Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - HQ Stories

Source - Review Copy

Blurb from Goodreads

ON AN ORDINARY WORKING DAY…

Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. He’s at his son’s nursery to pick up Max. But he isn’t there.

YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE…

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. Max has been locked in her car for six hours on the hottest day of the year.

IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE…

But she’s too late.

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…

A gripping, brave and tense courtroom drama, Next of Kin will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, heart-stopping page.



My Review

Leila is the big sister, responsible, organised, does everything for Yasmin since they were kids and it was just them. Yasmin has a little boy Max that Leila dotes on but Leila has always sacrificed everything so Yasmin doesn't have to. When the morning of her big deal comes and she is asked to drop Max off at daycare of course she agrees despite it being an inconvenience. None of them could have forseen what would happen that morning or how their lives will change forever.

It kicks off really quickly so you are pulled in from pretty much the first few chapters. There is a lot of history with Leila and Yasmin and why Leila is always the rescuer and now this incident will completely change their relationship. We see a fair chunk of the book surrounding a court case and the emotions and feelings mostly with Leila drawing you in.

The book has some very hard hitting subjects, death, child endangerment, loss, suicide, relationships, family and so much more. Leila's husband is an absolute tool and I gasped at one point like what the actual, why why why would you do that ugh.

This is my second read with this author and it won't be my last. Some of the happenings in the book are pretty shocking and hard hitting, emotive and either you can identify or empathise with what happens. Pretty emotive and rage inducing at some point, I am struggling to get a proper run at reading however I sank into this over 2 days. 4/5 for me this time, not an easy read due to the subjects covered but absorbing and engaging, she doesn't pull her punches!

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