Proof

Jilly Truitt #3

by Beverley McLachlin

From the former Chief Justice of Canada and #1 bestselling author of Full Disclosure comes a razor-sharp thriller featuring defense attorney Jilly Truitt as she defends a high-profile mother accused of kidnapping her own child.

Jilly Truitt has always put her job as a criminal defense lawyer first, but becoming a new mother has changed her priorities. For the first time in her career, she’s taking some long-overdue time away from her firm and the day-to-day grind of cases, enjoying the quiet delights of motherhood.

Then the daughter of celebrity pop star Trist Jones goes missing and his ex-wife, Katie, is charged with kidnapping. Everyone from the police to the media believe Katie is guilty—her reputation was ripped to shreds in the tabloids during their divorce and subsequent custody battle. Call it mother’s intuition, but Jilly has her doubts. Katie’s whole life was about being a mother, and she and Trist were very public about their problems conceiving, shining a spotlight on their use of a surrogate. After everything she went through to have a child, Katie claims that she would never do anything to hurt her daughter, and she begs Jilly to take her case.

Jilly agrees, but Katie’s prospects don’t look good. Police have found a witness who says he saw Katie with Tess the afternoon she disappeared, and they are close to giving up the search. The best chance Jilly has of clearing Katie’s name is to find the missing girl. But as the weeks go by, the police begin to suspect that Tess might be dead. With the threat of a murder charge hanging over Katie’s head, Jilly must find the real kidnapper and save Tess before it’s too late.

Genres: Mystery, Canada, Fiction, Book Club, Crime, Relationships, Legal

480 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2024

About the author

Beverley McLachlin is the former Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold that position.

Full Disclosure is her first novel.

Reviews

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverley McLachlin, the author of Proof, was the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canada. Now retired, her expertise in Canadian law has been the basis for her powerful legal thrillers, which feature criminal defence attorney Jilly Truitt. I found the two previous books thought-provoking and informative about the Canadian legal system, but they were also an example of gripping storytelling with well-developed characters. I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for Proof, which was fast-paced and suspenseful.
I apologize for my late review. I recently moved and had to wait to have WiFi installed, so I was unable to use the internet, and it was even longer for me to have my Kindle connected. 'Proof' was published on September 17th.

Celebrity pop star Trist Jones and his recently divorced ex-wife Kate are both distraught. Their adorable, photogenic, mixed-race daughter Tess has vanished. The five-year-old disappeared from the beach where she was playing when Trist fell asleep. The tabloids trashed Kate's reputation during the divorce and custody battles, and the public has come to dislike her and believe she is guilty of kidnapping and even killing Tess. Claims that Kate was an unstable and unfit mother were supported with harsh words from the child's loving nanny, Selma.

Jilly is now at home on maternity leave. The killing of her partner, the baby's father, left her grief-stricken. She is beginning to enjoy her role as a new mother but lacks confidence and misses the thrill of her role as defence attorney.

Having been persuaded to meet the depressed Kate, who is being charged with abducting her child and possibly her murder, Jilly has developed compassion and sympathy for her and agrees to take her case. She sincerely believes that Kate is innocent. Jilly realizes that her preferred role in life is participating in a court trial. She manages to obtain outstanding child care while working to defend Kate.

A shifty man claiming to be a photographer has a blurry photo of a woman with Tess on a boat the day she vanished. He claims he saw Kate clearly. The photo could be of any woman of similar build and hair colour who had some involvement with Tess. A shoe and piece of Tess's bathing suit have washed ashore. Police conclude that Tess is now dead, while other evidence suggests to Jilly that she may be alive. With Kate now charged with murder, Jilly prepares to defend Kate. Her behaviour is extreme. She goes outside her role as a lawyer to actively investigate other possible suspects and to find Tess alive. She is aware that playing detective could get her disbarred. She is independent, fierce, and arrogant. She knows she can weaken the prosecutor's case and is highly critical of the police.

Among the suspects is Trist's new girlfriend, who has no intention of mothering Tess and plans to move to Los Vegas with him. This may have caused Kate to act desperately, knowing she would not see her daughter again. Why was Selma, the former nanny, declaring Kate's instability and possible guilt? Selma's emotional attachment to Tess goes far beyond her nanny role. A child resembling Tess
has been seen accompanied by an older man. Was she abducted by a pedophile?

Will the little girl be found alive and the true culprit arrested? It seems that Jilly's confidence and arrogance are justified. The prosecutor, who was her mentor, gives up and retires. The head of the police investigation apologizes to Jilly for handling the investigation better than they did. I was concerned that Kate may still be too unstable to regain partial unsupervised custody.

Recommended for readers who enjoy a twisty mystery and those who like legal thrillers. This book works as a stand-alone, but reading the previous two books is encouraged.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

After reading the previous two books in this series I was really looking forward to reading this one.

I enjoyed the first 61% but I didn’t find anything special about it.
The writing was good and gripping, but it was repetitive, mostly because of the constant review of the facts, theories and several possibilities.

I did find the main character weaker than she was portrayed in the previous instalments. She also sounded too naive. Was it caused by motherhood or grief?

The line of inquiry was also weak and a bit amateurish until 61% of the book.

But the development of the storyline was interesting and held my attention, so I have to take it into consideration.

I was really looking forward to a trial.

Anyways, after 61% the development of the story became better, but I was not surprised by its conclusion.

e-book (Kobo): 480 pages (default), 104k words, 74 chapters

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Beverley McLachlin, and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Now the retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Beverley McLachlin has turned her attention to writing legal thrillers. In this third novel of the Jilly Truitt series, McLachlin once again dazzles with a stunning case that is sure to pull the reader into the middle of a criminal investigation. Kate Sinclair-Jones is accused of murdering her daughter, Tess, though the body has not been found. Enter Jilly Truitt, who agrees to meet with Kate while on maternity leave. What begins as a favour soon turns into a full-blown involvement in the case and Jilly cannot turn away from her client. As the truth is slowly revealed, both Kate and Jilly discover honesty is not a commodity that is regularly traded when a murder conviction stands before them, making the case all the more difficult to defend. A stunning thriller that paints a wonderful picture of Canada’s Pacific Coast and exemplifies Beverley McLachlin’s abilities outside the courtroom.

Jilly Truitt has long been one of Vancouver’s most dedicated defence attorneys, but the birth of her daughter changed that. Left. to be a single parent when her partner was gunned down, Jilly has turned into a depressed state. Trying to raise Claire and focus on that task, the past haunts Jilly every day. Her career seems to have taken a back-burner to new motherhood. At least until a fateful call comes one day in September.

After news emerges that the daughter of celebrity musician, Trist Jones, has gone missing, the media machine kicks into high gear. His ex-wife, Kate, is accused of kidnapping, though the lack of a body leaves many to wonder if little Tess might have been killed. Both Trist and Kate are frantic, but the court of public opinion firmly believes that the mother is to blame, based primarily on the bitter divorce and loss of custody. While Jilly is not sold on everything, it is a call to serve as Kate’s attorney during a police interview that pulls Jilly into the mix. She reluctantly agrees to help Kate this one time, but when the truth comes crashing down in that interrogation room, Jilly cannot pull herself away. Claire is at home with a nanny and family friend, but Jilly is not ready to shelve her career any longer. The thrill of defence work is too strong.

As the police reveal that they have a witness who saw Kate taking Tess out in a boat moments after Trist noticed the little one missing. Jilly cannot fathom what else they have. When one shoe and a torn bit of bathing suit fabric turn up, things take a definite turn, sending Kate into a deeper depression, but still holding out hope that Tess might be out there. The thought that Kate killed her daughter out of spite emerges as the likely motive and the police refuse to stand down. The Crown seeks to send Kate to trial for murder, so Jilly will have to do all that she can to prove her client’s innocence, while also coming to terms that she prefers work to being at home with Claire.

As days turn to weeks, Kate’s innocence erodes even more and Jilly tries to work the insurmountable mountain as they prepare for trial. A murder defence is hard enough, but one without a body makes it all the more difficult. When some evidence emerges, Kate’s innocence is left in doubt with Jilly, who cannot believe that this important information was kept from her. Now, it will be a race to the truth, with little help from the Crown or police, to find Tess or at lest prove that someone else harmed her. A gripping thriller that left me begging for more. Beverley McLachlin shows how strong a writer she is for those who enjoy the genre.

Not only do I love a good legal thriller, but also the world of the courts. I followed Chief Justice McLachlin’s career as a young student of politics and was delighted to see her enter the world of thriller writing when she left the High Court. McLachlin’s three novels in this series have been stellar pieces of writing, filled with Canadian law and a great deal of powerful storytelling. The narrative begins at a quick-pace and never loses its momentum throughout. The story is able to juggle numerous themes without diluting the central focus. Great character development permits the reader to relate and connect with those who emerge throughout the novel. Jilly Truitt has been through the wringer and this novel only exemplifies yet another period in that process, as the reader sees her spark with work and a diminishing passion for motherhood.

Plot points are central the a good legal thriller. McLachlin provides many to keep the reader curious and wondering. Just when things seem predictable, a few twists are tossed in for good measure, keeping the reader left to rethink their notions. As the case progresses, there is little time to rest on one’s laurels, as the life of a little child and future of her mother hang in the balance. A stellar piece of writing that had me hooked from the opening paragraphs and did not let me down with its ending.

Kudos, Madam McLachlin, for another great addition to the Jilly Truitt series.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Max KP · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through a giveaway.

Pros:
- I liked that everything Jilly did was directly related to both her being a mother with a young child and her being a lawyer. Her motivations were solid, even down to the mistakes she would make.
- Jilly also behaved like a lawyer, even while playing detective. She didn't start breaking into things and snooping around all Nancy Drew-like, she would get other people to do it. That's exactly what McLachlin promised me on the tin, and I respect that.
- I also loved the part where she went to investigate the cult. Most books would have her get a bad feeling, go in anyway, and end up in a dangerous situation, but Jilly was like "The vibes are off and I have a kid. Cya!" and scooted away. Good for her.
- I like the bizzaro twist of it being cult related. The book would've flowed the same if there was no cult, but McLachlin added one anyway and I love that, even if it is a little ridiculous.
- I also appreciate all the red herrings. Even though I was right in my initial suspect, I was thrown off by all the different possibilities being offered to me.

Cons:
- One of the opening scenes has a hijabi woman who is a police officer who is guilted into removing her hijab in front of multiple people in the name of rescuing the missing little girl. This woman is never seen or heard from again after this interaction and it isn't brought up again. There was exactly no reason to include this scene. It was an exercise in dreaming up a ridiculous scenario that would override a woman's religious and personal beliefs. I find it especially curious when the book makes great and obvious efforts to include diverse characters and inclusive language.
- There was a bit of a recurring pattern of "I have new evidence! I will show it to the police. The police did nothing to help. I will do it myself. I have evidence! I will show it to the police. The police did nothing to help. I will-" Got a little tired of it.
- Not every single character we ever meet needs a name and a backstory. I completely forgot who almost every character was because there were names coming up constantly. The waitress who has two lines of dialog and is only there for one page gets a name and backstory. The cop who escorts Jilly to the boat gets a name and backstory. The other cop who drives Jilly to the farm at the end gets a name and backstory. Lots of people who interacted with each other frequently also had similar names too, like Damon investigating Dante, and Jilly working with Jeff, and Trist whose daughter is named Tess. I am too dyslexic for that.
- There were too many instances where a big reveal would happen, and the audience would get almost no insight into Jilly's inner thoughts and reactions to it. When we find out Tess is adopted, Jilly has almost no reaction. When we find out that Selma was the "mother" of Tess, no Jilly reaction. When we find out that Selma was actually not the mother, Jilly gives a "What?!" but no inner thoughts on it. It made a lot of the big reveals feel weak and unremarkable, which damaged the building suspense and intrigue of the book. I feel this especially because other mundane and unimportant things were given tons of brain space in Jilly's head, like exactly how a hair could get stuck in a screw. She's explaining to me that the screw is not flush to the wood and there was just enough space for a hair to get caught but she can't explain to me how she jumped to her decision that Kate needs to see psychologist right now because she's a master manipulator who will try anything to get away with her lies.
- Sometimes people would say things that no real person would say, like when Selma offers up her entire tragic backstory about her parents dying after Jilly says, "Nice house."

[Amy Bhatia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! I will definitely be reading more of her books and would highly recommend her to others.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it very fast paced which I enjoyed, and the plot points were well mapped out and brought together!

[June Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

McLachlinn has done it again. I believe this might be my favourite book of hers so far. I did suspect who the culprit was, but even so, the details were intriguing and the end was as good as it gets. I'm looking forward to more books by this author.

[Lorrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

In keeping with the previous two Jilly Truitt books, once again, this book is filled with legal errors as well as general errors.


P. 77 - jilly says ‘anyway, no body, no crime.’ Incorrect
P.92: jilly thinks “the law says there’s a presumption of release”
P.101, jilly says: "The default position for bail in Canada is release. It rests on the prosecution to show why Kate needs to be locked up while she awaits trial. First, they need to convince the Justice of the Peace they have a good case against her.”
P. 102, re: bail hearing, jilly says “jp” but in Superior Court, murder bail hearing is before a judge, not JP.
Page 103, jilly says to Kate’s dad: see above. Evidence in criminal court is viva voce, not by affidavit.
P. 109, at the bail hearing for Kate, jilly thinks the following, but murder bail is not in provincial court, but divisional/superior court before a judge, not jp.
P. 110, Sammy and Kate argue about whether she’s going to her own home or his, but surely this would have been ordered in the bail conditions?
P. 120, Cy says: the case name styling in Canada for criminal is “R. v Person” or “Regina (now Rex) v Person”. While an informal meeting is not unheard of, there would certainly be formal pre-trial meetings, not the least of which would be to decide on trial dates
P. 230 this format is used again
190, chapter 29 begins with this. What year is this supposed to be taking place in? This makes it 2020. Page 119, jilly notes it’s 13 months since Mike died. This was in the 2nd book, which was published in September 2021.
Page 15, jilly says “last month marked the one-year anniversary of [Mike’s] death.” Also “a month after Mike died, I found out I was pregnant.”
Page 186, Richard describes Lena, whom he interviewed in Vegas:
“Left over”??? Fall 2020, COVID was still in full swing.
Page 24, jilly says “I don’t do Twitter, or X, or whatever it’s called now.” According to google, “Twitter, officially known as X since July 2023” in an article in the economic times, it is stated, “X in August 2023 said its app would definitively be called X going forward.” As well, according to google, Elon Musk completed his acquisition of Twitter in October 2022 - this is supposed to be September, so presumably September 2023? November 2, 2023 was a Thursday. The first Monday in November 2023 was the 6th.
Chapter 3 says it’s Saturday when Cy calls Jilly for the initial line up and interview assistance; the child was seen with Kate ~yesterday~ (Friday) and not since, police waited for Kate but she didn’t come home all night, they arrested her this morning.
P.70 confirms the 1st police interview was held on a Saturday, “she [Mab] said she told you she expected Saturday afternoons off.” This is the explanation given to Jilly for why Mab left.
Page 219 establishes the date of presumed death:
Sept. 25, 2024 is not a Friday; it’s a Wednesday. Sept. 25, 2023 is a Monday. Sept. 25, 2022 is a Sunday. Sept. 25, 2021 is a Saturday. Sept. 25, 2020 is a Friday, which fits with the ‘Monday November 2nd’ comment. BUT, in 2020 the border between US/Canada was closed, so no one was flying to Las Vegas at a moment’s notice. The border was closed for 19 months, re-opening in Aug. 2021; a google search: When were US borders closed due to Covid? These restrictions went into effect on March 21, 2020 and remain[ed] in effect through 11:59 pm on October 21, 2021. So Lena could not have flown to Las Vegas, nor could Richard have gone there to interview her, then returned to Canada.
Page 224, Richard says he’s surrounded by gov’t accountants. Government shut down and/or was working from home in late 2020.
Page 231, Jilly says it’s mid-November… 2020? What year?
Again, in 2020 borders were closed so no flights. Children have passports*
Page 306 begins “Monday, December 7th, and I’m back at Kate’s house.” This is 2020.
Page 260, Jilly makes a long speech:
No, this is wrong. Jill’s job is to do what the client wants, within the bounds of the law. If the client wants a trial, even though the lawyer thinks it’s a bad idea, then the client gets a trial. Also, lawyers do ~not~ want to ‘know everything’ because then they may not be able to represent the client at all. A client who tells their lawyer that they did it can’t be allowed to testify, for example. Most defence lawyers don’t want to know ‘everything’, they just want to hear ‘I didn’t do it.’
Page 286, what year is this? Not 2020, no one was having Christmas parties in 2020, or at least they weren’t supposed to.
Page 356, date is given as Tuesday, February 28th. Previous dates seemed to indicate that it was 2020, so the ‘new year’ should be 2021. But Tuesday Feb. 28 has to be 2023.
Page 303, Jilly says ‘I intend to give it to her.’ It’s like talking to the scam artists… ‘this is the cra, a warrant has been issued in your name…’ Close, but no cigar - the wording is wrong. A lawyer would not say what Jilly does, they’d say “I intend to see that she gets it/one.”
Page 310, Jilly has the news on. No mention of pandemic, which surely there would be in a 2020 news round-up? So again, this can’t be Jan. 2021.
Page 311 - Selma totally took the kid. Also, is she the birth-mother?
Page 323, Selma showing her cray-cray:
Page 321, Jilly lies to get Selma to talk to her; is this allowed?
Page 326… no, evidently, it’s not!
Page 328, it’s mid-January; Jilly says her child is 8 months old. So born in May? the previous year (whatever that year may be). Page 119, it’s 13 months since Mike died, she found out she was pregnant 1 month later. Page 119 is maybe the end of Sept/beginning of Oct? Jilly comments that other than taking Wednesday off, she’s worked 4 days straight - this is just after the Saturday interview at the end of Sept.
Page 352, the last Saturday in February, Jilly says her daughter ‘will soon be 10 months of age.’
Page 370 - having the possible abductor/paedo driving a white van is just a little too trite
Page 372, chapter 65 starts “Thursday, March 2nd has been a trying day.” Definitely 2023.
Page 376, Cy (crown) delays the trial by a day because ‘something came up’ and Jilly says ‘you can’t do this’ - she’s right, he can’t. They have to appear in Superior court on Monday and Cy can ~ask~ for an adjournment which the judge can grant or deny. Jilly can consent, but it’s still ultimately up to the judge. Jilly can suggest that they continue with jury selection with a different Crown; the judge can agree or not. It is not the Crown’s courtroom, it is the judge’s. It goes on to say that Jilly does some investigating on Monday rather than go to court. YEESH!
Page 386, chapter 68: that Jilly is involved in the execution of a search warrant at grandpa’s farm is utterly ridiculous.
Page 394 - WTAF? Selma is going to plead guilty to what??? There is no charge yet. And if there were a charge, it would be abduction, which would be heard in Provincial Court, not Divisional/Superior Court. And, an accused most definitely does not get to ‘address the jury’ EVER, much less on a guilty plea.
Page 410, ‘testimony’ - although she gave it from the witness box, it’s not testimony, just a statement made with no oath/affirmation, no cross-examination.
Page 412, oh she’s (Selma) just misguided, some probation is the appropriate sentence thinks Jilly. OMG. Selma not only kidnapped a child and unlawfully confined her for 6 months, she also planned and carried out a scheme to frame Kate for the ~death~ of the child. Selma is unfit to be a mother, she was not thinking about the child at all, only herself. And she firmly believes that what she did, framing Kate, is ~right~. Selma doesn’t even know for certain that Tess is her daughter, she merely suspects it. This woman should spend YEARS in prison.
Page 417 - Tess is not Selma’s daughter (dna testing)
Page 420 - Claire is one year old in May.
Page 421 - Claire is wearing a red shirt, and a comment is made that she thinks she’s a judge. Only Supreme Court of Canada Justices wear red robes; judges at other levels wear black robes.

[Mark Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional story with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. Third book in a series but not necessary to read the first two. It wouldn’t hurt though. The book begins with the abduction and possible murder of a little girl. Who took the girl and why? Was she still alive or did the abductor kill her shortly after abducting her? The book is a very quick read as the evidence is collected aimed at the mother of the child. Did the mother do it? Or is it one of many other suspects that come to light when defense lawyer Jilly Truit and her team of lawyers and others investigate. No spoilers here. If you want a fast paced page turner this is it.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second Jilly Truitt book I have read, written by the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. As a stand alone legal thriller it is a decent read. However, my legal mind kept getting in the way while I read this book and although I never practiced criminal defense law I found way too many errors in this book. This is the same problem I found with the first Jilly Truitt book I read and it gets in the way of an enjoyable read. I won't be reading any more of her books because of this.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable ending. Writing was repetitive. Poorly edited, but not as bad as the terrible editing in book 2, Denial.

[janellonthebeach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sitting at three stars for the out-to-lunch celebrity parents (who were mobbed by paparazzi to the point it broke up their marriage but nobody figured out she'd never been pregnant, and never bothered to check if their adoption lawyer was legit?), the young nanny (who happens to meet celebrity mom unaccompanied on multiple occasions and get herself hired, then took over all authority in the professional relationship- the dad sues for full custody because she says so?), incompetent police (who very prematurely close a case on sketchy evidence when under incredible public scrutiny and are we to believe that super rich popstar dad wouldn't have been demanding they keep searching, making public statements every single day, or hired his own private detectives, instead of wallowing all alone watching tv and smoking pot?), the lawyer (who calls out all the shoddy police investigating yet never once thinks to stake out the manipulative nanny's grandpa's remote farm rather than scan a bazillion hours of CCTV from all over the lower mainland) and a few rotten red herrings. It lost two stars however, when Jilly makes a stop for a salad and lingers over her lavender tea while chatting up her waitress at an out-of-the way little town IMMEDIATELY after making a discovery that is so important that she gets shot at for her trouble and so time sensitive that it later requires a skilled police driver with full lights and sirens to get her and the head incompetent police detective back to the scene and helicopters to chase down the suspects that she found before stopping for lunch... I actually had to go back and re-read to see what I was missing. I didn't miss anything, other than I guess Jilly was really hungry. Is it still classified as a legal thriller if it doesn't actually require the law or go to trial for a resolution? Saved from a one star for the Canadian settings. For a truly excellent read by our retired Supreme Court Chief Justice, go for her memoir!

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the third in a series by this author who has the distinction of being a former Canadian Supreme Court justice, thus having intimate knowledge of the courts and the law. Her knowledge is evident in her writing, which give them a more realistic flavour than many in this genre. However, I did also feel that the novel moved very slowly as it covered endless details of theories about who might have committed the murder and all the possible arguments that could been made in court. These became somewhat tedious and repetitive. It was also disappointing that this book had several typos in it that should’ve been caught by good editor. I found that the crime itself was quite unpalatable (the kidnapping of a small child and the repeated musings over her possible death or her fate in the hands of a pedophile). Similarly, the accusation that her mother had murdered her, even in the absence of real evidence such as an actual body seemed to stretch credulity. To me that felt quite beyond belief that the courts would go that far to pursue a case on such flimsy evidence. I was able to identify the most likely suspect (who turned out to be the actual kidnapper) quite early on and was disappointed that the protagonist kept glossing over that individual time and time again. It was obvious to me that that person had the most to gain by kidnapping the child and was hard for me to understand why Jilly would not have seen that. Also, the fact that several characters in the novel came from almost identical, backgrounds, where their parents had died tragically early on seemed too coincidental. Overall, it was a decent book, but perhaps not as strong as the other two in the series.

[Pgchuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Jilly is persuaded to return to work as a defence lawyer, despite the fact that she is grieving for her murdered partner and their baby is still very young. She is asked to represent Kate, the mother of a missing 5-year old child. Kate is soon charged with murder and Jilly has become so involved by this stage that she agrees to take the case on pro bono. Her law partner Jeff takes this surprisingly well, considering the amount of time and resources Jilly devotes to the case. As Jeff points out, she spends as much time trying to prove Tess is still alive as she does preparing for the murder trial.

I found the beginning slow, the middle a page-turner, and the ending odd. The solution to the mystery of what happened to Tess was satisfactory, but the way it was narrated didn't really ring true. I assume, given the writer's credentials, that the legal aspects were depicted accurately, but at times Jilly's behaviour seemed extreme. My only other quibble was Jilly's apparent belief that no mother had ever before worked and cared for a baby at the same time and in the same way. In fact Jilly had lots of support and almost supernaturally wonderful childcare arrangements.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverley McLachlin was the longest-serving Chief Justice of Canada for 17 years and, previously was a Judge on the Supreme Court of Canada, which probably explains why she knows her way around writing novels about the law. Proof is such an example. It is the third instalment of the lawyer Jilly Pruitt series but reads well as a standalone. Pruitt is on maternity leave when she feels drawn to a case that has made headline news in British Columbia. A child has been kidnapped and all signs point to the mother Kate, who is separated from her husband, a popular entertainer. Because she has lost custody of the child it becomes obvious to many that she must be the criminal. And when the child’s clothing is discovered, the authorities immediately believe that she has been killed and Kate is charged with the crime. Because the police will look no further, Jilly takes Kate’s case and becomes embroiled in the investigation of evidence that is not what it seems. I have read the 3 books in this series and have enjoyed the storylines and characters and look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Not my normal mystery/lawyer type story. But it was an easy read. I figured it out about 3/4 of the way through. Initial premise didn’t make any sense to me so I knew there was another outcome. Took a while to get to that outcome and found quite a bit of repetition but some good characters.

One thing I noticed is that the proofreading was weak. Quite a few mistakes for a published book. But a minor complaint. I knew what the word/sentence was supposed to be.

Anytime a CDN Supreme Court Justice turns author is impressive to me. And I learned 3 new words I had never heard of before. Including palaver!

Apparently there are 2 previous books with the same lead character so may check them out.

Interesting to me, personally, was that Beverly McLachlin co-wrote the majority opinion in the Percy Schmeiser vs Monsanto Supreme Court case. I was there and lived that case (we won in a 5-4 decision) so certainly remembered the name.

A good story based in Canada so also recognized a lot of the places in and around Vancouver.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed a lot about this book - it was easy to read and felt at times like watching a crime show unfold. However there was a lot of unnecessary repetition and unnecessary passages including the minutia of a criminal case and law jargon that is not needed for the casual reader.
I also was pretty sure I knew who the kidnapper was very early in the story and found Jilly more and more annoying as it went on because she wasn’t following up on any of the big revelations, especially after her meeting with Selma (which took way too long to happen anyway!) It made her look stupid which didn’t fit with the character from the start of the story.

My other issue was that the very end was unnecessarily tied in a bow that made me roll my eyes. Why is she friends with her former client and the entire family? Why is the hard nose detective suddenly apologetic and kind and possibly dating her ?! So silly. Not needed at all the missing child story stood better on its own.

[Birdtrovert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Thank you to the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know I'm a little late, but I finally finished this book. I'm not usually a huge fan of mystery/crime novels (I prefer it in a visual medium.) I really enjoyed this! It was very interesting and well written. It genuinely had me guessing and wondering who was actually the bad guy here.

Will I check out more by this author? I don't know yet. But I'm not against thinking about it!

I enjoyed this a lot!

Edit: I also want to throw out, the author being the first woman to hold the position of Chief Justice in Canada (and being the longest serving) means she actually does understand what she's talking about for all the law stuff in the book. I think that's absolutely fascinating. It doesn't mean the book is always guaranteed to be good but in this case, I think it really worked.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beverley McLachlin has written an entertaining sequel to the first two Jilly Truitt books in which the main character plays the part of defense lawyer/detective. The formula works well and I did not guess who the perpetrator of the crime was.

I did find the plot a bit too drawn out and there was a little too much reliance on the basic mystery formula. But my main criticism is the poor editing, at least in the e-book that I read. There were quite a few sentences that were missing words or had not been put together logically. A character was named incorrectly at one point which was confusing. I think that Ms McLachlin deserves better.

Still, I mostly enjoyed this novel and will probably continue reading the series because I like the characters and the descriptions of the Vancouver setting.

[Art Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not necessarily the most wonderful book I've read this year. It's a little repetitive and takes awhile to get going but it's a fun read and closes with a flourish! What is most remarkable is that it is written by a truly great Canadian jurist and Supreme Court Justice who having finished her leagal career at the top of her game, has got enough game to start a new caree as a writer!
It says a lot about how different Canada is.
And who better to write a legal thriller! This is also the last book I will finish reading this year and it was a very fun way to end a truly crap year for the world if not necessarily myself (though it had some truly awful moments the good far outweighed the bad). For any who choose to read this review, I wish you many good reads for the year and years to come!

[Susan Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first foray into McLachlin's writing. I would have liked to rate it 2.5 stars. It is well written, but lacked the tension I would expect in a mystery/suspense and after awhile felt repetitive, so many "maybes", Truitt personalizing just about everything. I had identified the culprit early on in the book. I respect the inside knowledge of the justice system, it needled me that police resources were put on protecting 2 characters who had received direct and indirect threats for sustained periods of time, this would never happen in reality. And then voila it was just dropped or never referred to again. Despite my grumblings, the characters were believable and definitely the dynamic between the main characters believable. But would I reach back and read the other books in the series? no.

[Vontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging, suspenseful & enjoyable read, as usual. Lots of themes & subthemes, many of them no doubt informed by current events, and by parts of her own life and her working life as a lawyer and judge. It takes place again within the lower mainland of British Columbia, with much of the action outside the city of Vancouver. I had made a recent road trip out in several of the eastern Fraser Valley area, so those areas stood out & added reality to the book, too. This is the third book in her series, and I look forward to reading new volumes. I did identify the 'guilty party' before the end of the book, but there was certainly lots of action before it was all revealed & confirmed at the end. The book ended with a possible hint of things to come in the next book.

[Jim Barney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard that Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, was coming to the Toronto Public Library to discuss her latest Jilly Truit legal thriller.

I hadn’t read the first two books in the series, Full Disclosure and Denial, so I read those books first. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of the third book Proof.

All 3 books are excellent. I recommend reading the books in order to better appreciate Jilly’s character development.

I thoroughly enjoyed Proof. It was a thrilling page-turner.

Beverley McLachlin’s talk tonight was fascinating. She is very sharp for 81.

[Rob Dekker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very pleasurable read (can you say that about a murder mystery) that fit a format for the genera. It was fast paced, no reader like to linger in a good mystery, and every chapter was the encouragement to move to the next. I only chose when to put the book down when my eyelids protested.

I have not read the previous books in the series but I find myself looking at book one in the Jilly Truit series as near future read.

No spoilers from me, this being a quick read you won’t wait long to get to the resolution of the case. Beverly McLachlin has created a series that fits nicely in to a library filled with Kathy Reichs’ Bones novels.

[Garth Mailman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jilly Truitt #3
Proof
Beverley McLachlin

This is the third outing for this defense lawyer, now a single parent. A young woman aids a rock star’s career and after 3 miss carriages gives him a daughter or so it seems. They disagree over using the child for publicity purposes, the mother favouring the child’s privacy. After the inevitable divorce an ugly custody battle ensues. Jilly gets involved after the child is abducted while the father sleeps on a private beach.

Justice is what can be proved in a court of law, truth is quite another matter. The case in question here shows what happens when law enforcement have tunnel vision.

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Truth be Told so was excited to begin Proof. Her knowledge of the judicial system and the geographic area of British Columbia raise this novel to a high degree of realism. Child custody situations and missing children are not stories of joy and this one dragged for months while no progress is made in finding the missing Tess. Her mother Kate is receiving threats and the public has deemed her an unfit mother and guilty of murder, although no body has been found. A surprise ending adds more sadness as we learn about the negative aspects of christian cults. A gripping read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another winner. Jilly Truit is a criminal defence lawyer and a new mother. The father, Mike, was murdered because of a case Jilly defended. The bullet was meant for her. Jilly is still grieving that loss and dealing with post-partum depression.

Jilly reluctantly takes on a missing child case with all fingers pointed at the Mom for kidnapping her. There had been an acrimonious break-up between the parents.

This is McLachlin’s 3rd book. Her experience as a lawyer and a judge gives her the insight into writing believable stories.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one although I found it a little ‘annoying’ to start. Accusing someone of murdering their own child with circumstantial evidence. Easy read , a page turner and with the author’s background I expect she knows the legal system very well. But I’m not sure a defence lawyer would go to such extremes to find evidence in her client’s favour, especially with a new born and a deceased partner. The police can’t be that incompetant. Predictable ending and in need of a good editor. A nice break for me from heavier novels.

[Sheila Soprovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series. Interesting look at the Canadian judicial system. Jilly, a defense lawyer, is on maternity leave when an young child, Tess, goes missing while on holiday with her dad. Soon, Tess's mom, who has mental health and drug issues, is arrested for murder and Jilly takes on the case. Jilly doesn't think the police are doing enough and becomes more involved.
I was initially frustrated as Jilly is manipulated into taking the case, but as the hunt for Tess continues, I really needed to finish this book. And I was hoping for #4, but this one was published in 2024.

[Lori Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverly McLachlin’s “Proof” featuring Jilly Truitt is a gripping and suspenseful novel about a mother who is accused of kidnapping and killing her own child. McLachlin weaves an engrossing web of possibilities and uncertainty through the majority of the story. The testimony at the end reveals all in one go. This is the third novel in the Jilly Truitt series, and secures Truitt as a fierce and independent character to be reckoned with.