An important book which confronts questions of racial profiling and the inbuilt inequalities within the justice system. This story of gang culture, crime, drugs and murder brings to the forefront urban life within a very contemporary context. A young black man defends himself in his own language, confronts the official story told by his barrister, and opens up all kinds of grey areas in the question of guilty vs. not guilty. A simple, startling and provocative read.

I couldn’t put this down from the moment I started reading. It is different and unlike any book I can compare it to. A young man in London is being charged with murder. He takes the stand to defend himself, against his barrister’s wishes. It is the language of the street and as a reader you fight to keep an open mind, willing him on, to the very last page. Without giving spoilers, it is gripping. It is a strong, engrossing, edgy and exciting read and has 'best-seller' all over it.

One of a kind. A book like no other that captures your heart from the start. Yes it is a book about gangs within inner city London and I agree how can you have sympathy for the young men that commit acts of violence. However this book opens your eyes to the daily battles young black men within theses gangs face. A story that is told throughout by the main character who as a reader you instantly warm too. A story I won't forget for a long time to come and will remember when myself may feel like I'm judging the crimes of others within the news.

I'm sorry but this book just wasn't for me. I thought the concept was unique and that the descriptions of the setting/characters were effective but had I bought the book rather than go it through Netgalley I would have given up.

I enjoyed the first few opening chapters setting out the prosecution case and looked forward to reading on, (I did struggle with the knowledge that a judge would never let that happen but tried to put my legal training aside).

About half way into the book I got fed up with the street talk and if I'm honest, thought that if I was a juror then I'd be really annoyed off with him dragging it out.

Had the closing speech been 5 hours and then the story went back in time to tell the story I think it would have worked better.

I read until the end in the hope it might get better and so that I could give a fair review. Surprised by the ending. A guess it would be a moot point for a book club.

This book just wasn't for me I'm afraid. I think that's partly down to personal preference.

This had an intriguing premise, if one that was a little far-fetched, in that the entire narrative as a closing speech of a murder case, by the accused who has fired his lawyer in order to tell his story in his own words. Whether or not we can suspend disbelief enough to accept that a closing speech can take ten days becomes less important than the fact that we are quickly drawn into the tale.
As a teacher in a London boy's school for many years, the voice of the protagonist was credible and engaging to me, the wider issues relevant and gritty, the story compelling, if overlong.
I liked the main character and if my judgment is relevant, I would have voted Not Guilty!

From the outset this book had me firmly in the palm of its hand. A very different premise to the usual crime book, this book is a monologue. It takes the form of a young man who, having sacked his Q.C. towards the end of his trial, is making his closing summation.
This is a very powerful and compelling story told in the words of a young man whose whole life has been spent amidst the London gangland culture of London housing estates.
We never know his name, but as he speaks – and this is a closing speech that continues for several days – we learn a lot about his family, his friends, and the characters who populate the different gangs. We learn something of the culture that uses young children; where being a gang member is not a choice but a survival tactic.
It ought to be a dark and depressing tale – and in many ways it is a terrible story to hear – but this is a young man who has a powerful sense of self. He is not an academic lad, but he has compassion, the capacity to love and a powerful protective instinct.
In deciding to tell us his ‘truth’; his version of what really happened, he will deal not only with all the evidence that the prosecution has presented, but will also confront us with the truth of the kind of leaves that he and his neighbours have to lead.
In the nature versus nurture argument, this is the potential of nurture, the redemptive possibility.
The reader is part of the jury. As the narrative continues, we come to question quite a lot about how the justice system works; whether juries really have the facts at hand when reaching their decisions. It’s a complex book which raises a lot of questions and is deeply thought-provoking.
It is for us to decide whether this young man has a future and that’s partly what makes it a forceful and compelling novel. The writing is strong and I think Mahmood has done a stunning job of articulating this young man’s life.
I do have a hesitation about the conclusion – it feels way too much of a cop out and not as strong or believable as the rest of the book.
Nevertheless, this does not diminish the strength and depth of this debut novel. I’ve taken it down I star because of this, but I’d urge everyone to read it.
Imran Mahmood is a barrister based in London who specialises in Civil & Criminal Law. He clearly knows whereof he speaks and that pays off in spades.
You Don’t Know Me is a brilliant debut from an author who will undoubtedly do well.

I love reading authors I haven't come across. This one didn't disappoint, great book

Wow, what a very different book this was to read! I don't think I have ever read one like this before and it really gripped you from the off because it was so different.

Only very occasionally do we enjoy such excellent authorship. From the first page where we hear about Palmerston sending out gunships to force the Greek government to compensate a single British subject who has been wronged, we are hooked. Especially when our narrator then reverts to the patois of gangland in the 21st century. This entire novel is the summing -up speech given by a young man accused of murder - a speech he gives directly to the jury after dismissing his barrister. Why? Well he believes the jury can't make a fair judgement unless they understand both him and the world he occupies. By any courtroom standards he breaks all the rules. He admits to actions that a barrister would claim will prejudice the jury against him, he uses bad language for which he is ever apologising to the judge, he often loses the place. But he does all this in such an engaging, sometimes funny, and forthright way that, by the end, we genuinely feel better placed to issue a verdict. And that reader is exactly what you have to do. Mahmood's writing is absolutely brilliant and whilst the content of the accused's speech is often truly harrowing I would be surprised if his telling of it doesn't cause you to feel "reasonable doubt"". Take up the challenge. Is he guilty or not guilty?

This was an unusual book and one I was not sure what I would think but wow I was blown away by it.

Very impressive. I hope the author is very proud of that book. A real winner in my view.

This is a very intriguing book that's done so, so well. I'm so impressed with the writing, it's so smooth. The whole book, but the last or second to last chapter are transcripts from a defendant accused of murder. The young man decided to get rid of his lawyer and say all the truth, with all the backstory. He decided that he wants to say it as he knows is, without lawyer saying him what is better to omit and what should be said in specific kind of way.

The first thing that got me into this book is definitely the writing, the language, the style. The boy's speech is so smooth, that's the most appropriate word that comes to my mind to describe how it felt to read it. I was instantly hooked, I wanted to see what will he say, how will he describe this story. I can imagine that this book could be an amazing audiobook.

The second thing that got me into this book is the story. It's fascinating and complex. First, we are presented with several pieces of evidence against the defendant. He enumerates them and then starts to explain how those pieces of evidence come to be. And nothing is black and white in this story. There are so many layers and motives. And just when you think that you learn the truth, the story comes around and it's something completely different. We are given few of those moments. They are annoying but done so well...

What is tackled in this book is that we truly don't know anyone. And we cannot judge what happened just on the basis of few pieces of evidence, that don't tell the full story. As we read the book, we realise how easy it was to misjudge and jump to conclusions. How we make judgements based on bias, someone's looks, voice, how they speak. Another issue brought up in this book are gangs. How they affect young boys, how difficult for some of them, living in poor neighbourhoods to avoid stepping on the path to crime and drugs. How some things are inevitable, and where you were born determines your whole life. This book gives an important perspective on those issues and gave me a lot to think about. Especially how complicated is this world, nothing is black and white and you don't know me, him or them.

I've just finished this book and although it was a good idea for a story, a young man in a trial for a murder he has said to of committed but I have to admit it was hard going, The story just went on and on and all the way through I'm thinking a court would never allow a defendant to talk for days on end with no objections etc. It was thought provoking but not for me.

This amazing novel has been written by a criminal barrister and completely changes the premise of other legal thrillers about face.
I love any any legal thriller with courtroom scenes with the clashing arguments af the prosecution and defence sides. But this time the defendant decides to dismiss his barrister and defend himself for the closing argument. So starts our journey with the defendant laying out the why's, who and what brought him to this courtroom. Although not well educated though no means without a brain and speaking in the dialect of the housing estates in London he begins to tell his story to the judge and jury as 'they don't know him' and he feels he must make them see what type of life he had led to bring him in front of them.
So it begins, he tells his story with honesty and passion, we are dragged into a world of gang culture, drugs prostitution and hopelessness, where carrying a weapon be it a gun or knife is a normal way of life.
You can't help but become fully involved in his tale, willing for a better life for this defendant and others like him that are dragged into a system with no moral,, educational or social support appear to be available to help one escape from a seemingly hopeless existence.
This is an extremely well written and thought provoking novel, it should shoot up the bestseller lists and deservedly so.
Thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book, and thank you Mr Mahmoud I look forward to your next book!

An interesting read. Very unusual story giving us a clear insight into a totally different world. Complex characters,richly described.

Gritty and uncomfortable material but approached in such an honest way you cannot help but be fascinated.
As you follow the protagonist's story in this court room setting it opens your eyes to a world that exists but everyone tries to ignore.
Honest, raw and bitingly real, everyone should be aware of this area in society. Very important read.

Once in a while you read a book that not only gets under your skin, but it leaves your breathless and gasping out loud. You Don't Know Me is an incredible debut novel. Told entirely through Court Transcripts - a young man charged with murder sacks his lawyer and tells his defence story in his own voice to the jury over a period of ten days. Covering gang culture and social issues, our young narrator breathes life in his story and brings it vividly into the readers imagination. Keeping the reader interested for over 400 pages highlights the skill of this author. A truly fascinating, entralling, thought provoking book which will stay in my thoughts for a long time. My thanks to the publisher Michael Joseph and Netgalley for the ARC.

A defendant's statement as to why he is innocent. This is his account of the events surrounding the murder he is accused of. Did he do it? I thought that the book was edgy and gripping and page turning in places but not quite believable in others. At the end I felt I had been left hanging. I expected a better ending.

This was a fascinating read. I would very happily listen to an audiobook - hearing the speech performed would be incredibly powerful, I think. I felt really involved, quite invested in the story, and was a little bit miffed when it was over without a verdict - though I realise that's the point and it's there for me to decide (which I have). Loved it.

Once you pick up this book, you'll be transported into a courtroom.

You've sat through over 3 weeks of a murder trial, and it's finally closing speeches. The young man on trial fires his lawyer and gives the speech himself.

The evidence is against him, but he goes through each of the 8 pieces one by one, explaining them. In the end, it's up to you to decide if you believe him or not.

Guilty or Not Guilty. The decision is yours. Once you finish this you'll be desperate for other people to read it and see if they came to the same verdict as you.

The speech is a stunning, well written insight into gang life on the streets of London. Gang culture, societal problems and the things people will do for love are all addressed in this intense, well written page turner. I am certainly an Imran Mahmood fan after this simply stunning debut.

The judge and jury might have become tired by the length of thecdefendant's speech but I didn't. This is an outstanding piece of writing, sensitive and skilful. The concept is original and enables the author to explore social and racial issues with perception and an uncanny ability to get the reader onside. It would make a good film.