Until Proven Innocent
Published on 16. March 2023
Book
Hardback
320 pages
978-0-241-56271-0 (ISBN)
Description
WINNER OF THE DIVERSE BOOK AWARDS READERS CHOICE AWARD 2024
'Spectacular! British crime fiction has a dazzling new voice in Nicola Williams' Tony Parsons
The gripping new courtroom thriller following barrister Lee Mitchell in her most controversial case yet
Lee Mitchell is a young barrister from a working-class Caribbean background: in the cut-throat environment of the courtroom, everything is stacked against her.
On her doorstep in South London the 15-year-old son of the pastor at the local Black church is shot, and the local community is shattered. All evidence is pointing to infamously corrupt, racist police officer Sergeant Jack Lambert as the irredeemable suspect. His own boss - rebel-turned-copper Danny Wallace - is certain he is guilty.
Against her will, Lee is strong-armed into defending him. With cries of 'Black Lives Matter!' echoing in the streets, Lee is at the centre of the turmoil as lies, anger, and mistrust spiral out of control.
With the line between her personal and professional life becoming increasingly blurred, Lee keeps asking herself the same question: How can she defend the indefensible?
'Spectacular! British crime fiction has a dazzling new voice in Nicola Williams' Tony Parsons
The gripping new courtroom thriller following barrister Lee Mitchell in her most controversial case yet
Lee Mitchell is a young barrister from a working-class Caribbean background: in the cut-throat environment of the courtroom, everything is stacked against her.
On her doorstep in South London the 15-year-old son of the pastor at the local Black church is shot, and the local community is shattered. All evidence is pointing to infamously corrupt, racist police officer Sergeant Jack Lambert as the irredeemable suspect. His own boss - rebel-turned-copper Danny Wallace - is certain he is guilty.
Against her will, Lee is strong-armed into defending him. With cries of 'Black Lives Matter!' echoing in the streets, Lee is at the centre of the turmoil as lies, anger, and mistrust spiral out of control.
With the line between her personal and professional life becoming increasingly blurred, Lee keeps asking herself the same question: How can she defend the indefensible?
Reviews / Votes
Penning a blend of legal and psychological thriller would be enough for most authors, but Williams, a barrister, deftly adds a layer of social realism. Her book teems with memorable characters from the law and the black community * Sunday Times * Williams has used her experience as a Crown Court judge to craft a twisting legal thriller of real moral complexity * Mail on Sunday * A brilliant and tense drama about legal justice that propels us well beyond the courtroom and right into the heart of a troubled community and its people -- Dreda Say Mitchell * Guardian * A great twisty, gritty investigation with wonderful characters culminating in an explosive courtroom drama! -- Ajay Chowdhury Until Proven Innocent is a legal thriller with heart and soul -- Erin Kelly An authentic thought-provoking new voice in crime fiction -- Kate Ellis Compelling, smart, staggeringly relevant . . . Williams' insightful novel is pitch perfect. Outstanding -- Rachel Edwards A brilliantly taut, gritty and authentic page turner that takes you on a thrilling road from the streets of London to the courtroom -- Nadine Matheson Until Proven Innocent is nothing short of an astounding, brilliantly engaging book! Nicola has created one of the most daringly complex, intellectually and emotionally evocative crime stories I've read in quite some time -- Stephen Mack Jones The gripping new courtroom thriller will hook you in * Platinum Magazine *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
521 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-56271-0 (9780241562710)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Nicola Williams started her career as a barrister in private practice, specializing in criminal law. She was a member of the first Independent Advisory Group to the Metropolitan Police Service and has been a part-time Crown Court judge since 2010. She is the author of three legal thrillers. Without Prejudice was selected for the Black Britain: Writing Back series by Bernardine Evaristo and Until Proven Innocent was the winner of the Diverse Book Awards Readers' Choice Award 2024. Killer Instinct is her latest novel.