This book is a cross between a court room drama and a crime thriller with a lot of mystery thrown in. The writing is good, flicking from past to present and the characters develop at a fast pace. For me the opening of the book wasn't great and I nearly gave up as it’s got a little confusing, however I’m glad I carried on, all became clear and the ending was worth waiting for.

This is not my normal genra and was thinking of putting it down after chapter 1 BUT boy as I read on I go so into the book and I am sure I am not the only one that said WOW I never saw that coming.... Very very clever with fantastic twists that - I would have preferred the chapters shorter or to have sub chapters I will be looking out for more books like this in the future and from Graham Moore

A group of strangers come together to determine the fate of one man and are changed forever because of this. The decision they make comes back to haunt them ten years later.
I really enjoyed this look at how sticking to your beliefs can change the course of your life and those around you. Definitely recommend.

Graham Moore's legal thriller is a compulsive and enthralling novel, based in Los Angeles, that points out many of the shortfalls of the justice system, from law enforcement, media intensity and social media, right through to the court trial and the jury system. Moore exposes the multiple ways that society throughout its racist judicial system stacks the cards against black defendants. In 2009, 25 year old black music teacher, Bobby Nock, is on trial for the murder of 15 year old schoolgirl, Jessica Silver, the daughter of billionaire, Lou Silver. There is no body, but the prosecution led by Ted Morningstar, think they have a slam dunk case with the evidence they present, only to find themselves being confounded. As the trial sets to conclude, the jury, with the exception of Maya Seale, plan to deliver a guilty verdict. However, Maya does not fall in with the others, instead she turns each juror so that Bobby Nock is found not guilty.

However, each juror found themselves facing public and media excoriation for their controversial verdict, bringing with it notoriety and a raft of life changing consequences. 10 years on, Maya is now a successful lawyer, a partner at Cantwell & Myers, invited to a reunion of the original jury members at the same hotel they had all been sequestered in. The Murder Town podcast team are turning the trial into a Netflix docuseries, in which Rick Leonard, one of the jury members, is planning to present incontrovertible evidence of how they all got it wrong and Bobby Nock was as guilty as sin. A reluctant Maya attends, and in a narrative that goes back and forth in time, what happened at the original trial is slowly revealed, and in the present, the reunion kicks off a cycle of death and destruction that threatens to claim Maya as a victim.

Moore writes a fast paced, intense and riveting legal drama, peppered with twists, underlining from a legal perspective, that often while the truth can be an accurate reflection of what occurs, it can prove to be a poor legal strategy, leaving defendents with the stark choice of the high likelihood of being found guilty if they tell the truth or have a better outcome by lying. Whilst feeling ambivalent about the ending, I found this to be a highly entertaining read that touches on the serious issues of ethics, morality, race and justice, or more aptly, injustice. There are instances where a suspension of disbelief will be required, but otherwise this is an engaging legal thriller that I recommend. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.

This is a story with many twists and turns,some unlikely in the real world,but that adds to its undoubted attraction. The author also shares astute observations on the Californian legal system,on racial tensions and many other relevant issues. That raises the book above being a mere mystery. The lead character is well constructed as are the other members of the jury who having declared an accused not to be proven guilty come together ten years later to supposedly hear new evidence gathered by one of them,Rick. The style of going back over each juror's character and lifestyle works well. The book is full of unexpected turns particularly at the end. Any reader who guesses the outcome deserves a medal! I recommend this is a read that will hold your interest throughout.

I never repeat the blurb. Interesting premise here, looking at the after effects of a ten year old jury decision on the lives of that jury, one in particular. A slow burn with frequent flashbacks and a little too much thought process and navel gazing at times. I'd also kind of guessed the outcome, or art of it, but was really glad in the end that I persisted with it and it did speed up as it went along. Worth a read.

“One Jury member changed the verdict. What if she was wrong?”
Ten years ago Maya and Rick were part of jury who found Bobby Nock innocent of the murder of Jessica Silver. Jessica was the daughter of a wealthy statesman and she was never seen again- a body was never found. Maya famously changed the whole jury from 11-1 guilty when they started to a non guilty verdict.She went on to become a successful defence lawyer. For the ten year anniversary a TV show wants to get together the remaining jury members. Maya isn’t sure about this at all but her company wants her to go and support her.. Rick says he has new evidence to show that they were all wrong- Bobby did kill Jessica after all. When one of the jurors is then found dead- could it be one of the others? Is Maya safe or is she about to pay the price for speaking out all those years ago? Oooh!!! This gripped me early on. chapters flip between what went on at the trial and now and are easy to follow. I quickly liked Maya as she fought for what she believed in and wasn’t a push over just to get a quick verdict. A jury story with a difference- a real difference! A brilliantly written thrilling read that kept me in its grip to the very last page
(rest of links as part of blog tour)

Thank you to Orion Crime and Netgalley for this ARC.
Just brilliant, gripped from the first page to the last. Only disappointed when I finished it as I didn't want it to end.
Totally compelling.

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the court room… “The Holdout” comes along! It has a hell of a bite. A razor sharp one. Sinking it’s teeth into everyone and everything at every opportunity.

And boy it shows how justice wears two faces: one that is based on facts, and another which is influenced, or obstructed, by our own convictions. No matter how unbiased we think we are, some minor detail, subconsciously or not, can so easily alter the course of someone else’s life forever.

I was impressed (and disturbed) by the ‘alchemy’ of the debates and how easily ‘fact’ can turn into ‘fiction’, and vice versa. I especially loved how the story invited all players onto the field without overcrowding it, while it seamlessly managed two very different games: the then and now, along with some pretty herculean soul-searching.

The more I learned the less I knew, and who or what could be trusted. So, not only is it consistently suspenseful it’s hugely entertaining, and its slick delivery made it an absolute breeze to read.

For me there was no choice but to binge read until there were no words left, as it was way too good to put aside. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

A book that draws you into the lives of 12 jurors and the aftermath of the case. Who did it? Did Bobby really do it. What will become of those jurors? Thank you netgalley for the arc. To know what happened,you must read it. I hate giving spoilers.

A thriller set in a court room. What a moral dilemma in this book!

Maya is on a jury and she is the only one to not share the view of the majority. The final result is Not Guilty - and this is a very high profile LA murder trial.. Well that is not the end of it as there are consequences years later as the old jurors meet up and they find out that someone is stalking them.The verdict was unpopular and someone is very unhappy with it and want someone to pay. When one of the jurors is killed, all hell literary breaks loose.

The writing was excellent and the twists and the 'what would I have done?' moments are fast and furious. I wasn't gripped but I was interested to see what would happen next and it did remind me of that movie Runaway Jury. How jurys are selected, sequestered and how they deliberate and weigh up all the evidence was fascinating but I didn't like anyone in the book. Probably the point but it did make me think what I would have done in the same situation. There's racial tensions, social commentary and this could actually be a cracking film.

Great for book groups

The Holdout is part legal thriller part mystery. Maya now a defence attorney sat on a jury 10 years previously where a black American teacher was on trial for the murder of a white female student.
Rather like in 12 Angry Men where other jurors had decided the accused was guilty Maya dogmatically gradually changed their minds. The not guilty verdict cause a news storm and affected all the other jurors over the decade that has past.
A documentary is to made about the trial and all the jurors are reunited to reassess their verdict and decide whether they would now change how they voted.
The story alternates between the past and present, we are given the points of view of others jurors. As to the mystery I will say no more as I feel it would add too many spoilers.
All in all a well paced read, lots of twists, great dialogue and a cast of well rounded characters, enjoyable and well written.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

A fast paced and gripping legal battle, with lots of twists. Gripping, I didn’t want to put it down.
Ten years ago, fifteen year old, Jessica Silver was murdered although her body was never found. Bobby Nock, her English teacher was arrested and tried for the crime.
Maya Seale, now a lawyer herself. was on that jury and turned the verdict around, convincing the other jurors that the case against Bobby hadn’t been proved.
A lot has happened in the last ten years and not all the jurors are convinced they made the right decision. When they decide to all meet up and discuss the trial one of them is murdered and Maya is arrested. It seems though they all have secrets to hide and nothing is straight forward.

It’s not my usual fare in fiction but I am so glad I read this book, exciting, tense and thoroughly enjoyable

10 years ago a jury of 12 people returns a not guilty verdict in a case where a young black teacher is accused of murdering the daughter of a rich white family. The verdict is wholly unexpected and 10 years later they are reunited by a TV programme to once again face the issues raised in the case.

The book moves between the past case and the present, presenting the juror views alongside their personal story. In the present, the book focuses mainly on Maya who was the one juror to convince all others to return a not guilty verdict.

Full of twists and turns, you are kept guessing until the end whether the correct verdict was returned and find the truth of what happened 10 years before.

This is an intriguing book that mostly keeps my interest throughout. The start certainly catches your attention and let’s just say it’s a head turner! Ten years ago Jessica Silver, daughter of wealthy Lou Silver, goes missing and her body never found. Her teacher Bobby Nock is eventually charged with her murder and the case goes to trial. The evidence against Nock is not overwhelming but is suggestive and one things for sure, the trial is an absolute cock up. The jurors are expected to return a guilty verdict but one juror, Maya Searle, is not convinced of guilt. After days and days of debate and counter debate the jurors reach a not guilty verdict much to the outrage of the court of public opinion. It’s this element of the book I find most disturbing as public opinion ruins many of the jurors lives. Ten years on, one juror believes he has irrefutable evidence of Nock’s guilt and the jury reassemble for a TV programme. What happens next is unexpected and twisty demonstrating that the trial sets of a chain reaction of catastrophic events with an impact similar to a runaway train. The story is told in alternate storylines from each jurors perspective at the time of the trial and now, principally from Maya’s point of view. This works well for most of the book but I think that towards the end of the book the final remaining jurors stories do not seem so relevant.

There is a lot I like about this book. The case is really interesting, the trial is fascinating if flawed and the juror dynamics is excellent. I like the dialogue between Maya and the other jurors and it feels a bit like knights armed combat. You get two mysteries for the price of one, the story unfolds really well with a feeling of suspense and tension and it feels a bit like a movie. There are some really good twists, more than one shocker and the end is very unexpected. I like that the author makes you think long and hard about the jury system and how one person with a strong point of view can persuade others to change their minds. However, whether you have a jury or judges you will always have opinion because we are human and our brains are wired that way.

My only reservations about the book lie with its length, it’s a bit overlong and the end is rather convoluted. Overall, though I did enjoy it as I like the concept, the characters are really interesting especially Maya and the law aspect is intriguing and thought provoking.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the ARC. Publication date in UK 20/2/20.

Eventually I could barely figure out what was going on .. who were the goodies and who the baddies.. for me this story was utterly implausible that a jury would gather together v privately to look into an old case they'd rendered judgement on years ago. And then, murders abound among the jurors themselves .. sorry .. utterly off beat.

For me, good but not a great book. A clever premise - a jury meet again, 10 years later, to discuss the decisions and consequences they reached in a court room. There is compelling new evidence, which may have changed the outcome, but then a former jury member is found murdered, and the whodunnit begins. Its an OK read.

I had seen The Holdout all over social media lately, so I was delighted to be able to read it early. It sounded like exactly the kind of legal thrillers I love. It follows Maya, ten years after she served on a jury that had an interesting case and resolution. While I wanted to love this one,I thought it was only ok. There were a lot of characters and versions of the story, which for me, detracted from the pace of the book as a whole. It’s an enjoyable read, but I didn’t love it.

Sooooo Good! Maya is one of a panel of jurors who delivers a surprising and extremely controversial Not Guilty verdict in a high profile LA murder trial. The ramifications for her and the other jurors of their unpopular verdict come back to haunt them a decade later. They discover that one juror has been digging into their pasts....and when one of the jurors ends up dead things really take off. This is a brilliantly well-told and compelling part thriller, part murder mystery with genuinely surprising plot twists. It's one of those superb novels that you won't stop thinking about. Buckle up for an exciting read.