A head scratching, thought provoking book. Lila has no memory when suddenly she is the barrister at an important terrorist trail, representing the alleged terrorist. What ensues is a whirlwind of facts and false news, who to trust, nothing is what it seems, nazism, occultism and much more. There are shades of our political environment right now and what the future may bring. All in all a good enough read for me to finish but not really my cup of tea.
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the chance to read and give feedback.

The Trials of Lila Dalton is a courtroom thriller with a twist. In that Lila Dalton is a Defence Lawyer but she can’t remember how she got to the courtroom. In fact, she doesn’t even know where she is, who she is, or who she is defending.

This is part of the premise of the novel the fact that Lila ha no real grip on the reality around her. She is defending a terrorist and stranded on an Island where no one seems to arrive and the only ones to leave are dead.

The plot went all over the place though. I couldn’t keep track of the characters, many who ended up dead anyways. The plot was also so twisty that I finished the novel and thought I really had non idea what was going on there.

It was a bit like Twin Peaks meets the BBC serial drama Ashes to Ashes if that makes sense. Unfortunately for me there were just to many plot twists.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy, unfortunately this time the book was just not for me.

Begins incredibly well, who is Lila ad how is she suddenly in a court room charged with defending a man she has no recollection of, let alone how she got there.

i admit I began to struggle with the plot about half way through, I started to lose track of who certain characters were and some plot lines confused me.

Having said that the premise is incredible and it was a unique set up.

Unfortunately on this occasion this book just wasn't for me.

Best of luck to the Author. though, a lot of work went into creating the world in which the plot is set.

The storyline reeled me in - Lila has to clear her name from murder. However, the execution was really poor. The ending and twist was really confusing. There was a lot of repetition without any suspense. It got quite boring after a while! The character development was really poor which made this a really difficult read. I was going to give up a few times but stuck through it (which was not a good idea!) I think the author tried to do too much at once, which lead to the story being confusing and unbelievable.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The trials of Lila dalton

2.5 stars

How do I begin to describe this book? The most simplest way would be to say that the author had her finger in too many pies. There was way too many subplots and themes that the book just got lost.

I was so excited to be able to read this that I started it straight away. However, reading this soon began to feel like a chore.

You started with memory loss, then kidnapping, then terrorism, bombing, then hit big on mind control, experiments, religion, portrayal, psy ops, undercover police. It just didn’t work.

The takeaway? Stick to one idea and run with it.

This had a really good premise and a great start to the book. But somewhere in the middle it just kind of fell apart. I still enjoyed the story but I just didn’t feel that connected to Lila the main character I wasn’t rooting for her.
Overall an ok read. Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an interesting read… I was initially hooked and really liked the idea of the storyline, however the further into the book, the more confusing it became.
I didn’t understand the ending and I found a few chapters unrelatable, and upon finishing the book, still am confused as to how they relate to the main story.

I really enjoyed the first 50% but did not like the way the last 50% went.

Target audience for this book: poli-sci majoring Brits who love sci-fi

Unfortunately I don’t fall into any of those categories.

Lila Dalton has no idea who she is or where she is. All she knows is that she woke up in court as the defence counsel for an accused neo-Nazi terrorist. She begins receiving threats and she knows she’s being watched. She must figure out who she is, who is threatening her and why all while defending her client.

You definitely need an understanding of the British legal system to read this book otherwise you’ll be googling terms and concepts throughout your read. This book really drags and would’ve been better as a short story. There is no character development and the antagonists are cartoonishly evil.

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story follow Lila Dalton as she suddenly comes to in the middle of court with no memory of who she is or what she is doing there. It becomes clear that she is a lawyer defending a client for a terrorist crime. The story moves along quite fast paced right away with odd situations that make you question what is happening and is this a weird M. Night Shyamala movie. But really it has a more twilight zone vibe to me. I wasn’t expecting that ending and the revealed answers. But honestly it felt like the plot line got lost and had to just wrap up somehow. The story was overall interesting and kept me reading quickly, wanting to know the next part of the story. I just wasn’t super pleased with the ending. It gave me Lost feelings. (That ending though!)

This was such an unusual idea for a novel that I was intrigued from the outset.

The contrast between the narrator’s complete amnesia about her life and her identity, versus her ability to effortlessly run a case in court, was a really unique set up for the story. Although how she maintained such a professional demeanour while basically forgetting her own name was quite a bold idea!

I loved the setting and the slightly gothic air to the island too.

A solid read!

It was hard for me to get into. I also found myself confused a lot. But once the story picked up I started to enjoy it and looked forward to reading it before bed.

I did not finish this book, I just couldn’t keep reading it. It’s not for me, and it happens, it’s not a bad book but just way too slow for me.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I am a big fan of courtroom mysteries, so I was excited for this one. I also really liked some of the plot lines that were peppered in, like mind control. However, there were almost too many different shifts in the plot and sub-sets of the story… it was information overload for just a 300 page novel. But at the same time, it felt like some areas of the book dragged on.

However, I did enjoy the read and thought the reveal at the end was good in concept…just needed more in execution to be rated higher!

This book started out interesting by and has what could be an amazing plot but was driven through political information that I think could have been cut down. I struggled to get to the end of the book because of how much info dumping there was. I liked the idea of Lila not having any memory-but there was so much political drive that it made that novel hard to enjoy. I understand it’s part of the plot but I didn’t need to understand what a cult group did and its history was.

Lila Dalton finds herself in a surreal situation: she wakes up in a courtroom, facing a jury, with no memory of how she got there or why she’s defending a man accused of mass murder. Stranded on an island where serious crimes are tried, Lila must navigate a complex web of lies and deceit to uncover the truth and prove her client’s innocence.

As Lila races against time to solve the case and clear her own name, the novel takes readers on a thrilling ride filled with unexpected twists and turns. The atmosphere is tense and claustrophobic, adding to the sense of urgency as Lila struggles to piece together fragments of her memory while battling against forces determined to keep her trapped on the island.

With its intricate plot and well-developed characters, “The Trials of Lila Dalton” is a captivating read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page. Fans of locked-room mysteries and psychological thrillers will find plenty to enjoy in this suspenseful tale of deception and redemption. Loved it!

Filled with courtroom drama and lots of conspiracies, The Trials of Lila Dalton is a book that will captivate those who like legal thrillers. However, while it may appeal to avid fans of legal proceedings, personally, it didn't resonate with me as much as I had hoped. Despite its engaging premise, I found myself struggling to fully engage with the story. Nonetheless, for enthusiasts of legal dramas, it's certainly worth diving into for a suspenseful ride.

A lady loses her memory and finds herself as a lawyer representing a man accused of bombing a location resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. She receives a note that if she wants to see her daughter again she has to get him a not guilty. As she tries to recover memories she is faced with danger.

The debut novel presents a captivating and intricate premise that immediately grips the reader. Initially challenging to follow, the blend of reality and speculative fiction is seamlessly woven throughout the narrative. Protagonist Lila Dalton, a skilled barrister, awakens in a courtroom as the defense attorney in a high-stakes terrorist case without any memory of preceding events. Set in the fictional Assumption Island, located in the North Atlantic, Lila must navigate a complex web of deception to secure her client's acquittal and protect her daughter's safety. While not a quick read due to the intricate storytelling, the author impresses with a well-crafted and absorbing tale that unfolds gradually, urging readers to savor every detail as the plot unravels.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A real mind bender. Is it reality or an alternate reality? Shepherd really makes you think and then think again. You are left wondering what just happened. A very timely read.

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop thinking about it. There were a few twists I could see coming but a lot I didn’t. I really enjoyed the courtroom aspect of the plot as well.