Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty

A respected married scientist embarks on an impulsive affair with a mysterious stranger she meets in Westminster, a decision that spirals into secrecy, violence, and a murder trial. As clandestine encounters give way to a shocking assault and a desperate attempt at retribution, her carefully constructed life—career, marriage, and identity—begins to collapse. In the courtroom, shifting truths, unreliable loyalties, and moral ambiguity force her to reckon with desire, consent, and the devastating cost of deception.

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