How disappointed I was…

…to finish this book. I just wanted it to go on and on. Not just to be in Rob Rinder's authorial company, but also in trainee barrister Adam Green's.

Rob Rinder's legal background certainly gives this courtroom drama authenticity and he uses it well. Turns out Judge Rinder is quite the gifted writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel following Adam Green's first case: a tricky one in which he is to second his pompous disinterested pupil master in the defence of an ex-con accused of the murder of a seemingly exemplary police officer.

There are twists and turns and surprises all the way, all skilfully interwoven. I will forgive his editor's oversights: was stood/was sat (oh so naughty) and a date that was a year out…because Rinder has a glowing future in the literary world. If Adam Green has future cases to solve, I'll be all over them like bees to a honey pot. Or indeed any other novel by Judge Rinder.

I enjoyed this book, it read well and you could tell it was very well researched. I actually learned a lot whilst enjoying the story.

It feels like the start of a series.

The cover was interesting and it hacked back to old court series and although a modern read it did have those twists.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

I must confess that I approached this book with a heavy dose of scepticism, having spent 14 years working in the legal system myself and working with members of the judiciary who had known Robert Rinder as a barrister. I felt as though this might be a case of someone capitalising on their fame and that the book would not hold my attention at all. Whilst I won't go so far as to say this was the most gripping novel I've ever read, I was fully engaged and I did enjoy it.
I appreciated the Britishness of the piece and the knowledge that he put into it, in a similar way to police thrillers written by ex-police officers, this is written from a very realistic perspective and I didn't feel any frustration or exasperation whilst reading.
I enjoyed the 'firsts' and I think Rob Rinder shows real humility in his writing and in the character of Adam, something I really appreciated while reading. I enjoyed opening these doors and learning with him.
I would happily recommend this to the A-Level law students in my school, I think they would find inspiration and enjoyment in it as well as feeling as though this book understandings their motivation to pursue a career in law.

Absolutely loved this book. Characters reel you and make you care about them.. Adams ill at ease manner and his background do not make him a natural fit for barristers chambers. The elitist system, the racism and attitude of his pupil mentor all are stacked against him to gain a partnership at the end of the pupil training period.
Two very different but dynamic cases are central to the story and will be eye opening in their twists and turns.
Enjoy I definitely did

This is a solidly great book; well written, easy to follow but also interesting and engaging. Rinder is a natural story teller and, whilst I found myself reading much of it in his voice, he seamlessly blends the details that the story needs to move with everyday events and descriptions. It's a griping story, it challenges your moral compass, makes you query the legal system, makes you thankful for it...and it all feels entirely plausible. If you like a mystery novel, you'll enjoy this. Rinder's background makes the court drama feel so real. The novel has the perfect pace too, it's fast moving but considered.


This was so close to being a 5 star for me but I just don't know if I am fully satisfied with the ending!


Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my ARC.

I was really looking forward to getting my hands on Rob Rinder’s first novel and I haven’t been disappointed.

As you’d expect from Rob Rinder, the book is extremely well-written and it was so good that I could hear him narrating it in my head.

Adam Green is a trainee barrister at Stag Court, under pupil master Jonathan Taylor-Cameron who isn’t perhaps the most pleasant mentor. A very high profile police officer, Grant Cliveden, was murdered by poisoning and died at the Old Bailey on his way to a case.

Cliveden is something of a hero, having once saved the Queen’s life. He crossed swords with criminal Jimmy Knight and everything points to Knight being the murderer. Then Jonathan, with Adam, is allocated the case as defence which Jonathan is definitely not pleased about.

A great read, wholly accurate, and highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone, and Century for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

As a fan of Rob Rinder, i has high hopes for this book, and it did not disappoint, another feather in your cap Mr Rinder, well done

Rob Rinder, a qualified criminal barrister, is best known as a TV personality and for his appearance a few years ago on 'Strictly Come Dancing'. This is his first novel.

Adam Green is a junior barrister completing his pupillage at Stag Court Chambers when he finds himself working a high-profile murder case.

Grant Cliveden, a hero policeman, collapsed and died in the Old Bailey, poisoned with a substance administered in a drink. Jimmy Knight, the accused, appears to have had both motive and opportunity. Yet, Adam is convinced of his innocence, especially when Knight claims a previous miscarriage of justice.

As the case progresses, Adam finds more evidence that suggests Knight may not have been guilty. The problem is getting his pompous pupil master, KC Jonathan Taylor-Cameron, to take him seriously. The eminent barrister is more interested in which of his illicit affairs is in the diary for a particular week than defending a client whose guilt appears nailed on.

The court scenes are extremely realistic, as you would expect from an author who is a barrister. I also enjoyed Adam's phone conversations with his mum, who simply wants him to settle down with a nice Jewish girl. However, I wasn't sure that we needed the back story about Adam's dad's wrongful arrest and its repercussions, even if it helped explain his passion for justice.

I enjoyed reading about the various characters in the chambers and at the Old Bailey, where Adam desperately tries to uncover the truth about Knight and Cliveden's fateful meeting in a pub whose landlord has a surprising connection to the defendant.

One thing is clear, there are people in the legal system who want to manipulate it for their own ends. Maybe Grant Cliveden is not the hero many believe him to be, but you will have to read the book to find out.

It would be good to read more about Adam's fledgling legal career, so am hopeful there will be a sequel.

I received an ARC of this book from Random House UK, Cornerstone, in return for an honest appraisal.

‘The Trial’ was a throughly enjoyable read, it follows the story of Adam Green a pupil barrister at a prestigious chambers. I warmed up to his character, learning more about his own motives to practice law and by the end of the novel I wanted him to do well. The book fleshes out a lot of the side character including; Jonathan, Nisha, Raquel etc etc which is always a nice touch.

The main focus of the book is the trial surrounding the murder of Grant Cliveden, a national ‘hero’ cop who once saved the life of the Queen. Cliveden suddenly drops dead moments before a court appearance, and the book follows the trial of Jimmy Knight, accused of Cliveden’s murder. Is Cliveden all that his seems, is he the loveable cop everyone think he is.

The book it well written and Rinder’s own career as criminal barrister shines through, with somewhat believable narratives. There is a twist at the end, (that I won’t spoil) that does taint the believability of the story and I failed to see the point of the the other ‘big trial’ looming over Adam - the Kavanagh case.

Nevertheless an enjoyable book 4.5 stars, rounded to 5.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I absolutely loved this book, the characters and the story line were so good and believable, it had everything I want in a book, humour, sadness and the descriptions of legal terms were made so easy to understand. I look forward to reading more by Rob Rinder.

This was such a fun read, I could see it being adapted for television. I loved Rob Rinder’s writing style, the legal details as well as the drama. I pretty much read it in one go.

DNF @ 21%

As much as I love watching Rob Rinder on TV, I just could not get into this book. I wasn't interested enough to want to continue reading it and I found that it was too detailed for me which I didn't care for.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I love a crime novel and liked this one being a detective novel but from the point of view of a barrister trying to puzzle his way through a case. It shows that nothing is as it seems and there are always secrets to be uncovered and the truth isn't always black and white, there are distinct shade of grey.
Adam was a likeable character and one you were rooting for as he seemed so out of his depth in the world he wishes to be in.

I was very intrigued to read the first book from Rob Rinder – and I am happy to say it is a smasher!

The story centres around Adam Green – a young trainee barrister in London, undertaking his pupillage year at a top court, and hoping to secure his full-time position. This is made consistently challenging by his demeaning and amusingly unpleasant pupil master Jonathan.

After nearly a year of fairly low-level cases, Adam suddenly finds himself on the defence team for Jimmy Knight, a career criminal accused of the murder of much-loved, ‘celebrity’ police detective, Grant Clivedon. The case looks hopeless – all the signs point to his guilt, and Jonathan has absolutely no enthusiasm for trying to help Knight. He has another case to focus on which is set to make him a lot of money. So off Adam goes, in pursuit of justice and determined to help Jimmy where no-one else will.

In essence it is a crime investigation story, but from the perspective of a sleuth barrister rather than the usual police team. It is quite refreshing for someone who reads a lot of detective-based crime novels, and Adam is a really likeable and relatable character. You can’t help but want him to succeed and for everything to work out!
However, along the way, he finds himself tangled up in a story of police corruption, threats and revenge – whilst having to go against the rules of the court and the pupil-pupil master relationship!

It is a fast-paced story, with so many twists, turns and surprises. Great characters, gripping storyline – I do hope it might be the first in a series following Adam and his commitment to sticking up for those that others don’t deem worth helping!

Yes, this is written by Strictly dancing, law abiding Robert ‘Judge’ Rinder – and it’s really good. Readers will meet Adam Green, barrister-in-training, who is keen to fulfil his pupillage in a prestigious chambers and secure a full-time job. Except he’s in competition with possibly the most perfect pupil ever, his pupil master is more interested in keeping friends then paying attention to every single piece of evidence, and there’s a high profile trial in which to participate. Jimmy Knight has been convicted of multiple offences prior to the poisoning of Grant Cliveden. He is now on trial for Grant’s murder – made all the more agonising because the late policeman was a hero in many eyes. This is Adam’s first case and one he’s unlikely to forget in a hurry. Expect revelations to come to light, not all good, when it’s clear that Grant, however saintly, wasn’t exactly a friend to all… Nicely paced with characters that are fully formed, I hope there’s more to come from Adam.

My first Rob Rinder book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could tell he’d incorporated his own experiences and it was fascinating. Ending was a bit far fetched though

I was really keen to read this book as I love a courtroom drama, and I knew that with Rob Rinder's experience, he should be able to write a realistic one.

I really enjoyed it! Some of my favourite parts of the book were the amusing interactions Adam had with the minor side characters he had to defend such as 'Postman Penis' and the ageing call girl. All of the characters were really well written, from Adam's colleagues in chambers to his regular phone calls with his mum.

My only negative would be that I did feel it took quite a long time to get into the meaty bit of the plot - I did worry at the beginning I would find the storyline a little bit boring but that definitely didn't turn out to be the case!

The book is left open to a sequel and I would definitely be interested to read more.

Adam is a pupil barrister at a prestigious firm and is working hard to get a tenancy. His pupil master is not much interested in Adam but piles on the pressure.

A popular and lauded police officer is murdered in the courtroom and Adam's pupil master is given the case to defend the accused. Adam believes the client could be innocent and battles to get evidence. The book follows this journey with all of its twists and turns.

It was a very enjoyable book and and I did not guess the ending. I look forward to reading more books by Rob Rinder.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this novel by Rob Rinder and was excited to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Adam Green is a young barrister-in-training, and the murder of the infamous and beloved policeman Grant Cliveden is his first case. The case is not one for the faint of heart, least not because of the media attention and the high profile hero status of the victim, but also contending with his colleagues, competing for a place after his training; plus his overbearing mother (who is desperate to set him up!)

I won't give too much away (as want to avoid spoilers) but I really enjoyed this start to finish and it only took me a few days (and only because I have to work full time!) I would recommend for anybody who loves a good courtroom drama.

Wow, who knew Rob Rinder could write?
This was a fantastically plotted book with so many twists and turns. Really enjoyable read which kept you guessing right to the end.
Adam starts his pupillage in stag court, which is proving stressful his pupil master dosnt want to engage with him at all. Then two big cases are dropped in his lap one which he finds himself turning detective to runs the truth, but what is that truth and who are the main players?
Well written with the obvious knowledge our own Judge Rinder has.
Highly recommended read