I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.
“The Heart to Kill” by Dorothy M. Place is a crime novel about young law student Sarah. After receiving phone messages on the same day that she has not been successful in her application for a coveted law internship, and that her childhood friend has been jailed for the murder of her two children, she returns to her South Carolina hometown. When she arrives, she finds her father as overbearing as ever and quickly gets a job with the firm representing JoBeth in her murder trial. However, the more research she does on the matter, the more Sarah uncovers a darker side to the town she grew up in.
Parts of this book really resonated with me, especially Sarah’s disappointment and anxiety around her legal career when she didn’t get the internship she applied for. Other parts I thought were done well like Sarah’s relationship with her parents and the banter between her and the partners at the law firm representing JoBeth. I think there were parts (which might have been the point) about JoBeth’s story and defense lawyer Al that I found a bit abrasive. I think this story is more about Sarah’s journey as an adult rather than about the development of secondary characters though, and for that purpose it is a strong narrative.
A deeply personal novel about a young woman letting go of her past to forge her own future.
Tinted Edges 