This was an interesting read! This was my 1st book at Henry Milner but will not be my last, I am adding their books to my TBR!

#NoLawyersinHeaven
#NetGalley

This book is the memoir of a criminal defense lawyer/solicitor Henry Milner. He briefly goes over the start of his life when he was attending law school and then dives into talking about several of the more high profile cases that he has worked on in his 40+ years of experience with the law.

I don’t read many memoirs but the subject of this grabbed my interest. I love true crime books but I’ve never read one from the POV of a defense attorney. I’m super glad I picked this up because I was just fascinated. Learning about the cases themselves was neat but reading about everything that goes into a persons defense was even more so. You even get to learn a little bit about the British legal system which I have no clue about seeing as I’m not from the UK. The cases that were picked to be in this book were fun to read about and the stories were written in a way that helped keep the readers interest. You really want to know what the verdict is going to end up being in each case. Each case is gone over in a good amount of detail so that you get a good idea of exactly what going on but it’s never exploitative or overly upsetting imo. I listened to the audiobook for this and I think the narration was very well done.

Overall I highly recommend this book for fans or the true crime genre. Heck I would love to read even more. I wouldn’t object to a follow up to this if the author ever decides to write one. I have a hard time believing these are the only interesting cases the author has ever had considering he says in the book he’s been involved in more that 4000 and I would love to read about more of them.

Really enjoyed this one! I love the true crime genre, and listening to Henry Milner's stories were a nice break from the crazy.

For those that are interested in true crime, and want a few laughs (great sense of humor), then you will enjoy this one!

This one was OK I mean not my favorite not the worst but OKThis one was OK I mean not my favorite not the worst but OK

I have recently taken a liking to non-fiction reads and this one really taught me a lot. I didn’t realize how interesting this topic was until I finished reading and had to sit with what I had just learned. I definitely would read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and W.F. Howes Ltd for accepting my request to audibly read and review No Lawyers in Heaven.

This nonfiction memoir of barrister Henry Milner was very entertaining and interesting. Most legal stories are about the criminal, this one was from the viewpoint of the lawyer. I found that fact refreshing! Each chapter was a different case, and what Milner experienced, including the outcome of the trial.

It was an easy listen since Mark Elstob’s (narrator) English accent wasn’t too heavy, but clear and understandable.

A solid 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and W.F. Howes Ltd for accepting my request to audibly read and review No Lawyers in Heaven.

Author:  Henry Milner
Published:  07/28/22
Genre:  Biographies & Memoirs -- True Crime
Narrator:  Mark Elstob

The cover prompted me to stop scanning and take a look, saw the title, B&M -- True Crime of course I'm in. Right away, Mark Elstob and I bonded. He has enough of an accent to represent the British location. He clearly narrates. I appreciate not struggling to understand as well as being able to stay in the zone. Thick accents have been a struggle for me in the past.

As far as the story goes, kindly remember this is not fiction, and consequently the review is written accordingly.

The preface struck me as so funny, I visualized Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett fan) insisting that Milner speak and think like him. And so it begins. The book is compromised of several cases, people, and situations that Mr. Milner was in during the forty plus years he played (okay practiced law).

The book runs the gamut of all emotions, morals and ethics. There are payoffs and corrupt officers of the court that he points out. The stories are okay. I enjoyed more his personality in dealing with the cases than the cases themselves. I liked how he explained the why in why he did things. While not a lengthy book, it did seem long.

Given those he defended, I hope his retirement is peaceful.

This is a good book to read in sections, perhaps commuting, household or yard work. It doesn't require full attention.

3.5 stars rounding up; not all B&M have to be sad.

It is always interesting to hear about “behind the scenes” work and many people are intrigued as to how a defence lawyer can defend a guilty person … this book gives an interesting insight into this aspect of law. It’s not as heavy as you might expect, giving a good insight into the world of the Old Bailey and the people involved in the cases from QCs to court ushers.
Each chapter is about a different case that Milner defended during his career, mostly in the 1970s & 80s, & some of the cases might be familiar to UK readers. (the Brinks Matt robbery where millions of pounds of gold bullion was stolen from a warehouse – most never recovered – and the Millennium Dome attempted diamond robbery). He mostly deals with robberies, theft &
The stories are told with respect, some humour and professional insight and yet there is a definite bias towards mistakes made by the police!
Milner was a great believer in “innocent until proven guilty” and we see that the work of a defence barrister is about proving points of law and often an exercise in interpretation, finding weak points in the prosecution case and pulling it apart to create doubt and uncertainty.

It was particularly interesting to hear how changes have been made to the justice system over the last few years, including all police interviews being recorded & solicitor presence – things we probably take for granted yet which weren’t always there.


I listened to the audiobook and the narrator suited the book well with a pleasant voice that had enough authority yet was also relatable. He kept me interested & wanting to hear more. The general tone of the book is quite chatty & conversational, and it is very much like the author is chatting to you at one of his Christmas gatherings!

Closer to a 2.5 rating from me. Maybe it's that I'm not used to podcasts, but I felt lost in the story. A lot of characters to keep track of, especially when they are referred to later in the book. I did find it interesting how jury selection and being able to have a solicitor present during questioning has changed for the better over the years.
Thanks to Netgalley I was able to review the audiobook.

No Lawyers in Heaven is a Memoir from a British defense attorney. Every Chapter is about a different case H. Milner was defending during his career.
So even if you were not very interested in a single case that case only lasted for a chapter and afterwards there was a new case, that kept your interest all over again.

I really enjoyed this book, especially since I'm a big fan of true crime. In most true crime podcasts and shows you get to know either the murder’s/robber’s life or about the victims. So it was very interesting to see everything from the point of view of a defense attorney, especially since a very common question in society is „How can someone defend a guilty person?“.

The only critique I have is, that the book was more on the entertainment side than on the informativ one. But that is said in the very beginning of the book, so it's not a big critique and more of a "I prefer the other one, but this is great too!"

The Audiobook Narrator was great and kept you invested in the story.

Many Thanks to NetGalley and W.F. Howes for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I read and listen a lot of crime books and I thought it would be interesting to listen to something a bit different and I wasn't disappointed.

This is a glimpse into the life of a criminal defence lawyer and whilst this might sound a bit heavy going, let me reassure you it is not. It's an interesting insight into side of the defence with lots of humour thrown in. The cases discussed might be familiar to some, especially if you're in the UK, and some of the alleged criminals defended by Mr Milner are 'household names'.

This is not a sensationalised or in depth look into the alleged crimes committed but rather an account of a man who clearly cares about the law and everyone's right to be represented regardless of their guilt or innocence.

Mr Milner made what could have a been a very dry subject come to life all helped by the excellent narration of Mark Elstob whose voice was absolutely perfect for this book and my thanks must go to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to No Lawyers in Heaven and share my thoughts.

A memoir written by a British defense attorney. This alone made the book attractive to me, as I’ve often wondered if defense attorneys struggle with defending clients they know are guilty. The author’s client list is a grab bag of half-wits telling half-truths about a wide variety of crimes committed (or rather, crimes they are accused of).

You can tell the author has the gift of gab based on how he tells his story, I really enjoyed the subtle jokes and wordplay peppered throughout the accounts. However, I felt like the book was more about the foibles of police and less about the author’s prowess as a defense attorney. The focus on the mishandling of just about every case by the police didn’t really showcase the author’s cunning and skill, He basically just had to sit back and point out where the police made errors (apparently in the 1980s, every case was mishandled to some extent). I was hoping for a deeper dive, where more challenging cases were discussed and how defense attorneys provide a necessary service in spite of how they may feel about a client. In the end, there were some missed opportunities.

I did enjoy the audiobook format, which I obtained for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this expecting some kind of collection of stories about being a lawyer - and while technically that’s what I got, it’s more like a rundown of the way the justice system works rather than specific stories about being a defense lawyer.

It was fine and since it’s not based in the US justice system I did find it interesting to learn how the system works and where it differs from what I know. I really just wanted more intrigue from it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book gives a really interesting insight into the types of cases a criminal defense lawyer may encounter. The descriptions and synopses of the cases can give those not in the profession a taste of what a criminal defense lawyer encounters: none of it is easy.
I tip my hat to anyone who is a criminal lawyer as it is difficult work and not a type of law I myself could do.
It should be noted that many lawyers, even criminal, do not encounter as exciting cases as the ones described in this book.

I really liked the narrator of this memoir. Such an appropriate voice. I think if you are really interested in criminal law, this would be fascinating. However, although it held my interest for the first hour, I found myself zoned out after a while. No real criticism, it is just of interest to a certain type of listener.

Listened to the audiobook of No Lawyers in Heaven. With over 40 years of experience as a solicitor, No Lawyers in Heaven is a very well-written book, gripping you as he discusses the cases tried. You will forget that you are reading about someone's actual career as a lawyer, these weren't misdemeanors or petty crimes his clients were being charged with, so the way he can discuss every aspect, putting you right there with him, visiting him a client in prison, or presenting the trial, you would think you are reading a crime novel, instead of Henry Milner's actual career. A must-read for anyone interested in procedural law and understanding how sometimes the people tried aren't doing the actual crime, as it didn't paint a good picture of certain individuals that are supposed to uphold the law, read the book to find out what I mean.

I have to say, from the very beginning of this book I just loved it.

In 1967 the author, Henry Milner is in the College of Estate Management when he is essentially told by the school that he is not very good (as he had come at the bottom of his building construction class twice because he "can't draw"), and that he should think instead of becoming a lawyer, as he had excelled in legal classes such as property law. And so he did.

Milner eventually becomes a defense attorney and he tells the stories of when he was practicing in the 70s and 80s. The stories are told with wit and humor and at times had me laughing out loud. His clients, some guilty, some acquitted are characters unto themselves. Even though they are criminals, many of their antics were funny (maybe not haha funny, but at least shake your head in astonishment funny).

I had never heard of these cases because they were before my time, and also this takes place in England and not America.

I also really liked the narrator. He told the stories in an animated way, like you were at a party, engaged in a conversation with him and he was regaling you of that one time when he represented this guy...

The crimes that are discussed are not heinous in nature, mostly robberies, and so I didn't feel drained by reading this book like with some true crime books about murder.

All in all, I highly recommend this book.

This one was really hard for me to follow. I couldn't finish it. I'm not sure if it was the accent of the narrator or the story line, but this was just not the book for me.

I enjoy crime fiction and thought this title would give interesting insight into the real side of criminal defence. The narration is superb; pitched exactly right and I felt as if the author was reading. The role of a defence barrister can be difficult for a lay person to understand. For those of us not directly involved in criminal justice, it sometimes feels wrong that the appalling actions of an individual are defended, sometimes so well that they walk free, found not guilty.

However, once we grasp the idea that British justice is based on innocent until proven guilty and that everyone has the right to legal representation, the moral issues are more easily accepted. A defence barrister is arguing points of law and that’s different to personal defence. It’s often an exercise in linguistics and interpretation along with convincing rhetoric and the ability to put on a good show. Theirs is the most difficult job as they have to find weak points in the prosecution case and pull it apart to create doubt.

Milner does an excellent job of bringing all of this to life with examples from a few well known cases. I was fascinated by his account and I’m sure he’d make a wonderful dinner guest; articulate, humorous, irreverent and down to earth. He tells it like it is and I really enjoyed No Lawyers in Heaven.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

No Lawyers in Heaven was definitely an interesting read! The author's life has been anything but boring. I enjoyed the stories of high profile cases that the author has been a part of. The author's unapologetic pretention and privilege got a little bit annoying at times, and also doesn't help instill confidence in the British judiciary system.

The narration was well done, and helped to add some flair to the anecdotes related. Not a bad read, overall.