Lila Dalton has no memory of how she came to be in this courtroom; no memory of how she got to the courthouse at all, or why she's facing a jury who seems to be waiting for her. The man on trial is accused of mass murder, and she's his lawyer, but she can't remember any details of the case. She can't remember anything… Stranded on an island in the Atlantic Ocean where the most serious crimes are tried, Lila has to prove her client's innocence if she wants to go home. But how can she solve this case when she's not sure she can trust anything around her, including her own memory?

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the idea of it and I love a good mystery, but at times, I was really confused on what was happening. I did read this book all the way through and some parts multiple times, but was still confused through a lot of it, I have a feeling this is one of those books that you’ll either love or hate,
I did like the twist in the last few chapters! I also enjoyed figuring out each piece of the puzzle with Lila, but also found myself trying to hurry through it because at times it was just drawn out.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to have a chance to read this book!

I was given this book through Netgalley. Unfortunately, I only got a little past the first chapter. I wasn't enjoying it and I don't really want to continue. The writing style is just not something I enjoyed. I think the premise is interesting, I just did not prefer the writing style.

“The Trials of Lila Dalton” - A Riveting Journey Through the Labyrinth of Memory and Truth


Imagine waking up in a courtroom, facing a man accused of a horrific crime, and not knowing who you are, or why you are there. This is the chilling predicament that Lila Dalton finds herself in “The Trials of Lila Dalton”, the debut novel by L. J. Shepherd. Shepherd, a Cardiff-based barrister with experience in high-profile public inquiries, leverages her expertise to craft a riveting and intricate thriller. The novel stands out in its genre, thanks to the authenticity of its courtroom scenes and legal complexities, enriched by Shepherd’s firsthand knowledge of the legal field. The narrative is peppered with insider details such as the cab-rank rule, cross-examination techniques, and the bad character evidence rule, and more, setting it apart from other legal dramas.

This adrenaline-fueled thriller, revolved around a compelling female protagonist, captivates readers from start to finish. The narrative unfolds on Assumption Island, a fictional North Atlantic locale, where Lila Dalton, a barrister with no memory of her past, defends a suspected bomber. Lila’s only certainty is her kidnapped daughter’s existence and the need to win the case to save her. As she navigates through the labyrinth of deception and manipulation, she uncovers the island’s dark secrets and realizes the case is far from a simple bombing. The plot brims with unexpected twists as Lila unravels the truth about the case and the island. Shepherd’s vivid world-building crafts a unique setting where the island itself becomes a character with its own history and rules. The novel delves into themes like the role of the media, the corruption of the justice system, and the dangers of psychological manipulation.

While the book has a few minor weaknesses, including stereotypical secondary characters, and overly technical legal jargon, these do not significantly detract from the overall reading experience. Some plot developments and the ending might stretch the reader’s suspension of disbelief due to their convenience, overuse of abstract dialogues or lack of explanation. The novel sometimes relies on clichés and tropes, such as the evil media, corrupt government, and mysterious cult, but it also subverts and challenges them in interesting ways.

“The Trials of Lila Dalton” is a remarkable and impressive debut novel, that will delight and thrill fans of psychological thrillers, legal dramas, and dystopian twist.

I appreciate the L.J. Shepherd, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for letting me review a pre-release copy of the book and share my honest opinion.

Basic plot: Woman who finds herself in the middle of a trial has no memory of how she got there or what the trial is about. She comes to realize that she's a defense lawyer and her client has been accused of a terrorist attack. But how the heck can she defend someone when she doesn't remember how she got there or what's happening? As she unravels this bizarre mystery, she meets an assortment of odd people, follows some really weird leads, and stumbles her way to the truth.

I had high hopes for this novel but frankly, it was a hot mess. Cool premise and interesting characters, however the story rambled through some pretty dark paths (white supremacy) with way too many conspiracy references and confusing flashbacks. By the time I got to the twist ending, I was exhausted by all the false leads and unnecessary coincidences.

It reminded me of the movie Vanilla Sky and left me feeling rather deflated with the big reveal at the end - and almost as though I had just been lied to but I'm expected to accept it all with an impressed, "Ohhh, now I get it'!" Everything I thought really mattered throughout the story (including time) ended up not mattering at all, which makes a person feel as though the entire thing was a waste.

Rating this at 2 stars as I liked some of the characters, but ultimately did not like the novel as a whole.

This was wild. The plot is SO interesting but there were so many layers and no layers or action and nonsense, it was hard to follow. You will love this or hard.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

I had such high hopes for this book, but it fell short for me by a lot. The beginning was interesting, but as the story started unraveling itself, the more bored I got. It was very chaotic, much like how Lila is feeling as she lost all her memories. To be honest, I started skimming maybe half way through the story because I was so bored. Anyways, maybe this just isn’t the book for me and I’m sure other people will like it.

This is a 3.5 star rating but I wanted to round up because it kept me turning pages every night! I loved the setup - loved the forgotten memories, the weird coincidences...they were very cool but there were almost too many of them! By the time we go to the reason behind everything, I was exhausted from trying to keep it all straight in my head. But getting there was indeed a lot of eeriness, which I loved.

Definitely a book for fans of novels with unreliable narrators. Shutter Island is a good similar title.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc to review.

This was a really twisty and original read!

Set on a mysterious island, Lila finds herself in a courtroom defending a mass murderer, but can’t remember a thing about her past. Whilst looking for her lost memories she becomes aware of threats and that someone is watching her.

I enjoyed the mystery at heart of this and found the plot to be very ambitious and executed so well. The ending was unexpected and satisfying.

This book was a courtroom drama rather than a psychological thriller, I did enjoy this however this is not my usual pick up

Lila dalton is a lawyer, but while at trial suddenly her memory fades and she can’t remember who she is and what to do.
I skipped most of this book: the plot sounded interesting and i absolutely love the cover of this one. But i think i was expecting a bit more a normal family-vibe, but it was a lot of legal stuff and confusing.
I bet this will be a great book for people who enjoy lawyer MC, amnesia plot, courtroom drama, or would like to read a book where there’s barely any blood/descriptions of murder, etc. Hope it will be someone else’s next favorite read even if it wasn’t mine.

Happy reading!♥️

I really looked forward to reading this book. I love courtroom drama and this one did have a bit of it.
Locked on an island Lila had to find a way to clear her name of a murder she had no idea happened or any knowledge of her life at all.
Had a decent story line to start with but ended up in a strange twist. I really found myself trying to just get thru the book. Honestly wasn’t really the biggest fan of the book. But I just wanted to give my honest review

This was wild but probably not in a good way. I love a courtroom drama and I love twists and turns, but the writing quality simply wasn't here for me.

When I read the blurb and saw the cover for this I thought it would be pretty good. After I read it I knew I'd want to buy everything this author ever touched. I loved everything about this story. I could tell they put a lot of thought into the characters as well. Definitely recommend

I have mixed thoughts about this book. I loved the mystery part - trying to figure out what in the world was going on along with Lila, her aha moments & when she instinctually knew something, and all the courtroom drama.
However, the trial Lila is working on has to do with terrorism, white supremacy, and secret societies, and that is not something I like to read about. I skimmed some of the parts, reading enough to understand the background and make sense of the plot, but it took away from the rest of the book for me, as it made the book too dark.
Overall, I liked the plot and the writing.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Trials of Lila Dalton.

I was pleased my request was approved since the premise was so intriguing but I wasn't a fan of the narrative.

Lila Dalton wakes up in a courtroom with no idea how she got there; all she knows is she's a barrister and has been appointed to represent a murderer and terrorist.

As Lila pursues her own investigation into how she came to be there, a complicated and increasingly silly narrative unfolds regarding neo-Nazism, government conspiracies, brainwashing, scientific experiments involving mind control, convoluted ideologies regarding freedom and speech and oh yeah, let's throw in the kitchen sink, too.

I can't help but feel the author is trying to communicate their personal political agenda (in a not subtle way) through this messy story and I don't like it.

I wasn't happy with the vibe, the plot, or the characters.

I get that Lila finds herself in a strange, unfamiliar place, and she's confused and disoriented, but she gets flustered and weepy too often, and is characterized as a stereotypical female.

It was hard to take Lila seriously as a competent lawyer, especially since she repeats the same words often like 'despicable' but that's the author's fault.

There was too much going on, and not much of it made sense.

If the author had focused on just one plot, for example, the mind control experiment conspiracy, then the narrative would have more sense, as much as a conspiracy makes sense.

This was a very unexpected read! The premise and cover hooked me and I was excited to sit down with this. Undoubtedly L.J. Shepherd is a strong writer and I was happy to be introduced to her work as I will keep my eye out for more of her books in the future.

I am rating this just under 3.5 stars. The story has a lot going for it, starting with a lot of intrigue that carried throughout. While the tension built up, so did the new additions to the plot, with mystery upon mystery introduced. This got a little tiresome after the first handful because I wanted a stronger focus on seeing the central premise through. The various plot points were certainly extremely thought provoking and I liked the developments on their own and would have enjoyed them across several unique books. With some restraint and pruning of events, this story would be stellar (the ending alone was so good!).

The author shows a lot of talent and this book has a lot to offer. While it might be a touch too much for me, it does remind me of several celebrated authors who were able to spin out very popular series to the delight of readers, and I would recommend this to readers with their past interests in those books in mind.

Thank you again for the ARC, Poisoned Pen Press, it is much appreciated and I enjoyed the read and the opportunity to share my feedback.

Thrilling, engaging, nicely written. The characters had their own secrets and issues and I was interested in figuring them out. I would recommend this to fellow thriller lovers.

Im sorry but I really struggled with this book. I have put it aside and will try it again as I hate giving up. I just found it a bit all over the place but it might have been the mood i was in. Sorry

Amazing book . 100% recommended !!! The plot is amazing you won’t figure out . There are a lot of twist . I love the way it was written .

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
*********************************************************


I look up to find twelve strangers staring back at me… and I realize I'm the one they're waiting for.

Lila Dalton has no memory of how she came to be in this courtroom; no memory of how she got to the courthouse at all, or why she's facing a jury who seems to be waiting for her. The man on trial is accused of mass murder, and she's his lawyer, but she can't remember any details of the case. She can't remember anything… Stranded on an island in the Atlantic Ocean where the most serious crimes are tried, Lila has to prove her client's innocence if she wants to go home. But how can she solve this case when she's not sure she can trust anything around her, including her memory?

The Trials of Lila Dalton is a twisty, unexpected locked-room mystery that follows one woman's race against time to find a killer, clear her name, and escape the island that threatens to keep her trapped forever.

Okay, the premise for this book is amazing but I just did not "get it" ... it utterly baffled me. I actually restarted it to see if I would understand it but I did not. I slogged through to the end but did not enjoy it. At all. Honesty sometimes backfires.

#shortbutsweetreviews