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.

I tried to enjoy this book but the more I read the more I disconnected with the story and the character. It could have just been personal preference, but there were no clues to progress the story and everything felt very haphazardly thrown together. I felt it was almost unreadable.

Thank you to LJ Shepherd and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

Imagine opening your eyes and finding out you are representing an individual accused of a domestic bom*ing, and you have no idea who you are, who your client is, or what is even going on. This is exactly how “The Trials of Lila Dalton” starts, and what follows is a twisty, speculative fiction plot.

It is hard for me to talk about this book without spoiling any part. I will say this: You will either love this one or hate it. I personally love speculative fiction, and while the ending was a bit out there, I still enjoyed the entire plot.

I also very much enjoyed the FMC, Lila Dalton. As a reader, I felt just as lost as she was, and some of the reveals took me a minute to process, similar to our titular character. This entire plot device increased the suspense and tension of the overall novel and created a unique reading experience.

“The Trials of Lila Dalton” is a slow read. The pace is more like a trickle, where reveals are perfectly timed yet are quiet in delivery. There is no A HA! moment. Instead, Shepherd gracefully drops clues and solutions into the reader’s lap and allows the conclusions to come naturally.

I began this book thinking it was about one thing and that thought changed about 20 times while reading. “The Trials of Lila Dalton” is about a trial, but also not. It is about conspiracy theories, but also not. It’s hard to place this one in a category, which may lead some readers to think this book has an identity crisis. It’s an incredible concept if you enjoy speculative fiction. If this is not your type of genre, then I would skip this one. Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel from LJ Shepherd and am excited to see what she writes next.

This book was a little too weird for me but that may be my person genre preference. The story sounded interesting to me, and I wanted to give it a try. The plot of this book is like a reoccurring nightmare for me. I frequently have dreams where I can’t remember where I am or where I parked or I’m at work and don’t know what to do. This book is that situation but the stakes are even higher. I prefer books that are more realistic less supernatural or fantasy. I’m glad I tried this book but it wasn’t for me but if you are ok with this I would recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Trials of Lila Dalton by LJ Shepherd. This novel is an emotional journey that blends courtroom drama with a story of personal resilience. Shepherd's writing is engaging, and the legal aspects are well-researched, adding authenticity to the narrative. Lila Dalton, the protagonist, is a strong, relatable character whose struggles and determination kept me invested. However, at times, the pacing felt uneven, with some parts dragging while others rushed through key moments. While the plot had some predictable elements, the character-driven focus and emotional depth made it an enjoyable read. The Trials of Lila Dalton is a solid, heartfelt story for fans of legal dramas.

When Lila comes to awareness she is standing in a courtroom, she quickly comes to realize she is a lawyer, given the impossible task of defending a man on trial for committing a terrorist attack. She doesn't remember how she got there, or honestly anything about her life prior to that very moment, and she must succeed in ensuring he is found not guilty because someone has threatened her. Someone has threatened her daughter, a daughter she doesn't remember ever having or living a life with.

Whoever said the amnesia trope was cliche obviously never read The Trials of Lila Dalton because this is one of the rare times that it worked for me. The only other time I can remember where it was this well done was with The Last Murder at the End of the world. The only thing that I disliked is that it left me with an unreliable narrator which I really have a hard time with.

What worked for Lila Dalton that didn't for The Last Murder was that the plot was easy to follow. You weren't being thrown off kilter when a new situation/event happened. It all flowed pretty seamlessly. I highly recommend this to those that enjoyed The Last Murder at the End of the World or who love a good who dunnit with an unreliable narrator.

I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping and I couldn’t put it down. Cannot wait to read more from this author.

I just don’t know about this one.
I felt like the set up was great and then the in between kept me intrigued but the ending left me with questions.
The book begins with Lila Dalton standing in a courtroom suddenly aware that she has no idea who she is or how she got there.
Once she finds out she is the lawyer of a possible murder, she goes on a crazy journey to figure out more about the case and why she can’t remember anything before the courtroom.
I wish this one didn’t fall flat because it had so much potential, unfortunately, it did.
Still 3 ⭐️ because the concept was really different and I always appreciate that.
Thank you netgalley for the AAC

L.J. Shepherd's The Trials of Lila Dalton is a fast-paced legal thriller that throws readers into a disorienting world of memory loss and a desperate fight for survival. Lila Dalton wakes up in a courtroom, with no recollection of who she is or how she got there. Accused of a mass murder, she must rely on fragments of her past and the help of a skeptical defense attorney to piece together the truth and clear her name.

The strength of this novel lies in its captivating premise. The "locked-room mystery" aspect keeps readers guessing throughout the story. Shepherd masterfully creates a sense of suspense and uncertainty as Lila grapples with her amnesia and the disturbing accusations against her.

The narrative unfolds through a combination of Lila's present experiences in the courtroom, flashbacks to her past life, and glimpses into the investigation. This layered approach keeps the story engaging and allows readers to slowly unravel the mystery alongside Lila.

While the plot is the main driving force, the novel also explores themes of identity, trauma, and the fallibility of memory. Lila's struggle to reclaim her past is both personal and suspenseful, adding depth to the story.

Some readers might find the pacing slightly uneven in the middle section, and the ending may not be for everyone. However, the overall execution of the plot twist and the satisfying resolution make it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Overall, The Trials of Lila Dalton is a thrilling and thought-provoking novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ALC / ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lila Dalton is in court working as a barrister when suddenly she realises she has no idea who or where she is and what she's doing. I liked the idea of that as a starting point because it's different and quite interesting.

But you really have to suspend your disbelief with this one - there are some interesting turns of events - some mind control, a copy with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, Neo Nazis, the lot. So if you read this with a grain of salt, you'll enjoy it. Just don't think too hard about it all!

It's an enjoyable read and I definitely didn't predict the direction it would take!

This is one of those books that requires a suspension of belief as well as some quantum physic style multiverse stuff. I went into it thinking this would be fun. Instead it became a bit of a slow slog with way too many extra components tossed in which took away from the main plot.
Lila is in court as a barrister when she realizes she has no idea who she is or what she is doing there. Cue her racing around freaking out and trying to figure out what to do. Now this and the trial itself could have been great. But they went on to add a cop with a weird grudge and some mind control stuff mixed with Neo nazis……honestly my brain just said ENOUGH.
I know that some people will enjoy this but it sadly was not for me.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Dreamscape Media for gifting me. both a digital and audio ARC of this debut book by L.J. Shepherd, wonderfully narrated by Ella Lynch. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Lila Dalton has no memory, yet finds herself in the courtroom as a trial lawyer defending a terrorist. She doesn't know who she is, what she's doing, or the reason behind anything. Somehow, enough memory kicks in that she's able to participate in the trial. Without knowing anything about her past, how can she trust anyone around her?

This was such an intriguing plot, but it's a complex story and requires some concentration on the reader's part. It goes down lots of conspiracy theory paths, courtroom drama, threats about her missing daughter, all wrapped up in Lila's confused brain. To be honest, my brain was a bit confused at the end as well. But it's a solid debut novel and I'll be looking for more from this author!

Lila Dalton 'comes to' in a courtroom where she's supposedly defending a domestic terrorist. Can she recover her memory in time to win the case?

Suuuch an interesting premise right? The opening and first half of the book had me really intrigued. I had to know what happened and if she was going to win the case. However the whole book gets a bit complicated and there’s a little too much “jargon” for my liking

I hated this book. I feel tricked. It was described as a mystery, however, this was just strange. Very sci-fi. Very, very long. DO not recommend.

I'm afraid that I found this weird. I liked the idea and was very excited to read this... however I did not love the way this went. I had to DNF.

Thank you, NetGalley!
The story was confusing and I still don't completely understand the ending of this book. I was left with more questions than answers. I feel like the premise of this book lied to me, it was not a thriller. I'm not the audience for books like these.