‘Like the best filmmakers, Li draws you to the edge of your seat and keeps you there.’ — The New York Times

My latest novel Complicit was selected by The New York Times for their August ‘Group Text’ book  club!  They call it ‘harrowing, timely, and thoroughly book-club-worthy.’ Which means a great deal to me, given how big a role that particular newspaper plays in the plot of Complicit!

New York Times Editors’ Choice

Best Crime Novels of 2022 and Best Noir Fiction of 2022 — CrimeReads

Best Crime Novels of 2022 — The Irish Times

Best Novels of 2022 — Grazia 

Best Books of 2022 — Glamour

Shortlisted for the Encore Award for outstanding second novel

A mystery set in the world of filmmaking, Complicit owes much to the stories that emerged in the #MeToo movement. But I also wanted to channel my own experiences working in the film industry as a young woman — and as a sexual violence survivor, who has done a lot of thinking and consulting on how we tell these kinds of stories in the media. While capturing my own passion for cinema, and the supposed fun and glamour of Hollywood, Complicit questions how much our individual ambitions affect our moral decisions, when our workplaces are already such an unequal playing field. It’s available to buy now on both sides of the Atlantic: in the UK,  in the US — and in Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and many other places.

 

Here’s just a sampling of the fantastic reviews that Complicit has had:

‘A spellbinding novel that transcends the immediacy of its #MeToo backdrop to deliver a broadside against the movie industry and the patriarchal system it embodies, in which sexism, racism and predatory behaviour are not only called out, but celebrated and rewarded… A quietly blistering J’accuse’ – The Irish Times

‘A visceral and timely novel… There is no doubt that Li knows the world she writes about intimately… Li’s novel is a way of acknowledging the women whose stories have been heard, and those who haven’t.’ – The Observer

‘Complicit by Winnie M Li is the first book to explore the #MeToo movement in Hollywood from someone behind the camera.  Protagonist Sarah Lai is a lecturer at an obscure college in America, yet she was one on the cusp of a promising film career. When a curious journalist comes knocking on her door, memories of youthful ambition and feelings of guilt come rising to the surface.  It’s a striking look at power dynamics within the film industry from the perspective of producers. It asks the important question of what would you ignore to get ahead?  Would you stay silent to protect your career and your dreams?  Author Winnie M Li is herself a former film producer and the survivor of a sexual assault. She’s an empowering example, really, of a woman who refused to stay silent and wants to encourage other women to do the same, to destabilise the power structures in place that fail to protect women.’ – Mariella Frostrup, Times Radio

‘An excellent thriller… grippingly readable and fired by righteous anger.’ – The Daily Mirror  and The Daily Express

‘The all-consuming movie-making world and a powerful, predatory boss are described with such convincing, compelling clarity.’ – The Times

‘‘Sarah’s harrowing story reveals how easy it is for someone to compromise their principles in the pursuit of success… A timely & important read.’ – The Daily Mail

‘A must-read for anyone who’s ever wondered what really goes on behind Hollywood’s PR-approved glamour… A timely reminder that we should never lose sight of the #MeToo movement.’ – Stylist

‘This left an impact long after reading… You’ll have definite feelings about it when you finish it. I inhaled it.’ – The Belfast Telegraph

‘A sharp and timely look into the dark heart of Hollywood… [A] rollercoaster read’ – Elle

‘Both a #MeToo thriller and a complex literary achievement that sheds an important light on Hollywood’s darkest secrets and brings an essential and underrepresented perspective – that of an Asian-American film producer – to the fore.’ – CrimeReads

‘Li skillfully depicts the ways in which powerful people exploit and abuse those trying to get a foothold in the film industry… Intriguing.’ – Publishers Weekly

‘Li draws on her experience in the film industry to bring authenticity and raw honesty to her second novel, a timely page-turner that explores the emotional impact of sexual assault.’ – BookList

‘Complicit functions as both warning and gossipy good read’ – LitReactor

‘A deliciously dark novel’ – Woman and Home

‘A timely #MeToo thriller.’ – Bella