In Her Defense (A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick) A Novel

A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB SELECTION

“You’re going to lose your mind over this one…it is so, so, so good. I couldn’t put it down.” —Reese Witherspoon

A young woman at the periphery of a high-stakes celebrity trial is the only one with the evidence that can make or break the case—but spilling her secret could ruin her life.

The whole country has been riveted by the trial: beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow has accused therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter Mary for nefarious purposes. Jean counters that Mary’s trauma is from her upbringing and her tumultuous time studying at a prestigious art school in Rome: and Jerry is the only one who can heal her. But as the trial unfolds, it’s Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee—an insignificant bystander, a nobody—who holds the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit.

What really happened to Mary in Rome? And if her memories can’t be trusted, how will they ever uncover the truth behind her estrangement? Only Anne knows. But will she tell her tale? Bewitching, seductive, and endlessly riveting: In Her Defense is a compulsively readable debut for fans of Lucy Foley and Laura Dave.

Philippa Malicka was born in Essex and now lives in London. She is an alumnus of the Prose Fiction MA at the University of East Anglia. Her nonfiction has appeared in The Sunday Times (London), The Sunday Telegraph (London), and Grazia among others. In Her Defense is her first novel and has been longlisted for the Bridport First Novel Award.