This is a well written book. The characters are short making it a fast paced read. The plot is good and interesting. The characterisation is excellent. The characters are well developed and relatable. It is action packed and full of twists.

"The Simple Truth" by James Buckler begins with a bang as a dog walker stumbling upon an abandoned car, accompanied by a cautionary note urging the finder not to open it. We are then introduced to Lewis Miller, a lawyer tasked with delivering a non-disclosure agreement to the family of a suspected suicide victim, Maria Brennan. As Lewis investigates, it becomes evident that something more sinister is at play, leading him to suspect foul play in Maria's death. Soon a multitude of players in a web of dangerous twists emerge.

Lewis Miller emerges as a likable character, driven by a genuine desire to uncover the truth for Maria and her family. Despite encountering resistance and ever evolving danger as adversaries intent on burying the truth surrounding Maria's demise emerge. As the plot delves into murky depths, the pace remains captivating, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. James Buckler's skillful storytelling and the action-packed nature of "The Simple Truth" make it an unputdownable legal thriller that guarantees an engrossing read.

A gripping book that I struggled to put down. Brilliant plot with a host of interesting characters, I will definitely read more by this author.

An absolutely ripper of a read, I couldn't put it down. I was absolutely compelled to read on - regardless of how late it was getting!

An entertaining legal thriller, fast paced with short sharp chapters. An intelligent thriller.

A well thought out plot line. But I found there were quite a few characters for me really to get my head around.

Thanks netgalley and publisher for this arc!

Well this is a book I have devoured in one sitting today. I have been completely pulled in and unwilling to put this down.

Imagine being newly qualified and put in the position of Lewis. Would you go with the job in hand or what’s right?

Buckler has really transported me with this book. I’ve felt as though I’ve been watching the events play out. This is a book I could easily imagine on screen.

Captivating, enthralling and completely addictive are just some words I would use to describe this book. This is one that I have found difficult to put down. I have been completely caught up on the events taking place.

Buckler has produced a gem with this one. I have devoured this one and have loved every twist and turn along the journey.

There are a mix of characters in this book. Few are likeable, the rest I have been completely suspicious of. It has been a brilliant read and a very promising debut.

I cannot wait to see what else the author has in store for readers. I absolutely recommend this one.

Thanks must go to the publisher, Netgalley and Jack Buckler for the ARC of 'The Simple Truth'. A slightly different read from my usual psych thriller, but I do enjoy the odd legal thriller also. Its compelling, inviting and gripping. There are quite a lot of characters, so focus is needed, but the story is well written and thought out.

This book kept popping up on my Facebook Timeline and it sounded intriguing so I thought “why not?”.

I do enjoy a good legal thriller and The Simple Truth is a perfect example of a good legal thriller. We have a newly qualified lawyer, Lewis Miller, who doesn’t quite fit in at the prestigious law firm he works at. Born without the silver spoon and rich family, Lewis has had to graft harder than anyone to earn his position at Renfrew and Hall and when Charlie King the head of the Commercial Division requests Lewis for a specific task this is his opportunity to finally stand out and be accepted.

All Lewis has to do is get a Non-Disclosure Agreement signed by a grieving mother whose 28 year old daughter Maria committed suicide and pay the family £100,000.00 in return for their silence. However Irina Koval doesn’t believe her daughter killed herself and is convinced she was murdered and her employers are trying to cover something up.

Now Lewis finds himself unable to fulfil the simple task his boss has set and begins to investigate Maria’s death, slowly uncovering dangers and deceptions along the way.

I really enjoyed this fast paced legal thriller. It reminded me of the early John Grisham books and this could potentially lead to a great series.

An ambitious lawyer needs to find out the truth. A disclosed check, a NDA and someone is dead. This was such a good book! So interesting and instantly captivating. You just want to read on to uncover the secrets and Lewis is a brilliant character to follow along. Really good plot and just couldn’t put it down once I started.

I have always enjoyed legal thrillers and The Simple Truth was everything I hoped for, grabbing my attention right from the start and proving to be a clever, entertaining read.

When newly qualified solicitor Lewis Miller is sent to get an NDA signed for an important client, he expects it to be a relatively simple task and views it as an opportunity to make a good impression with his superiors. But it is soon clear that there is more to the situation than meets the eye, and as Miller delves deeper his desire to uncover the truth finds himself dealing with some pretty unsavoury characters and putting his own life in danger.

With a huge cast of characters and several sub-plots, this did require some focus initially but fortunateIy Iwas gripped from the outset. Miller is such a likeable protagonist, smart and with a strong sense of justice, and with plenty of twists and red herrings galore, it is a book that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat and I raced through it. Buckler is an author who is new to me, but I look forward to seeing what comes next.

I love a legal thriller and this one took a different tack to the usual which was rather refreshing. Lewis Miller is newly qualified; knows he's been lucky to bag a job with a well renowned law firm and is keen to prove his worth to those higher up. He thinks he's got his lucky break when summoned from a meeting by one of the partners; all he has to do is deliver some paperwork to a client and get it signed. Job done. But life's never that clear cut especially in these circles and Lewis soon realises there's more to this case than meets the eye.

He quickly works out that his personal and professional lives are about to collide: he comes from the same deprived area of the city where the client lives. He is acquainted with the people involved. On taking his boss's paperwork for signature and listening to the family's reasons for not going through with the request, Lewis's interest is piqued. But his involvement in this case soon turns into him needing to protect himself - he doesn't even feel safe returning to his own home anymore.

I enjoyed reading about the scrapes Lewis found himself in and the moral dilemma he faced between following his dream of becoming a hot shot lawyer and the real-life people who would be subject to a huge injustice if they were prepared to sign a document in exchange for a life changing sum of money. Which did he want most and which would he be able to live with on his conscience for the rest of his days? Therein lies the test of a man.

A great suspense novel which had me hooked sufficiently to want to pick the book up at every possible opportunity, I look forward to more from this author in the future.

A young woman is dead.
A very wealthy client needs a favour. You're newly qualified as a lawyer and this could be your big break, so you jump at the chance.
The case is about to be closed.
All you have to do is talk to a family, ask them to sign some papers. How difficult could it be? Their daughter was found dead at a beauty spot on the outskirts of London in what you're told was a tragic suicide.
Only you can uncover what really happened.
But the truth is never that simple. And this case could cost you your life...

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

With an ominous prologue of a dog walker finding a body in a car, I was instantly hooked and also suspicious of the note left under the windscreen wiper and what had happened.

𝑩𝑬𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑬. 𝑫𝑶 𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑵. 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑷𝑶𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑬.

It then goes straight to, cuckoo in the nest, lawyer Lewis Miller as he is given a seemingly simple task. Deliver a non disclosure agreement, witness the signature and hand over a cashiers cheque for a very large sum of money. Nothing is ever really that simple though and I was only ten pages in and already questioning. Suicide? She was a scientist but was viewing sites on mixing household cleaners? I am no expert but even I know you don’t mix bleach with other products.

So when the victim’s mother refuses to sign insisting it was murder, Lewis is determined to get to the truth behind Maria’s death. First in his line of sight is his firms biggest client and Maria’s employer Robert Carlson. The man behind the NDA and cheque and also an environmentalist trying to supply green energy. Is it a case of destroy one for the good of the many?

This was a complex legal thriller full of ruthlessly cutthroat characters playing dangerous games. Instead of a fox in the hen house this felt more like a solitary hen had wandered into a foxes den, but that automatically had me rooting for underdog Lewis.

A fast paced character driven book with a likeable protagonist. Appealing to those that like a moral quandary and where the simple truth is that this is anything but simple.

This legal thriller had me gripped from the very beginning. The fast-paced storyline, with suspense and drama, had me eager to read on. The plot twists were unpredictable, and this was a very engaging read.

The characters are multi-layered and reasonably complex, so this is a book that I had to concentrate on more than others and not one I would recommend if you have a lot of distractions around you. Well, not for me, anyway! I particularly enjoyed that with money comes the power concept and the writing style of this book.

Buckler is a new author to me, and after reading 'The Simple Truth,' I am excited to read more by him. This would make a great book club read, as there is plenty to discuss and scenes that are thought-provoking and emotionally fuelled.

Overall, I recommend this to anyone looking for a deep read and perhaps something to get their teeth into for 2023. Captivating, entertaining and a well-deserved four stars read.

I was enticed by the intriguing premise and a promise of a legal thriller; however The Simple Truth disappointed on both accounts. Inept writing, clumsy dialogue,cliché characters, predictable plot developments….I gave up half way through.

Young & ambitious newly qualified lawyer, Lewis Miller, is asked by the head of the company to witness the signing of a Non Disclosure Agreement. Lewis agrees to what seems a simple task but when he arrives at the meeting, he finds out that the NDA relates to the death of a young climate activist named Maria Brennan. Maria had been working for Robert Carlson, an entrepreneur well-known in the green energy technology sector. & was a rising star in his company until she was suddenly sacked. Shortly afterwards her body was found in a car at Coldharbour Marshes, a bird reserve & local conservation area.

The police seem to have deemed Maria's death as self-inflicted, but when Lewis meets her mother at the NDA signing, she is adamant that Maria was killed & asks Lewis to investigate. He is reluctant at first but when he starts to look into the case, he realises that something is not right. His subsequent enquiries take him into the dark heart of dodgy business deals but could the motive for Maria's death have been more personal for Robert Carlson?

I wasn't sure about this one but it turned out to be an interesting, pacy legal thriller. Lewis is a good main character, easy to empathise with as he weighs his hard-worked-for career against what he knows is right. The narrative is told mainly from Lewis's point of view but with various chapters from Robert Carlson, his wife, & Maria's wayward brother. The chapters are fairly short but the storytelling is well done, with some historic strands being woven into the conclusion. I enjoyed reading it.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Random House UK/Transworld Publishers/Bantam Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

When Lewis Miller is handed a special assignment by the big boss at the City law firm he works at, he thinks he might finally be moving on up in the world. All he has to do is ask a family to sign a non-disclosure agreement and give them a cheque. Failing to accomplish this seemingly simple task would probably spell the end of his career, but seriously, how hard can this be? Something doesn’t feel entirely right, though. The family’s daughter was found dead from an apparent suicide in a beauty spot on the outskirts of London. Lewis isn’t convinced but digging into this case might not just finish off his career before it has well and truly started; it may end up costing him his life.

'The Simple Truth' is told via various points-of-view from a bunch of characters that are obviously somehow connected. Maybe it's due to all of that switching back and forth that I felt the story took a little too long to actually get going. Yet, I remained hopeful about its potential as I tried to figure out the connections before they were revealed to me. Tis indeed true, the truth is rather simple. Despite some red herrings popping up now and again, I really didn't think the ultimate conclusion came as a surprise.

However, through it all is Lewis Miller. Lewis hasn't had the best time so far, but he is determined to get ahead in life and this City law firm job is going to get him there. However, something feels rather icky about the whole Maria Brennan case, leaving a dirty taste in Lewis' mouth and when the lawyer looking after the family's interests dies in a traffic accident, Lewis realises there is a lot more going on than he has been told. After all, there are no coincidences. Suddenly, this precious opportunity his boss has given him is beginning to feel like a poisoned apple, and Lewis is determined to find out the truth about what happened to Maria. Meanwhile other people are just as determined to keep that truth hidden.

Throw in some dirty money and good-for-nothing men, drugs and a bunch of Russians, and maybe worst of all ... lawyers and their rich, privileged clients and you have yourself an enjoyable thriller. So maybe I felt the plot was a tad simple and predictable. And maybe some of the characters were quite cliché and stereotypical. And maybe I expected that little bit more. All in all, I was entertained but I wouldn't exactly call 'The Simple Truth' memorable.

Lewis Mills is a junior member of a prestigious London law firm. When he is asked , by a senior partner, to deliver a non-disclosure agreement and ensure it is signed, he jumps at the chance. He learns that the agreement relates to the apparent suicide of an employee of one of the firm's most important clients. What seems to be a straightforward task becomes anything but and places Lewis in grave danger.

This is a gripping, John Grisham-esque thriller. The plot is clever and really grabbed my attention. The pacing is excellent. The characterisation is very good and the dialogue is realistic. Lewis is a great protagonist. This is an impressive debut novel which I highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reading the blurb of this one on NetGalley I was hooked. I had to read this book. When I received an invitation to the blog tour from Anne – it was a sealed deal. While I am new to this author, I raced through this pacing crime thriller. While it slips into the legal genre as well – this book is not very heavy on legal jargon – this book will keep you reading late into the night while you flip pages eager to find out what will happen next.
James Buckler keeps you on the edge of your seat with this story and manages to keep it unpredictable. In the earlier part of the story, I found myself wondering how everything would fit together – at times it felt as if two separate stories were unfolding. Then just as you are convinced there cannot be a connection, the author brings the two strands together and delivers a brilliant ending. I was surprised to learn that this was only his second book. The Simple Truth is brilliantly written and I guarantee you will find yourself completely engrossed when opening this book.
When a young woman is found dead in her car police close the case as a suicide. A young, eager lawyer is asked to have the family sign an NDA – which should be an easy task – Maria’s previous employer does not want any bad media exposure by being linked to her death. However – it is not that easy.
Maria’s family is convinced that she was murdered and refuses to sign anything and when the young lawyer discovers his life is in danger, he is determined to find the truth no matter what the consequences might be.
This book had me racing from page to page, I could not read fast enough. This story is fast-paced and gripping from start to end. I love the surprises along the way and the characters were brilliant.
The author focused the story on characters with principals while throwing them into a world where they are surrounded by people with seriously questionable motives. This made the book extremely entertaining and left you wondering who you should be trusting. I loved the mixed characters in this book.
This is an awesome book to start the new year off. I loved every minute I spent reading this book and I cannot wait to spend more time with this author.
If you enjoy a fast, pacy thriller that will keep you guessing – then this is the book for you. Go ahead and add this one to your TBR, you will not be disappointed. I love this one.
Reading the blurb of this one, I was hooked. I had to read this book. When I received an invitation to the blog tour from Anne – it was a sealed deal. While I am new to this author, I raced through this pacing crime thriller. While it slips into the legal genre as well – this book is not very heavy on legal jargon – this book will keep you reading late into the night while you flip pages eager to find out what will happen next.
James Buckler keeps you on the edge of your seat with this story and manages to keep it unpredictable.

I will post my full review on the 4th of January as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours.

This is a brilliant read and would highly recommend you add this title to your TBR.

This was an intricate legal thriller, full of dodgy Russian oligarchs, drugs, violence and a young lawyer with a conscience. They story wax quite complicated and there were lot of characters to keep track if, but it was pacy, modern and full of relatable characters. Pulled me in and kept me hooked!