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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
A killing that may be murder or self-defense; courtroom violence described; non-graphic
Language
Barely any
Victorian-era language
Sexual Content
Barely any
The nature of the marriage—including abuse—is relevant to the case; no explicit content
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking in period settings
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Psychologically intense; themes of domestic abuse, sacrifice, and the limits of what courts can understand about a marriage
What this book is about
A woman confesses to killing her husband—the famous General Thaddeus Carlyon—claiming he fell down the stairs. When the case goes to trial, Monk is hired by the defense and discovers the confession hides far more than it reveals. As Hester Latterly nurses the general's grieving family, the full story of what happened in the Carlyon household emerges—one more disturbing than either murder or accident.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Domestic abuse is central to understanding the crime
A woman's sacrifice to protect someone she loves is explored
Reader Verification
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