This is an easygoing albeit predictable thriller, perfect for those seeking a carefree vacation read.
Madison Rivera, a law student, lands a sought-after internship with her idol, Judge Kathryn Conroy. The catch? Madison conveniently omits a crucial detail—her brother, Danny, recently faced arrest, and his case is currently before Judge Conroy.

The narrative unfolds amidst corruption, abuse of authority, family bonds, and the classic clash between good and evil. With heightened emotions and danger lurking at every turn, it offers an engaging story, granted you're willing to temporarily suspend disbelief.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Intern will be the perfect book for a lot of readers, but I wasn’t one of them.

I’m totally over the unlikable characters trend. In fairness, I don’t think I was supposed to dislike the two lead females as much as I did. Given the story’s spin, I assume I was supposed to feel compassion or sympathy for their situations. But neither woman had enough redeemable qualities for me to care about what happened to them.

The story has lots of drama, which I’m tired of seeing as the main focus within suspense and thrillers.

I know our “justice” system is corrupt, but everything about this plot was over-the-top. I didn’t believe any of it.

So, not for me.

*I received a free eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted eARC to read and review.

The Intern is an awesome legal thriller – it's a speedy read and I was quickly immersed in Madison and Judge Conroy's worlds. Campbell's legal experience shines through her writing with small details scattered throughout the book, especially in the court scenes, and scenarios that jump off the page. I loved seeing the same situations, like the pro bono ball, from multiple perspectives. This allowed for strategically placed plot twists that kept me second guessing my theories until the final page. And the ending? Spot on.

I'm a big fan of Michele Campbell's books and recommend The Intern to anyone who enjoys a legal thriller.

PS: The Intern would be an amazing mini series with fantastic female roles. Nicole Kidman as Judge Conroy, anyone?

TITLE: THE INTERN
AUTHOR: Michele Campbell
PUB DATE: 10.3.2023 Now Available

A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case. 

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? 

As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?

THOUGHTS:

I had been a long time fan of Michele Campbell’s thriller novels - I find myself highly anticipating, and then quickly devouring to the point of not sleeping unable to put down. This latest is twisty, with a really great fleshed out characters told in alternating POVs. This was an easy five star read for me for the fast paced plot, engaging characters, and surprising twists I can’t get enough of.

Halfway through the book, the story just felt a bit repetitive, and lost the grasp it had on me. I did still enjoy it for the most part.

One of her best ones yet!! Thank you for the opportunity to read this fast paced book I couldn't put it down!

Reviewed 9.29.23

Traveling With T's Thoughts:

I’ve read all of Michele’s books (It’s Always The Husband, She Was The Quiet One, A Stranger on the Beach, and The Wife Who Knew Too Much) so when I got the Netgalley widget for The Intern, I didn’t hesitate on accepting it.

I love legal-ish stories. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer so while my adult self doesn’t want to do law in real life, I do like reading about it 🙂

What I Liked:

The cover. Perfection for the book.

Madison and Kathryn. Even though years separate them, at one time, in much different circumstances- they really and truly could have been a dream legal team. Because they both know what it’s like to have to pull yourself up and do what it takes.

The ending. I loved it.



Bottom line: Cat and mouse games, legal thriller, and a story that once it got going, it didn’t stop- all YASSSSS boxes from me!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Madison is a law student who gets an internship for a popular judge. During the interview, Madison left out a few details about her family, like that her brother is in prison.

The Intern is told using the points of view of Madison and Kathryn. Madison is a law student with pressure from her family to help her brother. He’s in prison for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Kathryn is the judge Madison interns for, and also the judge on Madison’s brother’s case. Madison hopes Kathryn will be a mentor, but their relationship becomes more complicated.

Complex characters in a intriguing mystery. Recommended for fans of legal thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Intern, by Michele Campbell, is a fast-paced thriller involving a well-respected federal judge and a second year law student, both of whom are mob-connected. Yes, there are some aspects of the plot that are totally implausible, and some actions taken by the characters that are just silly. Nonetheless, it did not stop me from enjoying the story. Sometimes you just have to suspend judgment and enjoy the ride! It is a fast read, perfect for those days when you want diversion and escape! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

The thriller was engaging and kept me hooked until the end, although there were a few plot holes that required some suspension of disbelief to fully make sense. However, overall I enjoyed the book. My only critique is that it could have been shorter. for the most part I enjoyed the use of dual POVs and the strong female characters. The college setting and legal themes added an interesting layer to the story. While I appreciate a good twist in a thriller it was predictable Perhaps I missed it, but it left so much to be desired

Michele Campbell is a must read author for me. I find her books to always be intriguing. The Intern was a fun cat-and-mouse game and I loved how the characters were constantly switching things up.

Five stars!! I LOVED this book. As an attorney, this was a great legal thriller. The character descriptions and back stories were great. This whole book kept me hooked the entire time. Can’t wait to read more by this author

Madison is a law student at Harvard. She loves her life and does everything by the book. Then her brother gets arrested and charged with narcotics. Madison doesn't know what to believe. Danny has been a screw up since they were kids but this is a serious charge and her mom begs for her help. Madison takes a class with the judge that sentenced Danny. Kathryn Conrad has been her hero for ten years. So when Kathryn asks her to apply for an internship in her court Madison doesn't hesitate. Its a dream come true plus she can look into Danny's case. A small white lie she tells in the interview leaves her vulnerable and Madison gets much more than she bargained for.
This was a fast paved thriller that keeps you guessing till the end. All the characters in this one are perfectly fleshed out and written in precise detail. It was so good.

Great legal thriller, I was very entertained by the twists. Nice narration, I enjoyed it. Thanks to netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read all of Michele Campbell’s novels and once again her writing held my attention to the very last page! The novel follows Harvard law collegiate Madison who studies under her favorite professor and mentor, Judge Kathryn Conroy. Kathryn offers her an internship which she accepts.. then.. receives a call that her little brother has been arrested and is forced to plead guilty to a crime he didn’t commit. In jail, her brother reveals something shocking about the Judge presiding over his case.. who just happens to be Kathryn! Of course Madison is shocked and wants to find out if there’s any validity to it. She keeps his incarceration secret from everyone including Katherine.

I liked the direction this story played out, especially how it shows Kathryn’s past pre-arranged by others for their own benefit, not hers. Loved the great character development + suspense - what a fantastic read! 4.5 stars Pub. 10/3/23

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

The Intern by Michele Campbell

Published: October 3, 2023
St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Women’s Crime Fiction
Pages: 320
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Michele Campbell is a graduate of Harvard College and Stanford Law School and a former federal prosecutor in New York City who specialized in international narcotics and gang cases. A while back, she said goodbye to her big-city legal career and moved with her husband and two children to an idyllic New England college town. Since then, she has spent her time teaching criminal and constitutional law and writing novels. She has had many close female friends, a few frenemies, and only one husband, who - to the best of her knowledge - has never tried to kill her.

This was a complex web with deadly twists, turns, and a massive cast of characters. I enjoyed this book. It was a reasonably fast-paced read, and I found the characters well-developed.

There were certain moments when it felt like the storyline could have been tightened up a bit, but I didn’t mind the way the story unfolded.

This was told in dual perspectives, with varying timelines. I found the way the story melted together to encompass everything brilliantly.

I would read another thriller from Campbell. She has an easy-to-read writing style, and I enjoyed how she crafted her characters.

Michelle Campbell's "The Intern" earns a pulsating 4-star rating from me! Picture this: Madison, a brilliant law student at Harvard, faces a harrowing twist when her brother, Danny, is ensnared in drug charges. His claims of innocence, pointing fingers at everyone from his attorney to the judge, set the stage for a spine-tingling tale.

When the judge presiding over Danny's case happens to be Madison's own law professor, Judge Conroy, an unexpected opportunity arises. Madison seizes a coveted internship in Conroy's chambers, aiming to unearth the truth behind her brother's ordeal. Little did she know, this decision would plunge her into a web of darkness within Conroy's murky world.

Campbell's thriller had me hooked from the get-go, keeping me teetering on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Kudos to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, allowing me to delve into this riveting narrative in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I love Michele Campbell so much. I love her writing.

Her new one did not disappoint. This one is a legal thriller about a young woman who begins to work for a possibly crooked judge.

I really liked how she told the story from Madison and Kathryn’s point of view. Both characters were interesting.

I really liked how the story wrapped up. I thought it was the perfect ending.

In "The Intern," a hard-to-put-down, fast-paced novel, author Michelle Campbell provides readers with great entertainment. Madison is a Harvard law student trying to balance school and family commitments. She is delighted when Judge Conroy, the person who most influenced Madison to pursue law, invites her to apply for an internship. Her excitement, however, is tempered when Madison's brother, an accused drug dealer, claims the Judge is corrupt.

While Madison uses the internship to both prove the judge's corruption and her brother's innocence, it becomes clear that the Judge also has. alterior motives for giving Madison the internship. Hence the game of cat and mouse begins.

Although the story may at times be predictable, it is wonderfully written, exciting to read, and hard to put down. It beautifully weaves the stories of the two main characters together.. It is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, enjoyable read.. Than you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC

I love this author!!! She can write no wrong. This book was a bit different than her others and I loved it. It had me hooked early and I didn’t want to put it down!! I am so excited to see what she writes next.