I am not usually one for a mystery or court drama type book but I really like Rob Rinder and when I heard him interviews on the "One Show' earlier this year talking about this book, I was intrigued to read it. I hadn't actually realised it was a follow on from his first book The Trial but I don't think it stopped my enjoyment of the book and I will probably go back at read it as I really enjoyed his writing style.

I found the book really easy to read and navigate and his experience and training in courtrooms and the justice system really adds a depth to the books. I found a subject I wouldn't normally be interested in really entertaining and interesting.

The book had me gripped from the first pages when the start of morning breakfast television is killed live on tv infant of millions of people after having an anaphylactic shock from an allergy. The celebrity chef id charged with her murder and as the trial begins, lots of secrets and skeletons come out of the cupboard.

I thought the character development of Adam Green the trainee barrister who is asked to help on the case was brilliant. And I will definitely look out for more books by Rob in the future. He seems like such a lovely, humble man and it shows in his writing style and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a change to read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After being completely riveted by Rob Rinder’s first novel, the Trial, I was excited to read the follow up in the series. Sadly, it did not live up to my high expectations. The character of junior barrister Adam Green, who I was completely invested in after the first book, felt a bit flat and, like his mother, I was hoping to see something more interesting happening in his personal life. The main story line, the dramatic on-screen death of morning tv presenter and national treasure Jessica Holby after consuming an allergen laden dish by tv chef Sebastian Brooks and the subsequent criminal trial, held a lot of promise and showcases Rinder’s knowledge of both the courtroom and the tv studio. The plot, and the side plots of the other cases Adam Green was working on were fairly straight forward however and there was little that left the reader guessing. That said, Rinder is a fluent and accomplished writer and I still look forward to the next instalment in the series.

With thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Jessica Holby, host of a popular morning TV show and much loved by the public, dies live on air following a cooking segment. Anaphylactic shock as a result of a serious food allergy is to blame and TV chef Sebastian Brooks is charged with her murder.

The Suspect by Rob Rinder is the sequel to the hugely successful The Trial and features the same characters. I was very impressed last year when I read The Trial as "celebrity" written novels don't always live up to expectations. With this sequel, Rob Rinder has created a gripping series, with believable characters, that has the potential to spawn a long and successful series, especially as I thought the second book was an improvement on the first.

Junior barrister Adam Green is the main character in both books. The story follows Adam as he supports a senior barrister defending the TV chef. By selecting this topic the author has hit a goldmine, the public infatuation with "celebrity" is boundless. Rob Rinder has created characters that have a passing resemblance to a number of real-life celebrities the media, and the public, seem to be obsessed with. It isn't difficult to figure out who some of the celebrities are supposed to be.

The glare of the media spotlight means that the barristers know it is going to be extremely difficult for a fair trial to take place. The situation isn't helped by the fact that Sebastian Brooks offers no defense other than "I didn't do it". Colleagues and friends of both the victim and the accused are tight-lipped and refuse to be witnesses at the trial. This immediately makes you wonder what secrets are being hidden. A further complication is that the prosecuting barrister is from the same chambers and Adam's friend, Georgina, is working under them, putting them on opposing sides.

While all of this is happening Adam is approached by the barrister he most admires, the man who ignited his interest in law, to assist him on another case. Adam is overjoyed to be asked but slowly realises that the case involves a moral dilemma; persist in a lie and the client faces years in jail, tell the truth and the client faces retribution.

Once again we witness the punishing workload for anyone who aspires to be a barrister. Adam's old pupil master, Jonathan Taylor-Cameron, makes a couple of brief appearances and is his usual misogynistic, lazy and pompous self. Thankfully, this character is more than balanced by the number of hard-working and conscientious barristers, although we learn that even the most successful among them have to make sacrifices.

There is a sprinkling of humour throughout thanks to the irregular phone conversations Adam has with his mother. She is still trying to run his life, and his love life in particular. Adam seems to be running a constant battle to stop her from turning up at his bedsit or place of work.

Dogged determination, exposing hidden secrets and realising that the image a celebrity displays isn't always a true reflection of their real character helps Adam to uncover exactly what happened on the fateful day Jessica Holby died.

I listened to the first book in this series via audiobook and thought it was brilliant but this second one fell a bit flat for me. It was quite repetitive in terms of plot to the first book and there were far too many characters to keep track of. I did then find it a bit difficult to keep invested in the story and lost interest about half way through. It’s a shame as the first one was great!

This has bags of potential! This was a good follow up to the first one! I really like Adam and the other characters! The cases he looks after in this one are just as high profile but I didn’t find them as hooking as the first. What I will always enjoy is the phone call conversation interludes between Adam and his mum. You really do get to see Adam a bit more and I love the Jewish integration with his mum too!

Another winner from Rob Rinder!
It was fun meeting up with Adam and his colleagues again, although, I know this is the second book, but I did think the rather longwinded explanations for new readers of how they knew each other would have benefitted from some further editing.
The scenes with Adam's mother injected some lovely humour, and the page turning main case progressed as expected with the perils of celebrity well documented! However, the part I was most touched by was the case involving Alexei and his brother, as I felt the author described well the dilemmas and dangers faced by clients as their barristers pursue Truth and the need to do what they feel is morally right.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

Adam Green has now graduated to baby barrister and escaped the clutches of the dreadful Jonathan but that doesn’t mean that his workload is any lighter.

As in The Trial, Adam’s conversations with his mother add an element of humour but his romantic life remains as unresolved as ever despite her best efforts.

Rinder has Adam working on 2 quite different cases in this instalment and it’s obvious that his attitude to them is quite different. The first is the trial of a celebrity chef for murder and although the more serious crime it follows the pattern more of a cosy crime mystery. However, in the second, the trial of a man with learning difficulties, Rinder has managed to inject a quite different and much more serious message.

I wonder if at some point the author will decide to write something much more hard-hitting? He is clearly bright enough and much as I enjoy the Adam Green series this made me wonder if his underlying commitment to serious subjects may be too restricted by this format.

In the meantime this is lots of fun and works as a great holiday or home read.

With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an arc of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for an early read of 'The Suspect'. I hadn't read Rob Rinder's first book featuring barrister Adam Green but there wasn't a problem following the story in this well written courtroom drama. An enjoyable and easy read with good characters that will hopefully feature in another book.

Yet again, Rob Rinder writes with obvious knowledge of the legal system. Yet again Adam Green is pulled in many directions and we continue to see the determination he has to do his best and seek justice for the innocent.
Still Adam has frequent phone calls from his mother adding the humour and normality to the story.
The cases Adam have this time are very different to each other - one involving gangs and the other a celebrity death played out on the television screen. He is so busy he doesn't have time for a private life and has to manage his mother and her threats to contact his seniors to insist he is not overworked.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Rob Rinder/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Well, as much as t has been lovely catching back up with young Barrister Adam Green, I have to wonder whether or not Mr Rinder's part time colleagues on Good Morning Britain should be a little bit worried. I mean, I'm not saying he is harbouring any grudges or malicious desires, but you really have to hope that, in this case, life does not imitate art or I'd be more than a little worried next time he sits down as guest host. Just saying ... 😉

I really did enjoy this book. It combines the mystery and humour that I love from The Trial but this time, if you hadn't guessed, set in the murky work of morning television. I say murky because, behind all the glitz and glamour of Rob Rinder's fictional television show, Wake Up Britain, all is not well. Grudges, power plays and, quite honestly, some less than pleasant characters lead us to understand that all that glitters definitely is not gold, and when it comes to suspects in the apparent murder of host, media darling Jessica Holby really has racked up a whole list of haters. Not that the police seem interested in this at all, turning all their focus on TV chef Sebastian Brooks, the only person with the possible opportunity to commit the devious deed. Right? Yeah, right?

I do love Adam Green as a character. He is keen as mustard but not necessarily as adept in his chosen career as his peers would like. Everything he does comes from a good place, but he doesn't always achieve the desired outcome. It's not for want to trying and, perhaps, he tries a little too hard. But it is clear he believes in justice and he just won't accept that the simple, seemingly obvious answer is the truth. Who can fault him for that? I love the way that Rob Rinder has portrayed him - the baby Barrister wanting to make his way on his own but not quite having the killer attitude it takes to make his mark ahead of his more outgoing colleagues. This major case he ends up on is as a result of someone else's misfortune rather than his own prowess, but perhaps that's just what he needs. It's clear that not al of his colleagues believe in him, and keeping the trust of those who do, really matters which comes across so strongly in his desire not to let anyone down. He has just the perfect balance of naivety, passion and loyalty, be it to his colleagues or his client, to let you know that, eventually, he will persevere.

Now, whilst this story is dominated by the major case of the blurb, fitting as both the defence and prosecution are from Adam's Chambers, there is a secondary case which tugs at the heartstrings. The revelation in the Brooks case will leave you struggling to feel for anyone caught up in the investigation, but when it comes to Adam's other priority, convincing a young man in the docks for a crime he most likely did not commit to testify against a major crime gang, really does change the pace, and the emotions, tied up in this book. Adam' believes in his clients innocence, but it is the kind of case where honesty may not be the best policy, and the cost of telling the truth may be a higher price to pay than taking the almost certain prison sentence. It's exactly the kind of case I can imagine Barristers all over the country, but especially in major cities, face with depressing regularity, and it helps to highlight the very real nature of the day to day job, The main case may (I hope) be exaggerated for entertainment, but this is the heart and soul of the novel, and shows the real heart of Adam's character.

Now readers of The Trial will remember Adam's mum making quite a regular appearance in Adam's life, and it is no different this time around. It allows moments of humour in what could otherwise, at times, be quite a heavy story to deal with. I'm not saying she is an overbearing mother, but take every stereotype of a loving Jewish mother, and you'd be close to the kind of demands that she makes of Adam's time. There are also scenes between Adam and his close colleagues in chambers which brought more than the occasional smile to my face. There is the ongoing saga of Adam's friendship with Georgina Devereaux, and the is there isn't there question of their chemistry. I like the back and forth between the two - Georgina's determination to help Adam, and Adam's never quite being certain how to take the attention. Then there is Libby Page, a new face in Stag Court, but certainly vying for Adam's attention, much to Georgina's disgust. There is a serious backstory here too, dealt with carefully and with just desserts served by the end of the book.

If you enjoyed The Trial, you will love this one too. Adam is really starting to find his place in the world and his pure and honest pursuit of the truth really does make him a wonderful character to spend time with. He's not perfect, but he is entertaining and I loved every minute of The Suspect. I'm definitely hoping we see more of Adam Green. Definitely recommended.

An enjoyable look at a barristers life. Prosecuting the murder of a national tv sweetheart. What appears to be an open and shut case. Chambers politics and career making opportunities.
Enjoy I did

Having read The Trial, the debut book from this author, I was really looking forward to reading this as The Trial was one of my top 10 books for 2023.
This book retained the realistic feel with the author using his knowledge of the court system to explain processes and actions. The author is a well known celebrity and in the first book I really picked up on his voice when I read the book but i did not feel that this time. The book took me a little while to really get into it but the storyline got really interesting and dragged me in and it ended up being a great story.
Anyone interested in crime fiction, daytime TV and celebs will enjoy this book. That is quite a range of people but most people will enjoy the read.
In this book, the junior barrister, Adam, moves on to two new cases that are both very complex and he also looks at developing relationships with his employers and friends with mixed success. We also continue with his telephone calls to his mother which are quite fun and add another element to the story.
A great, easy read
Many thanks to Random House UK, NetGalley, and the author, for providing me with an advanced copy of the book in electronic format, in return for a honest and unbiased review..
The book is published on 20th June 2024.

Wow this is the follow up novel that follows up both the same characters and some new ones that we met in The Trial which I absolutely loved but I have to say the is one is even better and although this book can be read as a stand-alone I would encourage anyone to read the previous book first as it’s much too good to miss.
I have nothing but praise for Rob Rinder he really is a master storyteller who keeps you gripped with superb characters and plots that that never fail to impress.
Not only a brilliant story that kept me hooked there are also some extremely funny moments as well especially from the chapters that deal with the phone calls between the main character Adam Green and his mother I was laughing at these so much, she is a great character!
I loved learning more about the ins and outs of the legal system and found it really interesting as it’s something I really did know so much about. My only complaint now is that I have to wait for the next book, well I should say I’m hoping there will be one as it’s terrific series that I can’t fault, so a big please from me Mr Rinder we need more and many many thanks for a wonderful 5 star read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Young barrister, Adam, takes on the defence of a TV chef accused of poisoning the co-host on a daily magazine programme. The fact that there is TV footage filmed from several angles makes it hard to dispute the facts.

I really enjoyed Rob Rinder’s previous novel so was really looking forward to this one. He is good at taking us inside chambers to see the inner workings and discovering the day to day reality of life as a junior barrister. However, I don’t think this book was quite as good as the previous one. There were occasional references to the previous story which I couldn’t quite remember and I suspect one of the characters in this book may make an appearance in the next.

I love Adam’s relationship with his mum and enjoyed their telephone conversations.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A forego conclusion or is it?
This isa sequel to Rob Rinder's first book "The Trial" that continues the story of Junior Barrister Adam Green. Some of the characters from that book reappear here, but this book works well as a stand alone piece for those not familiar with the previous work..
Green is involved with two cases where, though they are very different, both seem to have clear cut outcomes, but there's a lot more to come out about each of them. The author gives us a clear insight into the huge amount of research that has to be done in Chambers before cases reach the Courtroom.
The book highlights the strict hierarchical structure that exists in Barristers Chambers and the exhausting l9ng hours that junior members of staff have to work whilst maintaining vital attention to fine detail at all times. All the while they must be aware of the rules of evidence and disclosure.
This is an enjoyable book with some surprises.

Excellent read. A well written courtroom drama by author Robert Rinder. Also known as Judge Rinder a criminal barrister lawyer, Robert is able to set the scenes in the storyline from his first hand experiences gain within the British legal system. This helped me with understanding the complexity of our age-old legal system and added to the enjoyment of book. Good to have an alternative to John Grisham.

Another easy to read, but interesting book about the trainee barrister Adam Green.
Hard working Adam has two cases that he’s working on and both of them are making him feel uneasy, plus there’s Georgina and Libby who, if they had time, might both be interested in him, and also his mum who constantly worries about him.
I recommend reading this book.

The Suspect is Rob Rinder’s second novel but I didn’t enjoy it as much as his first, The Trial. There are also one or two spoilers if you haven’t read the books in order.

This one dragged a bit for me and was more of a courtroom drama than I would have liked. There are some amusing chapters where Adam Green, the main character, is in conversation with his overbearing Jewish mother. These are very clichéd though and began to grate a little.

There were quite a lot of characters to keep track of and I found myself making a written list as an aide-memoire by page ten which isn’t always a good sign for my enjoyment of a book if I have to keep remembering who is who. There are many different levels of people working in the law courts. Adam, is in his second year having been a pupil of Jonathan Taylor-Cameron KC during his first year. Jonathan is an adulterer with three marriages and seven children to date. Libby is working for him as a pupil this year and finding him as tiresome as Adam did. Georgina Devereaux is doing her pupilage working for Patience Foster. Adam, Libby and Georgina are spending a lot of time together, partly as Adam is trying to protect them from that difficult year being a pupil and being overworked.

There is then a dramatic death on the main breakfast TV channels as one of the presenters, Jessica Holby, dies on air after eating a food she is highly allergic to. The TV chef, Sebastian Brooks, is immediately under suspicion as is Jessica’s co-presenter, Nicolas, and seemingly a lot of other people. Suzy Benton-Joslin, well respected defence barrister, is brought in and Patience and Georgina are on the prosecution side. There are many other characters involved in the legal case and I struggled to keep interest and to keep up with the legal goings on at times.

With thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m absolutely loving this series, one more chapter suddenly turned into me finishing this in the early hours.
The whole concept was great fun, and I enjoyed delving behind the scenes of celebrity life. Wondering who the author has taken his inspiration from and imagining some of the gossip that must exist.
I am also finding the life in chambers to be absolutely fascinating, and at times, heartbreaking. The whole book is really nicely balanced and I can’t wait for the next one.
My only niggle is the mother, she’s hilarious but please one or two fewer phone calls.

The Suspect is the second of Rob Rinder's courtroom dramas. I enjoyed the first book in the series so was looking forward to this one. The main character Adam is the same but he has moved on in his law career and we see different aspects of the courtroom dramas play out. I found this book a bit difficult to get into and a bit predictable but overall an enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.