Category Courtroom

Prima Facie by Suzie Miller @penguinrandom #NetGalley #play #contemporaryfiction #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of Prima Facie by Suzie Miller. This is a brilliant book based on a play by Jodie Comer and is set in the law courts. It is a story that has a very important message to impart.

Prima Facie – based on the first impression; accepted as correct until proven otherwise.

My huge thanks to Random House UK for accepting my request to read this via NetGalley.

Based on the award-winning play starring Jodie Comer

‘This is not life. This is law.’

Tessa Ensler is a brilliant barrister who’s forged her career in criminal defence through sheer determination. Since her days at Cambridge, she’s carefully disguised her working class roots in a male-dominated world where who you know is just as important as what you know. Driven by her belief in the right to a fair trial and a taste for victory, there’s nothing Tessa loves more than the thrill of getting her clients acquitted. It seems like Tessa has it made when she is approached for a new job and nominated for the most prestigious award in her field. But when a date with a charismatic colleague goes horribly wrong, Tessa finds that the rules she’s always played by might not protect her, forcing her to question everything she’s ever believed in . . .

MY REVIEW

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.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

We All Have Our Secrets by Jane Corry @PenguinUKBooks #NetGalley #contemporaryfiction #psychological #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for We All Have Our Secrets by Jane Corry. I really enjoy this author’s books and this latest one is fabulously addictive and has some wonderful dilemmas that would make for great book club questions.

I received my e-copy of this book from the publisher – Penguin UK that I requested via NetGalley.

Emily made a mistake, a mistake midwifes can’t afford to make. Escaping to her dad’s home in Devon to regroup and check in on him – his dementia has been worsening, and her guilt along with it – she is surprised when a beautiful stranger answers the door. Francoise is her dad’s new carer, but Emily’s father seems to have deteriorated under her care.

Emily doesn’t trust Francoise – but she doesn’t trust herself either. Each has a secret. And one of them will kill to keep it . . .

A suspenseful, darkly emotive domestic thriller from the Sunday Times bestseller about what happens when family ties are pushed to breaking point. 

MY REVIEW

I have read all of this author’s books and I have always enjoyed the unexpected twists that she adds to her stories. This latest book I think may be the most twisted one yet!

Emily has returned to her family home in Cornwall. She is a midwife and there has been a mistake, taking a break at her home and catching up with her elderly father. She is surprised when she is greeted by a young woman. Things have changed since her last visit and it is with the suspicion that she tries to work out why this young French woman is a carer for Harold, her dad.

Francoise is a caring woman and has experience looking after the elderly. She is used to their mood swings and has learnt to be patient with them. She soon realised that Emily doesn’t seem to like her and is on her case.

This was a fabulous read and it is one that does at times flit back from present-day to 1945, this fills.in gaps in Harold’s life while continuing in the present time. The story also alternates between Emily and Francoise. This is a great way of seeing different sides to the women and seeing things from their perspective. Do I g this means the author can sow seeds of doubt for the reader. As I thought one thing, the author successfully turned things on their head and I found myself reevaluating, this is where the twists become more evident and sneaky.

The author does a very good job of going through the various aspects of midwifery and also adult care while weaving in her story of the past and the present. The levels of suspicion increase throughout the story and kept drawing me further and further in. No one is quite what they seem and so the title is very appropriate, yes we all have secrets but some are of can have serious repercussions.

This is a fabulous story and became a one-sitting read for me. It has a good psychological angle as well as mysteries. There is also a nice bit of romance running through this story and again it has roots in the past, with more secrets that are to be revealed. I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

One Law For The Rest Of Us by Peter Murphy #netgalley #review

yvonnembee

Today I am delighted to be sharin my review for One Law For The Rest Of Us by peter Murphy. My thnaks to Oldcastle Books for my e-copy via NetGalley.

I have previously read a couple of books by this author, They were from the Walden series and I really enjoyed them, One Law For The Rest Of Us is very different from Walden and it is also the 6th in the Ben Schroeder series. I have not read any other books in this series and this one worked very well as a stand-alone.

When Audrey Marshall sends her daughter Emily to the religious boarding school where she herself was educated a generation before, memories return—memories of a culture of child sexual abuse presided over by a highly-regarded priest. Audrey turns to barrister Ben Schroeder in search of justice for Emily and herself. But there are powerful men involved, men determined to protect themselves at all costs. Will they succeed? Is there indeed one law for the rich and powerful, and one law for . . . ?

When I first read the synopsis for this book I was a little unsure given the subject matter of child abuse, reading further on in the synopsis gave indications of things I do like to read about. So it gave a balance that appealed to me and I decided to give it a go and I am so glad I did.

Initially there are two cases with this story, one from the 1940’s and one from the 1970’s. Audrey was sent to a boarding school during the blitz in the 40’s. While there she was abused but she cannot remember anything about it, her mind has blocked it out. When Emily tells her mum that she has been abused, Audrey’s memories suddenly come rushing back.

The story gradually tells the memories of Audrey and also her daughter as a trial starts. Witnesses, evidence, investigations and information gathering add to the courtroom process. This is not however a straightforward case as implications are far reaching. Manipulation and attempts to cover up and protect the guilty are rife.

This is not a single plot book, though it’s focus is on the mother and daughter case. There are many other things in the background and other characters make their presence felt. This book made my blood boil at times as I followed the interviews and trials.

This author has a lot of experience given his legal background, in this book it really shows. I did however feel that at times some of the protocols and processes were a little too much. I understand the importance of showing all the steps involved in a trial, with all the legal wranglings and decision making, but at times I did feel t slowed the story down occasionally. On the plus side it really did give an insightful glimpse into the traditions, wordings and requirements required in law.

At times this was a hard read, the scenes describing the abuse were uncomfortable, but they were not numerous ans were not glorified or dwelt upon too much. The main focus was on the fight for justice.

This story is a serious legal court room read, there are various legal aspects that are intense, it follows the fight for justice. This is a book I would recommend to people who prefer a more legally technical fiction read rather than a fast paced thriller. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Peter Murphy
Photo taken from the Author’s Amazon Uk page

Peter Murphy was born in 1946. After graduating from Cambridge University he spent a career in the law, as an advocate and teacher, both in England and the United States. His legal work included a number of years in The Hague as defence counsel at the Yugoslavian War Crimes Tribunal. He lives with his wife, Chris, in Cambridgeshire.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would me great 🙂 xx