Have bought a range of more mature reads for the school library and this was a huge hit with staff and students alike. A good read that created plenty of opportunities for discussion -will definitely recommend

An interesting look 'under the wig' of law and various cases and the experiences of William Clegg. There were many surprises in this non-fiction text. This is not something I would usually read but I found it engaging and puzzling...some things that people do and say are nuts!

This was a thoroughly gripping look behind the curtain of the English legal system. It was so fascinating to get the perspective of someone who has presided over a number of both high profile and notorious cases. There were many times reading this I paused as I wanted to know more and fell down a rabbit hole on the internet. This would be perfect for those who want to know more about the headlines.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead.

I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings.

Anything requested and approved will be read and a decent quality review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Under The Wig by William Clegg was a fascinating book which I enjoyed very much but did not absolutely love. Though I will recommmend to anyone interested in Law and the courts.

This book is so different to my normal reads but I was gripped and unable to put it down!
A biography of his life at court and as a barrister right from the first up to now, William Clegg QC draws the reader in and introduces them to the legal world in a way that won’t totally confuse the reader!
This book features many cases that he has defended over the years including Colin Stagg for the Rachel Nickell murder and Robert Napper for the murder of Samantha Bisset, the murder of Jill Dando, the Chillenden murders and so many other cases including war crimes and the phone hacking scandal (so some that I at least had heard of!)
Seeing how he progresses up the ladder during his career is so well written and full of anecdotes that it’s sometimes hard to remember that you are reading a factual book and not fiction!
I particularly loved one passage “the trial judge … wore a red bobble hat throughout the visit … and there were some discussions about what it could be called. Someone described it as being like Noddys hat and I remember … saying “you can’t say the judge was wearing a Noddy hat, he will have you up for contempt!”” This is the kind of anecdote that works so well and engages the reader in a subject that might have been hard to do with another author
I would recommend this book to those who have an interest in crime and the criminal justice system but also to those who enjoy a really well written biography which will draw you in

Not a brilliant read, I couldnt get my head around this at all and had to skip some parts of it. So I didnt truly read it completely

I love lawyer memoirs like The Secret Barrister. This one is great. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to those who love courtroom dramas and true crime.

This book is just genius- it’s infuriating, unfair, insightful, scary and so impressive. The fallibility of our system is broken down so that a layman can understand where the pitfalls are and how this affects certain and sometimes unexpected sections of our community in a way that I wouldn’t have anticipated, and feels so heavily unfair. It’s really well written and engaging, and a truly fascinating read. Would recommend to everyone!

Fascinating book, because it features some very high profile cases.
The thinking behind some of the defence strategies was interesting to read.
Also enjoyed reading about the age old traditions that English law is steeped in, and how they have developed over time.

In this memoir William Clegg gives a reasonably entertaining account of some of his most outre cases.

While sadly lacking in detail it does at least give an insight in to the trials and the machinations involved in preparing a defence for some of the most famous and infamous defendants in recent times.

Whilst it attempts to address some of the most common questions around the motivations and practices of someone working with and for some of the (allegedly!) worst people around I found myself looking for more detail, more insight, more, as it were, "oomph".

In conclusion this is a welcome and interesting but inessential contribution to the genre.

#UnderTheWig #NetGalley

Under the Wig gives an insight into the criminal justice world from the perspective of William Clegg, QC, a judge, barrister, and head of chambers in one of the leading sets for criminal work in the country. I really enjoyed reading this book and how it brings in different perspectives. Clegg provides a highly accessible, straightforward explanation of complex legal areas such as the law around murder, and gets to the heart of principles underlying the principles of our criminal justice system. The opening chapter worked well for me in setting this scene in this regard.

Clegg has worked on some of the most horrific murder cases in recent history as a defence lawyer, as well as some other really interesting cases such as WW2 war crimes. He tells these cases as intriguing stories, but in a clearly factual and objective way. I really like the personal story angle, describing his relatively humble beginnings to achieving great success in his legal career. There are also chapters that give an insight into the work of a barrister, and he ends with an important commentary on the current crisis facing the legal profession, which is something that potentially puts the principles of justice in this country at risk. The cases where he identified miscarriages of justice that arose (and continue to arise) from police investigations highlight why we need good lawyers and a robust criminal justice system.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the workings of the criminal justice system, an interest in the cases in the book from an original perspective, and an interest in what it's like to be a barrister. I've read and enjoyed other recently published books in the genre, and Under the Wig brings another voice and perspective. I really enjoyed reading this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my personal review.

I really liked the structure of this book, which alternates between explaining the structure and workings of our legal system and recounting the author’s experience of some very high profile cases. I did find it dry in places, but the case histories kept it moving along.

What an eye opener. I really enjoyed this book and so well written. It was very interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes of some of our most serious cases. This is a must read.

A fascinating glimpse into a world that I am familiar with only through television and books – the law and particularly the world of criminal barristers.
In alternating chapters, William Clegg gives us an insight into not only his long & distinguished career as a barrister, QC and Judge, but also into some of the most high-profile cases that he worked on, including the murder of Rachel Nickell, the murder of Jill Dando, the murder of Lin Russell & her daughter and of men accused of war crimes. These were cases I recalled hearing about on the news.
Whilst we naturally don’t get all the detail of what happened in court, is interesting to read how the process works, especially if the barrister is not always convinced of his clients innocence! Unlike many of his colleagues, William Clegg was not from a privileged background, he was an ordinary chap who went to an ordinary school and became a barrister through his own hard work & determination. These humble beginnings seemed to give him a different approach in court & he always took time to explain things in ways his clients & the jury would understand - he also seemed to have an ability to see past the outward appearance of suspects (the local eccentric, the one who “looked guilty” or “probably did it”) to find the truth.
There are moments of real honesty, when he discusses the changes to the legal aid process in recent years, and why he is no longer able to take new legal aid cases “One reason I won’t take on any new public-funded cases is that the service I could offer would be substandard. I would not be able to instruct the experts I have been instructing for years ... and I would be faced with going to cheaper counterparts who I had less confidence in” He makes a justified argument that a serious and complex case such as murder requires a completely different set of skills and amount of work to a less serious crime such as theft & the remuneration that barristers get for each case should be appropriate.
I was also particularly struck by the way he detaches himself from emotionally draining and very difficult cases “remaining detached helps me stay focused on the law. Once I have finished a case and the immediate euphoria wears off, it becomes marked “old“ in my mind. I erase it and make space for the next one”

The book was written in a very approachable way, and I think that the humble origins of the author come through as he tries to write in a way that is accessible to the general public – there are some unusual words used, but this does not come across as an academic or highly learned book.


Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free via NetGalley. All opinions are my own .

Under the Wig: A Lawyer’s Stories of Murder, Guilt and Innocence by William Clegg QC (Queen’s Counsel) is an autobiography (of sorts) by a defence lawyer in the UK. From his training to his days in court, Clegg lays out his career in this intriguing book.

In alternate chapters throughout the book, Clegg recounts his career and the field of law in general, alongside some of the most interesting cases he’s worked on. In the chapters about real-life cases, William Clegg tells the reader about a variety of defendants he’s worked with including; the first UK Nazi war criminal trial (which caused Clegg to become a ‘go-to guy’ for similar cases) and the man accused of murdering of Jill Dando – many readers will remember reading about her death and the investigation in the news. In fact, many of the cases Clegg writes about in his book will already be familiar to readers including; the murder of Joanna Yates and The Rebekah Brooks Phone Hacking Trial – which, told through the eyes of the defence lawyer, allows the reader a unique angle at which to see these cases.

Following the success, The Secret Barrister, this book may be your perfect next read if you’re looking for something similar. A great book for anyone with a thirst for detailed crime stories and complex criminal cases, or anyone interested in the field of law. However, parts of the book may come across as a little dry to those with a more developed knowledge of the law as Clegg explains many elements along the way to ensure that even the most inexperienced reader will be able to follow.

Ghost written for Clegg I felt that what made him tick was missing. An interesting tale of his rise from working class lad to QC together with some high profile cases such as the murder of Jill Dando told from the defence perspective. A tad smug in tone at times I would have liked to have either known more about the cases or more about the man. Sadly there wasn't quite enough of either.

Thanks to Netgalley and Canbury Press for a copy of Under The Wig by William Clegg for an honest review.

I really enjoy reading thriller style books and watching crime related tv programs so I found this book a really interesting read.It gives you an insight into how the law works in reality , and just how hard it is to get a case to court.
The facts are told in an entertaining manner, and I was interested to hear about the back stories of high profile cases.
I have already recommended this to several students who are interested in the law.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the Ecopy of this book.

This was an interesting look into the world of a trial attorney who took us behind the scenes of some of his cases. Working in the legal practice but nothing to do with anything like this it was interesting for me to see another side of things. Anyone interested in the world of criminal law, the criminal lawyers, and defendants, courtroom proceedings etc, this is a book for you.

I would recommend and it would be a good holiday read.

This is an okay read. Literally a chapter-wise summary of all cases of Mr. Clegg. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.