3.5 stars rounded up.

When Madison lands an internship with her idol, Judge Conroy, she thinks this could be the springboard for her future. But when she realizes her brother is currently being wrongfully-charged in a big drug case under Conroy’s court, Madison must uncover how far the corruption goes to save her brother and herself.

THE INTERN by Michele Campbell was definitely a fast-paced cat and mouse thriller!

I found myself, like Madison, also captivated by Judge Conroy and her backstory - her POV and storyline were my favorite when it came down to the storytelling in this book!

However, Madison, a second-year Harvard law student (top of her class mind) is so incredibly naive and seems to have an unwavering belief in the justice system that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. On top of that, she didn’t grow up well-off, which made this naivete feel even more profound.

If Madison’s characteristics were shifted a bit, I think I would have enjoyed this one a lot more.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: October 3

The story is told from two points of view. They are those of the young intern Madison, and the Judge Kathryn. The author also allows for the characters to go back in time to give the readers perspective on how they have arrived at their current situations. It is a mesmerizing story that will keep you entertained and turning the pages to see what each of the characters including Madison and Kathryn will do next. The suspense and surprises keep coming all the way to the very last page.

This was a very twisted book - in terms of the web spun between the characters. It reminds me of a complex soap opera - I have a love/hate relationship with it. I didn't like any of the characters, but I think that's the point in all honesty. The worst part is that the plot is so realistic - the corruption feels so real.

While that all sounded so negative, trust me it wasn't. A good thriller needs these elements.

The Intern is masterfully written, perfectly paced and addictive! I LOVE a thriller with with dual POV, and Kathryn’s point of view was really compelling in particular. She has faced a lot of difficulties in her life and she as a very well developed character! I connected with her instantly.


The twists and things that are revealed in The Intern were shocking without being unbelievable. That is my biggest complaint with this genre, shocking plot revalations that are just for the shock factor and do not make sense. The way Michelle weaved this story has solidified me as lifelong fan.

Thank you to Netgalley for my advance copy! I was super stoked! I have enjoyed Campbell in the past. This story is in similar vein to her previous work. It is fast paced, suspenseful and great entertainment. Told from two POVs, Madison and Kathryn. I enjoyed both characters and the development was done really well!

This is your typical cat and mouse scenario. I thought it might have been a bit “predictable” but I enjoyed the entertainment of it and the drama that was mixed with the suspense. Plus anything law related is a bonus for me due to my own personal paycheck lol

The Intern immediately immersed me and held my attention until the very last page. So much about this story reminds me of John Grisham’s early books but in a more contemporary time. I absolutely loved that about it. This is the first book I’ve read by Campbell, and I look forward to reading many more.

Starting with the end, I want to say how surprising it was and how much I absolutely loved it. But that’s the only thing I will say about the ending. To learn more, you will have to read the book yourself.

The pacing (fast), level of suspense, and narration are superb. The narration is third-person focused and switches between Madison (the intern) and Kathryn (the judge) in large sections. At first, I questioned the inclusion of Kathryn’s sections. It provides the backstory, but I thought I got enough of that from the current timeline telling. I grew to understand why it is included in the second section of it, and I now believe that its inclusion is pure genius.

Lastly, the character development is terrific, and considering the moral grayness and not-so-grayness of literally everybody, it’s an essential attribute. The story is more character-driven, and the complexities of what makes Kathryn and Madison tick are revealed layer after glorious layer. I might be unable to relate to them, but I felt I could fully understand them.

The Intern by Michelle Campbell
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Madison has just been offered an internship with Judge Kathryn Conroy, who she has long looked up to. Madison’s brother has been arrested and claims he is innocent and being set up. And Conroy was his judge.
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What I loved:
-This was a great fast paced mystery/thriller that caught my attention right away and then just kept getting better and better.
-The suspense in this was excellent and dispensed well throughout the book!
-The two POVs were so great, I love that we got to see both sides.
-I loved the ending.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Grab your popcorn or favorite snack and dive right into this one.

Next stop on the Booksparks fall book tour is with this twisty, legal thriller, The Intern. I am a fan of Michele Campbell, so was very excited to get a chance to read this before its pub date of October 3rd. Thank you BookSparks for the gifted copy! I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect going in, but this book definitely surprised me! It went places I didn’t see it going and although some things were a little predictable, it kept me on my toes and was an entertaining read!

Everything is going so well for Madison Rivera, she is in Harvard Law school and just landed an internship with her idol and teacher, judge Kathryn Conroy. Then she gets a call from her mom that her brother has been arrested and rushes to be of help. Although her brother has had problems in the past, he swears that his lawyer is dirty and he was setup and judge Kathryn Conroy is involved in his case. Madison doesn’t believe him, but promises her mom she will do whatever she can to get to the bottom of it. When the judge asks her to housesit for a weekend, she agrees and is determined to find any connections to her brother. Madison and Kathryn have so much in common and soon find themselves in a strange game of cat and mouse. Just when you think you know exactly how it will all pan out, Campbell throws another curveball and keeps you guessing!

Enjoyable legal mystery/thriller. High drama and suspense that keeps you at the edge of your seat and wanting more. Recommended for suspense fans and anyone who loves legal thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Great narrative told from dual POV with bold characters that were easy to relate to. The story brims with secrets, lies, murder, blackmail; everything you need for a great thriller!

Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC of #TheIntern which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

This is a wonderful story about corruption in the justice system. There is bribery, lies, threats, murder and blackmail to name a few. The intern Madison gets caught up in a lot of drama and the story ramps up the tension when the FBI gets involved. The twists are really well done. It shows how one error in judgement can lead to a lifetime of forever looking over your shoulder. The ending was rewarding and I would recommend this book to anyone.

A young lawyer gets an internship working for a judge she has always admired. Things take a turn for the worse when both intern and judge have secrets that bubble to the surface. Surprisingly, the two are somewhat connected. Highly recommend this legal thriller! Thank you, NetGalley.

The dual POV was flawlessly executed in this. Just when you learned something that could change things, it switched to the other POV. I really enjoyed this setting a lot. It was more unique than most thrillers and not predictable like most as well. You could easily empathize for the characters and what they were going through. Both characters ended up being in over their heads due to circumstances of their lives and were able to bond over that. Definitely add this one to your fall tbr!

Thank you Macmillan & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a wild ride! Although the character development got a little wordy at times, this still stayed fast paced and thrilling for sure. Did not want to stop became I had to know what was next. Enjoyed this plot and thought I knew what was going to happen next but it would take a left turn.

Loved it! I enjoyed how the book switched between Madison and Kathryn. As soon as Madison found out the name of the judge on her brother's case, I knew something bad would happen. Madison was putting herself right inside the lion's den. My opinions about Kathryn completely changed after getting her story. She was a prisoner in her own life. I was surprised how long she was able to keep her secrets from everyone. From the start, Kathryn had no choice. Uncle Ray and his associates sent her to law school for their own benefit. Nancy was such a horrible woman and pretty much hated Kathryn. My biggest worry wasn't for Kathryn or Madison, It was for Lucy!!! (I know, I'm a crazy cat lady.) I was hoping someone would go back and find her. I had no idea what was going to happen throughout the book. I would have been scared to death staying in Judge Conroy's house. Loved the ending. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. I was hooked from the page and couldn't wait to find out what was really happening. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Madison Rivera was attending law school at Harvard, when an internship with her favorite judge, Kathryn Conroy literally fell in her lap. Problem is, both the internship and the judge are worlds away from what she expected. Madison knows she’s in over her head!

With dual timelines, we journey deep into the judge’s past. In particular her upbringing, and what she had to endure to hold the position she has today.

Though this is titled The Intern, and she did play a role, I think a better title would have been The Judge because she was the true focus of this story.

While this wasn’t my favorite from this author, there was enough intrigue to keep me wanting to see how it all played out.

I started this read in digital, and switching to the audio about a third of the way. Both formats work well. The narration provided by Sarah Mollo-Christensen fit the characters and was pleasant to listen to. Though I do think there was an opportunity to have an additional narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio.

Really enjoyed this read! Excellent audio narration too. The story line read like a movie. I could actually see this being made into a movie. It went a totally different direction than I thought it would but it was excellent.

Madison Rivera, a bright, ambitious Harvard Law student, has been invited to apply for an internship with Judge Kathryn Conroy, who is also her professor. Madison has just learned that her troubled brother Danny has been arrested on federal drug charges. He believes he's been set up by a dirty cop who is in cahoots with the judge. And that judge just happens to be Kathryn. Madison keeps her brother's identity from the judge and once she's hired, she tries to help him. While a pseudo-friendship develops between the two women, neither trusts the other. Told from dual points-of-view, Kathryn's backstory is revealed as Madison is discovering that her idol may not be the same person who she's long admired and had hoped to emulate. And Danny is not the only one in danger in this taut cat-and-mouse legal thriller.

The Intern by Michele Campell is fast-paced and filled with on-going suspense. It kept me glued. The interesting, flawed characters were well-developed. As the story unfolded, there were clever, unexpected plot developments. And while some aspects strained credulity, I have come to accept this as part of enjoying the genre. It's worth a look.

I love a good legal thriller and the Intern did not disappoint. The book is told from the point of view of both the Intern and the Judge. Madison is ecstatic to get an internship with Judge Kathryn Conroy, however her brother has been arrested for drug crimes and his case is before Judge Conroy. Madison enters her internship less than honest with the Judge. From there Madison is brought into the shady world of Judge Conroy and learns that her omission is the least of her worries. The story of Judge Conroy slowly unravels when readers get to her point of view about 30% into the book. Both characters are sympathetic and likeable. The must race against the clock and one another before things come crumbling down. This thriller is fast paced and exciting.

This one was quick paced and grabbed me from the start! I am not usually into legal thrillers but this one is an exception. I enjoyed and connected with the characters and wanted to keep turning pages. This one was a first one for me by this author but I will be sure to check out her back list. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. 4 stars