In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka: Hardcover; 352 pages / English

[Scribner] A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB SELECTION “You’re going to lose your mind over this one…it is so, so, so good. I couldn’t put it down.” —Reese Witherspoon A young woman at the periphery of a high-stakes celebrity trial is the only one with the evidence that can make or break the case—but spilling her secret could ruin her life. The whole country has been riveted by the trial: Beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow standing in court, accusing her daughter’s therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter, Mary, for her own financial gain. Jean insists Mary’s traumatic memories arise from her upbringing and her time studying at a prestigious art school in Rome; wounds only Jean’s therapy can heal. But as the trial unfolds, it’s Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee—a seemingly insignificant bystander, a nobody—who holds the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit. What really happened to Mary in Rome? And, if her memories can’t be trusted, how will they ever uncover the truth behind her estrangement? Twisty and propulsive, In Her Defense is a compulsively readable debut for fans of Lucy Foley and Laura Dave.