JACK JORDAN BLOGATHON: Conviction

The next book on the Compulsive Readers Jack Jordan blogathon is Conviction!

For my stop on the tour I am resharing my review and if you haven't read Conviction yet I can't recommend it highly enough.

TO STEAL A MAN'S FREEDOM ALL IT TAKES IS . . . CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground. 

 

When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence. 

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.

 

Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.

 

Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger.

 

What did I think?

Conviction is the book that everyone is talking about and rightly so as it's another corker from The Master of the Moral Dilemma, Jack Jordan.  Miss this one at your peril; it's an absolute must read.

I love a good courtroom drama and this is a cracker as you actually feel as if you're judge and jury, sifting through evidence and deciding 'Guilty' or 'Not Guilty'.  I must have changed my mind a hundred times as the twists and turns of the trial played out.  Of course, this is a Jack Jordan book so there can't just be one hook...the defence barrister is being blackmailed into throwing the trial, which is a moral dilemma and a half.  

The plotting is razor sharp, the writing is flawless and the author continues to showcase his limitless talent, so I don't have to be Mystic Meg to predict that this book is going to be HUGE.  I am completely in awe of Jack Jordan's amazing writing and his imagination knows no bounds.  So, is Wade Darling guilty or not guilty?  You'll just need to read the book to find out!

Gripping, fast-paced and super-twisty, Conviction is absolutely brilliant and it's easily going to be one of my books of the year.  Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.  Very highly recommended.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night and an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. After selling at auction in the UK and numerous foreign territories, Do No Harm is set to be the thriller of the summer in 2022. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Follow Jack on social media:

Twitter: @JackJordanBooks

Instagram: @jackjordan_author

Facebook: @JackJordanOfficial

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Conviction - Jack Jordan

TO STEAL A MAN'S FREEDOM ALL IT TAKES IS . . . CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground. 

 

When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence. 

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.

 

Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.

 

Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger.

 

What did I think?

Conviction is the book that everyone is talking about and rightly so as it's another corker from The Master of the Moral Dilemma, Jack Jordan.  Miss this one at your peril; it's an absolute must read.

I love a good courtroom drama and this is a cracker as you actually feel as if you're judge and jury, sifting through evidence and deciding 'Guilty' or 'Not Guilty'.  I must have changed my mind a hundred times as the twists and turns of the trial played out.  Of course, this is a Jack Jordan book so there can't just be one hook...the defence barrister is being blackmailed into throwing the trial, which is a moral dilemma and a half.  

The plotting is razor sharp, the writing is flawless and the author continues to showcase his limitless talent, so I don't have to be Mystic Meg to predict that this book is going to be HUGE.  I am completely in awe of Jack Jordan's amazing writing and his imagination knows no bounds.  So, is Wade Darling guilty or not guilty?  You'll just need to read the book to find out!

Gripping, fast-paced and super-twisty, Conviction is absolutely brilliant and it's easily going to be one of my books of the year.  Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.  Very highly recommended.

I received a hardback copy for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

SPOTLIGHT TOUR: Conviction - Jack Jordan

If you have been following my blog, you will already know that I am a huge Jack Jordan fan.  His fantastic 2015 debut, Anything for Her is one of the best debuts I've ever read and just when you think you've read the best Jack Jordan book, he publishes another one that beats it.

I'm not sure how he could ever beat Do No Harm, which I absolutely loved and I'm still recommending to everyone (you can read my review HERE), but his new novel Conviction is coming out on 22nd June 2023 and I can't wait to read it.

To steal a man’s freedom all it takes is…

CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept and burning their house to the ground.

When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could make her career.

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must throw the case or the secret about her husband’s disappearance will be revealed. Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about, until she does as she is told.

Neve must make a choice – go against every principle she has ever had, or the people she loves will die.

Now, before you click HERE and rush off to Waterstones to preorder a SIGNED copy of Conviction, take a look at the fabulous book trailer:

About the author:

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Do No Harm, Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. Jack's novel Do No Harm was a Saturday Times Bestseller and was longlisted for a Dead Good Reader Award in 2022.

Follow Jack:

Twitter: @JackJordanBooks

Instagram: @JackJordan_author

Facebook: @JackJordanOfficial

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Nothing But The Truth (Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers Book 8) - Simon Michael

The past has finally caught up with Charles…

London, 1967

The psychopathic Kray twins rule London’s underworld, aided by their government connections, corrupt police and extreme violence.

Finally, Detective Superintendent “Nipper” Read’s taskforce has a chance to take them down.

The catch: Read needs barrister Charles Holborne to testify against them, while the Krays have evidence against him which would end his career and send him to prison.

Caught in the middle, and with his pregnant partner’s life and his career at stake, this time Charles has no choices left.

Can Charles put his past behind him once and for all? Will the Krays twins’ criminal hold over London finally be put to an end?

Or will everything come crashing down for Charles Holborne…?

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH is the eighth crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London.

 

What did I think?

WOW!  I have loved every single book in Simon Michael's Charles Holborne series and if the previous seven books are the icing on the cake then Nothing But The Truth is the cherry on the top.  It is OUTSTANDING!  I don't think I've ever read a more perfect book; I was shocked, surprised, angered, amazed and I even cried.

Although it's the eighth book in the series, you can read it as a standalone as the essence of Charles' character is evident on every page, however, it is simply breathtaking for readers already invested in the series.  Charles has a long history with the Kray twins and their reign of terror could finally be coming to an end as the police are closing in.  Charles needs to be one step ahead of the twins if he's ever going to free himself from their grasp.  Can he do it?  You'll need to read the book to find out!

Weaving fact with fiction, Simon Michael has created a believable and atmospheric legal thriller that entertains from start to finish.  The court case scenes are always brilliant in these novels but oh my word, this one is stunning; I was on the edge of my seat and completely gripped as Charles wielded and deflected every single virtual punch.   

I have loved reading about the developments in Charles' personal life and he's a character I have come to know and love over the years.  He's more settled than he's ever been now that his relationship with Sally is standing on firmer ground but his mother's feelings towards him don't seem to be improving, even though her health is declining.  I love that Charles never gives up on her though - there really is nothing sharper than a mother's tongue and Millie's is particularly sharp.

Nothing But The Truth is a masterclass in crime writing; the characters are vivid and well-developed, the 1960s era is beautifully portrayed and the plot is sublime.  Whether it's the last we read of Charles Holborne or not, Nothing But The Truth is simply perfect in every way.  

I first used the word 'unputdownable' back in 2016 in my review of The Brief, the first book in the Charles Holborne series, and the eighth novel definitely deserves a similar accolade.   Nothing But The Truth is unputdownable, unforgettable and unmissable - words than can be applied to the whole series, in fact.  Very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Final Shot: A 1960s London gangland thriller (Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers Book 7) - Simon Michael

 

Charles Holborne returns with another high-stakes case! Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Robert Bailey, Michael Connelly and Robert Dugoni.

They think it’s all over…

London, 1966

As England eagerly anticipates the World Cup Final, barrister Charles Holborne is briefed in another high-profile case.

Once a sadistic gangster, Reverend Stanley Sharpe found God while incarcerated and has run his own parish for a number of years since being released. But when he is convicted of murdering Frank Marshall, right-hand man to the Kray twins, he is sent back to prison for life.

Convinced that he is innocent, Reverend Sharpe’s wife begs Charles to apply to the Court of Appeal to reopen the case.

With his own question marks over whether Frank Marshall is really dead, Charles agrees to take the brief on.

But with the media now casting doubt over Sharpe’s redemption, Charles knows he is bound for failure unless he can find further evidence.

And to do so he must once again cross the most dangerous men in London…

THE FINAL SHOT is the seventh crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London.

What did I think?

The Final Shot is book 7 in the Charles Holborne legal thrillers series and it's written in such a way that you could definitely read it as a standalone, but I really do urge you to read the books in order as it's one of my favourite series and every single instalment is brilliant.

Set during the summer of 1966, when England is in the grip of World Cup fever and The Krays rule the shady London underworld, Charles Holborne is asked to advise on an appeal.  Stanley Sharpe gave up his life of crime to dedicate his life to the church and he is in prison for a crime he claims he did not commit.  The police have a confession from him, so why did he confess if he didn't do it?  

Charles Holborne never sees things in black and white, not when he knows the many shades of grey that lie within.  With The Krays having their fingers in many pies, nothing is ever as clear as it seems and if anyone will find out the truth, Charles will.  As well as the legal thriller side to the plot, Charles' personal life also plays a big part in the story.  Charles is no stranger to discrimination so he agrees to be shadowed by a young woman doing her pupillage.  Maria Hudson has set tongues wagging in chambers; she's female, American and black - what a shock to the system this must be in 1960's London!

Reconnected with his girlfriend Sally, Charles is in a much happier place now so it was lovely to see how his life has changed (for the better).  That's why it's worth reading the books in order as the reader becomes acquainted with Charles over the course of the series and you really do care about what happens to him.

Gripping, atmospheric and incredibly nostalgic, The Final Shot is a winner!  With the spirit of 1966 woven into the prose, I was gripped by World Cup Fever as well as the razor-sharp plot.  It's another unputdownable legal thriller from storyteller extraordinaire, Simon Michael.

I received an ARC from the author to read and review; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Publishing on 19/01/22, pre-order now from Amazon UK

BLOG TOUR: The Law of Innocence (Lincoln Lawyer Book 7) - Michael Connelly

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE OF HIS LIFE.

ONLY THIS TIME THE DEFENDANT IS HIMSELF

"The law of innocence is unwritten. It will not be found in a leather-bound code book. It will never be argued in a courtroom. In nature, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the law of innocence, for every man not guilty of a crime there is a man out there who is. And to prove true innocence the guilty man must be found and exposed to the world."

* * * * *

Heading home after winning his latest case, defense attorney Mickey Haller - The Lincoln Lawyer - is pulled over by the police. They open the trunk of his car to find the body of a former client.

Haller knows the law inside out. He will be charged with murder. He will have to build his case from behind bars. And the trial will be the trial of his life.

Because Mickey Haller will defend himself in court.

With watertight evidence stacked against him, Haller will need every trick in the book to prove he was framed. But a not-guilty verdict isn't enough. In order to truly walk free, Haller knows he must find the real killer - that is the law of innocence...

* * * * *

CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY.

What did I think?

It's a Michael Connelly book so you know it's going to be awesome but oh my word, The Law of Innocence is THE best Michael Connelly book I have ever read.  I'm a huge fan of the Harry Bosch novels and I'm still in the process of reading them but I haven't read any of the Lincoln Lawyer series.  Despite The Law of Innocence being the seventh book in The Lincoln Lawyer series, you can most definitely read it as a standalone, which is what I did and absolutely loved it.

Mickey Haller is The Lincoln Lawyer and when he is pulled over on an apparently routine traffic stop a body is discovered in the trunk of his Lincoln.  All of the evidence points to Mickey being guilty and he wants the best lawyer in town to defend him.  He is that lawyer.  Knowing that a not-guilty verdict will still tarnish his reputation, he sets out to prove his innocence by finding the real killer and, to my delight, enlists Harry Bosch to help him.

I love courtroom thrillers and you really do feel like you're in court when reading The Law of Innocence.  Michael Connelly writes a courtroom thriller that isn't just up there with the best of them, it blows them out of the water.  It's filled with suspense and tension as we see the tactics employed by the defense and prosecution as they both try to come out on top and win the case.  

The plot is beyond exceptional as the story goes in directions that nobody could predict; it kept me riveted from start to finish and I simply couldn't put the book down, reading later into the night than I planned.  It has certainly piqued my interest to start reading the Lincoln Lawyer series without feeling like I'm being disloyal to Bosch, as I suspect that Bosch may make an appearance in one or more of the previous books too.

Absolutely brilliant, The Law of Innocence is an outstanding courtroom thriller and I loved it so much that I could read it all over again right now.  Reading perfectly well as a standalone, Michael Connelly has certainly scooped up a new fan for his Lincoln Lawyer series.  So very highly recommended and without doubt a 5 star read.

Many thanks to Compulsive Readers for sending me an ebook to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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Force of Evil (Charles Holborne Legal Thriller Book 6) - Simon Michael

London, 1965

After a series of successful cases, Charles Holborne’s reputation is on the rise.

He is asked to work pro bono to represent a widow in a recent accidental death case.

The deceased was a Sergeant Maynard, an RAF policeman who worked at the Cardington base in Bedfordshire.

It seems his death was the result of a tragic motorcycle collision, but Mrs Maynard insists her husband was murdered.

Though sceptical at first, Charles soon realises she could be right.

And as he delves further, he realises that the RAF base could be the centre of a much bigger criminal undertaking…

As rifts in the corrupt Metropolitan Police are revealed, and the threats to Charles and those he loves escalate, he begins to wonder — has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?

FORCE OF EVIL is the sixth crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London. 

What did I think?

The Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers is a series I just can't get enough of and I couldn't wait to catch up with barrister Charles Holborne in the sixth instalment, Force of Evil, to see what scrapes he gets himself into this time.  This is a book that you could definitely read as a standalone as Simon Michael brilliantly touches on a few elements from previous books so any new Charles Holborne readers won't feel like they're missing something and fans of the series will be reminded of certain events.

It was only 4 years ago that I read The Brief (the first book in the Charles Holborne series) and said that it was BritCrime at it's very best.  Well, BritCrime just got better!  Force of Evil is simply outstanding.  Not only does Charles have an intriguing case to defend, but he has so much going on in his personal life that it's a wonder he isn't dizzy.  

Charles takes on a pro bono case when he is contacted by the widow of an RAF serviceman; the death appears to be an accident but a secret RAF investigation into the incident shows that there is more to it than meets the eye.  As Charles and his Irish policeman friend start to dig into Sergeant Maynard's death, they unwittingly put themselves and their loved ones in danger as someone wants to silence them at any cost.

If you've read any of the Charles Holborne series before, you'll know that Charles has a complicated love life and an even more complicated relationship with his mother.  Charles realises that he made a mistake letting Sally go and I love that he starts writing letters to her, sharing stories from his day in the hope of rekindling their romance.  I really have my fingers crossed for this couple.  Charles' mother isn't as much of a battleaxe as we're used to in Force of Evil as her health is starting to fail.  Millie may not have been the best mother but Charles remains the devoted son as he and his brother David do all that they can to help their parents.

The Charles Holborne series is going from strength to strength and long may it continue.  Simon Michael is a storyteller extraordinaire, fully immersing the reader in 1960's London through his riveting, enthralling and beautifully descriptive writing.  The courtroom scenes written by Simon Michael remain the best I've ever read as the reader sees all aspects of the trial through Charles Holborne's eyes.

As with the other Charles Holborne thrillers, Force of Evil is based on a true story and that is what makes it quite extraordinary.  Simon Michael brings these long forgotten events to light through his magnificent storytelling and yet again produces an unputdownable book.  This could be Charles Holborne's trickiest case yet as he is pitted against those who are meant to uphold the law.  

Riveting, gripping and breathtaking, Force of Evil is a stunning novel that had my heart racing and my palms sweating as the threats and danger increased.  Force of Evil isn't just unputdownable, it's completely unmissable; this is crime writing at its finest.

 

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Appeal - Janice Hallett

 

IN A TOWN FULL OF SECRETS

SOMEONE WAS MURDERED.

SOMEONE WENT TO PRISON.

AND EVERYONE'S A SUSPECT.

CAN YOU UNCOVER THE TRUTH?

Dear Reader - enclosed are all the documents you need to solve a case. It starts with the arrival of two mysterious newcomers to the small town of Lockwood, and ends with a tragic death.

Someone has already been convicted of this brutal murder and is currently in prison, but we suspect they are innocent. What's more, we believe far darker secrets have yet to be revealed.

Throughout the Fairway Players' staging of All My Sons and the charity appeal for little Poppy Reswick's life-saving medical treatment, the murderer hid in plain sight. Yet we believe they gave themselves away. In writing. The evidence is all here, between the lines, waiting to be discovered.

Will you accept the challenge? Can you uncover the truth?

What did I think?

Wow, just wow!  The Appeal is written in the most original format I have ever read and it's such an addictive read that I was loathe to put it down even for a moment.  Janice Hallett's exceptional debut novel doesn't just immerse the reader in the story but consumes them.  I didn't feel like I was reading a book; I actually believed I was part of the legal team reading through the evidence - what an amazing experience!

Written in the format of emails from various sources, it may take a little while to get used to, especially as you try to remember who is who.  Thankfully, most of the characters are part of a theatre group and the cast list for their latest production is an invaluable reference, especially with little post it notes attached showing the links between people.  Although there are a lot of characters, I was surprised how quickly I got to know them through the individual characteristics and tone of their emails.

I think there's something so very personal about reading emails, especially when you see things from all sides.  People just can't help bitching about other people and I felt really sorry for Issy who is desperately trying to fit in.  Reading what people thought about her and comparing this to how Issy related the same occasion to her friend was simultaneously sobering and shocking.  The characters in The Appeal aren't just two faced, they are diamond geezers; they are so multi-faceted that it's impossible to work out who you can trust.  

At the heart of The Appeal is the story of Poppy Reswick who has been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer.  As Poppy's grandparents are the alpha family who run the theatre group, the group all pitch in to raise funds so that Poppy can receive treatment that the hospital can't provide.  Issy taking the minutes for the fundraising meeting is absolute genius; it made me laugh out loud and I'm still laughing now just thinking about it.  

The Appeal is absolutely brilliant; it's an inventive and unique format that makes the reader feel like they're part of the story as they sift through the emails searching for clues.  It is SO addictive; once you start reading the emails you simply can't stop, so make sure your chores are done before you start The Appeal as there'll be no housework getting done until the final page is turned.

I really can't thank Viper enough for sending me a gifted proof of what is sure to be one of the hottest debuts of 2021; this is my honest review and all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Curious Case of Maggie Macbeth - Stacey Murray

Sometimes you have to take the law into your own hands...

After losing her high-powered job in Hong Kong, forty-something widow and lawyer, Maggie Macbeth, turns up on the doorstep of her old sidekick, Cath, in the sleepy Peak District village of Archdale. A fish out of water, Maggie comes into conflict with everyone and everything - especially Cath's awful friend, Tiggy - and rock bottom is just around the corner. But it turns out Maggie isn't the only one in trouble. When a crisis hits the local community, Maggie has a choice: to give up on life, or go back to her legal roots and fight for justice. But can she save the day as well as herself?

This laugh-out loud debut novel shows that no battle is too big when you've got friends on your side.

What did I think?

Stacey Murray's debut, The Curious Case of Maggie Macbeth is a very entertaining story with a larger than life protagonist.  Maggie Macbeth is kind of like a hedgehog: prickly and tough on the outside but soft and caring on the inside.  If you make friends with Maggie I think you'll have a friend for life, such as in the case of her friend, Cath.

Glaswegian Maggie Macbeth makes quite an entrance to the story when she turns up out of the blue at her friend's cafe in Derbyshire clutching a traffic cone.  I worked in Glasgow for a wee while so a Glaswegian clutching a traffic cone did make me chuckle in the same way as it did when I first saw the traffic cone perched atop the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow city centre.  A stickler for the rules, as evidenced by the confiscated traffic cone, Maggie inevitably seems to rub people up the wrong way at first but she's definitely someone you want on your side when the chips are down.

It's not a saying I've ever adopted but it came to mind when I was reading Maggie's story: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  Widowed and unemployed in her forties, Maggie has been handed more than her fair share of lemons but I felt that she got more job satisfaction through helping a local farmer with a loan contract than she ever did with any of her high flying clients in Hong Kong.  Of course, it helps when the farmer in question is a bit dishy!

I loved Maggie and Cath's longstanding friendship and the strain it was put under when Maggie seemed to have outstayed her welcome.  Cath's dog, Jazz, has to get a special mention as she's such a fantastic little character and she almost stole the show; she really took a shine to Maggie and the feeling is definitely mutual.  What I loved most is how things didn't always turn out as expected for Maggie, making it very realistic and true to life.

Gloriously heart-warming, The Curious Case of Maggie Macbeth is a fabulous feel-good book.  It might take a while for readers to warm to Maggie but she is well worth getting to know in this charming and witty debut from Stacey Murray.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




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The Night Lawyer - Alex Churchill

Sophie Angel is the night lawyer. Once a week, she's the one who decides what the papers can and can't say.

During the day, she's a barrister. She struggles for justice in a system that's close to collapse, where she confronts the most dangerous aspects of humanity. Her life changes when a wealthy Russian offers her the biggest case of her career, a rape trial with a seemingly innocent client. But is someone manipulating Sophie from the shadows or is the danger much closer to home?

With her marriage under strain and haunted by nightmares from the past, Sophie must find the answer to these questions before it's too late. 

This is a story about betrayal, trust, guilt and innocence, played out from the courtrooms of London to the darkest corners of Soviet era Moscow.

What did I think?

If you're like me and you love a courtroom drama then The Night Lawyer is most definitely for you.  There's nothing better than being immersed in a good story and feeling like you're viewing the trial from all angles and Alex Churchill does this absolutely brilliantly in her outstanding debut novel.  The Night Lawyer ticks all the boxes for a thrilling courtroom drama and then ticks a few more boxes for luck. 

Alex Churchill is on to a winner here as Sophie Angel is a superb character with more strands to her story than a plate of spaghetti.  The daughter of a Russian father and English mother, Sophie spent her early childhood in Moscow before her family defected to the west.  Sophie has nightmares about her childhood and there's something about her Uncle Kiril that her parents aren't telling her.  A big tick goes in the family secrets box.

Sophie is a barrister in the prestigious Inner Temple and married to popular QC Theo Frazer so her life should be the envy of all of her peers, however, the couple are struggling to make ends meet and there are rumours that Theo is having an affair.  Barrister by day and newspaper libel lawyer by night, Sophie has a lot on her plate without her personal problems.  Let's tick that box for a potentially cheating spouse and put an extra tick in the gossip box as Sophie hears whispers around court.

As the great comedian Frank Carson would say, 'There's more!'.  A case from the past comes back to haunt her when a prisoner escapes from custody and is rumoured to be obsessed with Sophie.  Sophie has to keep looking over her shoulder whilst also taking on a rape case at the request of the new newspaper owner's wife.  The court case that follows is absolutely sublime; I felt like I was judge, jury, defendant, victim, prosecutor and defence as well as viewing it all from the public gallery.  This is one of those books that you can't put down because you're 'in court'.  A huge tick for realistic courtroom scenes that keep the reader entertained.

Aside from the magnificent story, it was great to get an insight into the workings and history of the British justice system.  Although I already knew about the history behind the black robes, I did look up the gateway at the top of Inner Temple Lane and Fleet Street.  I was amazed to read that the gateway is one of only a few surviving medieval buildings in London and that the rooms above it date back to the 17th Century when they were reputed to be used as council chambers of Charles I when he was Prince of Wales.  I love books where I get a little something extra from them; little nuggets of interesting facts that send me off searching the internet for hours.  That's the exceptional box populated with a big fat tick.

The Night Lawyer is a stunning debut that transports the reader from the present day courtroom in London one minute to Sophie's early childhood in Soviet Moscow the next.  It says on the back cover that this is a Sophie Angel novel so I am crossing my fingers and toes that there are many more Sophie Angel novels to come.  The Night Lawyer is absolutely outstanding and is a very highly recommended read.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Waxwork Corpse (Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers Book 5) - Simon Michael

Charles Holborne is back – with his strangest case to date! Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Robert Bailey, Michael Connelly and Robert Dugoni.

A deadly crime has been dragged to the surface…

London, 1965

Charles Holborne, maverick barrister, will never fit in at the Bar; he is too working-class, too Jewish and too dangerous.

But that makes him the perfect outsider to prosecute a shocking murder case which has already made its way to the press.

By chance, a body was found, dumped in a lake. It had clearly been there for some time, but the conditions in the water have meant that it was nearly perfectly preserved.

The police have managed to match this ‘waxwork corpse’ to a missing woman and if her husband — a senior judge — was the one who killed her, the scandal threatens to rock the British justice to its foundations.

The waxwork corpse is not the only thing to be raised from the past. The investigation also dredges up a violent mistake made by Charles in his youth which, if revealed, could put his own life at stake…

THE WAXWORK CORPSE, based on a real Old Bailey case, is the fifth crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London.

What did I think?

I'm a huge fan of Simon Michael's Charles Holborne series and I made sure that I had this fifth instalment on preorder so that it dropped onto my kindle on release day.  Although it took me a few weeks to get round to reading it, I can definitely say that it was well worth waiting for.

Simon Michael has taken the Charles Holborne series to the next level with The Waxwork Corpse; not only do we get to see Charles at his lowest ebb but, as it says on the cover, there is a huge twist in this book.  I wasn't going to refer to this at all as it feels like a bit of a spoiler, but all I will say is that it's an absolutely brilliant jaw-dropping ending to an outstanding book.

My heart really went out to Charles in this book.  The prejudice he experiences is a common theme throughout the whole series but it seems to really reach a head in The Waxwork Corpse.  Not only do his peers look down their noses at him because of his Jewish ancestry and his East End upbringing, but his mother has basically disowned him because he refuses to conform to the Jewish faith.  Millie Horowitz is a very bitter woman and when she stops speaking to Charles she turns her forked tongue on her long suffering husband.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Charles Holborne legal thriller without a court case and what a case it is!  Charles is not afraid to take on a high profile case, after all he has nothing to lose and this case of the murdered wife of a judge resonates with Charles as he was in a similar situation in The Brief.  This time, Charles is on the prosecution rather than being the accused and I loved reading about sifting through the collection of evidence and flashbacks to the judge's past.

I actually didn't think Simon Michael's writing had any room for improvement but oh my goodness some of the descriptions in The Waxwork Corpse gave me goosebumps.  The description of Tiffen's Rock on the shore of Wastwater is simply sublime, but one sentence stood out among others and I'd like to share it here.  During one of Charles' own flashbacks during the blitz, he is out with his cousin Izzy when the air raid sirens start sounding and with searchlights scanning the skies for enemy aircraft, Simon Michael writes:

"London holds its breath."

Never before have four words been so powerful and held such meaning.  It feels like Simon Michael has carefully chosen every single one of his words and they all fit together perfectly to complete the jigsaw of The Waxwork Corpse. 

Scarily true to life The Waxwork Corpse is actually based on a real life case and you can find out more about the Lady in the Lake here.  I love that crossover between fact and fiction in novels, although we love to escape through fiction there's something special about books that feel true to life.  I always love it when a book interests me so much that I end up heading off to google to find out more.

Exceptional, outstanding and completely brilliant, The Waxwork Corpse, is Simon Michael at his finest.  This phenomenal series blasts all other legal thrillers out of the water and I can't recommend it highly enough.  Simon Michael, you're accused of stealing all five stars.  How do you plead?  GUILTY!

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Traumata - Douglas Renwick

In Khuh Tabar, in foothills of the Hindu Kush, a young Englishwoman witnesses a war crime in which her loved-ones die. In 2020, she returns to England, bereaved and broken. When she discovers the identity of the man who murdered them, her grief turns to anger.

She seeks solace from an on-line bereavement support group. One of them advises her to kill the man. Should she honour the ancient code of the Pashtuns and avenge their deaths, risking a life sentence for murder, or abide by the laws of her homeland and live with her anger forever?

When the killer is found dead, the police question her. She turns to her father for help.

What did I think?

I was completely intrigued when I read the synopsis of Traumata; I expected an angry revenge killing thriller but I was completely wrong as Traumata is so much more involved than that.  I experienced a wealth of emotions, both with Melanie and her father, as the story past and present is revealed.

Dr Melanie Green is serving her country in Afghanistan when she finds herself stranded in a Pashtun village in the mountains.  When she is 'rescued' in a dramatic and devastating way, she returns to England, grieving and alone.  Seeing her 'rescuer', Mr Nasty, climbing the ranks of British politics, her anger intensifies and she turns to an online support group where she meets an American named Rand.  In a series of email exchanges (which are included in the book), Rand and Melanie explore ways to kill Mr Nasty.  When Mr Nasty is found dead in suspicious circumstances, just days after Melanie reports his war crimes, the police turn their attention to Melanie.

Melanie's father, Michael, is a doctor in Spain and he returns home to help Melanie when her case goes to court and her mental health comes under scrutiny.  This is the part I really enjoyed and loved the way it was written to include courtroom scenes, conversations with legal counsel and the hunt for evidence to help Melanie.  The legal system really is like a game; bluff as much as you can and don't reveal all your cards until you have to.  I found the whole case gripping and intense, which kept the pages turning effortlessly.

The feeling I got throughout the whole book is a father's love for his daughter.  Michael never once lost faith in Melanie and was prepared to go to the ends of the earth to help her case.  I think being a doctor conflicted a little with his role as a father as he did question Melanie's mental health on occasion, but he never failed to do his best for her.

Traumata turned out to be completely different to what I imagined, in a very good way.  Aside from the very emotional and devastating story of Melanie's past, I loved the email transcripts and the legal element of the story.  The courtroom scenes were so vivid, I could have been sat in the public gallery myself.  The strapline 'Dramatic, Different, Exciting and Sensitive' is absolutely perfect for Traumata; a legal thriller that has its roots in the British Army in Afghanistan.  

Traumata is explosive, intense, emotional and very compelling; I got so embroiled in the story I didn't even ask myself the most important question: did she do it?  For the answer to that, you'll just have to read it to find out!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

According to his British passport, Douglas Renwick's occupation for many years was 'Government Service'. This included spells in Libya, Malta, Cyprus, Ireland and Germany. He also worked at the Ministry of Defence in London, the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe in Belgium, the Pentagon in Washington DC, and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

He has spent time in East Berlin, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. He has jumped out of planes, swum across Valetta harbour, skied across the Alps and the Rockies, and been transferred by breeches buoy from one Royal Navy ship to another, at sea and under full steam. He has been down a coal-mine in Yorkshire, a salt-mine in Poland and a nuclear bunker in Essex.

Now a grandfather, retired and living in Kent, time allows him to commit some of his experiences to paper. He prefers writing fiction on the grounds that it is safer.

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