A 2nd book for Judge Rinder and he has spoken about his ‘2nd book difficulties’ in interviews, he didn’t need to worry as was a good follow up

It is a stand alone although does feature the same main characters and does mention the previous books story in parts

The book is character rich and I did have to keep thinking who was who, why, with and how but I was interested enough in the story to not find this not too much of a bind throughout

The Court case story was polished….,descriptively as expected excellent and the book started with an eye wateringly realistically shocking murder that you were willing not to happen as it unfolded

The conversations between Adam and his Mum are legend 😊

Very well written and on the whole proves this author was not a ‘one off’ book success

Interesting to read about the world of TV production throughout

Look forward to Book 3 as much as I did Book 2

After really enjoying The Trial, I was really excited to dive back into the world of Adam Green and Stag Court. This follow up story was definitely worth the wait!

The story opens with a scene from Wake up Britain! Which in my head was This Morning… nation’s sweetheart Jessica Holby is interviewing someone live on air when suddenly she starts having trouble breathing… and millions of viewers see the celebrity die on live tv. The clear verdict? Chef Sebastian Brooks deliberately poisoned her with miso paste which was banned from the set due to Jessica’s severe soy allergy.

Back in court, Adam’s friend Rupert is on stress leave so he’s drafted in to be the baby junior on the case. Adam is suspicious from the start that Sebastian is holding something back. But what is it? And could it clear his name? He starts applying all his efforts to finding out and burning the candle at both ends as always.

Meanwhile, he’s asked to help on another case to encourage a young man who is taking the rap for his brother for a load of weapons found under his bed. If he doesn’t plead guilty, the brother’s gang has threatened to kill him. Adam finds himself torn between ‘doing the right thing’ and encouraging the boy to tell the truth, whilst fearing for his future if he does.

And in between the heavy scenes, and some amusing ones involving the celebrities and the tv set, we get some genuine light relief through Adam’s regular phone calls with his mum, who we never properly meet. Her classic mum-chats are hilarious and she’s such a great character! I do feel for Adam sometimes with the amount he’s having to juggle!

Another excellent story with lots of twists, turns and surprises! It’s great having that insight into life in the courts from an author we know has come from that world so you know that lots of it (although I’m sure not all!) is accurate and true to life. Very gripping! I’m already looking forward to the next one.

I LOVED IT!!

I had been eagerly awaiting this book as the last one was brilliant, and I'm so happy that it lived up to my expectations!

Right from the start the book is fast paced, you immediately jump into the heart of the story and I didn't want to put it down at all.

I love a courtroom/crime/legal thriller so Rob Rinder's books are perfect for this. His experiences add so much to the book, his knowledge of the intricacies of Chambers, and the inner workings of the business are excellently portrayed and it's fascinating to read about.

I was also really invested in the characters. The main character Adam is drawn excellently, and his Mum!! She was driving me mad let alone him! Ha ha!

A brilliant book and I hope that the series is kept alive.

Thank you to Netgalley and Randomhouse UK for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was keen to read the second book from Rob Rinder, having enjoyed ‘The Trial’ his first novel. I enjoyed this one as much as the first.

Adam Green has passed his pupillage and has tenancy at Stag Court. After his friend and colleague is signed off sick Adam is assigned as baby Junior on another high profile case. This time popular tv chef, Sebastian Brooks, is being accused of murdering his co-star and ex-lover by feeding her a meal laced with miso paste which causes an anaphylactic shock live on tv. While Sebastian can’t offer an explanation to how the food was contaminated, Adam feels that there’s more to it than meets the eye.

A second case is also assigned to Adam by his mentor and his inspiration for joining the legal profession. Whilst under pressure with two important cases, alongside his usual workload, Adam must reconcile his feelings towards the morality of justice at the expense of the safety of the defendant.

Many difficult lessons are in store for Adam; how to prioritise his work when clients’ liberty are on the lines; that appearances aren’t always what they seem; and a dilemma of what happens when you say the ‘wrong’ thing to a client and how that can backfire.

I was pleased that Adam’s force-of-nature mother is back with regular phone calls, insistent on telling his bosses that they’re working him too hard and encouraging him to start a relationship with his colleagues while Adam declares that they’re not his type.

With thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Stag Court Chambers series is quickly becoming my favourite series - I don’t want to wait ages to read the next instalment!

Adam Green, now a fully-fledged junior barrister and a tenant at Stag Court, is drafted in as the junior on two major cases - one defending a tv chef charged with the murder of a breakfast television host, and the other defending a teenager charged with gun possession. Both cases present the twists and turns we have learned to love from Rob Rinder, and the character development throughout this second instalment in the series was excellent. Big kudos to Adam’s mum, who is quickly becoming my favourite character in the series!

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rob Rinder has become one of my new favourite authors and to be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect when he started to write but he is brilliant. The story is excellent and well written and thought out that I just can’t fault it.

I am not usually one for a mystery or court drama type book but I really like Rob Rinder and when I heard him interviews on the "One Show' earlier this year talking about this book, I was intrigued to read it. I hadn't actually realised it was a follow on from his first book The Trial but I don't think it stopped my enjoyment of the book and I will probably go back at read it as I really enjoyed his writing style.

I found the book really easy to read and navigate and his experience and training in courtrooms and the justice system really adds a depth to the books. I found a subject I wouldn't normally be interested in really entertaining and interesting.

The book had me gripped from the first pages when the start of morning breakfast television is killed live on tv infant of millions of people after having an anaphylactic shock from an allergy. The celebrity chef id charged with her murder and as the trial begins, lots of secrets and skeletons come out of the cupboard.

I thought the character development of Adam Green the trainee barrister who is asked to help on the case was brilliant. And I will definitely look out for more books by Rob in the future. He seems like such a lovely, humble man and it shows in his writing style and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a change to read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After being completely riveted by Rob Rinder’s first novel, the Trial, I was excited to read the follow up in the series. Sadly, it did not live up to my high expectations. The character of junior barrister Adam Green, who I was completely invested in after the first book, felt a bit flat and, like his mother, I was hoping to see something more interesting happening in his personal life. The main story line, the dramatic on-screen death of morning tv presenter and national treasure Jessica Holby after consuming an allergen laden dish by tv chef Sebastian Brooks and the subsequent criminal trial, held a lot of promise and showcases Rinder’s knowledge of both the courtroom and the tv studio. The plot, and the side plots of the other cases Adam Green was working on were fairly straight forward however and there was little that left the reader guessing. That said, Rinder is a fluent and accomplished writer and I still look forward to the next instalment in the series.

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

Jessica Holby, host of a popular morning TV show and much loved by the public, dies live on air following a cooking segment. Anaphylactic shock as a result of a serious food allergy is to blame and TV chef Sebastian Brooks is charged with her murder.

The Suspect by Rob Rinder is the sequel to the hugely successful The Trial and features the same characters. I was very impressed last year when I read The Trial as "celebrity" written novels don't always live up to expectations. With this sequel, Rob Rinder has created a gripping series, with believable characters, that has the potential to spawn a long and successful series, especially as I thought the second book was an improvement on the first.

Junior barrister Adam Green is the main character in both books. The story follows Adam as he supports a senior barrister defending the TV chef. By selecting this topic the author has hit a goldmine, the public infatuation with "celebrity" is boundless. Rob Rinder has created characters that have a passing resemblance to a number of real-life celebrities the media, and the public, seem to be obsessed with. It isn't difficult to figure out who some of the celebrities are supposed to be.

The glare of the media spotlight means that the barristers know it is going to be extremely difficult for a fair trial to take place. The situation isn't helped by the fact that Sebastian Brooks offers no defense other than "I didn't do it". Colleagues and friends of both the victim and the accused are tight-lipped and refuse to be witnesses at the trial. This immediately makes you wonder what secrets are being hidden. A further complication is that the prosecuting barrister is from the same chambers and Adam's friend, Georgina, is working under them, putting them on opposing sides.

While all of this is happening Adam is approached by the barrister he most admires, the man who ignited his interest in law, to assist him on another case. Adam is overjoyed to be asked but slowly realises that the case involves a moral dilemma; persist in a lie and the client faces years in jail, tell the truth and the client faces retribution.

Once again we witness the punishing workload for anyone who aspires to be a barrister. Adam's old pupil master, Jonathan Taylor-Cameron, makes a couple of brief appearances and is his usual misogynistic, lazy and pompous self. Thankfully, this character is more than balanced by the number of hard-working and conscientious barristers, although we learn that even the most successful among them have to make sacrifices.

There is a sprinkling of humour throughout thanks to the irregular phone conversations Adam has with his mother. She is still trying to run his life, and his love life in particular. Adam seems to be running a constant battle to stop her from turning up at his bedsit or place of work.

Dogged determination, exposing hidden secrets and realising that the image a celebrity displays isn't always a true reflection of their real character helps Adam to uncover exactly what happened on the fateful day Jessica Holby died.

I listened to the first book in this series via audiobook and thought it was brilliant but this second one fell a bit flat for me. It was quite repetitive in terms of plot to the first book and there were far too many characters to keep track of. I did then find it a bit difficult to keep invested in the story and lost interest about half way through. It’s a shame as the first one was great!

This has bags of potential! This was a good follow up to the first one! I really like Adam and the other characters! The cases he looks after in this one are just as high profile but I didn’t find them as hooking as the first. What I will always enjoy is the phone call conversation interludes between Adam and his mum. You really do get to see Adam a bit more and I love the Jewish integration with his mum too!

Another winner from Rob Rinder!
It was fun meeting up with Adam and his colleagues again, although, I know this is the second book, but I did think the rather longwinded explanations for new readers of how they knew each other would have benefitted from some further editing.
The scenes with Adam's mother injected some lovely humour, and the page turning main case progressed as expected with the perils of celebrity well documented! However, the part I was most touched by was the case involving Alexei and his brother, as I felt the author described well the dilemmas and dangers faced by clients as their barristers pursue Truth and the need to do what they feel is morally right.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

Adam Green has now graduated to baby barrister and escaped the clutches of the dreadful Jonathan but that doesn’t mean that his workload is any lighter.

As in The Trial, Adam’s conversations with his mother add an element of humour but his romantic life remains as unresolved as ever despite her best efforts.

Rinder has Adam working on 2 quite different cases in this instalment and it’s obvious that his attitude to them is quite different. The first is the trial of a celebrity chef for murder and although the more serious crime it follows the pattern more of a cosy crime mystery. However, in the second, the trial of a man with learning difficulties, Rinder has managed to inject a quite different and much more serious message.

I wonder if at some point the author will decide to write something much more hard-hitting? He is clearly bright enough and much as I enjoy the Adam Green series this made me wonder if his underlying commitment to serious subjects may be too restricted by this format.

In the meantime this is lots of fun and works as a great holiday or home read.

With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an arc of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for an early read of 'The Suspect'. I hadn't read Rob Rinder's first book featuring barrister Adam Green but there wasn't a problem following the story in this well written courtroom drama. An enjoyable and easy read with good characters that will hopefully feature in another book.

Yet again, Rob Rinder writes with obvious knowledge of the legal system. Yet again Adam Green is pulled in many directions and we continue to see the determination he has to do his best and seek justice for the innocent.
Still Adam has frequent phone calls from his mother adding the humour and normality to the story.
The cases Adam have this time are very different to each other - one involving gangs and the other a celebrity death played out on the television screen. He is so busy he doesn't have time for a private life and has to manage his mother and her threats to contact his seniors to insist he is not overworked.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Rob Rinder/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Well, as much as t has been lovely catching back up with young Barrister Adam Green, I have to wonder whether or not Mr Rinder's part time colleagues on Good Morning Britain should be a little bit worried. I mean, I'm not saying he is harbouring any grudges or malicious desires, but you really have to hope that, in this case, life does not imitate art or I'd be more than a little worried next time he sits down as guest host. Just saying ... 😉

I really did enjoy this book. It combines the mystery and humour that I love from The Trial but this time, if you hadn't guessed, set in the murky work of morning television. I say murky because, behind all the glitz and glamour of Rob Rinder's fictional television show, Wake Up Britain, all is not well. Grudges, power plays and, quite honestly, some less than pleasant characters lead us to understand that all that glitters definitely is not gold, and when it comes to suspects in the apparent murder of host, media darling Jessica Holby really has racked up a whole list of haters. Not that the police seem interested in this at all, turning all their focus on TV chef Sebastian Brooks, the only person with the possible opportunity to commit the devious deed. Right? Yeah, right?

I do love Adam Green as a character. He is keen as mustard but not necessarily as adept in his chosen career as his peers would like. Everything he does comes from a good place, but he doesn't always achieve the desired outcome. It's not for want to trying and, perhaps, he tries a little too hard. But it is clear he believes in justice and he just won't accept that the simple, seemingly obvious answer is the truth. Who can fault him for that? I love the way that Rob Rinder has portrayed him - the baby Barrister wanting to make his way on his own but not quite having the killer attitude it takes to make his mark ahead of his more outgoing colleagues. This major case he ends up on is as a result of someone else's misfortune rather than his own prowess, but perhaps that's just what he needs. It's clear that not al of his colleagues believe in him, and keeping the trust of those who do, really matters which comes across so strongly in his desire not to let anyone down. He has just the perfect balance of naivety, passion and loyalty, be it to his colleagues or his client, to let you know that, eventually, he will persevere.

Now, whilst this story is dominated by the major case of the blurb, fitting as both the defence and prosecution are from Adam's Chambers, there is a secondary case which tugs at the heartstrings. The revelation in the Brooks case will leave you struggling to feel for anyone caught up in the investigation, but when it comes to Adam's other priority, convincing a young man in the docks for a crime he most likely did not commit to testify against a major crime gang, really does change the pace, and the emotions, tied up in this book. Adam' believes in his clients innocence, but it is the kind of case where honesty may not be the best policy, and the cost of telling the truth may be a higher price to pay than taking the almost certain prison sentence. It's exactly the kind of case I can imagine Barristers all over the country, but especially in major cities, face with depressing regularity, and it helps to highlight the very real nature of the day to day job, The main case may (I hope) be exaggerated for entertainment, but this is the heart and soul of the novel, and shows the real heart of Adam's character.

Now readers of The Trial will remember Adam's mum making quite a regular appearance in Adam's life, and it is no different this time around. It allows moments of humour in what could otherwise, at times, be quite a heavy story to deal with. I'm not saying she is an overbearing mother, but take every stereotype of a loving Jewish mother, and you'd be close to the kind of demands that she makes of Adam's time. There are also scenes between Adam and his close colleagues in chambers which brought more than the occasional smile to my face. There is the ongoing saga of Adam's friendship with Georgina Devereaux, and the is there isn't there question of their chemistry. I like the back and forth between the two - Georgina's determination to help Adam, and Adam's never quite being certain how to take the attention. Then there is Libby Page, a new face in Stag Court, but certainly vying for Adam's attention, much to Georgina's disgust. There is a serious backstory here too, dealt with carefully and with just desserts served by the end of the book.

If you enjoyed The Trial, you will love this one too. Adam is really starting to find his place in the world and his pure and honest pursuit of the truth really does make him a wonderful character to spend time with. He's not perfect, but he is entertaining and I loved every minute of The Suspect. I'm definitely hoping we see more of Adam Green. Definitely recommended.

An enjoyable look at a barristers life. Prosecuting the murder of a national tv sweetheart. What appears to be an open and shut case. Chambers politics and career making opportunities.
Enjoy I did

Having read The Trial, the debut book from this author, I was really looking forward to reading this as The Trial was one of my top 10 books for 2023.
This book retained the realistic feel with the author using his knowledge of the court system to explain processes and actions. The author is a well known celebrity and in the first book I really picked up on his voice when I read the book but i did not feel that this time. The book took me a little while to really get into it but the storyline got really interesting and dragged me in and it ended up being a great story.
Anyone interested in crime fiction, daytime TV and celebs will enjoy this book. That is quite a range of people but most people will enjoy the read.
In this book, the junior barrister, Adam, moves on to two new cases that are both very complex and he also looks at developing relationships with his employers and friends with mixed success. We also continue with his telephone calls to his mother which are quite fun and add another element to the story.
A great, easy read
Many thanks to Random House UK, NetGalley, and the author, for providing me with an advanced copy of the book in electronic format, in return for a honest and unbiased review..
The book is published on 20th June 2024.

Wow this is the follow up novel that follows up both the same characters and some new ones that we met in The Trial which I absolutely loved but I have to say the is one is even better and although this book can be read as a stand-alone I would encourage anyone to read the previous book first as it’s much too good to miss.
I have nothing but praise for Rob Rinder he really is a master storyteller who keeps you gripped with superb characters and plots that that never fail to impress.
Not only a brilliant story that kept me hooked there are also some extremely funny moments as well especially from the chapters that deal with the phone calls between the main character Adam Green and his mother I was laughing at these so much, she is a great character!
I loved learning more about the ins and outs of the legal system and found it really interesting as it’s something I really did know so much about. My only complaint now is that I have to wait for the next book, well I should say I’m hoping there will be one as it’s terrific series that I can’t fault, so a big please from me Mr Rinder we need more and many many thanks for a wonderful 5 star read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Young barrister, Adam, takes on the defence of a TV chef accused of poisoning the co-host on a daily magazine programme. The fact that there is TV footage filmed from several angles makes it hard to dispute the facts.

I really enjoyed Rob Rinder’s previous novel so was really looking forward to this one. He is good at taking us inside chambers to see the inner workings and discovering the day to day reality of life as a junior barrister. However, I don’t think this book was quite as good as the previous one. There were occasional references to the previous story which I couldn’t quite remember and I suspect one of the characters in this book may make an appearance in the next.

I love Adam’s relationship with his mum and enjoyed their telephone conversations.

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