Lila Dalton is in a bit of a mess. She has found herself in an isolated court where she is meant to defend a killer. There is a big problem though…Lila has no idea as to how she has gotten to be where she is.

Find yourself in a hearing for a multiple murderer. See if you can figure out what is going on before Lila does.

This title offers an interesting twist on a courtroom drama. Those who enjoy legal thrillers, locked room tales, and stories of forgotten memories may want to give this one a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

A compelling legal thriller with a distinctive twist. Lila is a lawyer for a mass murderer. but she has no memory of how she came to be in the courtroom or even on the island. She must defend this man with no memories of the case. A good locked room mystery, but I found it hard to connect with Lila at times.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book had a lot going for it, and I can see why many people would enjoy it. The story is unique and builds a lot of momentum, keeping you hooked with plenty of mystery and intrigue. It’s especially a good pick if you’re into conspiracy theories, as it weaves those elements throughout in an engaging way.

While I appreciated how different the story was, there’s a hidden aspect to it that I didn’t personally enjoy. I can’t say too much without giving away spoilers, but this part of the story felt a bit weak to me and didn’t align with what I was looking for. That said, it didn’t detract from the overall mystery and pacing, which were both well done.

It’s definitely a book I’d recommend to fans of conspiracies and layered mysteries, but it just wasn’t entirely for me. Still, it’s worth checking out if the premise intrigues you!

Thank you so much Poisoned Pen Press and @netgalley for the copy of this eARC!

This was a very different thriller based on a courtroom setting. The book throws us (the reader) in the middle of the court hearing.This is not your normal trial content. An intriguing courtroom mystery! A barrister on an island with no memory of how she got there or the killer she is defending in a high court.

I really wanted to love this book. It was so long and at times confusing but once the story started it picked up.Things got very creepy and mysterious I was engaged. I was eager to find out how Lila got there. She had no idea who she was or who the client she was defending was. There is a lot going on in this book. I would have understood it better if I knew the rules of the British court system. The trial has to do with terrorism, white supremacy, and secret society - not my cup of tea.

The ending was unexpected and somewhat confusing. I was left with so many unanswered questions. I wish the ending would have explained everything.If you like legal books, murder mysteries give this book a chance you will enjoy it.

I think this book has a really interesting premise, but it ended up being more confusing and hard to follow.

The book starts when Lila Dalton wakes up in a courtroom with zero memory of who she is and how she got there. She's the lawyer for a man on trial, but she has no idea what the case is even about. As she navigates the court and the world around her, she learns that she's on an island where all the most serious crimes are tried, and there's no way to leave. It's up to Lila to solve the case and figure out what she's doing here in the first place.

The plot was the first thing that stood out to me. I thought this would be kind of like a locked room mystery, where there's the B-plot of solving the clues in the room, but also the bigger A-plot of finding out who's behind everything. It started out really interesting, with Lila balancing both aspects of these, and I was really intrigued to learn more about the island as she asked questions. As the plot continued, however, I feel like we started following the case more and learning less about Lila's situation, and while this isn't necessarily a bad thing — it makes sense to do it in this order, but here it feels sort of like getting a story without any context. We start to get lines about Nazis, Eights, and Sevens, and while there's an interesting story there I didn't emotionally connected to it. When we finally got back to Lila's role in everything, it was interesting but felt like we had gone on a really long tangent.

I am not completely sure about Lila as a narrator either. I liked her at the start because she worked with the plot very well, but as the plot became convoluted I think Lila also became more passive. Things would happen to her, or clues would be given to her. When she did come to a conclusion, it sometimes felt out of the blue. It also seems like she focused more on the case too, while I wish she spent more time trying to figure out her own history. By the time the book ends, the readers learn who Lila is in terms of the case, but I don't feel like I connected to her as a person.

Ultimately, I found this book kind of confusing and abstract, but the premise is still really interesting.

The story follows Lila Dalton, a young woman grappling with the aftermath of a traumatic event that alters the course of her life. As she navigates a series of challenges and trials, Lila’s journey becomes a powerful testament to her strength and determination.

Shepherd’s writing is vivid and evocative, immersing readers in Lila’s emotional landscape while also addressing broader societal issues.

For me this book started a bit too slow. The story progressed oddly and the story often felt disjointed. In the end, I wasn't connected to the characters enough to be invested in the outcome. Readers specifically seeking a courtroom drama with an amnesia aspect may enjoy more.

This book looked like it was going to be one I’d love but it was just bad. I had to come back to it a few times. The book was very long and I just couldn’t get into it. It really didn’t feel like a thriller book at all. I’m all for reading different genres but I went into this thinking it was a thriller/mystery and it certainly wasn’t. I personally wouldn’t read this again. Thank you NetGalley, L.j. And Poisoned Pen Press.

The Trials of Lila Dalton by L.J. Shepherd is a suspenseful legal thriller that follows Lila Dalton, a young woman facing trial for a crime she may or may not have committed. As she navigates a high-stakes courtroom battle, Lila is forced to confront her own memories, the people around her, and the harsh truths about herself.

Shepherd’s writing is fast-paced and emotionally gripping, with Lila serving as a complex and relatable protagonist. The novel weaves together themes of justice, guilt, and personal redemption, keeping readers hooked with twists and moral ambiguity.

Overall, The Trials of Lila Dalton is a thrilling, character-driven story perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and courtroom dramas. The suspense and emotional depth make it a compelling read from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an okay read. The concept was intriguing at first, and it started off strong, however found the ending bleh. Not sure if it was the content or type of courtroom mystery/thriller, so maybe not this readers jam.

Bought this book so will post my review on Amazon and other sites. I’m unable to read digital due to severe issues with my eyes since having covid.

Unfortunately I DNF'd this book. I found it hard to get into. I may try it again in the future! For now I give it 1 star, but willing to attempt to read it again!

Compelling, gripping. Had all the classical elements of a thriller sans the expected underperformance. Excellent hook - I will say the conclusion felt rather poor comparative to the start, but overall a decent read.

Let me start out with saying I definitely would have DNFed this had I not had an arc for it. This book was not good. This book was so over complicated for the story it was trying to tell.

First, there are random perspective changed throughout the entire book. These add nothing to the story, especially because there is not rhyme or reason to when they occur.

Next, the whole middle of the book felt like the same pattern. Over and over and over and over again. It made the book feel so long and like literally nothing was happening ever.

Finally, the end sucked. There was little resolution to any of the big things. It kinda explained things but not really. Just kind of a cop out of an ending in my opinion.

Overall, I was not a fan and would not recommend. This was the longest 350 pages I have ever read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced copy!

What a thrilling read! I really enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns of this story. From the amnesia to trying to uncover what happened, it was a great read.

This one's a tough one to rate, I think partly because I'm still trying to wrap my head around what I just read.

The start of the book was pretty jarring, the way the amnesia is presented is hard to explain but just wasn't an enjoyable start. Parts of the court case did grab my attention, seeing Lila's defence unfold. But every time it was starting the draw me in the amnesia trope would come back in an abrasive way or the plot would get a little too wild and disjointed.

Overall I think the idea had a lot of potential but unfortunately with the jumping around just wasn't the right book for me.


Thank you, L.J. Shepherd, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was looking forward to a courtroom drama. The main character, Lila, an attorney, has no memories except for the law. As the story unfolds, Lila finds out about her family and who she is defending. The setting isn't only in a courtroom, but also takes place on an island. The journey through the story is often confusing, pulling the reader out of the story to figure out what was happening. Still, this was a good read. Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good courtroom read, but unfortunately this wasn’t it. I believe there were too many plot lines, but I also could not understand the added political plots and why they were involved. We have a lawyer, with amnesia defending a mass murderer but 900 other things are also happening.

This book is still swirling around inside my head! I am not really sure what I think of it.

We start out with our main character Lila in a courtroom but not remembering anything about herself or about why she is here. She quickly catches on that she is a lawyer and she knows all the legal jargon that goes along with that job. She is defending a man on trial as a domestic terrorist who bombed a building. They are also oddly on an island. Apparently, this island belongs to the government for purposes such as this. At the start of the book it was very comedic. It was interesting and entertaining to watch Lila try to figure things out. And why was she always so mean to Malcolm??
Then it takes on a mystery turn and as a reader you begin to see that Lila's life is in danger but because we are learning things out as she is learning them out we are led on a wild goose chase. To be honest, this is where the author lost me a bit. It became much more complicated and difficult for me to connect the dots. Then it got kind of mind bending with time (past, present, future). I liked it although I didn't totally get it. I think this author has a lot of promise. I enjoyed some of this book but by the end it just fell flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Based on the description, I totally thought this would be my type of book, but it just wasn't the book for me. Okay attempt for a debut author, but didn't grab me as a reader.