In Focus

The final book club selection of the year was Mad Honey, co-written by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

The novel centers around Asher, an 18-year-old accused of murdering his girlfriend, Lily. The story unfolds through two perspectives: Asher’s mother, Olivia, in the present as she navigates the trial, and Lily’s voice in the weeks leading up to her death.

This is not a clear-cut case. Asher is the one who discovers Lily’s dead body and is quickly identified as the prime suspect. As the trial progresses, the evidence raises constant doubt about whether he is truly guilty. Olivia struggles with this uncertainty, especially as she begins to notice unsettling similarities between her son and her abusive ex-husband, Asher’s father.

Through Lily’s voice in the chapters, readers learn about her past and the events before her murder, including tensions involving her estranged father, which add another layer of suspicion. Lily is also hiding a secret—one that, when revealed, dramatically changes the direction of the trial and challenges the assumptions of everyone involved.

The ending was completely unexpected and left me with the lingering feeling that justice was not fully served, highlighting how deeply flawed the court system can be. One line that stayed with me was, “There is no place for the truth in the court of law.” At times, it really does feel that way—it’s less about truth and more like a chess match, where winning depends on who can create the most doubt.

With its constant twists, Mad Honey was hard to put down. Olivia’s present-day perspective is grounded in the trial and she works as a beekeeper, using bees as powerful metaphors for what is unfolding. Lily’s chapters, set in the past, gradually reveal the emotional and personal truths that shape the story.

Overall, it was a compelling, thought-provoking read and a strong choice to close out the book club year.