5 Stars - Gripping legal thriller with a big heart

CW: massive sexual abuse of a child

The Darkest Web by Kristin Wright is the second book in her "Darkest"-series of legal thriller with the small town lawyer Allison. She has opened her own law firm and her relationship with Emmet seems to be going nicely as well when a new case comes up for her. Jane, a lawyer herself who has a past she wants to keep secret at all cost happens to find the body of her boss first thing in the morning and becomes the prime suspect because the police realizes quite quickly that she does have something to hide - surely it is the fact that she murdered her boss? Jane and Allison went to law school together and so it is Allison who Jane asks to help her out.
Soon we find out that there are things worse than murder and that Jane has very good reason to want and stay below the radar at any cost. But will Allison be able to help her out without revealing Jane's past?

Really, the heart and soul of this book for me was Allison, who is a character I could keep reading about forever. She is fundamentally a very kind person and that permeates everything she does. At the same time she is fierce and keeps fighting for what she thinks is right, she is smart and just great. I love that Emmet falls for someone like her who might have rather unassuming looks but is just a great person all around.
The story is told from two perspectives, Allison's and Jane's. And Jane is a very, very different character than Kira from "The Darkest Flower" - she is living with (for me literally) unimaginable trauma and then has to deal with being accused with murder while fearing that all of her darkes secrets will be revealed and she would be forced to relive her trauma. Some seriously dark stuff comes up and I think it is important to be reminded that everywhere around us are children and adults who live with the trauma of sexual abuse. It makes absolute sense that Jane is very cool and detached, her walls are very high, yet you can still feel the constant pain she is living with. Her story was truly heartbraking.

Honestly, I would love, love, love to have more books about Allison's cases, but I think I read that this will be the last one 😞

In any case, I will keep reading anything that Kristin Wright puts out, I can see that she truly understands what kindness means so her books feel like a safe place to spend some time with to me. Highly recommended!

I read the mystery novel after a long time and God! I am happy to read this one. It blew my mind, and Jane and Allison are my favorite females. The Darkest Web has too many webs that can only be discovered by reading this gorgeous book.

Jane Knudsen is a secretive, detectable, and cold attorney who is also flawlessly beautiful and hardworking. She is the first to find her dead boss, Ray, and the most likely to become a murder suspect. Allison Barton, a well-known criminal lawyer, and her law school roommate can only save her. Every suspect and circumstance points the finger at Jane. Allison must only trust her client, but the more she investigates, the more convoluted the situation seems. Nobody has any idea what Jane is capable of; Allison begins to suspect Jane has the chance, access, and motive to kill, and she has a secret she doesn't want anybody to know. Jane must expose her long-hidden secret, which has the ability to rescue her but the potential to make her a killer. Jane, on the other hand, is willing to become a murderer rather than divulge her secrets.

This book makes you rethink every judgment you make about individuals and the rumors we contribute to spreading and becoming a part of without knowing the truth. Allison and Jane are such reality-checking and powerful characters. I would be happy if I got to see more of Jane because I connected with her throughout the journey. Despite having both female protagonists' POVs, there is no way you'll be able to predict the next surprise or reveal of the suspects.

Kristin Wright has taken me on a mystery ride with so many emotional phases that make me want to re-read this book again. The best part is that I guess the right suspect, but the author changes the path, and I am persuaded with the new reasoning, and then everything changes, and I am so delighted that the author confused me because it is what I want and love to read in thriller books. I am going to read every book she has now.

This book makes me a fan of her work. I'm most likely going to read the first one in the series and the future ones. It has a mind-blowing story that will stay with you and make it difficult to forget this book.

The Darkest Web is a thriller told in alternating viewpoints between two women who were roommates in law school but have since lost touch. Jane hires Allison to represent her after Jane’s overbearing boss is found dead. Jane has always been very secretive but as Allison starts preparing her defense, Jane’s past threatens to haunt her.
The novel was very twisty and thrilling. The characters were interesting and well developed. I enjoyed the novel very much and would recommend it.

The second in the Allison Barton series did not disappoint! A fast-paced legal thriller, full of plot twists, that was hard to put down.

Allison gets a call to represent her former law school roommate during a murder investigation, but how well does she really know Jane? As the investigation continues Allison digs into Jane’s background, which is nothing short of disturbing. Did Jane really kill her boss? What motives did she have? Who is Jane really?
This book had me questioning what I truly knew about people and wondering who is putting on a front. I cannot wait for more of the Allison Barton series!

I want to thank Netgalley, and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The book started out a little rocky, mainly because it seemed odd that Jane was SO sure she would be a suspect just because she found the body. That part made me roll my eyes. But the mystery gained a little steam and I thought the twists and turns were very well done. There were so many suspects that I honestly had no clue who it was. Great ending though!

What an engrossing and gripping mystery. The story begins with Jane finding her boss' dead body in the office and ending up being one of the suspects in his murder. She retains criminal lawyer Allison Barton (also Jane's roommate at UVA). Jane has managed to hide her childhood and her past. But Allison wants to know the whole truth... the truth that Jane would rather hide and go to jail than reveal.

Character portrayal is excellent and the twists keeps one guessing till the end. Jane's secretive past is heart-wrenching to read. I absolutely loved the storytelling style and I am eager to catch up on the first book of this series - there is a mention or two in this book so consider me curious.

The Darkest Web is one of the best books I have read this year. Looking forward to reading more of Kristin Wright's works.

I throughly enjoyed this legal mystery thriller from Kristin Wright!

This is my first book from this author, but I will definitely be seeking out more of her work.

The story was interesting, progressing in a nice pace and had a tragic childhood trauma intertwined with a murder mystery.
It really kept me glued it the (kindle) pages until the very end.

I really loved the characters, I found them to be well rounded and believable, The back story of the main suspect was truly heartbreaking and I loved the ending (bloody revenge galore!).

I think I would have to rate it 4.5 stars and I am happy to round it up to 5.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

The Darkest Web by Kristin Wright is second in the Allison Barton series but reads quite well as a stand-alone. Jane Knudsen, an exceptional beauty, is a lawyer working for a legal firm which values billable hours over the staff’s wellbeing. Her looks have always been a disadvantage because most people do not look at the person beneath the exterior. When her boss is murdered in his office, Jane is soon charged with his murder. Because she will need expert legal representation, she goes to Allison Barton, her roommate for their first year of law school. The two women have not seen each other since school a decade ago and are feeling unsure how the relationship will work. It will be up to Allison to determine who could have been responsible for the murder and there are many possibilities. Jane will need to overcome the memories of her horrible childhood which has cast a pall over her entire life. The book alternates between chapters by each woman, which works extremely well for the reader to get to know Jane and Allison. The Darkest Web is a tense and taut legal drama and the characters are realistically flawed. I look forward to reading more books by Kristin Wright. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hot damn! Pour yourself a glass of whiskey and sit a spell after this one. Wow!! What a ride! I went into this one rather blind, even though I’d read the small blurb above. I had NO idea what I was getting into when I requested this ARC. So many content warnings. Plenty of triggers. This novel is a well-written, well-researched, with precision to detail regarding criminal law that could only come from a practiced criminal defense attorney. I was on edge, trying to put the pieces together, for at least 75% of the time I was reading this one!!

It's not terribly often that a book keeps me up wayyyy past my bedtime like THE DARKEST WEB did last night!! And I love @kristinbuttonwright for that!!

Special to thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for this advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings: child abuse, child pornography, infertility issues, infidelity

5 out of 5 stars!!

This is a great series. Defense attorney Allison Barton has taken on a new case: defending her law school roommate, Jane Knudsen, from a murder charge. Jane's boss has been found dead with Jane's fingerprints all over the crime scene. Jane, who narrates half of the book, has deeply hidden secrets that have destroyed her past. But she's intent on her own innocence, even though Allison is not sure. The legal intrigue is strong and pervades the whole book--almost every character is a lawyer, which is really cool. I wish there had been a courtroom trial as in the last book, but I'm sure there will be more to see in future books.

The Darkest Web is the second book in the series following The Darkest Flower in the Allison Barton series by Kristin Wright. The Darkest Web is so good you will want to read the first book as well. It can be a stand alone as there is many references to the first. The story begins with Jane Knudson on her way to work. As she arrives hours before anyone else arrives, after she puts her things away, fires up her computer, she goes to her bosses office and notices a strange scent. As she reaches the desk to pick up the deposition she is to be working on she notices her boss on the blood soaked carpet. She starts to go through her options as a lawyer of what she should or could do, but ultimately she contacts the police. Next, after leaving the office she reaches out to Allison Barton, her former room mate in law school. Jane sends a note stating she may need legal representation. Allison is surprised to receive the note since she and Jane were not overly friendly and only roomed for one year. Jane is everything that Allison is not in Allison's mind. Jane is often described as an ice queen. Jane is a stunningly beautiful woman, but they also say they really don't know her. Jane who is a workaholic due to keeping herself at arm's length will be accused of killing her boss and seemingly had opportunity. But Jane has deep dark secrets that she has been hiding that she is desperate to keep from coming out, and this murder investigation threatens those secrets.

This book starts out slow, describing Jane as she enters the building making you feel immediately that she is hiding something. It sets the stage right from the start. The writer describes the scenes and the people in such detail that it is easy to feel what is happening. I was caught up in the mystery of the secrets she was hiding, I could easily see how we think people who are gorgeous must have had idyllic childhoods and easy lives when nothing could be further from the truth. This was a page turner, once I started, I just could not put it down. The secrets of Jane's past are painfully revealed in the last few chapters. But the build up with all the secrecy made them so much more traumatic as they are told in painful detail to Allison.

I thought this book was sooooo gooood!!!! I loved the characters of Allison and Jane. I could feel the pressure of Allison pursuing the truth about Jane's past and her shock as the truth was worse than she could have even imagined. I look forward to many more stories from this author. This is a fantastic read and I highly recommend it!

TW: Rape, sexual assault, child abuse, child pornography, sexism, grooming

This book is fantastic. I will absolutely be picking up a physical copy.

I’ve been on a legal thriller kick lately and this one is definitely a new favorite. I will absolutely be picking up the first in this series and will be keeping an eye out for future installments. I think Kristin’s storytelling is done well and her writing flows nicely.

This book does a great job of highlighting an important message while also being respectful of those who face this reality daily. If you’re able to grapple with the highly sensitive topics that are the focus of this book, definitely check this out.

Jane and Allison are great main characters. I think Allison’s character development is well done. But Jane is the favorite for me. She is closed off but RIGHTFULLY SO. Her story is heartbreaking and forces us to imagine what it would be like to navigate the world so cautiously. I relate to her skepticism and distrust of people around her and really enjoyed the way her story ended.

I recommend THE DARKEST WEB to my fellow mystery/thriller lovers.

Full of twists and surprises, it kept me guessing until the very end. I loved the character development and ease of reading. It flowed perfectly and gripped my attention. The Darkest Web is the second in a series, and you don’t need to read the first installment to follow this one, but it was fantastic as well.

Workaholic attorney Jane Knudsen comes to the office one morning and finds her boss murdered in his office. She is smart enough to know that she could be considered a suspect, so she calls her college roommate Allison Barton. Jane and Allison weren’t close, but Allison is good at her job as a criminal defense attorney. While preparing Jane’s defense, Allison find a secrets that Jane us hiding and could put her in jail unless she comes clean.

Full of twists and surprises, it kept me guessing until the very end. I loved the character development and ease of reading. It flowed perfectly and gripped my attention. The Darkest Web is the second in a series, and you don’t need to read the first installment to follow this one, but it was fantastic as well.

This was an outstanding legal mystery. I hadn't read the previous book but it wasn't a problem as The Darkest Web works fine as a stand alone. First off, the secret involving Jane, one of the two main characters, is tough going but it is handled very well. I would have dropped the book like a hot potato if it hadn't been.
Jane carries a heavy secret, not letting any hint of it see the light of day. To those around her, well they make lots and lots of assumptions about her. Her beauty alone is a handicap. Add to that brains and one heck of a work ethic and Jane's life in't easy. She makes sure nobody gets close so nobody knows her. That has to change when she finds her unpleasant boss dead in his office one morning. Being certain that she will be the prime suspect, she turns to her law school roommate, Allison, to defend her when the police zero in on her. In order to put on a winning defense, Allison needs Jane to share those dark secrets. Secrets so dark that Jane would rather do a life sentence in prison that have them revealed.
The mystery unfolds as each chapter alternates with the POVs of Jane and Allison. Both are very strong women and each has imperfections to deal with. As the book progresses they become closer, something they were not at all in law school. They may have been roommates but they were strangers.
The list of suspects is lengthy and the twists and turns kept me off balance and primed for the WOW ending. Now I need to get my hands on the first book in the series while I await the third book. My thanks to the publisher Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Kristin and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Darkest Web before the publication date.

Allison Barton has gone to the dark side, establishing her own successful legal defence firm.
She has had a difficult time, having divorced her cheating husband, Steve, and is now juggling her professional life with being a single parent. Now married to his new wife, Karen, they have drawn a line under their adulterous relationship and become sanctimonious, criticising every aspect of Allison’s parenting of 6 year old Libby and using Libby to get details of Allison’s life.

Allison is surprised to receive a call from Jane Knudsen, as the women were never friends when they shared accommodation when they were both first year students.

Jane is an attorney who works all hours to improve her chances of a partnership. Arriving early one morning, she found her obnoxious boss Ray Corrigan, dead in his office. Now she is the prime suspect, but that is almost the least of her worries as Jane has secrets which might be revealed if the murder investigators dig too deep into her background.
Despite the many people who had motive to murder Corrigan, attention always returns to Jane.

Can Allison and Jane find a way to work together to identify the murderer?

Lots of secrets are revealed and with so many 2 faced characters, Kristin keeps the reader turning the pages to the very end.

Really solid mystery/thriller. I would read more by this author. I’m enjoying all of her character building even when I don’t like the actual person she creates. I appreciate the way she wraps up the mystery and then dangles one last carrot.

Definitely a page turner. And keeping you interested in what is going on. Alway's more to people's life stories. Might have trigger warnings for some...not sure whether to mention as could be a spoiler as well.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Being the most beautiful girl in the county is not all it is cracked up to be; especially if you have an abusive step-father and a mother who does not protect you at all. Jane is sold to all of her step-father’s friends and contacts at an early age. Her mother assists in making sure she is available for all who are interested.

Jane is so pretty guys are afraid to approach her. Other girls will not befriend her. Her college years are just as oppressive and she has an on-again/off-again friend in Allison. They both have completed law school and are junior associates in the same law office. The boss is a tyrant and makes all of his junior’s lives miserable.

He is discovered dead in his office and the person who finds him is Jane. She is immediately suspected of being the killer. Allison works to defend her and their relationship slowly builds as they both realize they had misjudged the other.

Kristen Wright writes a very believable tale of prejudice and manipulation. Her development of characters illuminates their flaws.

Understanding the cutthroat world of the law makes me very happy I chose another line of work. This eye-opening saga left me surprised at the law profession and the lengths lawyers will go to enrich themselves and burn their junior associates. See if you agree with my assessment while being thoroughly entertained. 4.5 stars CE Williams

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This murder mystery set within the legal profession has lots of layers, and lots of secrets that are revealed bit by bit. It centers on a workaholic attorney who finds her boss, one of the senior partners in the firm, shot to death in his office. Suspicion immediately falls on her, and she reaches out for representation to an old law school classmate. They were never particularly close, and the exploration of friendship and learning to trust is not easy for either of them. The story is well-written, and flows easily - however, I did work out early on who the murderer was and why. I felt what the book did extremely well was highlight the prejudice (casual and/or with intent) directed toward women, and particularly toward women deemed attractive by conventional beauty standards, by men and women alike, that leads to so much harm.
TW for sexual abuse