This is a legal thriller set in the UK
There is a good cast of characters in this book and it is written very well.
A good read

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

In both private and public life there are elements of law and order. In trying to have a happy life I is not always easy.

A good thriller which kept me gripped the whole way through. A good plot that kept me guessing.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A clever, accomplished Cambridge graduate with a good job and an attentive lover, Imogen Lester seems to have the world at her feet. But when her parents are murdered abroad while working for the Diplomatic Service, she is suddenly thrown headlong into a murky world of espionage and organized crime.

When she is charged with drug trafficking, even Ben Schroeder’s skills may not be enough to save her, unless a shadowy figure from Ben’s past can survive long enough to unmask a web of graft and corruption.

This is my first book by this author and it was an enjoyable read. It was different to most of the books that I have read of recent.

Most part of the book takes place in a court trial and the plot itself focuses on the darker side of policing such as corruption and espionage. The title of the book has been aptly named "Verbal" to highlight one of the most unacceptable and unethical practice that had existed prior to the implementation of the 1984 Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).

All in all, an well written book!

Thank You to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books for this ARC!!

I’d never heard of the author before so wasn’t sure what to expect. This is a terrific read. It’s been a while since I read a book which mostly takes place during a court trial, so this made a nice change. The only real issue is that a huge piece of the plot around corruption and bribery is made obvious quite close to the start of the book, maybe not obvious but there are hints and my heckles were raised as I wondered WTF? I enjoyed the way the book weaves the trial with the murder of Imogen’s parents and the investigation into their deaths. I enjoyed the scenes during the trial the most as I wondered how it would all play out. Apparently, this is the seventh book featuring Ben Schroeder. I will likely read the others because I thought this was great.

Peter Murphy's legal thriller featuring QC Ben Schroeder is set in a London and Britain in the period before the 1984 Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) that addressed a number of problematic issues in policing, and a culture where, for example, it was acceptable for police to verbal, meaning they made up things that people never said, purely to incriminate them. A Code of Practice set up with PACE meant the recording of interviews ensured this corrupt practice and some other aspects of police malfeasance came to an end. 'A good police force is one that catches more crooks than it employs', Sir Robert Mark's quote is based on a number of high profile policing scandals and is an appropriate quote, capturing a major theme in this story of the law, policing and the British security services.

Imogen and Damian Lester's parents, Michael and Margaret, are murdered on the streets of Sarajevo in Yugoslavia. Michael is a diplomat, and it seems rather strange that he should be in Sarajevo, particularly with his wife. Imogen travels there with her lover, Julia, representing her as a solicitor, to make sense of what happened, becoming aware of the two way East-West drug trade run by the ringleader Dragan, funding arms for nationalist groups in the fractured Balkans. On her return, the Met drug squad, under Detective Chief Mellor and DI Thomas Beech raid Imogen's London home early in the morning, arresting and charging her and her brother, Damian, for being inn keepers, storing drugs for criminal gangs at their home. This courtroom thriller illustrates the shabby practice of verballing as it affects Imogen, as Ben Schroeder fights to prove her innocence.

There are a number of threads in this exciting blend of espionage novel and legal thriller, Murphy sets some of the story in the Balkans, a region that exploded into a horrifying and tragic mix of murderous nationalism and genocide in the 1990s. Murphy's primary aim is to remind us of the bad old days where a number of police officers were little different from the criminals they were supposed to be policing, arresting, and putting behind bars. Through the character of Imogen, fortunately with an excellent legal team, Murphy provides a great example of the police engaging in verballing in a trial where she stands to lose everything. This is a enjoyable and entertaining read, fast paced with its short snappy chapters, keeping my attention with ease. Many thanks to Oldcastle Books for an ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley for the preview of this book. It was an exciting read with likeable and credible characters & a strong & gripping story line.

This was really a thrilling read, entertaining until the very end and I will read more by this author in future. Recommended.

Brilliant book. Loved how although it was about the legal system it was light hearted in places, a bit of suspense and a few twists. Definetely want to read more by this author