Madison has landed the internship of a lifetime. She is going to be working with her favorite professor, Judge Kathryn Conroy. But, she has lied on her application. She just cannot tell the judge about her brother. But the deeper Madison gets into this job the more she realizes, it is not just her with secrets.

Boy! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive! This story just keeps twisting around until you don’t know which way it will end! It is hard to describe because you just don’t want to give anything away…JUST READ IT!

I have been a fan of this author for quite a while. Her stories are always a labyrinth of turns. But don’t worry…it all comes out in the end. And this one is no different. This is a smart read…you blink, you will miss it!

Need an intricate tale of misdeeds and betrayals…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Intern is a fast paced story, taking you from Boston to DC, knee deep in corruption and the political espionage of a mafia controlled judge and her intern whose only trying to clear her brothers name.

Michele Campbell does an amazing job of weaving this story through different POVs and time hops - where you think you have all the information, you really only have a sliver. Where you think you know motives - well, you just quite frankly don’t. And when you think you’ve figured out who is going down for the crime and who is getting off free…try again. I absolutely loved the way the book was paced - it was enough to build suspense and give the reader insight into how this all happened, but it was also not enough to make the story too predictable or unfolding too quickly to follow. There were parts where I had to go back and reread a section/replay a section of the audio book because a detail caught my attention and I wanted to double check my suspicion or connection.

Overall this was so well done - I haven’t read a thriller like this in a while and it was so fun. Definitely a five star read and an author I’ll be returning to in the future.

This was a first time author for me. This book had a lot of twists and turns that had you thinking who is what.

I love lawyer books. You never know what is going to happen!

Thank you net gallery for giving me the chance to read a fantastic book. Loved it

Book Review — “The Intern” by Michelle Campbell (2023)

Categories — Thriller/Suspense, Legal, Academia, Dual POV, Student-Teacher, Quick Read, Cat and Mouse

Pub Info — St. Martin’s Press, came out yesterday October 3. Almost 4k reviews and a 3.9 average on Goodreads. Also part of BookSparks #FRC2023.

Who’s It Good For? — If you’re a bit nerdy and like legal/academic themed thrillers (same), if you’re into mob/corruption themes, if you’re into books that make you wonder why characters are behaving the way they do, if you’re looking for something you can read in one sitting

More Info (No Spoilers) ⤵️

👩🏻‍⚖️ The story follows Madison Rivera, a first-gen and minority student at Harvard Law School. She can’t believe her luck when she gets the internship of a lifetime working for her favorite teacher Judge Kathryn Conroy, a federal judge hotshot.

💼 On her application, Madison left out that her brother is facing federal charges under the Judge’s jurisdiction. As it turns out, she enters into weird relationship with the Judge that results in favors beyond the scope of an intern.

🎓 Without spoiling, the story (imo) is mostly based on the walls caving in on the Judge and her past, with Madison dragged in. Corruption, bad family ties and obligations, running from your past, etc.

👩🏻‍⚖️ The author also went to law school and was a prosecutor; she draws on this experience.

💼 I read this in one night — it does move quickly and is consumable. Some points are a bit convoluted and unrealistic imo, but I think overall it was a unique premise drawn together by a “walls are closing in” sense of pressure and paranoia from the Judge that facilitates the weird and dangerous favors from her intern. That is critical to the whole plot, and if you can connect and believe this feeling and POV of the judge, as well as the sense of urgency (and maybe loyalty?) from Madison that keeps her hanging on, then I think you can overcome any sense of disbelief in the realistic nature of the actions by the main characters. That’s one of the criticisms I see in reviews, so it’s worth noting.

I thought this was a good read to spend a night with. I liked the Judge’s bits the most!

✨ Book Review ✨

The Intern by Michele Campbell

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Madison Rivera scores an internship with her idol, Judge Conroy, but is she the upstanding person that Madison thought she was? Can Madison find her missing brother and find out what happened to him?

I was excited to get an ARC of this now newly released thriller book, which was very compelling to read! I wanted to get to the bottom of her brother’s arrest and what was really going on behind the scenes with Judge Conroy. I love the relationships between the characters and how off-putting Michele can write some of them. This book has an eerie, unsettling feeling and makes you feel connected to and empathize with the characters at the same time.

I enjoyed this book, but there were a few drawbacks. Sometimes it could be hard to follow along with the story because the author would go from past to present and back to past but at different parts of the past and present. I understand why she did this, as it supported the story’s progression, but it was still a little hard for me to follow. Also, this book was a little slow at first and hard to get into, but when it did start picking up the pace, I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest book review!

Can’t go wrong with Michele Campbell! Really enjoyed the story and the twists. I’d highly recommend any story by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

* Thanks Netgalley for the free e-arc of this book.

When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was interested but skeptical. I have read some legal thrillers in the past and they contained too much jargon where it made the story confusing at times, but this book...

I really enjoyed this book when it comes to the mystery behind the story. The use of dual perspectives and time jumps were nice, too, because they helped me to better understand Judge Conroy and her actions throughout the story. The legal vocabulary used throughout the book was also easy to follow, however, I wish there was more to this story, like more suspenseful scenes to build up to the main conflict.

3 stars

First, massive thank you to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy of this AMAZING book!!!

I’ve been seeing tons of 4⭐️ for this book, but to me it’s for sure a 5⭐️!

It’s been quite some time since a book has made me want to get home sooner so I can dive into that days chapters. Y'all, I ate this book up. I absolutely love my legal thriller shows and movies and this book was everything I could’ve hoped for!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Are the characters super infuriating?! You bet lol but to me they are relatable, they're real in their own ways and the writing of this book was just immaculate. I have some books by Michele Campbell on my shelves that I have clearly been sleeping on.

Absolutely recommend picking this one up asap!
(Pub date - Out now!!!)

Madison Rivera, a Harvard law student, lands the internship of her dreams working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. The only problem is, Madison's brother Danny just got falsely arrested on drug charges and Judge Conroy is the judge in his case. If she admits this, then chances are, the offer will be rescinded - but if she omits the information on her application and they discover it anyway when they do the background check, she would be guilty of perjury.. There is no good solution. When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s quest for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her?

This book was excellent. It kept me on the edge of my seat, as Madison got drawn into Judge Conroy's life, and therefore by association, into the fringes of the mob. The stakes were high, and there was non-stop action and suspense, as Madison tries to find her brother and free him, and as she tries to determine exactly what side of the law Judge Conroy is on. On the flip side, Judge Conroy is trying to get away and is learning just how long their arms can reach and just how far they will go. The story is told first in Madison's POV, and then in Kathryn's, and Kathryn's goes back and forth from past and present so you see how she got mixed up with the mob to begin with. This is perfect for fans of John Grisham, Joseph Finder, and David Baldacci. I highly recommend it!

The Intern was a decent read for me. It was entertaining, and there were some great tense moments throughout the book. I really liked the flawed characters and their relationship to each other, and I really liked how the book ended.

Where it fell a little short for me was the way the book seemed to drag in the middle. I would have hoped for more of that tension throughout the entire book. I also didn't care for some of the dialogue, which felt awkward.

Overall, I still enjoyed the book and have seen some great reviews, so check this out if it sounds interesting to you! I'd give this 3.5 stars.

Michelle Campbell can do no wrong in my book! I absolutely devoured this one! When I was approved a few months back, I knew I had to save this for my vacation in Hawaii. I wanted to give it my undivided attention, sipping an umbrella drink and getting lost in a story. I am SO glad I did!

The writing was effortlessly good…the story felt really fresh but also incredibly timely. I LOVED the DC setting and had the House of Cards soundtrack playing in my mind in the background. I loved the slow burn build to the crazy final 1/3 of the book.

I loved the fact you could not trust anyone, and I freaking loved the ending! SO WELL DONE!!!

The Intern is the most recent release from Michele Campbell. I have greatly enjoyed some of Campbell's past works, so was highly anticipating this release. Thanks to Macmillan Audio, I was granted access to the audiobook and recommend that format. Sarah Mollo-Christensen's narration fit perfectly. Especially as the drama picked up, she had me at the edge of my seat.

In this story we are getting two perspectives, Madison Rivera, a Harvard Law student, and Judge Kathryn Conroy, a full-time Judge and professor at the Law School. Madison is in one of Judge Conroy's classes, but she has looked up to her for much longer than that. In fact, Judge Conroy's speech at a career day Madison attended inspired her to enter Law School in the first place. Because of this, when Judge Conroy pulls Madison aside after class and urges her to apply for an open intern position at Conroy's office, Madison cannot believe her luck.

Unfortunately, Madison has some family issues that present a huge conflict of interest. Her younger brother is currently working his way through the court process, after being arrested in a drug bust, and Conroy is his assigned Judge.

Madison, scared to reveal these details and risk her internship, hides the truth in her application. This omission has Madison on edge. She fears that like a house of cards, the entire thing, all her hard work and dreams, are just going to come crashing down around her. Unbeknownst to Madison though, Judge Conroy has some major secrets of her own and she's about to draw Madison in way over her head.

I ended up having an absolute blast with this one. Initially, the first few chapters, I will admit, I was on the fence. I would say that this requires a little patience in the very beginning. When you aren't quite sure where it is going to go and whether or not you should be liking these characters.

Rest assured, Campbell is doing her thing. She's building it up, until there will be no doubt, you should be liking these characters and you will care. I became so invested in this story. I hardly looked up after the action really kicks off. I felt once the pace picked up, it skyrocketed. I really enjoyed learning about these characters. Both Madison and Judge Conroy were very well developed, although I will say the focus was definitely more on the Judge than the intern.

In fact, we even get a past perspective for Conroy, which shines light on how she ended up in the precarious situation she finds herself in, and ultimately pulls Madison into. It was the back-and-forth between the two women though that I found truly engaging. I ended up loving both of them, but when you think about it, they were both quite similar and I think Judge Conroy felt that too. I think that's why she felt like Madison could handle what she was throwing at her.

Once you find out what is happening behind the scenes, the intensity continues to grow as well. As I approached the end, I started to feel a little desperate. I didn't see a solid resolution for either of the women.
I love how Campbell pulled me in and had me stressing over these characters. It was so well played. I went on a journey with these two and had a great time doing it.

I would recommend this one to anyone who has enjoyed Campbell's work in the past, or to those Readers who enjoy Thrillers featuring a cat-and-mouse format. Also recommend if you enjoy Thrillers in a legal setting, or anything involving the shadier side of Boston politics. After the slow start, I was tickled with where this went, how intense it got and how much I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Campbell is going to deliver next!

The paths of two strong women cross: they both need each other and also use each other in their personal quest.
   Madison is a second year law student who has worked hard to get to where she is from where she was. Family is most important to her and her spot at Harvard Law comes in handy when her brother gets pulled in on a drug raid.
   Judge Katherine Conroy, a teacher at Harvard, sees a spark in Madison and tells her to apply for the much desired internship with her. The spark that she sees, while Madison is certainly one of the brightest stars in the class, has more to do with how the judge can use her.
   Once she gets the internship she discovers Judge Conroy has her brother’s case and there appears a conflict of interest. If Madison discloses this conflict she’ll loose the internship but if she stays she can really learn what really happened at this drug raid by being part of the judge’s team. what does she choose? Family of future?
   Madison soon discovers the judge has a long history with a few seamy characters she’d like to forget and that’s why Madison has been chosen.
   Both women are sly, devious and determined and the narrative is told in their two voices which adds more interest to the reader as their similarities evolve in the story.
   A page tuner.

3.5 ⭐️

An entertaining legal thriller that is action packed. The majority of the book was closer to a 4, but the ending got a bit ridiculous for me. Still, I enjoyed the different plot lines.

I have not read a book like this before. From this author or category. It was a nice way to branch out. I loved it 4 stars for me. I would love to read again and read more from this author. My favorite part would just be woman supporting woman throughout the book. It wasnt a bad scary kinda thriller it was more like edge of your seat kinda thriller like having to know what is going to happen. I recommend this book. Thank you to Net Galley for this opportunity.

QUICK TAKE: it's kinda clunky and there are some plot holes you could drive a truck through, but I liked it. It's an easy read, it's a fun cat-and-mouse thriller, and I had a good time with it.

First time reading Michele Campbell and it won't be my last! This book drew me in very quickly and had me on the edge of my seat to see how this would all play out! A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I made it about 25% before I decided to call it quits.

Personally, I just didn’t connect with the characters or the overall story arch. The pacing was a bit too slow for me.

I will recommend this book to those I know that enjoy this type of novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This book started out slow for me and then picked up, but unfortunately, I never really got invested in the plot or the characters. There was quite a bit of character and backstory building before we got to the main action of the book. Usually I enjoy that build up, but for some reason, it just seemed to drag for me. Perhaps it was because a lot of it just seemed just too far-fetched. I also just kept waiting for the legal part of "legal thriller" to kick in and it never did. Maybe it's me, but I don't think you can label a book a legal thriller based just on the fact that the main characters are a judge and a law-student. I expected a court-case or a trial or something beyond a potential corrupt judge. This was more a cat-and-mouse game that I just couldn't get into. So many others loved this book though so I do think it is just my personal preference!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The ending of this book really came through!! Such a great suspenseful read, it really had me second guessing everything and everyone.