This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Book Description: A stunning psychological thriller about a respected female scientist and the single reckless decision that leads to her standing trial for murder.
I first heard about this thrilling story of infidelity and murder when they author, Louise Doughty was interviewed by Mariella Frostrup on OPEN BOOK (click to listen) in January and I was intrigued. The reviews on Amazon are outstanding and the list of quotes from book critics and other authors are all superlative. So I downloaded Apple Tree Yard onto my Kindle and began….and from that moment I didn’t want the book to stop as it is utterly addictive. It begins in the Old Bailey and immediately you wonder , who is the narrator, why is all lost and then the reader is taken backwards but all the time building to a point when you think you are going to find out the details of the trial – it continues in this vein for some time, leading the reader on, building the excitement and then returning to give more background.
Yvonne is a geneticist and says at one point, “DNA made me and DNA undid me.” She has always done the right thing and is in control of her life and then she makes one decision out of passion and risks losing everything in her ordered life. The book is also a terrific insight into the renowned and respected British criminal justice system and how it can let one down.
This is a multi-layered book revealing many secrets and there are twists and turns that keep the reader engaged, involved and it invokes so many emotions that it makes it a must read 5* book!