First read by this author based on some good ratings/reviews. This book had a introspective flavor which can wear on me. I didn’t like the beginning of the story as the main plot unfolded but the story just kept getting better as I turned the page. All of the characters had their quirks and flaws that helped to keep me on the edge of my seat. Definitely an impressive read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my my.... what did I just read? Review follows now that my heart rate has returned to normal. This book delivered quite the visceral punch.

On a hot morning in London, Leila Syed agrees to help out her desperate brother-in-law by picking up 3-year-old Max and taking him to nursery. Unfortunately, Max doesn't make it to school. Leila has forgotten that he was strapped in the back seat and Max is found dead, inside the vehicle, in the parking lot of her office building several hours later. What happens next?

The book is divided into 3 different parts and focuses on the crime, the trial, and the aftermath. It is quite gripping and tense though the characters were so unlikable that I was sometimes unable to elicit any empathy for them. I was so torn in my emotions as various details were revealed and the narrative really kept me guessing.

What a great story as long as you can suspend disbelief and go with all the twists and turns. It's definitely more a domestic drama than a legal thriller as, even though I know next to nothing about the British legal system, I think the courtroom scenes were unrealistic. Something that was totally missing was extended interaction between Leila and her attorney. There was no trial prep and it all just seemed that was not the focus of the book. But, whoa, the drama!

In any event, I enjoyed this one and have also really liked two other books I've read by this author. She has a knack of finding some very timely issues and writing great stories about them. I definitely feel that this novel will invite some lively discussion about several different aspects of the legal case and the nature of family and female ambition. The less you know going into the book, the better.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I am looking forward to the author's next book.

With so many deaths of young children left in cars, forgotten by caregivers, and in the end, dying, this is a story that is difficult to read at times. And yet, it is so well written. The author, Kia Abdullah, really digs deeply into the emotions of the characters, and left me totally immersed in the book. At the same time, I couldn't help but wonder about Leila--she seemed to hold her feelings so closely that I didn't always get a glimpse behind her ice-queen behavior. There are also some completely unexpected twists in the story.

Kia Abdullah did an excellent job of writing a book that will stick with me for some time to come.

Wow, wow, and wow!! This is my first Kia Abdullah book and I'm hooked. I haven't read a 'legal thriller', since a John Grisham book years ago, which pales in comparison. This was so well crafted and structured, not a loose end to be found anywhere! Thank you NetGalley and HQ for an early release of this book.
Trigger warning: this is a tragic story about the death of a child.

Leila and Yasmin are sisters that grew up as orphans, Leila taking the lead as the primary caregiver. She works 3 jobs to keep Yasmin out of foster care and so they can stay together. Fast forward, Leila is a successful architect running her own firm, somewhat married, and happy. Yasmin is happily married as well with a 3 year old son, Max.
Leila is very involved in Max's upbringing as she's been unable to have a child of her own. One fateful summer day, she's asked to take Max to daycare, but must first stop at the office to take care of something. And forgets about Max...or does she?

How the actions of all the key characters play out seals their fate as depicted in the shocking ending. It's one surprise after another. I was fascinated with the court case this resulted in. How a seemingly professional, upstanding citizen in the community could be reduced to a jealous, hateful woman desperate to have a child. For awhile you were not sure how the jury would decide as both sides had merit, and made good cases for the defense and prosecution. It was also interesting how the state can press charges in cases like this. If this hasn't already been optioned for a film or series, it's just a matter of time.
5 stars from me!!

My feelings were back and forth with this one.

On one hand, I'm obsessed with legal dramas and this book only cements my opinion that KA writes the best of them. She is so skilled at creating an intriguing case and filling it with engaging details that make you feel as if you are sitting in the courtroom alongside the characters. And this story in particular is full of family history, dubious relationships, and heartbreaking loss. So I think this latest addition to KA's bibliography is a definitely win when it comes to the plot and how it's written.

But on the other hand, I couldn't stand the characters. The two sisters and their husbands are some of the most unsympathetic people I have ever read about. I didn't root for any of them and I didn't care about the outcome of the legal case either way because I just didn't care about them in general. I guess you could argue that KA wrote them very well, which is why they evoked such a strong response, but I just found them unenjoyable to read about overall.

And while unlikable characters are usually a deal breaker, I never actually found myself hating the story or wanting to stop reading. Which is why I'm going to round up my rating.

Oh. My. Gawd!!! This book was gut-wrenching and intense and emotional and overall AMAZING! I could not put it down. And when I did manage to put it down, because you know, LIFE (insert eye roll here), I could not stop thinking about it.

The characters are incredibly well written. Not only did I get to "know" them, but I could feel their emotions. The plot moves at a steady pace, keeping you interested and intrigued one suspenseful page after another. And the twists...oh, my goodness the twists. I can honestly say that I did not see any of it coming! And perhaps that's because I was so immersed in the story that I wasn't anticipating the ending.

Beware, this is not a light read. It contains complex situations and heavy, heartbreaking themes throughout. But trust me, it is INCREDIBLE! This is my first book by Abdullah and I cannot wait to read more from her catalog.

Thank you Harper Collins & NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper 360 for this advanced reader copy. The story, which was fictional, has happened all over the United States. The book depicts how a tragedy of this kind can turn families against each other or draw lines when an emotionally charged event happens. Leila was asked to help, but what happens next will take you on an emotional journey and have you asking, what would I do?

How did I miss reading this author? Let me tell you, she will be high on my list in the future. This novel was another example of immersive reading where I couldn't put the book down. The author has a way of letting you feel the characters pain, indecision and anguish which brought me to tears more than once. Leila( the eldest) and her youngest sister Yasmin have lives that have been enmeshed for years since Leila became the sole caretaker at 18 when Yasmin was 11. Leila has been the stoic ,rational driven individual who took her duties seriously rising to head her own architectural firm, although along the way being dubbed the "ice queen" hiding her emotions under a veneer of strength and control. Her pretty sister however has strong feelings about her being in her sister's shadow, as she was "only a secretary" and never had the fame and fortune of her sister. Behind Yasmin's back, Leila has been giving her and her husband extra money and was a devoted aunt to their son Max. Their first son died of an awful genetic disease called E.B.where any touch would cause his skin to blister and peel. In keeping with Leila's generosity to anything concerning her nephew she was more than happy to help her brother-in-law, Andrew, when he had an emergency and needed someone to drive Max to preschool. On the way she had an emergency situation of her own which she rushed to the office to handle. Then came the phone call...The school had called Andrew that Max hadn't shown up...and it was 3 hours later. When Leila rushed down to the car, Max was blue and suffering from hyperthermia from being locked up on one of the hottest days of the year..One can only imagine the pain experienced by both families as news of his death reached them.Leila is charged with manslaughter and the reader is drawn into the court drama. Once the verdict is handed down, the tension decreases but oh my, several twists upended the following chapters. My mouth literally dropped open as had not anticipated these dramatic turn of events. Fellow readers, there is so much more to this book..It behooves you to run, run, run for both an emotional and event ridden rollercoaster. I just loved this book.

Complicated family relationships are at the heart of this domestic suspense novel. After a brief glimpse into the lives of two sisters, Leila and Yasmin, the story moves to the day their lives are forever changed. Leila was supposed to drop her nephew off at daycare, but hours later realizes she forgot. Shocking, heartbreaking and thought provoking. Leila and Yasmin’s relationship is more than a sister relationship. Leila raised Yasmin after the deaths of their parents. This parent relationship layer greatly impacts the sister relationship. This explores the impact of a tragic mistake on a family.

Well written, entertaining read. This is emotional and intense and will not be for every reader. The courtroom drama was full of many twists and turns. Courtroom scenes nicely balanced with scenes of Leila trying to come to grips with her mistake. The detective in the novel was a bit over the top. Refused to believe Leila could make an mistake. Doggedly pursued her without believing other alternatives.

This did go in an unexpected direction in the last ~ 15%. Overall, I was entertained and enjoyed this fast paced suspense novel. I do advise readers to look at trigger warnings prior to picking this up. Could be a challenging read for a parent.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

NEXT OF KIN is another outstanding legal thriller by Kia Abdullah. Leila is at her office in her architectural firm when she gets a call from her brother-in-law. The daycare says she never dropped off her nephew. This book examines the guilt and tragedy of infant hot car death, the complex relationships between families (I found it especially surprising how much Leila is blamed despite how much the parents sort of dump childcare on her, knowing how stressed and overworked she is), and as the legal case begins, it becomes very interesting. The relationship between Leila and her younger sister Yasmin, who Leila raised from the age of 11 after their parents’ deaths is close and complex. Leila has always protected Yasmin, even at great personal cost. Yasmin has also suffered tragedy in her adult life, and the way that part of the story as it is revealed is crafted, is very well done. I liked that there were no truly black or white characters in this one, no characters I could say were truly good, or truly bad, just all painted in wonderfully intricate shades of gray. I have to say I did not see some of the twists coming at the end, and the author once again surprised me in more than one way. Very cleverly crafted! 5/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from Harper 360, HQ and NetGalley for review purposes.

This was a 5 star book. The characters were well developed. It drew me right in from the start it was hard for me to put it down. It moved along at a good pace. The twists in this book just kept coming and coming. I figured out one of the twist before hand but the others came out of left field. I had no idea it was heading that way. But I do wish we would of had a little more info on EB

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Harper360 and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Gripping read full of suspense, action, chilling thrills and twists.

I read this during a major reading slump, so it took me forever to finish, and I don’t know why. I loved everything about this book! I am not usual a legal thriller reader, but this one just worked. All the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very last page. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ohmigosh!!! This one just hurt my heart! The beginning and the whole premise are absolutely heartbreaking. Still an EXCELLENT story! Very well-written with so many twists! Great characterization. Those are the marks of a really great author to me! If you can take a horrible premise and still make me care and love your story, I'm a forever fan. She did that also with Take it Back, which I loved and is the reason for requesting this one. If you love thrillers and/or courtroom drama, I cannot recommend this one enough!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Kia Abdullah and Harper 360, HQ for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This author continues to amaze me with her ability to navigate such complex situations and themes. She comes at us from all angles and then throws some unexpected twists and all the tense courtroom scenes. I think fans of Jodi Picoult would thoroughly enjoy. I’ll read anything this author writes. Consider me a forever fan.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was an ntense read. I loved it. It had the perfect balance of courtroom drama and psychological thriller.

This was a unique book with plenty of twists and turns. Highly recommended.

I was absolutely thrilled to get an ARC of this brilliant novel. Thank you NetGalley! This was an intense, emotional, jaw-dropping read I couldn't gobble down fast enough. A perfect blend of psychological thriller and courtroom drama. Count me in as a huge Kia Abdullah fan!

"Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. His son’s nursery has called to ask where little Max is. Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot. Racing to the carpark, she grasps the horror of what she has done. What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses it becomes clear there’s more to this incident than meets the eye…"

I really enjoyed this page turner with a super unique plot. The writing was fantastic and the twists kept coming in the second half of the book. The ending was meh in my opinion but I still loved it overall and am eager to read more of Kia Abdullah's books!

Thank you Harper Collins & NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review! Pick this up on 9/20!

Layla‘s brother-in-law Andrew had an emergency at work and asked if she could drop little Macs off at the nursery. She said it was no problem, after all helping her sister and brother-in-law is what she did. All the way to work however she gets an emergency call about blueprints that her architect partner Robert needs to give a presentation for a huge client and she goes into emergency mode. Three hours later when she gets a call from Andrew asking “where is Max?“ Layla is now panicking and although she doesn’t want to go see she knows she must and this is when she finds a little Max in the backseat of her car, dead. Layla and her husband will are separated but when she gets immediately arrested for the murder of her nephew she is relieved when he is there to comfort her. Her sister now Big Sur but her brother-in-law is strangely on her side. There is so much to this book and if I say more it will be a spoiler and OMG what a twist they have in this book. There is no way anyone can see this coming I know I didn’t if you love books that leave you Godsmack and screaming OMG… You need to read “next of Ken“ this is the reason the genre thriller was created it is so freaking good! I mean wow what a book! I received this book from NetGalley and publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review .

I was eager to read Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah because of the premise and because I read her first book, Take It Back. In both books the author shows that she is not afraid to tackle hard topics with a realistic but delicate touch.

The story centers on Leila, who accidentally and tragically leaves her young nephew in a hot car as she goes in to work for the day, and her sister Yasmin, the child's mother. Leila and Yasmin already have a complicated relationship, since their parents died when they were young and Leila raised Yasmin as her guardian for seven years. Add the unimaginable strain of being responsible for her sister's child's death, and you have the makings of a gripping story. The sisters' husbands play a big part in the story too, as Leila and Will have just separated, and the four adults have an intriguing dynamic.

A big part of the book plays out in the courtroom as Leila is tried for manslaughter. But even after the trial ends, there is a lot more to the story. This was part family drama and part legal thriller, but the whole story was riveting and written beautifully. I felt connected to each major character and invested in their story. The plot is grueling and tragic, yet I couldn't wait to find out what happened to each sister. It was like looking at the aftermath of a train wreck and being extremely grateful to be on the outside of the misery.

I will admit I did not see those particular twists coming, and I love to be surprised. This book was outstanding, and I can't wait to recommend it to readers who enjoy legal thrillers with family drama.

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.