This beautifully written book is the 5th novel by this author I have read. She creates characters that stay with me long after the book has finished and Thorn of Truth is no exception. In this book we read about Anna, who is a barrister and walk with her through some tough decisions which have potentially devastating consequences for her only daughter. S L Russell has produced another thought provoking book, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

S.L. Russell's latest novel tells the story of Anna Milburn, a seasoned barrister, whose very foundations are shaken when her only daughter is caught in the violent fallout of the murder of a young policeman. I was privileged to read The Thorn of Truth before it went to press and I can tell you, it’s a cracking story. The Thorn of Truth is the second book in a short series of related stories. The first, The Healing Knife, had me so enthralled that I read it in one sitting. If you enjoyed The Healing Knife you won’t be disappointed with this new work. Although S.L. Russell writes in a genre I would not normally read, hers are books for which I gladly make an exception. Why? Beautifully written in an engaging style, her refreshing contemporary Christian novels stand out as authentic, realistic, sometimes gritty and always compassionate. “S.L. Russell masters the contemporary Christian novel in this beautifully compelling story of the consequences of treading the thin line between heart and conscience.” C.F. Dunn Any review I post is free from bias and reflects my independent appraisal of the book in question.

Another gem of a book from this exceptional author. The story was excellently constructed and was a fast moving and exciting read. A story of friends, families and the life of a barrister as she faces cases from the humdrum to the challenging. When one high profile case impacts her home life suddenly her worlds crash together and everything becomes intensely personal and dangerous. Another read from this author which was impossible to put down, it comes highly recommended.

Having read three of this author’s previous novels I see her as a writer who opens up major ethical issues in our contemporary society, in such a way that they present a spiritual challenge to the main protagonist – and also engage us in our own dilemmas. In each of S.L. Russell’s previous novels I have learned many new things about a profession which had formerly been a mystery to me: in her novel The Healing Knife I felt I was in the operating theatre with a senior surgeon, understanding all the details of major surgery; in this novel I found myself in a world of barristers and judges and courtrooms and the Inns of Court and the Middle Temple. Our main protagonist Anna, a barrister, is faced with a direct personal challenge; a corrupt police officer is keen to use a new court case to put away a man he has long believed to be a drug-lord – and Anna is required to defend him in this case which she believes weak, and in which she feels convinced he is innocent. Yet she herself has strong personal reasons to get this man put down for a long time: he may well be responsible for a life-altering tragedy in her own close family. Anna must put her own personal feelings aside and do what is right. In this author’s previous novels, I have come to see her as a novelist who always surprises the reader with the direction in which she ultimately takes her story. Each time, for me, the focus of the story has shifted. I think the novel is about one thing; and then it changes, and becomes something else entirely. Yet the focus on the central ethical issue remains strong. In The Thorn of Truth, our main protagonist Anna takes a decision to defend Leaman, a man who might be a Mr Big in the drug world. She must do this despite the fact that her family may condemn her for her actions. Then her own personal involvement is complicated by her daughter’s new and growing friendship with Leaman’s own daughter. Later on the story becomes less about the guilt or innocence of this man in regard to the drugs, and instead focuses on the true killer in the current case, and the shocking and unexpected risk to her daughter Millie’s life. In this story too, S.L. Russell interweaves the lives of three characters from her previous novel, as Anna meets and builds up a relationship with Rachel, the main protagonist of The Healing Knife, and Rachel’s husband Michael and step-son Jasper. I found Anna’s relationship with her daughter Millie the strongest element of the novel, and was gripped by the crisis that flares up. Ultimately this is a novel of big moral issues causing agonising ethical dilemmas which test the spiritual values of the main protagonist. Another challenging and powerful novel from S.L. Russell. This was an honest review of an ARC.

A compelling story about love, duty, integrity and the high cost of truth. Anna Milburn is a barrister with a strong sense of calling and a commitment to the highest standards in both her professional and personal lives. When faced with a seemingly impossible choice, Anna is called to draw on every ounce of strength she possesses in order to make the right decision while taking into account the threat to her own interests and those she loves. I have read all of Russell’s books and one of the things I love most is the strong sense of place. It’s important to me to be able to see, in my mind’s eye, where a character is at any given point, and this will only happen if descriptions are well written. This author achieves this every time, clearly, economically and with just the right amount of detail to fill out the scene for me. Too many words and I’m lost. Too few and I’m frustrated. Russell gets it just right. As well as this, all the elements of a good story are there: page-turning suspense, believable characters, engaging dialogue, conflict, questions, resolution, all woven skillfully together in an easy, flowing writing style. I would highly recommend this book which also holds a fascinating glimpse into the legal world and weaves a very human story around a system that can clearly hold many challenges for those within it. I have read all eight of Russell’s books and am looking forward already to the next one.

One rule of thumb I have for assessing novels is how well the writer handles long stretches of dialogue. Some writers, of course, avoid this altogether, but many find it it a useful technique for developing characters and introducing information. But it has to be done right. A long exchange between two characters can become slow and boring. More than two characters can become confusing. If used to communicate background information, it can easily slip into monologues – and an obvious ‘info-dump’ is deadly to the pace of a novel. Russell shows how it should be done. At the end of chapter one there’s a lengthy stretch of dialogue between the main character, Anna, and her new friend Rachel (the main character from the author’s previous book, ‘The Healing Knife’: nice to meet her again and catch up on her life!). The conversation between them flows easily. It’s broken up with movement, with description of objects and locations; and through it all important information is communicated to the reader in a smooth and natural manner. The author’s ability to use dialogue effectively promises well for the rest of the book, and I was not disappointed. She has a smooth, easily accessible style of writing which drew me in. Though the main character is a Barrister, this isn’t really a legal drama in the usual sense. Rather, it’s a compelling study of the characters involved, and the conflicts than can arise between ethics and expediency. Having said that, the legal side of the story has an authentic feel to it, and the forensic analysis of evidence to establish guilt or innocence is fascinating. There are several sub-plots that support the main story, adding depth to the characters and realism to the story. The conflicts between Anna and her daughter, the developing friendship with Rachel and Anna’s return to faith after painful events in her past are just some of the strands that Russell weaves together to make an effective, well-paced and often thoughtful story. (I was sent a pre-publication copy in return for an honest review. 'The Thorn of Truth' is due to be published by Lion Hudson on 22 May, 2021).

I wouldn't normally pick a book featuring a barrister as a main character or a legal case as a main topic but that just shows that I ought to be more adventurous. I really did enjoy delving into the world of Anna Milburn and the dilemmas into which she, frankly, takes herself because of moral principles. I thought her characterisation convincing and cared about her progress from the start. The book is a page-turner and well-constructed with a lovely mix of plot and subplot. I particularly enjoyed the storylines regarding Anna's sometimes tetchy relationship with her daughter, Millie, particularly as Millie starts to get drawn into danger as a result of Anna's own choices. I also liked the backstory about Anna and her ex-husband, the relationship between Millie and Tiffany and the way the action heats up towards the climax of the story, just as it should. Of interest to me, too, was the way characters had been transferred from one of S L Russell's previous novels, The Healing Knife, and their stories continued in this one, although reading The Healing Knife wouldn't be necessary to enjoy this stand-alone. The novel was an enjoyable distraction from all the things I should have been doing! I received a free copy of this book and this is an honest review, all views my own. (less)