Reese Witherspoon has selected Philippa Malicka’s In Her Defense as the latest selection for her popular book club.
Malicka’s debut novel, published Tuesday by Scribner, follows a sensational defamation trial in the U.K., which arose after television star Anna Finbow accused therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter. A critic for Kirkus wrote of the novel, “As the book goes on, more and more questions arise about victimhood, power, perspective. Many are unanswerable, all are fascinating. Readers will be on tenterhooks waiting for the outcome of the trial.”
Witherspoon announced the novel’s selection in a video on Instagram, saying, “You love this book and you love this book?” while displaying copies of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List and Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game. “Then you are going to lose your mind over this book,” she continued, holding up Malicka’s novel.
“You don’t know what’s real and you don’t know who to trust,” Witherspoon said. “I couldn’t put it down. I hope you love it.…You’re going to lose your mind over it.”
Malicka reacted to her novel’s selection on Instagram, writing, “Beyond breathless to announce that In Her Defense is this February’s @reesesbookclub pick!!!!! The entire journey so far has been so exciting and so appallingly hard to keep secret. Now I can bellow it from the rooftops and I am so so proud to be part of such a fabulous club.…I am off now to change a nappy [diaper] and drink some sherry but can’t wait to hear what you all think of my long cherished story.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
