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Where’ve you been anyway, Green?’ Tony growled. ‘I could not ’ave been clearer about the start time of today’s event.’ This is a book that takes you to the dark heart of the criminal justice system. They are all here - the good, the bad, the innocent and the guilty. I have not enjoyed a legal thriller this much since Grisham's The Firm' Tony Parsons
Public hero and “pride of the nation” DI Grant Cliveden collapses in Old Bailey just minutes before giving testimony in a drug case. All evidence points to him being poisoned and the prime suspect is career felon Jimmy Knight, who has only recently been released after serving a ten-year sentence for armed robbery. Jimmy had a history with the deceased and had met with him in a local pub before his death. The theory is that Jimmy slipped the poison in Cliveden's drink. Though there is no forensic evidence linking Jimmy to the poisoning, he is arrested and set to be tried for murder, based on the discovery of a burner phone, from which he sent a text message setting up the meeting, in his possession and CCTV footage of the same meeting which shows Jimmy buying Cliveden a drink. Most of my experience in this genre has been everything America. So, to read a legal fiction that is based in England is so refreshing.He would go on a day trip to a stately home, for instance, “and think that it was preposterous that I didn’t live there.” He created his own identity, his own voice, with his clipped tones – “I describe myself as being mugged by a Mitford” – and I can picture Rinder as a sophisticated teenage raconteur amid bewildered school friends. “I didn’t suit the condition of childhood at all well,” he says. “I just thought the whole thing was pointless.” He used to enjoy listening to his mum’s friends complain about their difficult relationships, and although he was fairly popular, his best friend at school was the school nurse. Growing up with my incredibly emotionally literate mum has deprived me of a good five chapters of an autobiography a matronly woman....wore a polka dot skirt" which in the next sentence is described as "gaudily patterned" The Trial is whip-smart, stylish and gripping, both murder mystery and courtroom drama, shot through with tension, humour and a dark dissection of corruption, status and justice." - Gilly MacMillan
When hero policeman Grant Cliveden dies from a poisoning in the Old Bailey, it threatens to shake the country to its core. You must be mistaking me for someone who cares,’ said Tony menacingly, one eyebrow raised. ‘You’ll have my full attention when – one – it pays, and – two – you’ve won. Now get out there and get schmoozing!’ A ridiculously entertaining whodunit. The Trial is sharp, witty and has a huge amount of heart. You're all going to love it when it hits shelves in June." - Tom Hindle The only thing that's certain is that this is a trial which will push Adam - and the justice system itself - to the limit . . . As the narrative progresses, it becomes evident that the “pride of the nation” might not have been the honest, hardworking member of law enforcement he was made out to be. This is a high-profile case and the first major case that Adam has been assigned. Adam is in the second six stage of his pupillage and his future at the Chambers is at stake. Is Jimmy truly innocent or is Adam being played by a career criminal? Will his pursuit of the truth end up jeopardizing Adam’s career prospects?Good, good,’ said Jonathan. ‘Did you add the bit about how I miss her milky thighs, or did we decide that was a bit much?’ There’s something enormously powerful about standing between the individual and the power of the state’ … Robert Rinder. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Guardian An engrossing read by someone who clearly knows their subject matter well. I didn't see the ending coming!" - Faith Martin
Like ‘networking event’, ‘building commercial relationships’ was one of Tony’s favourite new phrases. He ’d left school at sixteen and had started making a living in the wheeler-dealer world of chambers in the 1980s, when clerks had needed to do little more than answer the phone and watch the money roll in. But his commercial instincts were as sharp as his suits, and he knew those days were long gone. Tony believed Stag Court needed to get corporate if it was going to survive, and was on a one-man mission to drag his creaking chambers into the brave new world. Obviously Rinder knows the judicial system well and this shone through in the writing. The nature of justice and whether our legal system is always successful in attaining it, is a major part of the plot and this certainly made me think. The ending was great, very clever and certainly worthy of such a cleverly plotted book.
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I didn't know what to expect when I requested this book. I knew the courtroom drama would give the exact detail as Rob (Robert) Rinder used to be a barrister and judge. I was not disappointed. I loved this murder mystery. I was completely invested from the beginning. There was plenty of twists to keep you guessing. I really liked Rob's writing style and he brings with it his personal experiences as a criminal barrister. It's not often you hear of a murder at the Old Bailey, especially a policeman. This book gives a good insight into the justice system. The characters are well portrayed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No, no, no, I don’t mean that,’ Jonathan said, waving away Adam’s words like a bad smell. ‘I mean, how did you get on with the flowers?’ As well as this we had the faux "comedy" of the stereotypical Jewish mother, feeding, cleaning and trying to find her son a nice Jewish girl.
What can I say? I really loved this book and whizzed through it in a couple of days. Books by celebrities can be pretty hit and miss so although I like Rob Rinder’s Tv persona and humour I wasn’t sure if this would translate into his first novel. Well it definitely did! Well, it wasn’t that simple, actually,’ he said, trying to take away her sting with neutral friendliness. ‘My client, Dale McGinn—’ Rob Rinder has been an academic inspiration to me since I took law as one of my A-Levels since there was nothing else that my sixth-form offered me that I had any interest in. Much to my parents telling me that I wasn't smart enough to even pass the course (I did and I am now (very proudly) in university law school). The Trial is Rob's debut novel and features Adam Green, a trainee barrister working under his pupil master. When he is assigned his first murder case, it is literally the most high profile case around. Tasked with defending the alledged murderer of Grant Cliveden, policeman/spokesman and all round supercop, who is the nations hero after saving the life of the Queen. Adam is determined to prove his clients innocence despite all the evidence against him and his pupil masters obvious feelings about the case. When hero policeman Grant Cliveden is dramatically poisoned to death in the Old Bailey, it threatens to shake the country to its core. The evidence points to one man: Jimmy Knight. He’s been convicted of multiple offences before, so defending him will be no easy task. Not least because this is trainee barrister Adam Green’s first case.
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Finally decided to put in an appearance, have you? I thought you might need a little alone time after losing a simple bail application…again…’ She pouted, sarcastically. Overall, Rinder has written something which is going to be a huge crowd pleaser in the summer. The end leaves it open to the possibility of more Adam Green stories in the future which I certainly would not be opposed to! An addictive and twisty 5 stars. The book takes you through the life of a baby barrister, and all the hard work, long nights and sometimes personal feelings, that goes into fighting for tenancy during pupillage. As well as balancing home life with networking events, trials after trials and everything in between, the grittiness and honesty are clearly shown through the eyes of an author who has been through it all before himself. Er, yes, sorry about that,’ said Adam, raising his voice in an effort to drown out the escalating grunts and moans coming from the other side of the door. ‘I was at Bexley Mags.’ The only thing that's certain is that this is a trial which will push Adam - and the justice system itself - to the limit.
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