Wow, I couldn’t put this book down! Take It Back is a fast-paced courtroom thriller, set in London, with a very timely plot and well-developed characters. I made sure NOT to read any spoilers before I began this novel, and I would advise other readers not to either, because there are several twists through-out the story that will stay with you for a while after reading. 

Zara Kaleel left her high profile career as a barrister to become a counselor at a local sexual assault center. Estranged from her more traditional Muslim family, and torn by her own beliefs, wants, and needs, Zara makes for a conflicted and interesting character. When Jodie Wolfe, a disabled teen with facial deformities, enters the center and tells Zara that she was gang raped by four Muslim boys from her high school, Zara makes it her mission to help Jodie get justice.

It doesn’t take long for the media to pick up on the case, and for racial tensions to reach a crescendo. Jodie, and Zara are both dragged through the mud, and Zara’s conviction that Jodie is telling the truth holds her strong through the process.

This is definitely a harrowing read, and deals with vivid accounts of rape, violence, and racism. Zara is not always likeable, but she is definitely relatable. I loved how Kia Abdullah builds the suspense, letting the reader make up their own mind about the case while they read, giving us insights into Zara’s head, but also Jodie’s and the boys that she accuses heads. I also appreciate that the author delves deep into a rape case, to show that it often isn’t the truth that wins a case of this type, but the portrayal of the survivor, the perpetrator(s), and the lives that they live.

I’m looking forward to reading Kia Abdullah’s next novel now - I love a deep, gritty, shocking, and believable thriller! Take It Back is definitely a 4.5 star read for me!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.