THE FIRST LEGAL THRILLER FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING SECRET BARRISTER WRITING AS S. J. FLEET
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‘The Zorro of the criminal bar’ – The Times
It is one of the biggest trials of the year. Three seventeen-year-old boys are accused of the brutal murder of an elderly teacher on New Year’s Eve.
Each boy denies it.
Each points the finger at the other two.
But they can’t all be innocent.
The three defence barristers have only one job: to persuade the jury that their client is not guilty. But they’re up against a prosecutor who needs to win the case, no matter the cost.
Because when the game is murder, the competition is deadly.
Launching a brilliant new voice in crime fiction, a criminal barrister with an incomparable insider’s knowledge, The Cut Throat Trial is the most gripping thriller of the year.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 432
Imprint: Picador
Publication date: 31/07/2025
The Cut Throat Trial
By S J Fleet
Review by Sophie
I didn't know what I was expecting when I started this one, but it ended up surprising me. To describe it simply: it's a murder trial in a book. But simple it is not. It's a brilliantly sharp, messy, dramatic, brutal, choreographed portrayal of the justice system. There are no heroes here; every single character is deeply flawed, not just the three teenage boys accused of murder, but the defence, prosecution, police officers, witnesses, and judge. Written by an anonymous junior barrister expect some legalese, because they aren't playing around, or sugar-coating the nature of the job. With not one single, trustworthy character, The Cut Throat Trial is for anyone that loves a legal thriller with a real-world feel.
