A fascinating mashup of courtroom drama and murder investigation where the reader is never sure who they can trust.

Ten years before events in the main timeline a young black teacher is on trial for the murder of a rich white girl who had been one of his students. The trial was high profile and seemed (at first glance) to be a formality with a murderer just needing the formality of a trial to confirm everyone believed him to be guilty. But a lone juror, Maya Seale, believed him to be innocent and she set about convincing fellow jurors she was correct.

During the trial the names of the jurors were leaked to the media and all the jurors had to be sequestered. It took several weeks for a the jurors to reach the unanimous Not Guilty verdict and over that time they got to know each other better than anticipated. Rules were broken, alliances formed and secrets were kept.

When the jurors returned to the “real world” they were not prepared for the response of the public. They seemed to be the only 12 people in the country who felt Not Guilty was the correct verdict. There was backlash.

Back to present day and Maya is a respected defense lawyer. Her experience on the jury gave her an insight into the judicial process and the way jurors behave which other lawyers couldn’t emulate.

Maya is approached by one of her fellow jurors as a production team want to do a documentary on the trial “ten years on”. Maya is reluctant but her boss encourages her participation – Maya feels she has no choice and agrees to join the show.

The jurors are assembled in the same hotel they were sequestered to and on the first night before filming begins one of them is murdered. Maya is the prime suspect. Can she clear her name? And if Maya is not a killer then one of her fellow jurors must be.

The Holdout is a twisty drama which switches between courtroom and investigative drama. Events are both historical (the original trial) and current (the jurors murder and Maya’s possible arrest). Clues are dropped through the narrative and it is wise not to make any assumptions.

There seem too few courtroom dramas these days, The Holdout will fill that gap in your legal reading.

The Holdout is set in California so the justice system is a little different from the UK. But the idea of a jury - twelve people judging the suspect - remains the same. I've often wondered how jurors cope with horrible cases, especially murder. We start to get an idea of the toll it takes in The Holdout.
Maya Seale is a high-flying defence lawyer. Her jury service experience inspired her to enter the law. Others were not so fortunate and lost their jobs because of that time. Another, Rick Leonard, became so obsessed by the case, he dedicated ten years of his life searching for the truth. Now, a TV programme wants to do a reunion with the jurors from one of the most controversial trials ever. An open-and-shut case against Bobby Nock. Abundantly clear to all of America that he was guilty. The victim's body was never found but the evidence against him was overwhelming. Only Maya thought he was innocent. And one by one, she talked the others round. But Rick has new evidence that he plans to share on the TV programme. However, before he has his moment of glory, Rick is found dead in Maya's room. And now, she has to defend herself.
The story switches between Now with Maya and Then with the other jurors. It might be my fault for mostly reading this late at night, but I didn't always find it easy to keep up with all the characters. There are ten other jurors to look at as well as the victim's family. Plus Bobby Nock himself. So you do have to stay on your toes with this book.
This novel has a cinematic feel to it which isn't surprising as Graham Moore is a scriptwriter and wrote the brilliant The Imitation Game. I'd love to see this as a film or TV series. With tense courtroom scenes and Maya's charisma, it would work very well on screen.
There are two questions that need answering in this story - who killed Rick Leonard and who killed Jessica Silver? And both of these threads are utterly compelling. We get to see both sides of the justice system in this story with Bobby Nock's past trial and Maya trying to defend herself in the present day. And I can honestly say I did not guess the outcome of either case!
Although this is primarily a story, it does look at issues such as race bias in trials (especially murder), how best to deal with sex offenders after release and domestic abuse. This isn't done in a preachy way but is subtly threaded throughout the narrative.
I think The Holdout is meant to be a standalone but I would happily read more about Maya Seale, kick-ass defence lawyer. A tense and compelling read.

I absolutely loved this book. I kept annoying my husband and children by telling them what was happening!
In 2009, 12 strangers begin jury service and get a murder case that goes on for months. When they begin their deliberation, 11 jurors vote gulty but Maya Seale stands firm and asserts her doubts. Gradually, she convinces the others and Bobby Nock is acquitted. This leads to a huge public backlash and notoriety in the media.
To celebrate the 10 year anniversary, the jurors are brought back together for a TV show. One of them, Rick, is found dead in Maya's room and she is the key suspect. She needs to prove her innocence even if it means that she made a mistake with the original acquittal...
Over the course of the book we discover elements to the original court case which could have caused a mistrial, including the developing romance between Maya and Rick which was killed off by their disagreement over the verdict. These flashback chapters for each character really bring their personalities to life, in contrast to the anonymity of the court room.
I found the legal arguments fascinating, for example when Maya's lawyer advises her to please guilty citing self defence rather than protest her innocence which was the truth. Looking back at the historical case against Bobby, it was so interesting to sift through the evidence with the jurors and come to our own conclusions as well as trying to figure out what impact this could have on the present day murder case.
As I said at the start of this review, I loved The Holdout. I was captivated throughout the whole book, everything worked so well together: the plot was intricate and thrilling, the characters were well rounded and believable, the narrative style was enjoyable to read. Simply superb!

Absolutely fantastic book. I loved reading this and could not put it down?! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it.

The Holdout by Graham Moore

Ten years ago, young Maya Seale was a juror at the trial of Bobby Nock, an African American school teacher accused of murdering his pupil, Jessica Silver, 15 years old, white and the daughter of a billionaire. The evidence seems conclusive. Everyone, especially the media and the general public, is convinced of Nock’s guilt. So too are eleven of the jurors but Maya Seale is not so sure. She is the holdout juror. And she either convinces or persuades the rest to change their verdict to not guilty.

This verdict impacts so many lives, and not just those of the Silver family or Bobby Nock himself. While Maya decides to follow her new interest in the law and become a criminal defence attorney in LA, others find it less easy to leave the past behind, especially one juror in particular, Rick Leonard. Rick was never happy with the verdict and he has spent the years since gathering evidence. He is now ready for the grand reveal. And so a TV company gathers together all of the jurors once more, putting them in the same hotel where they were sequestered ten years before. It’s not long before one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s room. Now, Maya must defend herself.

I really liked the sound of the premise of The Holdout and it certainly begins in a catchy way. We meet Maya Seale, the successful, clever attorney, who wants to put the past behind her but learns that she can’t. She must clinically work through the clues even when it is her own freedom, perhaps even her own life that’s at risk. We also have the elements of a traditional murder mystery with a small number of suspects confined to the same location as the victim. Any one of them could have done it. It’s only by getting to know each of them in turn that clues will emerge. And so the novel moves between the past and present, focusing on each juror in turn, presenting the reader with the evidence, from which we should determine a verdict.

It’s clever stuff and it’s well-written, authored by an Oscar-winning screenwriter. For me, though, The Holdout, did fall a little flat and that may well be because it might work better on the screen than it does in a novel. There is impact but I’m not so sure that there’s much substance behind it. The characters are impossible to warm to, including Maya. She didn’t feel real to me and some of the things she does don’t seem believable or likely. Although I didn’t care too much for the characters, I did like the narrative style of moving between the present and the past, which really kept the pace of the novel up.

There are some serious issues under consideration here, mostly involving race, wealth and poverty. But I feel that the novel treated them superficially and, again, this might be more effective on the screen than here.

Many readers have loved The Holdout and so I am aware that much of this is very much a personal opinion that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I can struggle with courtroom novels, even though I really enjoy them on TV or in the theatre. This, unfortunately, wasn’t any different, despite its intriguing premise. It’s all a bit too clinical and dispassionate for me and it became a struggle to finish. The length and narrative style meant that I managed it. However, as I have said, many readers have loved it and so, if you enjoy courtroom thrillers, you may find that this book is for you.

A really interesting legal drama. Lawyer, Maya, served on a jury that acquitted a black man of murdering a teenage white girl 10 years earlier. The repercussions of the verdict have affected all 12 jury members since. When a TV company want to do an anniversary programme, featuring new evidence which may prove that the verdict was wrong, Maya is drawn back into the case.
I enjoyed the plotlines of the present day and the old case. The truth does not always serve the innocent well. I had sort of guessed the final reveal but that didn't detract from the book.
My thank to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this copy.

Oh boy don’t expect to go to bed and sleep you will have to stay up and just read the next page and the next. Amazing book.

Ten years ago black teacher Bobby Nock was on trial for killing fifteen year old Jessica Silver, daughter of local millionaire business man. Initially the jury were all of the mind that he was guilty apart from Maya, for whom there was a big doubt in her mind. After months of the trial, most of which had meant the jury sequestered in a local hotel everyone was keen to go home but Maya's argument won round the rest & he was released.

Ten years on Nick,one of the jurors who Maya had been very close, to believes he has evidence to show Bobby was guilt. A TV company arranges a reunion in a mock up of the jurors hotel with Nick planning to deliver his evidence but before he can reveal this he is murdered.

This was a terrific read & kept me glued to the page. The characters were well written & the pace never let up. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

10 years ago Bobby Nock was on trial for the murder of 15 year old Jessica Silver. The 12 members of the jury deliberated and one of them believed Bobby to be innocent.

Maya Seale does a ‘12 Angry Men’ and manages to persuade the other 11 and so Bobby goes free. But this was not a popular verdict with the American public and the media frenzy lasted a long time and affected their lives in different ways.

Now, a podcast, Murder Town, which discussed the trial, the verdict and the jurors, is now being made into a docuseries by Netflix. The original jurors, well the majority, are taking part. Maya, now a defence lawyer eventually agrees to take part.

They are all staying at the original hotel they were in during the original trial, then there is a death and Maya is arrested on suspicion of murder. Can she prove her innocence? Is there more to the Bobby Nock case than she first believed?

I really enjoyed this legal thriller, the chapters alternating between the past and present really build the story perfectly.

A fast paced, marvellously twisty thriller that’s totally engrossing from start to finish. Perfect escapism and thoroughly entertaining.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.

2009: 15 year old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion-dollar fortune disappears on her way home from school. Her teacher, Bobby Nock is the prime suspect – it seems to be an open and shut case. There are incriminating text messages between the pair and her blood in his car.
But Maya Seale, a young woman on the jury, persuades the rest of the jurors not to vote guilty: a controversial decision that will change their lives for ever. All the jurors end up vilified for their actions as the world generally believed Nock to be guilty.
2019: A TV show called Murder Town wants to host a reunion for the jurors. One of the jurors, Rick is convinced he has some evidence that proves the jury made a mistake and he has proof that Bobby Nock is actually guilty. Rick and Maya had a relationship at the time of the trial and after reuniting in her hotel room and arguing, Rick is found dead and Maya is the prime suspect, and is arrested for his murder. But Maya, now a talented defence attorney herself, knows she is innocent and starts an investigation which includes looking more closely at the lives of all the other jurors as well as Bobby Nock to find out who killed Rick.
I was lucky enough to be sent a proof copy of this back in December, and even more lucky to receive one the yellow proofs which meant I was The Holdout, amongst the 11 other people who received a proof at the same time! I’m not sure I have ever read a book set in the court system from the point of view of a jury and it was fascinating.
We hear from each of the jurors in turn in 2009 as they tell the story of the court case through their eyes. Because their identities are revealed publicly quite early on in the case, they end up living in a hotel for the duration of the trial, cut off from the outside world. I enjoyed hearing from the prosecution and defence and leaning more about how a jury works. I have never been on jury service and to be honest, I don’t want to! I wouldn’t want the responsibility of deciding someone’s fate, and I’m pretty sure I’m easily suggestible so would keep getting swayed by the other jurors arguments!
When the trial ends, the 12 jurors retire to a room to come up with a verdict. 11 of the jurors decide Nock must be guilty while Maya alone thinks he is innocent. All 12 members must be sure of the verdict and it is quite impressive how Maya doesn’t stand down but also manages to persuade the others to change their vote.
This was a twisty thriller which I was totally caught up by. It was interesting and also made me think! I really enjoyed this read which was inspired by the author’s real-life experience of being the holdout on a jury and would highly recommend!

Ten years ago, a court case took place against a young black teacher. He was accused of killing a young white schoolgirl and heiress to a fortune. No body was found though and the jury found him not guilty after much acrimony. After they are released from sequestration they discover that they are pariahs, everyone in the country thinks he's guilty and they've let him go. Now the jury is reunited and one of them is murdered. Maya, who persuaded the others of the accused's innocence is arrested. Is this some sort of revenge?

I very much enjoyed the beginning of the book and the concept. However as it went on I found myself unable to accept the plot which became too farfetched for me. It's impossible to say more without spoilers but the ending struck me as highly implausible and not at all satisfactory. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

What a corker of an opening chapter.

We get a good basis of Mayas character. Stands her ground, tough defence lawyer. Made her way up the career ladder despite being involved in an infamous murder case. That 84% of Americans disagreed with the outcome.

We get little titbits of information about the Bobby Nock case. How tough it was for the jurors, a long time holed up in a hotel.  And then coming out to finding that most of America did not agree with your verdict. At the start of that trial Maya was the holdout. The one person who disagrees with the rest. And, yet she managed to persuade everyone to change their mind.

With an opening like that it was easy to delve right into the story and be transported into the courtroom. Are you ready to take your seat and find out what actually happened?

I really enjoyed this story. Not only were we given a good courtroom drama, but we also got a murder mystery on top. The narrative switches from the present day murder mystery of who killed Rick. To the past and the courtroom scenes of the original case.

This is a fantastic way of providing just enough information to keep us guessing as to the outcomes of both cases. Because, let's face it even though they found Bobby Nock not guilty ten years ago. Do we really know that he's not guilty? Then there's the matter of who killed Rick.
By going back and forth in time, we slowly learn a bit more about each of the jurors and their secrets come spilling out.

I couldn't get enough of this book, seriously couldn't read it quick enough to find out the truth. This story is written with so much expertise, it felt like I was reading a true life case. The evidence was presented well and very professional. It's obvious Moore takes care in his writing.

If Maya can persuade eleven other people to change their mind over a murder case. I hope I can sway you to go out and buy this book. Trust me you won't be disappointed.

Many thanks to Tracy for my spot on the blog tour. And thanks to the publishers for my gifted digital copy.

I have always found jury duty intriguing. Watching many American TV series, I thought I was pretty familiar with the process, but Graham Moore’s novel is much more informative and insightful about it. Twelve people, twelve strangers have the task to decide the fate of one person. They are chosen and put together in a room to judge. In some cases, like in this novel, they are sequestered to avoid distractions and interference from the outside. They are forced to spend a few months away from their families, spending their days between a court room and an hotel room not being allowed to watch TV or any connection with the outside world. They hear both sides of the case, they see the evidence, they listen to the lawyers arguing with each other, and, in the end, they decide if the defendant is guilty or not. Even if all the evidence seems to point to their guilt, how can you be 100% sure that they are? That’s what Maya Seale argues to her fellow jurors when they are asked to give a verdict on the shocking case of Jessica Silver and Bobby Nock. Are you 100% sure that he killed her? Is there even a little doubt that he may be innocent?

Ten years after the case that shocked the country and caused many criticism, the jurors in the Jessica Silver case reunite in occasion of the 10th anniversary of the verdict. One of them announces to have new evidence that could open again the case, but when there is a murder and Maya is accused, she needs to prove her innocence and find the killer, before it’s too late.

Part courtroom drama, part thriller, I was so engrossed in The Holdout that it was like being part of the story. There are different timelines and perspectives, although the story is told mainly from Maya Seale’s point of view. The characters are different and engaging and the author slowly introduces them and their stories. I can’t say I could relate to any of them, but they are very well-developed.

Some of the storylines are incredible and hard to believe, but it makes the story only more intriguing and entertaining. The twists just keep coming, especially toward the end and the suspense is always high.

I heard there is going to be a TV series based on The Holdout and I am definitely going to watch it. What a fantastic and thrilling read!

Wow. The Holdout is a serious examination of the politics of law, social impact of race and gut instinct. The first chapter was a sucker punch to the gut. The imagery was gruesome but tantalising to the highest degree. I found myself holding my breath waiting for that bomb to drop. I was gripped from its anxiety inducing start to the finale like ending. This was a premise that definitely had me hooked – just how persuasion and obsession can collide.

Ten years ago, Maya Searle was a member of the jury on the case of missing Jessica Silver, daughter of extremely wealthy Lou Silver. Immediately the cogs begin to turn, and you wonder if money talks in this case. Her teacher, Bobby Nock is in the dock charged with her disappearance and possible murder?? The evidence is presented but a lot of it could be deemed as circumstantial…does his race have a bigger picture to play and needing to be seen to prosecuting someone? It’s a picture painted to be one of a moral conundrum. The trial is a complete farce and truly deserved to be thrown out.

The Holdout – Maya Searle is convinced that Bobby Nock is not guilty. She reasons with the other jury members and somehow convinces them all to return a verdict of not guilty. The immediate future having consequences for them all. Was it the right decision? The acquittal of Bobby Nock was highly controversial none the less because of Lou Silver’s standing.

Fast forward ten years…Maya Searle is at the top of her game. A world class criminal lawyer. Her notoriety of being a jury member on the Bobby Nock trial brings her clients swooping in. You might think that this is a case of lessons learned but The Holdout is far more complex than that. An old jury member comes crashing back into her life, albeit it unwanted, that is a chapter of her life that she never wanted to revisit again. He has clung to the hope that his gut instinct was right all along – that Bobby Nock was guilty. He obsessively researched every bit of evidence and now apparently has no evidence to uncover. He will share it with Maya so long as she agrees to take part in a docuseries. I enjoyed the interactions between these two characters…Graham Moore led us down a series of mazes and laid the foundations for the reader deciding just how grey each character was.

Graham Moore has created this story whilst balancing on a knife’s edge. He allows the seeds of doubt to creep into the readers mind. It starts off as an echo, one that you aren’t too sure you heard until it reaches a crescendo, an ear splitting one. He sets a trap and it beautifully captures the reader with no obvious way out. How much of what Maya believed was seen through distorted glasses? Was she right in convincing the other jury members or was she young and naive?

The Holdout makes you rethink what you thought you knew. Compelling characters with a creepy and threatening narrative.
Thanks to Tracy @ Compulsive Readers for my spot on the blog tour.

Ten years ago, Maya Seale was part of the jury that presided over the fate of Bobby Nock, on trial for of the murder of his fifteen-year-old student, Jessica Silver.

The trial had seemed an open and shut case, but, for Maya, there were problems that could not be ignored. She was the only juror who believed Bobby Nock was not guilty, but she made it her business to bring the others to her way of thinking - and so he went free.

There were many who believed that a guilty man had got away with murder - including the Jessica's parents, and most notably Maya's fellow juror Rick, who went on to write a book blaming her for a miscarriage of justice. The controversy surrounding the case went on to hound the members of the jury for years afterwards.

Ten years have passed and the Jessica Silver case is in the headlines again. A television company is planning to gather together the original jury and go over the evidence in the case one more time - offering new and incontrovertible proof that Bobby Nock was guilty.

Maya, now a respected defence attorney, is not keen to join this reunion, but given little choice in the matter she eventually meets up with the old gang at the hotel were they were sequestered while they deliberated their verdict all those years ago. She is intrigued about what the new evidence could be.

But then, one of the jurors turns up dead, before the show even begins, and Maya is the prime suspect in his murder...

Who is the real killer and what is the motive? Is Maya paying the price for her actions ten years ago?

*********************************************************

This book was such a lot of fun, and I devoured the whole thing in one sitting!

The story alternates between the present and the events surrounding the original case - from the very beginning that the jurors were chosen, right through to the controversial verdict - so we get a lovely mix of courtroom drama, murder mystery and Maya's desperate quest to find out not only who killed her fellow juror, but also whether or not Bobby Nock was guilty after all.

We get to know each jury member pretty well and all their little secrets come to light before the end of the story, and as you put together all the pieces of the puzzle alongside the evidence presented at the original case and during Maya's current investigation, the shocking truth is finally revealed - along with the most delicious and surprising of twists.

No spoilers from me, but this is a thrill ride of a book - intelligent and exciting in equal measure, and more than a little thought provoking too. I loved it!

I've often wondered whether I'd welcome being called for jury service or find being potentially partially responsible for another person's fate too overwhelming. After reading The Holdout, I suspect that it could be the latter. The fallout from the sensational case that sees Maya Seale and her fellow jurors eventually acquit the accused is a damning indictment of how high profile trials become a media circus, with the lives of all involved changed forever.
The dual storyline largely follows the same cast of characters, ten years apart. In 2009, Maya becomes a juror, supposedly to be known only by a number while she hears the case of Bobby Nock, the teacher accused of the first-degree murder of heiress, Jessica Silver. It's one of those cases which inevitably captures the attention of the media and public alike, with everybody holding an opinion as to whether the accused is innocent or guilty. The evidence against him looks damning and the explicit text messages between him and the fourteen year-old-girl means that many are only too happy to condemn him. However, without a body and with the uncomfortable suspicion that a poorer black man will automatically be viewed as the obvious suspect by many, Maya has her doubts as to whether he is really guilty.
In 2019, the jurors are brought back together again for a docuseries which aims to look again at what really happened to Jessica. Maya managed to persuade the other jurors to acquit Nock but afterwards, Rick - with whom she had grown particularly close during the claustrophobic, cloistered months they were together - is convinced they were wrong and has since obsessively sought to prove that the man they set free was actually guilty of murder; he now claims to have uncovered new proof of that. The torrid relationship between the pair sparks with energy and ties together the events of the past and present.
In the ten years since the trial, Maya has become a defence lawyer but now finds herself on the other side of justice when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. I always enjoy thrillers where the accused tries to clear their own name and that's definitely the case here. The scenes in which she attempts to question her fellow jurors, sure that one of them must know something are intriguing and I kept trying to spot clues as to what really might have happened - to no avail! The voices of the other jurors are heard through their individual perspectives during the court case which meant that I formed opinions on them all based on their previous and current behaviour. The evidence which Rick managed to amass on each of them further muddies the waters as it transpires that they all have their secrets and trying to figure out the truth about both mysteries made for compulsive reading.
The courtroom scenes are especially strong and throughout the book, Graham Moore perceptively explores the sensitive issues of racism and prejudice, as well as the powerful role the media plays in influencing public opinion. The twisting narrative asks whether justice must always be confined to the courtroom or if there are times where a more nuanced approach is acceptable. It's a thoughtful, often uneasy look at a society which treats murder as entertainment and kept me engrossed throughout, with a conclusion which I freely admit completely surprised me despite the various theories I'd formed during the course of the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really enjoy a court room drama and The Holdout, was good from the off.

10 years ago, 15 year old Jessica Silver, went missing. Now Bobby Nock, her teacher, was arrested and tried for her murder, but can you have a murder tried, with no body and fairly little evidence. There was DNA in his car, but it was also proved from text messages and photos that Jessica and Booby were having a relationship. So, she probably had been in his car. But the boot of the car?

Bobby Nock, 24, was black, working class and a teacher. Jessica was 15, white and her parents were billionaires, and owned half of L.A - The police needed to charge someone, and the case created one hell of a trial. Taking over 5 months and meaning that 12 jurors had to leave their homes and stay away from their friends and families during that time, for their own safety and so they didn't hear anything other than what they heard in court.

One of those 12 jurors was Maya Searle, 10 years ago she was a naive, young and inexperienced in the ways of lawyers and court jargon. She soon picked it up and after the case ended, she went to law school and got a degree and is now a criminal defence lawyer with one of the major firms in the city. She's ballsy, astute and can hold her own.

But 10 years on, and still no sign of Jessica Silver - alive or dead and a production company Murder Town wanting the 12 to reconfigure and go over the case, because Rick Leonard - one of the 12, who cashed in and wrote a book about the case, and the people involved has apparently spent that time chasing some new evidence, that he won't tell, until everyone is in the room and the cameras are rolling.

Despite being reluctant, they go back to the same hotel, same rooms, and before long, there's a body. And of course, Maya is the prime suspect. She starts trying to solve both cases, which does make matters a little confusing, spinning between one decade to another.

The jurors tell their stories about life after the trial, it's all background information to help with the present day storyline. Maya's friend and colleague tells her she should plead self defence for the murder, despite the fact she didn't kill anyone. Which makes you think morally about the decisions that were made for the original 'not guilty' verdict for Bobby Nock, the whole country thought him guilty and it was Maya's way of thinking that changed the jurors verdict 10 years ago. Is history coming back to ruin Maya's world?

This twisty court room drama, held me captive and is worth a read for anyone who enjoys a thrilling judge and jury storyline.

I’m going to start this by saying I don’t read a whole lot of legal thrillers, but I was intrigued by the blurb I thought I’d give The Holdout a go.

Maya Searle was the only holdout in the high profile trial of Bobby Nock. She managed to convince the other jurors to acquit him. But was she right?

Ten years later they gather on the anniversary of the trial and one of the other jurors ends up dead with Maya as the prime suspect. Can she figure out who the killer is and spare herself from jail?

The Holdout is a taut and tense legal thriller, showing how one decision can change a person’s life for better or for worse.

There were some instances throughout the novel which were quite thought provoking, providing a social commentary on with race, prejudice and the issues within the legal system itself.

Maya was an interesting main character. Before the trial she had no direction, a bit naive perhaps. After she’s turned on by pretty much everyone and left out to dry by her fellow jurors. To everyone’s surprise she becomes a defense lawyer, toughened by her experience and a real determination to find the truth no matter what.

I enjoyed the fact we didn’t know if Maya and the rest of the jurors made the right decision or not right up until the very end.

I did wish that maybe there were a few less POV’s as some of them feel a little flat compared to others.

The Holdout is a fascinating and complex novel that will keep you on your toes throughout.

Set In L.A, this intriguing courtroom drama is written over 2 timeframes , 2009 and now, as a high profile old case where the jury let a certain child murderer go free, is now being made into a Netflix tv series..

With a fresh investigation under way, determined to prove the freed mans guilt, the jurors from 2009 come together again to help with the tv show. But when one of the most committed ‘guilty’ jurors turns up dead in another jurors hotel room things take a sinister turn.

This book casts a spotlight on the American courtrooms, and is written with a feel of an author that knows his subject, with an authenticity in the courtroom scenes. The story also explores the issue with race and prejudices in the U.S legal system.

A fast paced legal thriller, this one will keep you turning the pages quickly and guessing as it Belts along to a compelling and intense finale.

Recommended

4🔥🔥🔥🔥

I don’t read courtroom dramas very often, but I’m so glad I decided to read The Holdout by Graham Moore. A compulsive, very readable and fast paced legal thriller that kept me turning pages long into the night, this is a book that kept me on my toes throughout.

Ten years ago Maya Seale was a crucial part of the jury that cleared teacher, Bobby Nock, of the murder of fifteen year old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion dollar fortune. But now one of the jurors has been found dead… and Maya is the prime suspect. And any one of the other ten jurors could be the real killer. Is Maya about to pay the ultimate price for her decision all those years ago?

What follows is a gripping tale that once started you will not want to put down. I liked Maya from the outset, a strong, independent woman who had become a defence lawyer, making a place for herself in what is, without a doubt, a brutal and cutthroat world. But now the life she has built for herself has come crashing down, leaving her fighting for both her freedom and her life.

The Holdout is an entertaining legal thriller, with a complex plot that will keep you guessing throughout. Cleverly told between two separate timelines, this superb thriller is full of twists and turns that ratchet up the tension as the story moves towards its thrilling conclusion. I love a book that has the ability to surprise and this book did just that!

Graham Moore’s background in screenwriting is clear to see throughout this book, and I would not be surprised to see The Holdout adapted for either TV or film in the future. A fascinating, well written book that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.