A thought provoking read! The whole scenario was too believable for comfort.
We learn what happens from the beginning. The perpetrators are apprehended quickly. Each of the three teenagers has their own barrister fighting their corner. Not only do we learn the history of the three boys but we learn much about the barristers, two of whom have their own demons. From the beginning the Judge has the three boys guilty before he hears the details, not a good start to the case!
The proceedings themselves are interesting; the background checks interesting; the disclosures that are deemed necessary or not fascinating; poor checking of details disturbing.
I look forward to more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/S.J. Fleet/Pan Macmillan for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Before retiring I worked as an usher in both Magistrates and Crown court so reading The Cut throat Trial was somewhat akin to a day at the office ;) and what an enjoyable experience that has been… Bernard Hooper an elderly gentleman in his 70’s has popped out to purchase a bottle of wine but this will be a New years eve like no other. In less than an hour Bernard will have been murdered in a brutal Zombie (knife) attack by three teenage assailants captured on CCTV leaving the scene.
The Cut throat Trial is the story (trial) of the alleged perpetrators taking place over some 3 to 4 weeks. We meet the barristers representing the defendants, the overworked prosecutor, and the arrogant pompous self opinionated judge: His Honour Judge Letts. The story is told in the first person by all the main parties, including the defendants. It is a tense, dramatic, edge of the seat spectacle with even a little humour ……” Prosecuting counsel is like a Western gunslinger swinging open the saloon doors only to find the furniture overturned and everyone inside fatally wounded. Sometimes all you need to do is discharge a few rounds into the bodies for show, and help yourself to a drink from the bar”....... that unfolds in front of us and I was glued to every word on every page. With a shocking, unexpected conclusion this is a brilliant read told by one who has lived his life in Her/His Majesty’s Courts. I thoroughly enjoyed and marvelled at every scene as it was played out in front of me…Highly recommended.

It is one of the biggest trials of the year. Three seventeen-year-old boys are accused of the brutal murder of an elderly teacher on New Year's Eve.
Each boy denies it.
Each points the finger at the other two.
But they can’t all be innocent.
The three defence barristers have only one job: to persuade the jury that their client is not guilty. But they’re up against a prosecutor who needs to win the case, no matter the cost.

This is a brilliant and totally absorbing read. Hard to put down as we follow trial. We see the actions through the eyes of all the participants in the courtroom. This is so well written with the real story slowly unraveling, then suddenly changing. With a fabulous series of unexpected twists at the end to thoroughly unsettle everything. It’s great and entertaining read.

SJ Fleet’s The Cut Throat Trial is an exceptional legal drama that stands out in a genre far too sparse for readers who crave courtroom tension grounded in realism. Written by a former criminal barrister, the author brings an insider’s precision to every scene, but it’s the storytelling that truly elevates this novel.

The case at the heart of the book is devastating: three teenage boys are on trial for murder, each blaming the others in a cut throat defence that turns the courtroom into a battleground of shifting allegiances and buried truths. The stakes are impossibly high, not just for the accused, but for the families, the legal teams, and the reader, who’s drawn into the moral complexity of guilt, manipulation, and consequence.

SJ Fleet masterfully builds tension as the trial unfolds, keeping us guessing which piece of evidence will prove most damning and who, if anyone, might be innocent. The three-way dynamic adds a brilliant layer of jeopardy, forcing us to constantly reassess our sympathies and suspicions which surprisingly includes those prosecuting and defending those on trial.

What I didn’t expect was how emotionally invested I’d become. The narrative doesn’t just explore legal strategy, and disaster, it probes the human cost of justice, the fragility of truth, and the devastating ripple effects of a single decision. The author’s writing is taut, intelligent, and deeply compelling.

This is courtroom drama at its finest: morally complex, procedurally sharp, and utterly addictive. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and sincerely hope SJ Fleet has another trial lined up for us soon.

If you like a courtroom drama as much as me then you will love The Cut Throat Trial by S J Fleet. For those interested, a 'cut throat defence' is one where one defendant blames another to exonerate themselves. This can involve a defendant's testimony or evidence that strengthens the prosecution's case against a co-defendant, effectively "cutting their throat" by making them appear more culpable.
Sadly the police investigation in to this savage murder of an elderly man was somewhat botched but the CPS muct have thought there was enough evidence to bring a prosecution. So we have three very clever barristers trying to find the flaws in the evidence to get their respective clients off the hook. Also there is the barrister for the prosecution trying to present the evidence in the best possible light to effect three convictions. This gave the opportunity for the reader to become a detective, sifting through the evidence for any golden nuggets which may have some semblance of truth. However, right at the very end, an interesting twist is revealed, sufficient to give food for thought for all us potential jurors!
I really enjoyed this lengthy novel, we got to know the individual characters rather well which made it all the more realistic. However, it also worried me with respect to the competence of the police and the quality of the evidence presented in what must have been one of the most high profile investigations. Yes, I know it's a novel but I expect the author did extensive research in creating a realistic story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Picador for my copy of The Cut Throat Trial by S J Fleet.

This story takes place mainly in the courtroom, wher three young men are being prosecuted for murder.
It is told in turn by the three accused, the prosecution and the three defence barristers.
A gripping tale that highlights how easily something you thought you knew can be wrong.

#NetGalley #Picador #TheCutThroatTrial #SJFleet.

A tense and twisty murder trial drama where three seventeen year old boys stand accused of murdering a pensioner in a random attack. The eyewitness accounts and testimonies that emerge differ greatly and the story is told from different perspectives including the accused, the prosector, the judge and the defence counsel. It takes you on a wild ride of trying to find the truth and find out the fates of all involved. Really gripping and as you'd expect from The Secret Barrister, brilliantly accurate and gripping.

The English legal system is run by humans, who are all fallible to some extent. So the system is intrinsically fallible – but it’s all we’ve got, so just hope you’re never trapped in it. If you are a professional player in the game, you should, at least, be working around your fallibilities and, perhaps, exploiting those of your learned friends. If you’re an amateur, be it a jury member, or a witness (lay or expert), or an innocent defendant (aka the accused) you’ll need to hope that everyone else is working optimally in the pursuit of truth. If you’re a guilty accused, you are more likely hoping that their fallibility is going to help you out. In a cut-throat trial there is more than one defendant, each using the argument “not me guv, it was the other guy(s)”!
In this novel, we have a court-room drama where three seventeen-year-old boys, close friends until now, are charged with a vicious assault on a random old man, using an eighteen inch zombie knife, resulting in his death. The reader is mainly in the role of a juror (although we are given additional information which is not shared with the jury), but we see the evidence from all points of view: the judge, the prosecuting barrister, the three defence barristers, the three defendants. It is, in many ways, a forensic dissection of the fallibility of the legal system and should be recommended to anyone who is about to become embroiled in real life, as a preparation for their appearance. It is also, of course, a murder-mystery, and the reader will be trying to work out whodunnit, before the dénouement. Watch out for the smoke and mirrors, and admire the cunning of the plot.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Wow! A gripping courtroom drama that drew me in from the start.
3 teenagers are accused of murdering an elderly man. The prosecutor thinks she has the case sewn up but she has no idea what the 3 defence barristers have up their sleeves.
The stage is the courtroom, presided over by Judge Letts, and the evidence is laid out for us to solve the crime.
So many twists and turns and at times a lot of information to absorb. A surprise ending that had me going back over the evidence to see what I’d missed!
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Cut Throat Trial is a book about three teenaged boys charged for murder and the whole book is set as a courtroom drama during the trial.

This is probably the most professional courtroom book I’ve ever read (not that I know anything about that lol), but it truly felt like the author has great knowledge about the proceedings. I’m not a courtroom drama kind of girl but I did appreciate this book quite a lot, believable characters, plot and very well written. For a moment I thought I as the reader had to deliver the verdict and found how incredibly hard that is, I for sure hade it all wrong.

Reading The Cut Throat Trial by S. J. Fleet was a genuinely immersive experience. I went in expecting a solid legal thriller, but what I found was something far more layered and emotionally resonant. The story follows three teenage boys accused of a brutal murder, each offering a version of events that doesn’t quite align. From the outset, I was hooked—drawn into a web of conflicting truths and moral ambiguity.

Fleet’s writing is sharp and intelligent, with a quiet elegance that never feels forced. You can tell they know the courtroom intimately, but the legal detail never overwhelms the human story. The characters are beautifully drawn—flawed, vulnerable, and deeply believable. I found myself constantly shifting allegiances, unsure who to trust, and completely invested in the outcome.

Aliyah, the conflicted prosecutor, stood out for me. Her internal struggle adds a powerful emotional layer to the narrative, and her perspective brings depth and nuance to the trial’s unfolding drama. The pacing is spot-on, and the twists!

Fleet doesn’t just explore guilt and innocence; they delve into the fragility of truth, the weight of responsibility, and the complexity of justice. It’s a thought-provoking, emotionally intelligent read that lingers long after the final page. I’ll be recommending this widely—and quietly hoping there’s more to come.

With thanks to S J Fleet, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

An amazing story with an unprerdictable ending.This was a criminal case against three teenagers charged with murder and all the way through I was asking myself who was telling the truth and who was lying as new evidence was being produced to alter my thoughts. Throughout the book the back stories of the defendents, the baristers and the judge are all mixed in at a steady pace to add another perspective. The case shows the processes in a trial and the events that can happen to easily slow down the trial.
A superb read that is very different to any other book that I have read and one that kept me wanting to continue to read to dicover more about eachof the defendents and the individual cases against them.

Absolutely fantastic! This is one of the cleverest crime fiction books I've read in a long time.

I enjoyed the description of the court building as the reader is swept through the entrance and up the levels to the upper corridors - this section reminded me of the way Mick Herron describes Slough House at the start of each of his novels.

S.J.Fleet's style conveys realism with the inclusion of the indictment, statements and witness testimony. The interplay between the various points of view - 3 defendants, prosecutor, one of the three KCs, and judge - means the reader is thrust straight into the competing motivations of the characters and conflicting versions of events. Everyone is flawed, and fascinating and believable as a person and each aroused my sympathy at specific moments (apart from the judge!). There are twists and shocks but each one feels valid and there is foreshadowing so the author is playing fair rather than taking the story down a route that isn't genuine. Exciting, soul-destroying, satisfying. More please!

Such a great take on a courtroom drama,each chapter leaves you eager to read on for answers.
Three suspects,three barristers.. what's the truth,and who's really telling it?
The authors legal expertise shines through, which brings authenticity and depth to every scene.
Each accused gives their own version of events,adding layers of intrigue and making you constantly question what you believe.
The chapters were a bit long for my liking,but the story itself kept me hooked.Its a read that keeps you thinking not just during the trial but long after the verdict.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillian for the Arc.

Three boys are accused of murdering an elderly teacher on New Years Eve.
Each one denies it and says it was the others who are responsible.

Each defence barrister needs to prove their client is innocent but they are all up against a prosecutor who cannot afford to lose this case.

A reasonable read, but not one that immediately grabbed me and made me keep turning the pages. I imagine that it is one of those books that will have a mixed appeal

This is a very lengthy read about the trial of 3 young men accused of murder told from the perspective of the accused, the defence and prosecution and the judge. It takes you on a journey to the verdict but what comes after the verdict is the clever twist. I admit I did skip quite a lot of pages to get towards the end of the book as I was bored with the trial information.

Simply brilliant! This book was the ultimate page turner. I could not put it down. A brilliant insight into the workings of a trial, set from the trial date we, along with the jury see the evidence unfold, with additional insights from the barristers, judge and accused among the way. At first I was gripped by the insights into how everyone is thinking and how the same evidence can be used to opposite arguments.

Towards the end of the book however I loved the insight into the dangers faced by teenage boys, particularly those in care, I loved how it played out and the clever use of storytelling to show how easily the truth can be missed entirely.

Wow what a read. A brilliant page turner. I was gripped from the first couple of pages, and found it very difficult to put down. Exceptionally well constructed and well written. My allegiance/sympathies kept changing as the storyline unfolded, but I never saw the ending coming. Certainly an author to follow. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

A really interesting look at the inside of a courtroom during a trial, told from the point of view of the judge, the prosecutor, the three defendants and their three barristers.

Three teenagers are accused of the murder of an elderly man on New Years Eve. However, were they all involved, or are one or more innocent of the accusation?

I really liked the drip feed of information throughout each narration. I was never quite sure who or what I believed, although I knew we were not getting the whole truth and nothing but the truth! I liked seeing the struggled the prosecution had with incompetent policing, and seeing a bit of the home lives of the team was also a good way to explain how they were in court. Overall, a fascinating read, told by someone who knows how the process works - I hope to see more by this author.