I love a legal thriller but this one was just so weird! The different topics were just thrown in and I had no idea what was going on. This definitely is not the standard legal thriller, but a very strange take on the genre.

The trials of Lila dalton hooked me with its premise. A young woman wakes up on an island, unsure of how she got there or any details of her past. She finds out she has to go to court that day-she is a defense lawyer and has to defend a mass murderer/domestic terrorist. As she is struggling to piece her life together, she realizes that she has a daughter-who is now missing and it’s in connection to the case is working. What is going on on the island? How did Lila wind up there and why? Is her client guilty? Where is her daughter? As the plot thickens these are the questions that ultimately drive us forward as Lila tries to gain her bearings and finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy much deeper than she ever imagined.
I loved the first half of this book-the premise was interesting and intriguing and I was excited to see where it was going. The second half lost me and became overly-convoluted with the occult, nazis, the state of the British legal system, etc.
there is a ton of promise here though and if the landing had stuck this would have been a 5 star read! Otherwise, read this if you are a lover of mystery/thrillers. Fast-paced and even though I didn’t love the second half, I still found myself turning the page furiously.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review!

THE TRIALS OF LILA DALTON by L.J. Shepherd was a real stretch for me. Not what I was expecting with conspiracy theories, mind control, racism and government experiments. WAY out of my genre, so it was hard to follow at times.

Lila Dalton is Jr. Defense counsel for Jonathan Eades in a mass murder trial where he is charged with 27 deaths and 112 injuries. Imagine her problem when she ‘comes to’ while standing in front of the jury as the senior council following a serious car accident and the 1st chair being unavailable. Lila has no memories of the case, the defendant, and even questions her law degree but seems to bluff her way through the first day of trial deciding that she’ll run for her sanity at the end of the day. When she tries to flee Assumption Island, where the trial is being held, she learns that there is no way out. She begins receiving cryptic messages and visits by a woman no one else seems to see. What she uncovers makes her believe that she must win her case or her daughter is in jeopardy. Cloak and dagger meetings with informants lead Lila to lean on Devin Hanlon, a journalist who is following the case. As they sift through the clues and interviews, what they uncover could actually help Lila win her case. Oh, and did I mention, that she is arrested for having caused the death of the senior attorney in the case?

As I mentioned, this book was outside my normal genre. I don’t know if I should call it sci-fi or murder mystery or fantasy or dystopian, but I did have some trouble following along and had to go back a few times to remind myself of certain aspects. I was left scratching my head quite frequently. The writing was clear and concise, however, and I could feel myself sneaking through the town at night as Lila searched for her daughter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Yeah, that was weird. There was obviously something wrong with everything happening. There was something wrong with Lila Dalton finding herself in a court room with no idea how she got there. And yet, she knows everything she needs to know about the case and the law. That’s weird. Everyone on this island, yes, they are on an island that is specifically used for trials of sensitive cases, acts really weird. The locals hate everyone involved in the trial. Cops break into hotel rooms. Strange women lurk around in bright coats leaving clues.

I left this book unsure. There were parts that niggled at me while I was reading. But in the days since, they’ve gone away and left me with that feeling you have when you kind of want to revisit a book.

Those that like a good court drama will enjoy The Trials of Lila Dalton.

Lila Dalton finds herself in a courtroom, with no memory of who she is and what she's doing there. Her client is as unhappy to have her represent him and she is to do it. She soon discovers her memory loss is more than just in the courtroom.

This is a story that starts strong and hooks you. I found though, that there were parts of the story that slowed and nearly lost me but I also am a reader that needs constant action. I also found some bits confusing and wondered if it was because I'm not British.

Even still, I would definitely recommend this book to others that enjoy a good legal thriller with a twist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my advanced copy and thanks to L.J. Shepherd for writing The Trials of Lila Dalton!

Based on what I've observed, this book has received quite a bit of criticism, which surprises me because I absolutely loved it. I understand that opinions vary, but still... I have a deep appreciation for L.J. Shepherd's writing style, and I found the plot incredibly unique. The way she handled the amnesia trope was brilliant-it's such a versatile theme, and she used it masterfully! Overall, I found this book to be fast-paced, intriguing, and thoroughly enjoyable. I couldn't put it down! Another phenomenal five-star read!

Initially it was tough to ground myself in the protagonist LILA DALTON as she comes to consciousness knowing she's not a lawyer, but somehow knows the terminology, strategies, and appropriate behavior to defend a murder in a locked room type of mystery where she is also accused of murder and is pressured to win the case of the mass murderer or lose a child she didn't know she had. That sense of knowing and not knowing, of losing track of time and yet pressured to be present and be polite and do what you're supposed to do? The dystopian overtones and political underpinnings were woven with issues of identity and what it means to be a good person and live a good life -- so with the confusion and the always feeling like you're not quite getting what's going on around you, it feels uncomfortably like modern life. I felt like parts could have been developed a little bit more, but all in all, it was a story that kept me going until the very end. I received a copy. of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

The premise of this book was very intriguing to me. As a fan of legal thrillers and courtroom dramas (hello Law and Order SVU!), I found the book to be similar to what you would see on tv - not totally true but close yet dramatized.

Imagine waking up not knowing who you are, and you are responsible for someone's conviction or freedom. Located on an island, Lila must figure out who she is and what is going on in this mysterious place.

I would say this is a dramatized (almost) thriller/legal novel with some major secrets and many twists and turns.

Overall, this book was exciting and different, and I loved our FMC.

Highly recommend for my mood readers and crime lovers!

This was a very mind-bending thriller that made my head spin a little. In a good way. THE TRIALS OF LILA DALTON was a legal thriller that was unique and creative. There was a lot of action throughout the book with unpredictable characters which I liked. It was different than I expected because it was a bit speculative but it was an interesting concept that I feel was done well.

This was a fun debut! I was hooked immediately, even though I’m not usually a fan of courtroom thrillers. The premise: A lawyer loses her memory while defending a mass murderer – count me in! The first quarter of the book was fast paced and suspenseful, but the court room scenes slowed the action. Those scenes, although slow, felt the most authentic. I liked the twists, but there were so many it was difficult to keep up and the details got confusing. I would have enjoyed learning more about Lila’s character, because by the end everything was turned on its head and I had no real sense of who she was.

3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy suspense, mystery, and courtroom dramas.

The Trials of Lila Dalton was almost a complete miss for me. The premise sounded very promising - awake with memory loss in front of a jury, and try to figure out who you are, who you’re defending, and how to win the trial in order to get back home. Plus, its basically a locked room mystery, because its an island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean with no means of escape. But it was so convoluted, and too many details that seemed to mean nothing, and the whole Neo-Nazi terrorism angle was a bit of a turn-off for me. Even the resolution as the end was just much too far-fetched for my taste. Whatever good moments the book had, and there were a few, was just not enough to fully redeem it in my opinion.

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 bombing, 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.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book started well and seemed interesting but then I found myself very bored with it. It just was not for me unfortunately.

This was one of the most unique and, frankly, strange book I’ve ever read. I didn’t understand what was happening much of the time. It all came together in the end, but it definitely isn’t what I would call a pleasure read. I mainly just needed to see how it ended.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

Admittedly, this was a miss for me. The writing is good. However, I felt the plot was lack luster. IT didn't live up to what the synopsis portrayed to me. I'll admit I didn't quite get all the chapters. The one about Coyote and him sharpening that guy's teeth? I don't get why that was included and what that really brought to the story. It felt unnecessary. This book also includes a fair amount of legal terminology which is fine. I just wish this book included a key/index for the legal terms. My brain is wired for health care terminology because that's what I do for a living. But the legal jargon was going over my head most of the time. But like I said this is well written, especially for a debut. I just wish the plot was a bit more fleshed out and explained more.

I enjoyed the idea of this and most of the story kept me reading. The ending wasn't great, I wanted more of a wrap up and explanation.

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

This courtroom drama was... very different and left me feeling "WTH did I just read". Could be the dystopian setting, the constant twists and implausible subplots (throwing spaghetti at the wall, anyone?) or the cardboard cut-outs of characters, but I did not enjoy this read. I pushed through, thinking it was bound to get better at some point. It did not.

Lila has no idea what she is doing in the courtroom. It appears she is someone's lawyer but she has no recollection of who, how or why. What follows is Lila's delving into the case, what she discovers and what she remembers. But can she trust what she thinks is true? The premise is exciting right? The book starts off well but unfortunately it lost its way for me around the half way mark. I started to get confused with a lot that was going on and found myself stunned at the direction the story took towards the end. It's not a bad debut for LJ Shepherd though and I look forward to reading more.

I enjoyed this one. I did not see it playing out like it did. A nice surprise at the end. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Trials of Lila Dalton by L. J. Shepherd is an indescribable mashup of genres and storylines. In ways it works swimmingly, in others it's over the top. But it's clever, imaginative and unforgettable. The thought the author put into it is unreal!

Lila Dalton realizes with a start she is in a room with several people expectantly waiting for her to speak. She realizes it's a courtroom and that she has something to do with a case. But who is she, where is she and why is she there? She is surprised to discover the legal jargon coming out of her mouth and during a quick recess pieces a bit of the puzzle together. She is a barrister defending a man accused of killing multiple people and injuring many others. She is on isolated Assumption Island far from home and locals are wary of her. But there is much, much more to it than the criminal case.

The first third had me on tenterhooks, practically chewing my fingernails in suspense. I just loved the intricate originality, twists and turns and unusual courtroom drama. The premise reeled me in immediately and I couldn't put my Kindle down for more than two seconds. However, as time went on things grew more and more implausible and it became a stretch to take in and follow the plethora of details and conspiracies. Yes to quirkiness! But yes also to a measure of believability, even with speculative fiction. None of the characters were particularly likeable but they were interesting.

If you crave something haphazardly unique, tense and flummoxing, this has your name on it. If it didn't get a bit messed up later on, this would be a solid thrilling read for me. But it may be an "it's not you, it's me" situation. I'd happily read more by L. J. Shepherd in future.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this weirdly captivating novel.