Another day, another "celebrity" writing a book. And the old me would probably have eye-rolled and shouted the injustice. But the new me is a bit more chilled and, as long as it's a decent read, who cares who and how the publication deal got done.
And it is a good book. A really good book. A great read. This guy obviously knows his stuff but also know how to get the balance right. How to make the story flow and not get bogged down in all the minutia which some "professionals" have done to prove their worth. He also explains things simply without being patronising.
We follow pupil barrister Adam Green as he is vying for a full time permanent position in his chambers. His pupil master, Jonathan Taylor-Cameron, is a bit of a cad and a bounder on occasion, chasing the buck rather than the truth, which doesn't really help Adam. I found all this side of things to be both fascinating and pertinent to the main story being told herein, rather than being distracting. As, as already mentioned, it is all done in a balanced way. Outwith the main case, we also see Adam trying, failing, and succeeding in other court matters.
So... the main case. The death of a great and well respected cop. DI Grant Clivedon. In the Old Bailey of all places. Collapsing just as he was about to deliver evidence. Poisoned. Main (only) suspect is Jimmy Knight, recently released from prison and with a rather well known grudge against Clivedon. With them meeting just before, he must be the one who slipped him the poison... Must be him. Taylor-Cameron is given the case to defend, along with Adam but appears to be resigned to the fact that Knight is indeed guilty and so really only interested in getting it over the line one way or the other. Whereas Adam is young, naive, and still a fan of justice so takes it upon himself to, well, re-investigate from the beginning... with interesting results...
I loved this book. I took to Adam straight away... Especially the stuff outwith the case, specifically the interactions with his mother, and I will leave you to discover them yourself... I also found the case interesting and intriguing and the way Adam's logical mind worked to get to the truth equally so. And, the ending was both shocking and satisfying.
This must surely be the start of a series featuring him, please say it is... Him, rival Georgina and the rest of the crew at Stag Chambers must have much more to say. I loved the foray behind the scenes of the court system. Say it's true please?
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

What a brilliant debut novel. It’s a real page turner that kept me hooked from start to finish.
A courtroom drama full of twists and turns. I highly recommend it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I felt the story took a little bit too long to get going but once it did, I really enjoyed this book. The twist towards the end I didn’t see coming and it made for a good ending of the book. The main character was somebody we got to know well across the length of the story and we started to get a sense of the type of person he would be. Which makes me wonder if there will be a follow up/series based on this? If so, will definitely read those

Gripped from the first page to the last!! This was all I was hoping for and more. Fantastic plot twists and a lot of familiar ground at the Temple chambers, the Old Bailey and the Wig and Pen!!
When famous household name detective Grant dies dramatically in court, the whole country is up in arms to convict the killer and get justice. Pupil barrister Adam finds himself on the case with the defendant Jimmy and is determined to prove his innocence.
This is funny, charming, engrossing and gritty!
A great depiction of the English justice system and the characters within.
A brilliant journey for trainee Adam from novice to barrister, with hints of his home life, the story and the personalities developing and growing along with the trial. Intelligent and interesting reading from someone that knows this life through and through.
This is a real winner of a book and I can’t wait for the next one! Highly recommended, great everyday or holiday reading, this is pure class!
Thank you NetGalley and Century for the early read, just brilliant!!

What a book! Adam Green is a pupil at Stag Court, a would be barrister vying for a permanent place in the chambers. When his pupil master is handed the defence of a cop killer, he can hardly believe his luck. That is until it becomes clear that his PM believes the client is guilty and doesn't want to waste his time on it. Against his PMs wishes he digs to find out more about the deceased and the accused.
Rumours of corruption, quashed when a former colleague speaks out. The man is teflon, but is there more?
Life becomes very complicated indeed for Adam. That would be bad enough on it's own, but his mother is trying to line him up with a nice Jewish Girl at every opportunity.
This is well written and i thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

An all round excellent court room drama, hugely entertaining to read.

Chambers underdog Adam Green is put onto the hottest case in town, the murder trial of the UK's most prolific police investigator Grant Cliveden.

The case seems cut and dried, as Cliveden was seen on CCTV meeting Jimmy Knight, a notorious villain who was arrested by Cliveden a decade before and who has just been released. Unfortunately for Adam, he is on the defence team and there's very little evidence to help defend Knight.

Adam is hoping to be guided by his mentor Jonathan, but Jonathan is more interested in the his money making cases and social life. Knight himself is saying nothing but Adam is sure that there is more to the story than meets the eye.

Adam finds himself investigating every angle and insight to try and find anything that might help Knight's case; but work also fulltime to keep Jonathan's main client sweet. He is up all night, poring over documents, checking and double checking lists, examining phone records- anything that might help.

The pressure of life in the chambers, of the preliminary stages leading up to trial, and the knife-edge tension of the court case all came to life in this fabulous debut. It was also interesting to see behind the scenes in terms of how Chambers operate, and the pecking order there.

. An excellent read - I will definitely read more by the same author.

We have had police procedurals and now we have court procedurals. Although the author of this book is a well known celebrity I did not take that into account when reading the book as I wanted to experience the writing style and feel of the book.
For me, this is probably my best read of 2023. Not everyone will like it but I loved it. It was difficult to work out which parts of the book may have been far-fetched or unrealistic as, like most people, I know very little about how King's Counsel and the Old Bailey works. At the end of the day this book is fiction so I did not question too much how realsitic it was. The author sets the scenes well and uses a language which was relatable and easy to understand.
If I have anything against the book it felt like the junior barrister was becoming more of a private detective at times and maybe it needed more police involvement to make it feel more realistic. It may well be that this is the work that junior barristers do and so I am looking forward to seeing any interviews with the author as we approach the release date.
The style of writing kept me wanting to read on, even the main' characters phone calls with his mother brought some additional intrigue into the story.
This is a great read, give it a go and you may be surprised how much you enjoy it.
Many thanks to Random House UK, NetGalley, and Rob Rinder for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of the book in return for a honest, unbiased review.
The book will be published in hardback, e-book and audiobook formats on the 22nd June and the paperback will be issued in February 2024

"The Trial" by Rob Rinder was like an unexpected gift as it turned out to be a compulsive, fascinating and very enjoyable read.
Undoubtedly, Rob Rinder is a talented writer; his engaging writing style and his personal experiences as a criminal barrister really bring the book to life. The realistic memorable characters, humor, and an insight into criminal justice system as well as day to day running of the courts and barristers’ chambers, all add to the overall appeal of the book.

I have just spent about four days with Adam. Adam is a trainee barrister, hoping to make it as a junior. All he has ever wanted to do is ensure that everyone receives fair and equal justice. The only thing is that Adam has been given a case where he has to defend a man accused of killing a police officer, a national hero. The case should be cut and dry, all the evidence of the murder is there...CCTV coverage, phone records, motive...take a journey into casual anti-semitism, corruption, and the things we do for love.
A really entertaining quick read! An excellent tale about doing the right thing, even if your voice shakes

A fabulous insight into the goings-on behind the scenes in the world of the justice system! I know The Trial is a work of fiction, however Rob Rinder is a highly respected barrister with many years' experience so I suspect there are a few characters within its pages who could possibly be based loosely on real people who he has crossed paths with over the years.
The focus of this book is a young man, Adam Green, who is in his first year of pupilage in Chambers - he's basically there to prove his worth over the 12-month period and in return, if he passes scrutiny of the "higher-ups" he earns himself a proper job as a junior barrister. The book begins with him chasing his tail constantly, propping up the ego of his mentor, the bouffant-hairstyled and extremely arrogant Jonathan Taylor-Cameron; the pupil master is more than content for Adam to do all the donkey work while he takes the plaudits in court when their case is successful. Then the chief clerk, who allocates the caseloads to the various legal teams, ups the ante by setting Jonathan and his staff the high-profile case of defending Jimmy Knight, who is accused of murdering top police officer and public favourite Detective Inspector Grant Cliveden. Jonathan is apoplectic with rage at being allocated such a "lost cause" of a case which will be the top story in all the media. He only likes to be seen as a winner, so thus it falls to Adam to fight Jimmy's corner.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Adam grow as a person throughout this book, his moral dilemmas based on his personal life experience often clouding his judgment. The narrating of his day-to-day workload is hilariously interspersed with the regular phone calls he receives from his mum, who is desperate to find him a suitable young lady with whom he can tie the knot - I can imagine that these chapters could well be based on the author's own experiences as a young man!
There are some juicy twists to this excellent debut novel, and there's an interesting slant on whether the truth or a different kind of justice is the most important outcome in some situations. I can imagine lots of book clubs choosing this for their reading lists - and I'd love to be a fly on the wall to hear the ensuing discussions! I very much look forward to further instalments in the life of young Adam Green soon.

I loved this book! The protagonist is completely endearing, a flawed character with a huge moral compass.

The details about the courts and legal processes are no doubt spot on and come across really well, and is extremely interesting. The story flowed perfectly, with the right amount of information revealed in the respective places.

Please don't let this be the end of Adam, I'd love for this to be his starting point and to read many novels to come about how he fights for the underdog!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this one! I was instantly hooked and couldn't put it down. It's fast paced, has plenty of twists and turns, and you can tell the author has so much experience in this area and uses this to make it even more gripping. I enjoyed that its from the perspective of barristers and looks in depth at the criminal justice system from this perspective rather than just being another police detective novel. It really shows how the justice system works and the fact that the truth doesn't always come out. It also highlights the dilema of justice being served even when it goes beyond the law. Really hope that Rob turns this into a new series as i'd love to read more!

An insight into the British criminal justice system, as a novel from a former judge. A good, steady read with some likeable characters and some less so, but you just know which one you would end up with if you were ever in need of a barrister.

What a revelation this was,am not sure tbh what I expected but this was not it
A precise,exciting court room/trial drama with compelling characters,believable plot and excellent writing
Some real eye opening info on Barristers and what they do and how they do it and the descriptions of the Old Bailey had me there with them all,living the drama
Court/Trial reads are not easy to engage the reader always,they have to be informative yet not too bogged down otherwise you lose interest….this did it perfectly with dare I say it…yep I will…a brilliant twist at the end 😀
Got to also say that the bullying and racial slurs that happened obviously come from the authors experience and as such you can imagine how harrowing it must have been,top marks for him and any Barrister getting through that to make a successful career
All rise for a great and evocative read

The Trial Rob Rinder
5 stars
A brilliant courtroom drama

Adam Green is a 25 year old pupil barrister working at Stag Court Chambers and nearing the end of his trial period when he will discover if he has been offered a permanent job. Unfortunately for Adam, his pupil master, Jonathan Taylor-Cameron is a pompous and arrogant man with a chequered love life who leaves all the donkey work to Adam.

When DI Grant Cliveden, a man whose career has been nothing if not brilliant and was a man held in esteem by everyone, is poisoned and dies in court there is only one main suspect. Jimmy Knight has just been released from jail after a ten year sentence. He had been put away by DI Cliveden and met with him the night before the murder.

Adam and Jonathan are allocated the defence of Jimmy Knight much to Jonathan’s horror. He is convinced that Jimmy is guilty and feels that defending him will damage his reputation. Adam, however, whose own father was unjustly accused of a crime many years before is prepared to give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt and works tirelessly to try and prove his innocence.

Rob Rinder was a barrister and obviously knows about how the system does or in many cases does not work and also introduces a selection of characters that I can only presume are based on his own experiences. This makes this book very readable and the plot is very clever, I had no idea how it would end or indeed who the main culprit was.

Adam Green is a very likeable character and I found myself rooting for him despite all the obstacles put in his way. His mother brought a lot of humour to the book with her interminable phone calls checking up that her boy was okay, that he had enough to eat and suggesting various nice Jewish girls that Adam could meet and marry!

I really enjoyed this book and hope that Mr Rinder will write another book featuring Adam. I will certainly read it.

Karen Deborah
NetGalley

OMG! This is one you all need to go and pre-order. It is amazing. The main character, Adam, is doing a year as a pupil in the Chambers, hoping to get accepted to stay. He gets landed a HUGE case and is constantly striving to give his best in this case and all his smaller cases, too. What unravels is a lot of secrets, betrayal, lies, and corruption. It certainly becomes a very messy and complicated case in which the media are following every step. With pressure rising, threats, and even his life potentially being in danger, how will Adam handle this case? Alongside his career, we get a good look into his personal family life, and there are also some issues there that are causing him stress. Adam is one determined character who deserves his place in Chambers, the truth to be set free and for a happy ending. I can't believe this is a Debut! It's a clever, complex story but addictive. A page turner. Gripping. I would highly recommend this story to you all, written by one of our favourite judges, Rob Rinder. A well-deserved four stars from me.

Rinder’s debut novel is a winning courtroom thriller as he puts on his Grisham hat and gives the reader a real page turner that keeps them invested.

The characters are well drawn and three dimensional though at times this does come with some minuses as some come across as a bit pompous or annoying, but they do fit within the overall web of the plot.

The plot is well constructed and there is enough twists and turns to keep the reader full invested. There is also a background information about the system which is peppered throughout with a good sound knowledge that doesn’t preach or bore the reader in juxtaposition.

Overall, this is an excellent book by a new author who balances this plot and characters very well. Highly recommended.

This is. A gripping read which kept me engrossed throughout. I have not read a good legal thriller for a long time and this was a cracker.
We follow pupil barrister Adam Green as he faces moral dilemmas, conflict of his ideals and flaws in the justice system.
Adam sense of justice and fair play stems from his father taking his own life before going on trial for a hit and run accident.
When a high profile detective inspector is murdered, the defence case is reluctantly taken by Adam’s pupil master and Adam gets emotionally involved, believing that the defendant Jimmy Knight is innocent. As more information is uncovered and even more hidden away Adam does not know who to trust.
A twisting story with a satisfying end.

Rob Rinder shows he has talent as a writer with his debut novel. The Trial talks the story of Adam, a pupil barrister, as he struggles to defend a witness who refuses to discuss the crime he is being tried for, although he protests his innocence. We learn about the working of courts and chambers, and of Adam’s motivation as we follow him in his quest.

In this novel from Judge Rob Rinder we meet Adam a pupil barrister at Stag court. Hes under the dubious tutelage of Jonathon, but given all the jobs Jonathon doesnt want to do. A very popular Police Officer drops dead in a courtroom and they are given the job to defend the suspected murderer Jimmy Knight.
I am so hoping this book isn't a one off as I loved Adams character, his phone calls with his busybody mum made me smile, I really enjoyed the thought process throughout Adams investigation, his tenacity in the face of dismissal from Jonathon his Pupil master, what a charmer he is( not) and the interaction he has with other colleagues despite being a bit of a loner. An entertaining insight into the world of courtroom drama