As he prepares to go in the witness box in the Old Bailey, Grant Clivenden, hero policeman dies from poisoning.

All fingers point to Jimmy Knight but trainee barrister, Adam Green isn’t convinced of his guilt and risks his career by trying to prove his innocence. Due to his background, that Adam doesn’t want anyone to know about, he believes in justice and truth.

What an enjoyable and gripping legal thriller this debut is.

A story of corruption and blackmail, truth and dishonesty. Some great twists along the way and I could feel Adam’s paranoia at times.

I felt quite unsettled when I finished the book as I was invested in some of the characters and I hope the author will be writing more with Adam Green as the main character.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House U.K. for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Adam is a pupil barrister and has only a few months left to prove himself and hopefully earn a place in chambers as a junior barrister. Unfortunately the big case he’s been given to work on is a hopeless case with no chance of winning. That doesn’t deter Adam though, as he sets out to prove his client’s innocence. Cue police corruption and an intricate web of links and backstories.

I loved this first novel from TV celeb Judge Rinder. Usually I’m not a fan of celebs turned authors but with this book, Rinder has proved that he has what it takes to be a novelist as well. I loved the character of Adam and the voicemails and phone calls from his mum, although unnecessary to the plot, added a touch of humour, as she failed to understand what Adam actually did for a living.

I can see a sequel following on from this book and I would be very happy to read it.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very different read for me which took me a bit to get into the storyline.

Overall it was a good well written courtroom drama which I did enjoy. The characters were all interesting and I can certainly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Cornerstone for this ARC.

When a hero and celebrity police officer is murdered in court, the only suspect is Jimmy Knight, who had previously been caught and imprisoned by him. Adam Green, trainee barrister is part of the team representing Jimmy and discovers that there is more to the crime than meets the eye, involving many factions of the court and police.
I really enjoyed this book. At first, I found it tricky due to the amount of characters, but once I got used to how they all fitted into the plot, I was hooked. With more bent people on the outside than the inside, this book made compelling reading. The occasional chapter where Adam speaks to his mum on the phone were highly entertaining as well.
A great read.

This is a courtroom drama with a difference, as we see it from a pupil barrister, on the brink of being accepted into chambers, or not. Adam has not had an easy entry into the world of practising law, having to overcome not having the right accent, right background and a cushion of money to support him. But he is honest, clever and determined, although he lacks confidence.

Adam finds he is partnered with Jonathan, a lazy barrister who relied on his past successes way too much, to represent Jimmy Knight, who was accused of killing a hero policeman. Adam's pupil master is not keen on handling this case, and tends to leave the work at Adam while he fawns over Kavanagh, another high profile client. Adam warms to Jimmy, seeing in him shades of his own father who was. he believed, wrongly accused of manslaughter and took his own life. But no-one else seems to question his guilt or look elsewhere for a culprit.

How the trial progresses is fascinating, and clearly told by someone who knows the system extremely well. Adam is an endearing and believable character, and the way the plot unfolds is gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope we see more of Adam!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well where do I begin? This book is a bit of brilliance. I have devoured this gem in just one sitting and have no regrets. I just wish I could experience this as a first read all over again.

Rinder writes in a way that is both engaging and transporting for the reader. I feel as though I’ve been watching this play out in front of me.

Adam Green is a brilliant character and I hope he’s back for more. He is a trainee barrister who wants justice and fairness. There is no corruption with Adam- he just wants the truth.

This moved at the perfect pace and left me speechless. There is no way I could’ve predicted the end of this one. I definitely felt my jaw drop at the ending. This has been so much more than I had expected.

I loved Adam’s interactions with his mother. They have provided an opportunity for some giggles and she has been a bit of light relief.

Jonathan has been really annoying as a character. I took an instant dislike to him from the beginning. Rude, arrogant and completely full of himself, these are the impressions from the small snippets we get.

Rinder writes a brilliant book! I was a fan of him anyway but now I absolutely want more. There is nothing negative I can say about this gem. It’s a book worthy of all the praise. I have loved it.

Sadly didnt get on with this at all and DNFd at 25%. The main character was annoying and while I did want to find out what happened, I couldnt push myself through it.

Celebrity Rob Rinder writes a terrific legal thriller and murder mystery that draws on his extensive insider knowledge and experience of the British judicial system with all its flaws and strengths. It is an entertaining and fun read, featuring the 25 year old socially awkward pupil barrister, Adam Green, full of idealistic fervour, and unfortunately not best served by his over-privileged, philandering pupil master, Jonathan Taylor-Cameron, long past his professional best, and interested only in financially lucrative clients. When the most successful, respected and beloved of police officers, hero DI Grant Clivedon, dies of poisoning at the Old Bailey, there is a public and media outcry and demand for justice.

The police arrest and charge Jimmy Knight, recently released from a 10 year prison sentence, who apparently slipped the poison to the victim at the Old Nag's Head pub, although there is no forensic evidence to support this. Taylor-Cameron is not best pleased when he and Green are expected to defend the 'guilty' Knight, a legal aid case he is unable to extricate himself from. However, Green haunted by what happened to his father, is convinced that Knight is innocent, and works all the hours, despite Knight offering little in the way of any usable defence information. In between phone calls with his proud mother, intent on pushing potential but unsuitable Jewish girlfriends at him, Green faces many obstacles as he runs himself ragged on a case that ends up revealing corruption, and going in surprising directions, with Clivedon being far from the man he appeared to be.

Green is a wonderfully sympathetic and engaging character, under enormous levels of strain and pressure, with little in the way of support coming from the Stag Chambers, where it looks as if he is losing the fight to obtain the only place on offer to work as a barrister to Georgina Devereaux. Rinder creates a widely disparate cast of characters operating within the legal system, from the dreadful, to the able and the inspiring, which I assume is based on people he knew and came across professionally. This is a gripping, highly tense and suspenseful courtroom drama and mystery that I am certain will prove to be a great success on publication. I am already looking forward to whatever Rinder writes next! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Adam Green, is a trainee barrister working under his pupil master Jonathan Taylor-Cameron. Although Adam is a pupil at Stag Court Chambers, his first choice of chambers as his childhood hero Bobby Thompson KC is also a tenant there, life has not been going the way he expected. In addition to the troubles of working with a disinterested, philandering pupil master, his pupillage is almost up, with chambers only taking one of their two pupils on and his pupil master is given a case to defend the murderer charged with offing one of the countries most dearly loved officers, Grant Cliveden. Tasked with defending the alledged murderer of this paragon of virtue, Adam is determined to prove his clients innocence despite all the evidence against him and his pupil masters total disinterest in the case.

I have loved watching Rob Rinder as Judge Rinder and as a barrister I am sure he has a great deal first hand knowledge, however I was not expecting such a fabulous engaging first novel. The writing is face paced and engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish. Suffice to say I can’t wait for Rob’s next novel.

Wow what a book a tense page turner I could not put this down finished it in 2 days.
The story follows a court case of a hero policeman Grant Cliveden who when is about to give evidence in the dock when he drops dead and the suspect is a guy named Jimmy Knight who has a string of convictions so is charged with the murder of Clive Cliveden.
It falls to trainee barrister Adam Green to prove him innocent which is not a easy job with everything stacked against Jimmy Knight but Adam is determined to prove someone killed the policeman and so begins a tense court room drama with Adam getting so caught up he finds himself questioning everything and trusting no one.
I loved the court room drama and felt I was there and felt myself willing Adam on.
Rob Rinder really knows how to get the reader hooked and keep wanting more with a brilliant ending.
Would highly recommend can't wait for the next one.
Thanks to NetGalley & Random House UK for a ARC for a honest review.

"The Trial" by Rob Rinder is a captivating legal drama infused with a murder mystery. From the very beginning, I found myself engrossed in the story, eagerly following the challenges faced by Adam Green, a trainee barrister, as he navigates the intricacies of the legal system and confronts the biggest case of his career.

What sets this novel apart is Rinder's extensive experience and knowledge of the legal system, which shines through in the impeccable detail with which he portrays the progression of the trial. As a reader, I appreciated the behind-the-scenes approach, which allowed me to gain insight into the inner workings of the courtroom and the strategies employed by the legal professionals.

One of the strengths of "The Trial" lies in its well-crafted and detailed characters. Each individual felt distinct and played a crucial role in driving the story forward. Whether it was the protagonist, Adam Green, or the supporting cast, their interactions and dynamics added depth and authenticity to the narrative. Rinder's skillful character development contributed to the seamless flow of the plot, keeping me engaged and invested in their outcomes.

As a debut novel, "The Trial" showcases Rob Rinder's talent as a storyteller. His ability to merge the realms of legal drama and murder mystery was commendable. The pacing was well-balanced, maintaining a sense of tension and intrigue throughout. The courtroom scenes were particularly riveting, filled with compelling arguments, unexpected twists, and a palpable sense of anticipation.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Trial" and can understand why it has garnered positive reviews. Rob Rinder's expertise in the legal field, combined with his narrative prowess, created a compelling and entertaining read. This book marks a brilliant start to Rinder's writing career, and I eagerly look forward to more offerings from him in the future.

In conclusion, if you're a fan of legal dramas and murder mysteries, I highly recommend picking up "The Trial" by Rob Rinder. It delivers a captivating story, intriguing characters, and a fascinating glimpse into the legal world. Prepare to be enthralled from beginning to end.

A brilliant read with a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. Highly recommend this book!

Move over Rumpole there's a new guy in town!
I always approach books by celebrities with trepidation, but I'm pleased to say that by following the old adage of writing about what you know Rob Rinder has come up with a winner. He's produced an easy to read book with a good story, the right amount of detail about the law and its processes and a suitably twisty crime demonstrating there is always a grey area between guilt and innocence. I look forward to reading more about Adam and his colleagues
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book

Rob Rinder sticks to a topic he knows a lot about and this is really reflected in his confident storytelling. Will look out for more of his entertaining offerings.

The book is told from Adam Green’s point of view – he’s a Jewish trainee barrister – so the author is sticking with what he knows. Adam is a pupil at a London chambers – and is in competition with another pupil to be taken on as a permanent barrister – so there is a lot at stake with each case over and above how the client gets on.

The setting reminded me a lot of the BBC TV drama ‘Silks’ – and this is not a bad thing, as I loved the programme and was gutted when it was cancelled a decade ago. (Admittedly my love was potentially heightened because Rupert Penry-Jones is on my laminated list!) I’m guessing as both the TV series and this book are written by people with experience of the legal profession, every chambers has an aggressive Head Clerk who basically rules the roost, competitive pupils (with a love / hate relationship), slightly lazy but well connected senior barristers – and lots of ‘marketing’ (excessive drinking and copping off out of hours!)

Having had mostly dull boring straightforward cases – suddenly Adam finds himself in the midst of a murder trial and a financial fraud trial. Both of these are working for his pupil master Jonathan who is not a nice man! He might be a KC (I’m guessing there was a quick ‘find and replace’ QC with KC during the drafting process!) but he is lazy, rude, misogynistic, having multiple affairs and just a total slimeball. He also doesn’t seem bothered with elements of the case against their client, Jimmy Knight, who has been charged with the murder of a high flying policeman – Grant Cliveden.

Adam then does some digging of his own accord – and in his own limited time – into PC Cliveden and Jimmy Knight. The book therefore has a dual pronged story of the legal case itself – and Adam trying to prove what really happened. At the same time the chapters are interspersed with phonecalls between Adam and his mother. She’s busy letting herself into his flat to clean and provide homecooked food – and ‘suggest’ nice Jewish girls for him to marry! I really enjoyed this insight into Adam’s family, and the history between him and his parents is revealed as the book progresses.

It’s very clever and intricate (and I didn’t spot any inconsistencies, and I’m super anal about such stuff!) and has lots of references to current life – I particularly liked the reference to Susannah Reid being attractive, when I know she’s Rob’s Ibiza holidaying and celebrity Gogglebox partner!!

Overall it’s a great combination of legal drama / murder mystery / domestic story – all wrapped up together – and you were rooting for Adam throughout. A fantastic debut novel, and I’d really like to revisit Adam Green in books to come!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Judge Rob Rinder himself for this excellent book. It’s out in June 2023 and I would highly suggest you pre order it now.

A book by a celebrity can be a bit hit and miss but The Trial by Rob Rinder (aka Judge Rinder) is definitely a hit for me.

The book opens with the death of Detective Inspector and Superhero Grant Cliveden. He collapses dramatically and dies at the Old Bailey. Pupil barrister Adam Green finds himself working on the case to defend career criminal, Jimmy Knight who has been charged with Cliveden's murder. Jimmy protests his innocence and newbie Adam makes it his mission to find him justice.

So essentially this is a crime investigation story, but from the perspective of the barristers rather than being a police procedural. Obviously with the added benefit of being written by someone very experienced in this field.

I found Adam to be a good character and I found myself rooting for him to get to the truth and ensure justice is served. He quickly learns that the law isn't as straight forward as he thought and he grows as a character.

This book had a strong and interesting storyline. It's relatively fast paced with some surprise twists with brought about a satisfying conclusion. I hope we see more from this character in future books. I will certainly be in line for a sequel.

As someone who is involved in the Law Enforcement world I always approach legal thrillers warily.
But when said thriller is written by one of the most well known Judges in the UK, that wariness is nowhere to be found!

This sarcastic, intelligent, witty and full of twists and turns. He manages to engage the reader whilst still explaining the law system, office politics and justiciary without making the laypersons head explode.

Adam is a trainee barrister and attempting to navigate his way into a permanent job within his current chambers. But he's not exactly loved by his pupil master and he has an intense rivalry with his fellow pupil. When his team get handed a hot potato of a case - even he knows there is no way they are going to come out of this well.

Brilliant rendering of the justice system. I loved the warts and all approach to lawyer-life and all its highs, lows and "networking". It holds your attention and is well paced.

Adam is very much the underdog in the story and I loved watching him deal with all the various twists. Police corruption, coercive behaviour and family dramas all flow together so well. Adam is never depicted as the font of all knowledge or perfect and I enjoyed watching him grow in confidence.

Would happily go back into the Adam Green world any time!

Grant Cliveden is a hero. A well respected policeman who drops dead in the court of the Old Bailey. The reason is he has been poisoned!
It all points to a well known criminal Jimmy Knight but defending him will not be easy. Adam Green's is a trainee barrister and its his first big case..
If he fails it could be the end of his career before it has begun and there is an lot about Clivedon which Adam is just finding out.

This was a truly brilliant murder mystery based within the courts. Written by Judge Rinder himself the book was full of true to life trial drama that had me completely captivated from the very beginning. The characters were brilliantly written and the mystery full of twists that kept you guessing until the very end.

When a celebrity writes a book, you never know what to expect. However with The Trial, Rob Rinder sticks to what he knows best - being a barrister and being Jewish, and the result is delightful.

Adam Green is on his first murder case. Meanwhile his mother is popping round to his flat to put food in the freezer and trying to match him up with lots of unsuitable women. He has to focus on work, because his latest case is his last chance to prove himself and to get a position in his firm. Unfortunately, the leading barrister thinks that the case is a dead loss. Career criminal Jimmy Knight is accused of killing hero policeman Grant Clivedon, and with both motive and opportunity this seems like an open and shut case. However, Adam isn't so sure that Jimmy is guilty, and is determined to defend him to the best of his ability, despite the lead barrister's reservations.

I absolutely loved this book. It showed great insight into the court processes, was full of extremely well crafted and believable characters, full of twists and turns, and I didn't want it to end. I really hope Rob Rinder writes a sequel and it isn't the last we have heard of Adam Green.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/75482120