I loved this book, Christina Dalcher is a new author for me but I will be reading her previous work.

The blurb reads
"A law intended to end capital punishment.

Prosecutors who seek the death penalty put their lives on the line if the guilty are later found innocent.

A lawyer convinced beyond reasonable doubt.

Justine Boucher is presented with overwhelming evidence in a brutal murder case. Her request for execution is granted.

But what if she’s wrong?"

Wow, this novel blew me away and I was hooked from the very first page.

Set in the future, sort of dystopian world we meet main character Justine who may or may not have made a mistake.

I loved reading about Justine and thought she was an immensely strong woman who is quite conflicted with herself and the choices that she has made. When something is questioned this sets off a timeline of events which makes for such excellent and gripping reading.

Told from Justine's perspective and also the inmate that she has put on death row, this is a gripping novel that will keep anyone hooked.

Told in such a way that it is really thought provoking and emotive. I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this incredible novel in exchange for my honest review.

I have read and enjoyed Christine’s previous dystopian books, but this was a step too far for me.
Maybe because I’m English and live under a (not perfect) judicial system where there is no death penalty (All right… there is for treason), I found it hard to understand why such a mind-bending law would ever be passed that meant if an executed prisoner was then found to be innocent, the prosecutor would then be executed
The fallout from such a law made for an interesting, very uncomfortable read, and would certainly provoke a debate.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read this book.

Absolutely brilliant. I previously read and really enjoyed Dalcher’s dystopian worlds, though I was started to get a little bored of her books following a similar theme. THE SENTENCE is a whole new offering, with the same tense and page-turning undercurrent that I’ve come to expect from Dalcher. I genuinely struggled to put it down, a triumph that has me very excited for what comes next!

Having read all of Christina Dalcher book in the past and will always preorder her books, i was very happy to recieve a digital copy to review.

Her books always make you think and scared enough that they could all in fact become true.

I was intrigued by the plot of this story and that i live in a country that does not have the death penalty I’m am aware that in certain states of the USA it does and every one has positive and negative views on this.

Her books always leave you thinking and the end and sometimes in a little bit of a shock.

I loved the idea of this book and the way it was set with the idea of the prosecutor having to die if the gulity party is found innocent of their crimes when you have read news stories of real life being found innocent after they have been killed, it makes it more real

The book ends ambiguously which left me thinking more about this book then her previous novels

I will look forward to her mind works for her next novel

Thank you netgalley for an honest review

This was brilliant and would easily be a five star book if it wasn't for the ending.

"The Sentence" explores the nuances of the death penalty through the introduction of a law that states that if an innocent person is executed, the prosecutor in their case will also be executed. Justine Boucher was instrumental in introducing that law but now stands to be executed because of it.

Dalcher explores the motivations of each character skilfully and perfectly explains why everyone makes the decision they did. What lets it down is the ending. While cliffhangers/open endings can work well to leave things up to the reader's imagination, an extra sentence confirming the outcome would have been so much more satisfying than being left hanging.

That frustration aside, this is excellent and compelling and a total must read for anyone with an opinion about the death penalty, whatever that may be.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation.

Having recently read Vox by the same author and absolutely loving this one from start to finish I knew it was only right to request this one from the publisher and thanks to netgalley for the approval.

The premise had me hooked on this one even before I sat down to read it, I have to say it only took me one sitting on a very miserable cold summer day and i was absolutely HOOKED!!
What do you do if you are in the position of being sentenced to death and having to clear your name?
Who do you trust when everyone you thought was on your side has turned against you?

THIS WAS AMAZING!! Just what I needed in a thriller and loved it.

5 stars

Having recently read Vox by the same author and absolutely loving this one from start to finish I knew it was only right to request this one from the publisher and thanks to netgalley for the approval.

The premise had me hooked on this one even before I sat down to read it, I have to say it only took me one sitting on a very miserable cold summer day and i was absolutely HOOKED!!
What do you do if you are in the position of being sentenced to death and having to clear your name?
Who do you trust when everyone you thought was on your side has turned against you?

THIS WAS AMAZING!! Just what I needed in a thriller and loved it.

5 stars

The Sentence by Christina Dalcher is a thought provoking read that had me turning the pages until the wee small hours of the morning. The book is set in a version of the United States where although the death sentence still exists, it is rarely pursued because of a new clause in the legislation. If you are a prosecutor who seeks the death penalty during a trial, and it later comes to light that the conviction was not sound, your life is on the line, and you receive the same death sentence.
The protagonist of the book, prosecutor Justine Boucher, has asked for the death penalty only once, in a particularly gruesome case involving the murder of a child, and the man was convicted and executed. She has always felt conflicted about the case, not because she had any doubts about who killed the boy, but because for years she and her husband were among the loudest advocates for getting rid of the death penalty, and they were directly involved in the changes to the law that saw it being virtually eliminated. Then out of the blue, Justine gets the call she has been dreading for the past six years, new evidence has been found , and the man who was convicted may not have been guilty at all. Faced with the tough choice to flee the country or try to uncover the truth of what really happened while risking her own life, Justine decides that she has no option but to investigate, but in doing so she uncovers an uncomfortable truth and is faced with a decision she could never have imagined.
This is really thoughtful and thought provoking storytelling, and as I reader I often found myself uncomfortably trying to put myself in Justine's shoes. While she is not the most likeable of characters , she is still sympathetic and I did find myself invested in the choices she made. Readers who do not like an open ending may not like how things turn out, but in all honesty while I am not the biggest lover of them, I do see that it works here. I thought that having chapters from a second narrator, Inmate #39384, the man facing the death penalty because of Justine's prosecution , added a good balance and gave an interesting counterpoint to the main narration. I can see this book provoking a lot of thought and discussion amongst readers and deservedly so.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I thought this was a very thought provoking read . I think it will stay with me for a while . Although it had me gripped I think enjoy is the wrong word . It was incredibly sad in parts . It is mainly set in America where the death penalty is still in operation but with a different aspect to it. An act has been passed where if the deceased is proven not to have done the crime the prosecutor is on death row and killed immediately.. The story is about Justine a widowed attorney who has instructed Jake to be killed for a crime she later finds out he didn’t commit. It’s a novel about grief , justice, domestic violence and doing the right thing. There are harrowing scenes especially the process of the executions. I think it would be an excellent book for a book group, there is lots to discuss. The ending is certainly different than I was expecting but very clever and well done. A very different read for me but well recommended.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is such an interesting book that really makes you think. I liked the open ending.

This book drew me in with it’s brilliant premise - are you prepared to sentence someone to death, knowing that you will have to die, if further down the line, new evidence proves their innocence?
As someone who has always been against the death penalty, I was fascinated by this side of the plot. I was horrified by the details unveiled in the past time line and so intrigued by a the chapters written by the death row inmate. I was so tense and couldn’t stop reading to see what would emerge in the next chapter.
However, on the flip side, I was so irritated by the main character, and I thought the explanation given for her changing her beliefs and values was so vague and unbelievable. This and the slow pace meant I was a bit disengaged from the book, so that when I got to the ambiguous ending, it just didn’t hit the way it should have.

It’s a good read for fans of plots with moral dilemmas and original premises but it could have been much better.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Dalcher is an autobuy author for me as I've read and loved all of her previous novels so I was exicted to get an early copy to read.

This story has a dystopian edge although less so than her previous books. Six years after prosecutor Justine Boucher passes a conviction that carries the death sentence new evidence comes to light that the man convicted of murdering a child might be innocent. Unfortunately for Justine there is a new law (aimed at abolishing the death penalty) which means if the convicted are found innocent, the lawyer requesting the execution will also be sentenced to death.
This is a fascinating story looking into the justice system and the dearh penalty in a not so far off future America. It seemed scaringly plausible. I loved the sections written by Jake on death row which slowly reveal what happened the night the six year old boy was murdered. Can you ever know for absolute certainty if someone is guilty or innocent?
The story certainly made me question my own views and it would make a great book group/buddy read as there is so much to discuss!
I found this a gripping, tense and thought provoking read. Another unique thriller by a brilliant author!

Imagine an America where the death penalty still exists but is rarely issued. Any prosecutor who seeks the death penalty has to be absolutely convinced they are right. If the suspect is later exonerated then the prosecutor must switch places with the suspect on death row.

An interesting concept about an emotional and divisive subject. A great 'what if?' storyline

Interesting premise, loved the ideas behind it and the exploration of the justice system. However, really struggled to get into it. Don’t think the style was for me.

The Sentence by Christina Dalcher
I give this book 4.5 stars

A law intended to end capital punishment.
Prosecutors who seek the death penalty put their lives on the line if the guilty are later found innocent.
A lawyer convinced beyond reasonable doubt.
Justine Boucher is presented with overwhelming evidence in a brutal murder case. Her request for execution is granted. But what if she's wrong?

I loved Vox and Q so I was excited to read this.
Set in the U.S in the not too distant future this has a clever slight dystopian twist Encompassing the law, the justice system,the death penalty and its ethics and impact. Told from Justine and Death Row Inmate #39384 pov and incorporating different timelines this is a gritty but gripping read.The author provides you with a well written,plausible and deeply thought provoking premise that really ramps up the fear of what if in you!
Would make an excellent buddy read to get everyone talking.
With thanks to Netgalley,Christina Dalcher and HQ for my chance to read and review this book.

I absolutely love Christina Dalcher. Her books are thought provoking, usually dystopian and challenge the reader so much.

This one is not dystopian...and we can easily see this being a reality...but thought provoking and challenging...it is without a doubt.

If you are a prosecutor putting someone to death...then how sure do you need to be? If they are found innocent post death penalty then you have to die as well. How many people would you actually prosecute with the death penalty as the result?

This is the law in this book...and Justine is a prosecutor who is the character we follow throughout the narrative. Not only is she a prosecutor but one that helped draft the above law.

There are so many moral questions...I was constantly asking myself what would I do if I were Justine? Or Daniel? Or Mary Ann? Or Emily?

I wasn't entirely sure I liked Justine all that much. She was too righteous...too overly concerned with morals at the risk of her son...and those Death and Drinks evenings and her husband Ian sounds more tedious and narcissistic than anything else. In fact everything about Ian sounded like he was just the worst kind of intelligent person.

However although I think I would have been more emotional had I liked Justine more, this didn't stop me not being able to put this book down until I finished it.

When reading this book...you will not be able to stop questioning where you stand on the death penalty, the rights and wrongs of the law and how we would judge each situation.

The only small downside was I wanted much more clarity about the law and how it was drafted and also I think I wanted to read Adrian Kopinsky's story more than Justines!

This is another great thought provoking Christina Dalcher book..I recommend everyone read it

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping and intense, this was a fantastic book that had me hooked and reading deep into the night.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Another clever, what-if novel from Christina Dalcher. As the subject matter dictates, not always easy reading, but powerful and tense.

I was drawn to the premise of this novel, which explores issues relating to the death penalty for criminals in America. The concept of if a convicted person was later found innocent then the the lawyer who requested the execution will face the death penalty is intriguing and terrifying. The chapters written by the death row inmate sent to their fate by the protagonist in this novel add to the story. A well-written and interesting thriller.

Having read Christina Dalcher's previous books, I was very excited to pick this one up.

The Sentence is very different from Christina's previous dystopian books. This one delved into the complex USA prosecution system and the death penalty.

This is a well-written read but I did get a little confused at times as the story does jump back and forwards quite a bit and sometimes it was difficult to distinguish which part of the story you're following. Saying that, I still found the plot interesting and thought-provoking, especially when it came to the death penalty as we don't have it here in the UK.

The characters are well written, and I found them to be very interesting and engaging. They also felt very realistic. There were a couple of characters I wasn't sure about at the start of the book, but they soon grew on me. I can't say too much, but you'll see what I mean after you read the book.

When I finished the book, I was left with a couple of unanswered questions and felt the ending was a little unsatisfying, but thinking back to it now, I can see it works well.

Overall, it was a gripping and interesting read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher HQ for my digital review copy (eARC). These are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I am sharing them voluntarily.