Prima Facie

Tessa is a thoroughbred. A young, brilliant barrister from a working-class background now at the top of her game: defending, cross-examining and lighting up the shadows of doubt in any case. The law is a game and she is its most talented player.

One sickening night, though, Tessa finds herself in a position countless women – one in three – have been in before her. And she’s faced with a gut-wrenching, life-changing decision. Will she take the stand to testify about her rape, with the full awareness that the system has not been built to protect her?

Drawn from the internationally acclaimed play, Prima Facie is a propulsive, raw look at the price victims pay for speaking out and the system that sets them up to fail. With breakneck prose and a devastating emotional intensity, this is a novel for our times, by one of Australia’s most impressive writers.


‘A fantastic read, page-turning and thought-provoking. The kind of story you can’t stop thinking about. I loved it.’ JANE HARPER


SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA LITERARY FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE DAVITT AWARDS BEST ADULT NOVEL 2024
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKPEOPLE BOOK OF THE YEAR ADULT FICTION 2024


Praise for Prima Facie

‘Not many books can immediately draw you in, keep you up all night, and break your heart over and over again. But still you can’t put it down. Can’t look away. There are not enough superlatives for Suzie Miller’s incendiary novel. Just read it.’ Heather Rose

‘Suzie Miller has created a relatable, seminal work in our understanding of sexual abuse. Brilliant!’ Magda Szubanski

‘Enthralling and sharp-witted – Prima Facie takes an unflinching look inside a legal system that is more punishing to the victims of sexual assault than it is to the assailants. A scathing and true look at how the legal system can retraumatise victims. Highly recommended.’ Karin Slaughter

‘As defamation laws are weaponised against sexual assault victims in an already hostile legal environment, this timely and deeply moving novel could not be more important. A defence barrister learns in the absolute worst way what it is like to be raped not once, but twice, the second time by her own profession.’ Jane Caro

‘Miller’s star shines as brightly as a novelist as it does as a playwright. Prima Facie the novel gives us what novels
do: the intimacy of interior life. A great read.’ Anna Funder

‘Miller’s novel is searing, vindicating and absolutely necessary both in the injustices it names and the emotions it evokes. I am grateful to her for writing it.’ Sarah Krasnostein

‘Brilliant concept. Convincing, worthy, a must read.’ Claudia Karvan

‘Bold, fearless, heartbreakingly timeless. Written with skill, humour, despair and hope, Prima Facie is a deeply rewarding, absolute must read.’ Chris Whitaker

Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Imprint: Picador Australia
Publication date: 27/08/2024