I am a huge fan of McTiernan's Cormac series. So when I saw she had a stand alone novel coming out, I was pumped to be approved for the galley.

What I enjoyed: The quiet, but big twist at the end. The story line itself. The topic of the Innocence Project. This is definitely more of a criminal justice mystery-- not a lot of court room time at all, but plenty of work done behind a case.

What I didn't: the ending was a bit too neat.

Thank you to the publisher for a free netgalley.

This was one of the best books I’ve read this year! I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy! I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

If you're into a fast-paced whodunnit with emotional courtroom scenes, this book is for you! The plot twist at the end was a real shocker, making it an especially entertaining read. Reading the Murder Rule was a great use of my time!

Hannah Rokeby is a third year law student at the University of Maine. She lives with her single mother Laura, an alcoholic who suffered a traumatic event before Hannah was born and now drinks to numb the pain. When Hannah was fourteen, she found her mother’s diaries and read about the man who was her father and the man who abused her mother. That man, Michael Dandridge has served eleven years in prison on death row for the rape and murder of a young mother in Virginia. However, she recently discovered that the Innocence Project in Virginia is working to overturn his conviction.

Through various ways and means Hannah manages to inveigle herself onto the team of law student volunteers at the University of Virginia who work on the Innocence Project under the leadership of Prof Robert Parekh. Only applications that fit three criteria are considered by the group.Firstly, the inmate must have been convicted of a crime in Virginia, secondly the conviction must be final with no ongoing appeals and thirdly the inmate must be claiming factual innocence of the crime. The students are required to assess the applications, including any new evidence and make a recommendation on the likelihood of being able to prove innocence. The budget is limited so the students are expected to investigate facts and follow up new evidence themselves.

However, Hannah has clearly not joined the team for altruistic reasons and is only really interested in a single case, that of Michael Dandridge. She discovers that Michael is claiming that a false ‘confession’ was beaten out of him by the arresting Sherriff and that evidence pointing to an alternative suspect was withheld from the trial. If she is to find a way to prevent the overturn of his conviction, she must somehow first become part of the select group focusing on his case and find some way to undermine the investigation.

This is an engaging and gripping tale of betrayal and corruption. Dervla McTiernan’s experience as a lawyer shows in the intriguing legal details and investigative leads that the students follow. Entries from Laura’s diary are interspersed with the narrative so that we learn what lead to Hannah’s desire that Michael should never be released. Hannah may not be a likeable character with her ability to lie and manipulate everyone, but she is certainly resourceful and courageous and it would be difficult to not to be on her side by the end of the novel.

The novel’s pace is steady at first, picking up speed as the new trial draws closer and it becomes evident that other parties also have vested interests in the outcome of the trial, finally exploding into a tension packed thriller laced with danger for Hannah and others involved in the trial. While the final courtroom scenes might be stretching plausibility, they certainly made for a compelling and very satisfying ending.

THE MURER RULE by Derva McTiernan

Hannah Rokeby has fraudulently procured a place on the elite Innocence Project at UVA law school. It’s mission is to free prisoners who have been wrongly convicted. Led by distinguished attorney Robert Pareskh,the team must search for the evidence needed for a judicial appeal for Michael Donelson. Hannah, the newest member of the team, is covertly working against them to ensure he stays in prison.
Throughout the story, we realize how life events have shaped the characters’ actions. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this satisfying legal procedural.

First Rule: Make them like you.
Second Rule: Make them need you.
Third Rule: Make them pay.

Hannah is a third year law student who transfers to University of Virginia from Maine for a semester to join The Innocence Project who are representing Michael Dandridge. The project team is full when she gets there but she soon works her way in and onto Michaels team. However she is not there to free him she is there to make sure he stays in prison.

Her mother Laura has been telling her all her life that Michael killed Hannah's father and assaulted Laura years before. As Hannah gets more involved in the case and sees Michael she begins to question everything.

To me the beginning of the book was a little slow but it was a lot of build up and back story but I flew through the last 25% of it. I was not able to guess the ending and boy was it a good one.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy.

People aren't what you think, the justice system is broken and sometimes we never learn the truth. I loved the overall concept that if something is broken all need to do what we can to fix or at least balance is out. Using the backdrop of the Innocence Project for this story of personal justice made for so many unexpected twists. This was my first read from Dervla McTiernan and I will definitely be back for more! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advance release copy.

This was such an exciting read! I loved the way that the author set up the story to be told in two different points of view as it takes you on two separate journeys to how you think it will end.

When Hannah Rokeby stumbles upon an article about the Innocence Project at the University of Virginia, she starts down a path to wrong the rights for Laura whose diary entires we are reading. After manipulating the cards to fall in her favor she gets a coveted seat at the Innocence Project and finds herself at the center of the case against Michael Dandridge. With all the twists and turns as the case unfolds Hannah starts to question the truth of Laura's Diary and you'll never expect the ending.

The writing here was so well done. I was immediately invested in seeing whether Hannah was the good guy or the bad guy here based on how her story would turn out. The diary takes you really far down one path and then just completely side winds you to the truth. The Murder Rule kept me on the edge of my seat.

I really enjoyed how the plot builds upon itself and how each character had an integral role in how we get to the ending. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I received an ARC of, The Murder Rule, by Dervla McTieran. People are not always what the seem to be, unfortunately. Hannah is quite a character, this was a good read.

Hannah ran across her mother’s diary and grew up believing that her father was murdered by a friend of his before she was born. She learns that the Innocence Project Clinic, a group of lawyers, are working on the defense of the man who murdered her father. He had served 11 years in prison for another murder and claimed he was innocent. Hannah joined the Innocence Project with the intention of making sure her father’s murderer was not freed from prison. This novel has unforeseen twists and will hold your interest.

I seriously enjoyed this book!! I am a huge reader of psych thrillers and mysteries. This legal thriller was right up my alley. The character development was very well done especially with Hannah. The alternating time and POV story line was fantastically brought to life. Highly recommend!!

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the copy of The Murder Rule. This book started out great and I really liked Hannah. She was smart and resourceful and was really trying to help her mom, who was a mess. I was impressed with how she wormed her way into the Innocence project and with how sneaky she was. It wasn’t really a great personality trait but it made for a colorful book character.
The writing in general didn’t really draw me in and I didn’t like the diary entries and even though they contained important plot points, they were boring to read. The storyline was intriguing but then it got pretty far-fetched.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

At first I thought this was going to be to be a fairly straightforward mystery. Some one has been incarcerated for murder, an Innocent Project team wants to prove he was falsely accused, but one team member has ulterior motives and works against the mission. But it’ becomes a much deeper and layered story and once that onion starts getting peeled, brace yourself. It’s a smartly developed story that kept me on my toes.

Revenge is a powerful word and for law student Hannah Rokeby and her mother, Laura, it has been a part of their lives ever since Hannah read her Mother’s diary when she was a teenager. Laura feeds Hannah’s desire for revenge with tears and alcohol and pleas for understanding. Hannah was raised to find justice for her Mother but is it justice that she wields or is it really pure revenge for her less than truthful Mother.

Hannah is smart, crafty and sly and not above lying to achieve what she wants. She uses her abilities to inveigle her way on to The Innocent Project which will bring her closer to finally getting revenge for her Mother. The Innocent Project takes on the cases of prisoners who were failed by the system and attempts to get them released from prison. The Project has taken on a new case, one that greatly interests Hannah.

Wonderful storyline and character development, especially Hannah. She’s driven and fierce and yet she is vulnerable when it comes to Laura, her Mother, who knows exactly how to control her. Great book!

I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Scene of the Crime, William Morrow, NetGalley and the author Dervla McTiernan.

ARC book provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Murder Rule” is the first book I’ve read by this author. The first half of the novel works through a dual timeline. In 1994 via Laura’s journal and in 2019 we follow the story of Hannah, Laura’s daughter. As the events in 1994 unfold, the reader quickly learns why Hannah is pursuing work through the Innocence Project in 2019. However, Hannah isn’t working along with the members of the Innocence Project to free inmate Michael Dandridge: she is fighting to keep him behind bars.

The first half of the novel speeds along through the timelines, setting up the novel nicely. The second half follows Hannah’s timeline exclusively as she fights to sink Dandridge’s case. However, things aren’t always as they seem, and Hannah is quickly questioning what she knows and how she will proceed. The ending comes to quick conclusion worthy of a legal procedural television episode. Everything wraps up with a nice bow, leading to a firm conclusion that answers every question.

The book was a quick easy read. I found myself fully engaged in the first half and speeding through the second half, eager to see what was going to happen. As some other reviewers have noted, the ending really did require some suspension of disbelief. Part of my disbelief came from my personal background in the legal field, which really brought some pieces of the ending into question. However, the twists and turns of this book along with the author’s easy writing style made up for it. The fully concluded ending was satisfying and wrapped up all the loose threads of the story.

Overall, this book was a solid 4 star for me. When I feel myself tearing through a novel dying to see how it’s going to end, I know it is a good book. I think this would be a good book for fans of thrillers and readers new to the genre. If you’re familiar with the legal process, just know that you’ll need to take this book with a grain of salt. It is worth it, though, for this original twisty book. Pick up a copy and join Hannah for the ride.

Expertly paced legal thriller. Very entertaining. Hannah, the main character, is complex and interesting. Even when she's doing things perhaps she should not, you find yourself rooting for her.

"First Rule: Make them like you.

Second Rule: Make them need you.

Third Rule: Make them pay.

They think I’m a young, idealistic law student, that I’m passionate about reforming a corrupt and brutal system.

They think I’m working hard to impress them.

They think I’m here to save an innocent man on death row.

They're wrong. I’m going to bury him."

Thanks to NetGalley for the Free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read this author’s Cormac Reilly books and this is not part of that series.

This is about the Innocence Project in Virginia. The inmate must be claiming to be innocent and not just trying to get off on a technicality. He must be factually innocent. That is just one of the criteria necessary.

Hannah is a law student in Maine and applies to volunteer with the project. She gets on the one case that is very important to her. The title of the book is about the felony murder charges that are so controversial. When someone accidentally kills someone while in the process of committing another crime they can be charged with murder. Sometimes the accomplices can be charged with murder even if they weren’t present when the death took place.

The chapters are told from Hannah’s point of view and from her mother Laura’s diary entries. This is a story about revenge. The character of Hannah is well developed.

The hearing at the end is very thrilling even though you might have to suspend belief a little. But all in all it was a very interesting book. I will keep reading Dervla McTiernan’s books.

Hannah Rokeby is a 3rd year law student who transfers from a university in Maine to UVA to assist the Innocence Project after finding an article in Vanity Fair about the lawyer who runs the project and their upcoming case with client Michael Dandridge. Hannah is determined to make sure they fail to get Dandridge released. Why she is so determined is slowly revealed over the course of the novel through diary entries written by Hannah's mother, Laura, dating from the summer of 1994.

Hannah is smart and savvy and seemingly steps ahead of the law team she's working with until one night, things come to a head in a small town bar.

This novel starts slow and feels very procedural, but quickly picks up pace and was compulsively readable. Things hit a frenetic pace and the resolution comes quickly, with Hannah making some questionable choices, the consequences of which we do not see her dealing with before the novel ends.

All that said this is high 4 🌟 for me. Fast paced, well developed and twisty but still believable. I enjoyed every page and I'm typically not a thriller fan but this one was more of a mystery with thriller tensions.

Thank you to William Morrow and Book Club Girl and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

If you’re looking for the psychological thriller that will keep you reading “just one more chapter before bedtime” - this is it!

Hannah, a 3rd year law student, transfers to the law school that sponsors The Innocence Project to release wrongfully-convicted prisoners from death row. She has an agenda - to get on the team for a particular case of personal interest...but the professor leading the project doesn’t know that. All he sees is a very dedicated, determined volunteer. And when a slot unexpectedly opens on the project team, Hannah is in.

Told from alternating viewpoints (Hannah in the present and her mom several years earlier), the story is engaging and the characters are compelling. Filled with twists you won’t see coming, this story will keep you reaching for just one more chapter before you call it a day.

I don’t give 5-star reviews lightly, but this one is a solid 4.5-star book so I’ll round up. McTiernan is a great writer and weaves an interesting tale that will have you checking out her other books when this one is finished. Buy it, you won’t regret it!

*Thanks to the publisher for the chance to review and early ARC in exchange for the review!

This is a suspenseful. psychological thriller that grabbed my attention from the start and kept me turning pages long into the night. It is also a tightly-plotted legal thriller whose story unfolds at a lightning pace with twists throughout.

Hannah, a University of Maine law student, has discovered her mother's old diary that reveals long held secrets about her father and the period in her mother's life when they met. It also discloses information about her father's friend Michael that is far from flattering. Hannah finds out that Michael, who has been jailed for the past eleven years, is the focus of a Virginia law school's innocence project. Based on the information gleaned from her mother's diary, Hannah transfers to the Virginia school and bribes her way onto the legal team representing Michael. Her goal: to stop the legal team working to free Michael.

Initially alternating between her mother's diary entries and Hannah's efforts to land a place on Michael's legal team, the story follows Hannah's misgivings about her goal of derailing the legal team. Is Michael truly innocent of the murder charge against him and, if so, should his past factor into her goal of keeping in prison? It's a dilemma facing Hannah and readers.

I found the moral and ethical dilemmas that Hannah faces intriguing. I was on the fence for most of the book about what action she should take but I was always rooting for her. If you like legal dramas and psychological whodunits, this is a book for you.