested in the outcome.

I would definitely snap up any book by this author in the future, as she raises such fascinating moral debates in the form of an entertaining, adrenaline-boosting read.

Speculative fiction always takes me a while to adjust to - the "hang on a minute" moment at the start of this book where I thought it couldn't possibly happen that prosecutors would be made to take responsibility for wrongly convicted prisoners who had been executed, and to pay with their own life. And I still don't really feel that that is something which would ever be implemented, even in America. However, that's the premise of the book, it's an interesting one, so I made myself accept it had happened and continued with the story.

It's a thought provoking read, and on the whole I quite liked it, but as it continued I found myself completely baffled by the choices that the characters were making - particularly Jussie. I just couldn't relate to the things that she seemed to prioritise when she was making her choices, none of them seemed to ring true, nor for that matter did Jake's, and by the end of the novel I was disappointed with it.

Christina Dalcher really does write a good dystopian thriller! This time, the US government has decided that the way to end capital punishment is to make the prosecutors responsible for any miscarriages of justice pay with their own lives. So if an innocent person goes to the electric chair, the prosecutor will follow them - and all without a trial. That trial already happened when the wrong person was deemed guilty.

This is such a tense read! Justine Boucher had always campaigned against the death sentence, but when her husband is brutally murdered, she is given a case where the person on trial appears to be guilty without question. But as time goes on, and Justine asks more questions, it begins to look as though there is more to the ‘guilty’ mans case. The parts from Jake Milford’s (the prisoner waiting on death row) diary entries are heartbreaking.

This throws up the question of just who is this State Remedies Act for? It still satiates the need for blood, for someone to pay with their life for the life that’s been taken. Ok, in my opinion, this is why a death penalty will never work. How can we always be 100 percent sure that someone is guilty? Is it worth killing the majority if one innocent person slips through the safety net?

It was interesting to read how Justine had gone from being a member of Vita with her husband, campaigning for the abolishment of the death penalty, to making sure that the man she was prosecuting was killed. I think this proved that once you put a human with all of their emotions and opinions in to the equation, it will always be nigh-on impossible to have an impartial verdict.

This is a really tense read, and the fact that we never really know how it ends was the icing on the cake for me - frustrating, but oh so good. It certainly leaves the reader with a lot to think about.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is truly reflective of the controversy of the death penalty and the impact that can have on the family of the accused. The plot really does thrill you and have you on the edge of your seat.

Personally, I do not support the death penalty. I thought this was a really interesting take on it and I don’t think it is spoken about enough when a person is wrongfully accused and given a death sentence.

This was an amazing concept. And a good read I absolutely devoured it. I felt so many emotions as I read this and really felt for Justine, Emily and Mary Anne.

The ending left me with so much to think about and process which is an amazing end for a book.