A gripping up close and personal view of a young brilliant barrister with a promising career and an event which will question her resourcefulness. This has already been a successful play starring Jodie Comer, and will no doubt be received with similar acclaim. A thoroughly gripping and honest account of the system and its shortcomings, for women on both sides of the court. She experiences both of these, her background and lack of money to smooth her career path, her role as a defence attorney and ultimately as a witness for the prosecution leave her with only her ability to speak out in an impossible situation.

I was hugely disappointed by this book. I can see that it would work well as a play, but as a book I found it slightly boring for the first half, and completely full of cliches. This doesn't chime with my experience of barristers, or of a law degree at all. The book had an important message at the end, which was spoiled for me by the rest of the book.

As someone who was dying to see the play but didn't get the chance, I was really excited to read this book! And it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the character building and development, the raw and emotional storytelling, and I can totally see why this worked so well on the stage. A absolutely incredible feat of fiction. Thank you to the publishers for the ARC!

This story has been based on a play by Jodie Comer and is a brilliantly addictive thriller. Tessa has worked hard to get to where she is in criminal defence. She is not a public school graduate, or following in her family's footsteps like some of her colleagues have.

She is invested in the truth of the law, which she believes in wholeheartedly. She does come across as very uncompromising in this as she sifts through all the evidence to discover any chink in the opposition's cases. She is good and she has a point to prove, that she is as good as the rest of them and she can walk in the male-dominated halls of power.

The story is told from Tessa's point of view and this means it gives an additional insight into how she works how she plans her questions and what she looks for when cross-examining. I found this interesting and it gave a brilliant insight into how the law system works.

It is when Tessa needs to rely on the system she believes in, she discovers what it is like to be sat on the opposite side. The story is told in a now-and-then format, it gives a brief history of Tessa's home life and also her journey through law school and also when she gains her position in the chamber.

This is a well-paced story and while the first half of the book is getting to know Tessa, her family and friends, the second half becomes more of a thriller. It does have a psychological feel to it, I think this is due to the tactics that are used in the courts and how things turn when it is Tessa in the dock.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and I will say there are some triggers but these are done within the context of the story. This is one for those who like a thriller and fictional stories of life in London within the judicial system. It was a book that started well and then just kept me hooked right through to the end. It is one I would definitely recommend.

This is a gripping and harrowing story about a criminal barrister who, after successfully defending several cases of rape and sexual assault, becomes a victim herself. Based on a successful stage play, this is a compelling novel in its own right and raises several important questions about the way sexual crimes are reported and prosecuted. A great book club read due to the points of discussion it generates.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

What an interesting story this is.

The story follows barrister Tessa Ensler. Young, ambitious and brilliant at her job, she has carved out a career as a defence barrister, Tessa is approached by a fellow barrister who offers her a job at some new chambers - more prestigious clients and more money too. However, Tessa soon finds herself needing a barrister following a rape by someone she works with. As Tessa struggles with whether she is doing the right thing and trying to balance her desire for justice she begins to wonder how effective the system is that she is part of.

This was a fascinating and interesting look at the justice system in the UK. We see how the scales appear to be tipped against the victim as Tessa struggles to be believed. It is savage how she is portrayed in court when she is giving evidence and a disgrace that the perpetrator does not have to give evidence or face cross examination.

The ending is predictable - it was always going to end how it did, but this just serves to highlight how much the system needs reform.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given a pre publication copy of this book to review. It is the book version of a play. I thoroughly enjoyed the way this book was written, which made me want to keep on reading. I did find the plot fairly predictable but that made it no less enjoyable.

This is my first novel by author Suzie Miller and a different sort of novel to my normal reads.

We meet high flying barrister Tessa, who defends the worst kind of criminals. This novel is dark and quite upsetting at times to read really hard so be aware before you start reading.

Tessa is raped by a co-worker and this opens her eyes to how the law actually works for the victims, and it is not in the victims favour.

This novel has been adapted from a play and I would love to have watched this play out in a theatre. Such a powerful novel and also extremely thought provoking.

Thanks to Netgalley, Suzie Miller and the publishers for allowing me an ARC.

Adapted from her enormously successful stage play starring Jodie Comer, this is a powerful and gripping novel.

A top criminal defence barrister from a poor working class background, finds herself in the witness box after a serious sexual assault.

An eloquent and persuasive argument against the adversarial process, in the case of crimes against the person, because of its reliance on consistency of testimony.

Harrowing but absorbing. Highly recommended.

I had heard of Prima Facie because of the extremely successful play starring Jodie Comer. I hadn't managed to see the play (although I'd very much wanted to) so I was delighted to see that it had been turned into a novel.

Prima Facie was really emotional, page-turning and thought-provoking. It had a very powerful conclusion and made a real statement about what it means to obtain justice – at times this was painful, but necessary to read. Alongside this, there were some very interesting insights into how barristers work and the traditions of the profession, including getting a wig!

Ultimately this was a highly effective and hard-hitting critique of a system that is fundamentally and detrimentally skewed towards the patriarchy. I think everyone would benefit from reading it and I would have no hesitation in giving it the full five stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of Prima Facie in exchange for an honest review.

This is an incredible read, both heart wrenching and warm at the same time. Who are your friends when times get tough, and it is at times like these you find out exactly who has your back. I was engrossed in this book, an absolute belter and one of my favourites so far this year.

Free courtesy of Netgalley

I really enjoyed this book, I haven't read any of Suzie's books before but this one was a great place to start.

Tessa Esler is a talented defence Barrister and is making a name for herself at the bar. She has used her meritocracy to join the ranks of the elite and go to Cambridge university and despite the odds of 1 in 3 making it, she succeeded.

Her mother is a cleaner and her older brother is in constant trouble with the police, Tess is still trying to fit in with the privileged barristers.

All is going well until she is raped by one of her colleagues, it changes her life forever, is she strong enough to fight her corner.

I would recommend this book, as you are willing Tess to win and see she is as good as everyone else.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Prima Facie' by Suzie Miller.

I don't know whether Suzie Miller's play of 'Prima Facie' came before she created this novel but I had only heard of this novel after hearing the critical acclaim for Jodie Comer's acting in this play. Tessa is a lawyer - she's quite a star in her field- when her world gets turned upside down when her coworker rapes her. The story goes between the past and the present as it shows Tessa fighting for justice in a court that is male dominant. This book albeit fictional portrays the battles many victims have to go through and it sucks how little justice victims get.
I enjoyed the narrative style that Miller writes in and how Tessa was so realistic and I would love to see this play in action.

This was a difficult story to read but absolutely brilliant and I rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! TRIGGER WARNING: sexual assault

Written by Suzie Miller, Prima Facie is the novel version of her play, which is a one woman show by the amazing Jodie Comer - who I’d give my right arm to watch in this.

This truly was an exceptional read - I still can’t forget the impact it had on me several days later. I was reminded of Sarah Vaughan’s Anatomy of a Scandal which is based on a similar topic.

This is simply one of the most incredible books I think I have ever read.

Having not been lucky enough to see the Jodie Comer version on stage but hearing all the rave reviews about it, I was eager to dive into this book. I knew it wouldn't be an easy read, books like this rarely are, but it was important and poignant and just plain incredible.

The look into the justice system and how lawyers, barristers, solicitors etc, try and defend what most of us will probably see as indefensible was so important in the build up of this novel. Tessa is everything that we see in the before and after of things like this happening to them. She was fearless, driven, striving for the best. Then it happens. She's withdrawn, afraid, feels unsafe.

What I absolutely adored about this is that the things that happened to her doesn't change her at the core. She fights, just like she's been trained to do. She was fearless and wanted justice and that's how she remained.

Massive thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an eARC of this book. I'd let my heart break all over again to read something as incredible as this for the first time.

This is an amazing book, skilled writing and so neatly packaged. I found it totally absorbing and at the same time horrific and saddening.

As a young barrister, Tessa has proven herself as an outstanding criminal defence barrister. The story starts out with her momentous climb up through the ranks and society to be a respected and popular figure within the legal world. Then suddenly her world is turned on its head by a brutal attack on her self-confidence and esteem when she is raped by a fellow defence barrister. Life is never fair and the courts appear to remain the prerogative of men. The legal process does no justice and proves it is far from black and white. I would have liked to have said more, but that would make my comments a spoiler.

A definite must read; excellent.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Cornerstone at Random House for this e-APC

Prima Facie is the novel adaptation of the award winning West End and Broadway play by the same author. A n emotional story of a talented working class criminal barrister who is brutally raped by a colleague and fights for justice. I found it quite a difficult and claustrophobic read but understand it is to be made into a film. If so, I hope the other characters fleshed out more, in the novel their purpose is to propel the story forward. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Tessa is a working class girl who after a lot of hard work has made it as a successful defence barrister. She knows how to play the game and plays it well. Until one night when she becomes the 'one in three'. Of women who have been raped or sexualy assaulted that is. The book pulls no punches. It is not an easy read and had me squirming in my seat on more than one occasion. However, it also had me cheering, cringing and crying as I experienced the court case with Tessa. This book should be essential reading for all. I just hope I get the chance to see the play some time in the future as I bet it's mind blowing!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This isn‘t published until 14th March in the UK but a friend convinced me to read it out of #netgalley date order, and I‘m so glad she did.

I knew the premise before I started and I was breathless for the first part, waiting for ‘the thing‘ to happen, and then devoured the second part, wishing for a conclusion but not wanting it to end. It's one of those books that's so good you can't put it down, but you feel like you need to stop reading as it's so tense. And I cried at the end too.

I wish I‘d seen the play with Jodie Comer….

Great story and characters. Tessa is a woman from a working class background and has made it as a successful defence lawyer working in a chambers in London.
She goes on a date with her charismatic colleague which ends in disaster.
The book is told in flashbacks showing how Tessa got to this position despite her background, and how she fights to regain her confidence and self belief. She's a great character and I really wanted her to succeed. Highly recommended. I look forward to seeing the play.