Read this not realising there was a previous book however it wasn’t a problem.
A lot of people to remember and I had to double check at the start who was who.
If you are a legal thriller fan this would be a great read for you.
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin & Nicola Williams for an advanced copy of this killer book.

I don’t often award Netgalley books five stars but this certainly deserves it. The senior clerk, Tom, in a well regarded London legal Chambers has an argument in public at a charity event then he takes his number two, Dean,out for a drink. Dean leaves before him. Then Tom is found dead, maybe murdered, but there is no certainty about that conclusion. The person Tom had the public argument is a well known name and the police are discouraged from interviewing him. Dean stood to benefit from getting the senior position in the chambers, now vacant and he is arrested for manslaughter on thin evidence. The case goes to trial with Dean being defended by one of his colleagues.. The story is not as simple as that summary sounds and there are many other side stories about relationships and families, all supporting the central theme. It is pretty easy to guess that Dean is not going to be convicted- that would be too easy! But the reader is left to guess what will happen to change the outcome at the last minute. This is a very good read and I recommend it.

Thanks to Penguin UK and NetGalley for ARC.

This thriller centres on barrister Lee Mitchell's chambers, with the murder of. their senior Clerk and the arrest of his deputy for his murder. I enjoyed this overall, although it rather stretched me to believe absolutely everyone in chambers, and a lot beyond, had so many secrets they would go to great lengths to protect. The courtroom scenes are gripping, and although this read well as a standalone, I've sought out the first book in this series.

This book is absolutely brilliant. The plot and characters were very well written. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone which is what I did as this is a new author to me. An interesting story with many of twists and turns, I found this book to be compelling. I really enjoyed it, and found it gripping and well-written.

I was attracted by the blurb (I hadn't realised Lee Mitchell had been in previous book) despite my disinclination to read court-case fiction (I even skipped over parts of To Kill a Mockingbird!!) .. but despite that I enjoyed the set up, and the look-in to Chambers' politics. The set up of toxic male (the one who's killed) and clever, put-upon female colleague worried me at first because it's all so filled with cliche .. but it was over taken by author's smarts in making characters very real. There were, however, for me , too many to keep good track of. I enjoyed the denouement! Maybe this author will continue this series!! Recommendable, that's for sure ...

This was an interesting story with lots of twists and turns that made the whole story very thrilling to read. Although there is a first book in this series which I have not read, this one can still be ready as a stand alone.
I would definitely look into reading the first book.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House for the early ARC to read and review this book and give my honest opinion. Thanks to Netgalley for making this possible.

fabulous read! I attended an event recently and met someone who'd read an earlier book by this author. We both agreed that Nicola Williams is a natural story-teller. This was a fantastically plotted novel with a whole host of brilliant characters. It felt completely authentic and was just an absolutely great read. Thank you so much!

After reading the blub, I was looking forward to getting into this one, but I've got mixed feelings after reading.
I enjoyed parts of it, but at times, it felt like the story was padded out just a bit too much.
I do like Lee Mitchell, you cant help but like the underdog,and I would look forward to seeing her character grow in further books.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK for the Arc.

This is another brilliant book about the barrister Lee Mitchell and her friends and colleagues. Tom, the Head Clerk in her chambers is found dead, amid rumours that he kept a secret diary about all his colleagues. The story has police procedure, a gripping court case, high stakes office politics, and a dilemma for Lee as her friend is involved with one of the suspects.
It shows how frighteningly easy it is to be charged with a combination of prejudice and connections, and also demonstrates the way justice is applied differently between the wealthy and the working class.
Excellent. Highly recommended.

This book wasn't for me. I found this book quite unoriginal. From the blurb, it sounded like it would have a good plot, but I found it flat and felt like most of the themes had been covered before. A member of Chambers who is not popular is found dead in an alley after a work event and visit to private club. One suspect had an altercation with him in public but is rich so not an immediate suspect. Another has an incredible job at age 24, coming from a less wealthy background. The main Barrister is a hot shot of course. The dead man had a diary with things he had found out about colleagues etc. and the diary goes missing after his death. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, including 2 dads with disabled sons and we hear about their relationships with their sons which seems confusing for most of the story.
I do hope the book finds its audience. I did read it til the end so it wasn't badly written, so I'm sure there will be those who enjoy it.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

When I requested this from Netgalley I was immediately drawn in by the storyline however I didn't realise at the time it was the second book in the Lee Mitchell series. I don't normally like joining a series without reading them in order and I think I did miss out a little bit from not reading the first one.

Having said that, this was a really enjoyable legal thriller. When a Senior Clerk is found dead outside a fancy members-only bar, there is dubiety of whether he fell or was murdered. Dean, the Junior Clerk from a working-class background, was the last person to be with the victim and pressure is put on the Police to arrest and charge him despite his repeated denials.

What follows is a legal trial which was the best part of the novel. Dean is defended by Lee Mitchell and untangles deception and intrigue on a number of levels. Whilst there are a LOT of characters in this book, which I sometimes struggled to keep up with, the book moves towards a brilliant conclusion with significant fall-out.

Definitely a series I will be keen to follow up on.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book sadly wasn’t my cup of tea. Too many characters which made it tricky to keep up with exactly what was happening, and an assumption of n knowledge about the behind the scenes part of the legal system which left me a little frustrated.

This is book 2 in the Barrister Lee Mitchel series. I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping legal thriller and will definitely read book 1.that I missed.
Killer Instinct has it all with an unsolved murder, courtroom scenes and so many interesting characters in chambers I read through this book in quick time, often visualising it as a tv series.
Brilliant legal thriller A great read

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and the second book Killer Instinct just blew me away. An edge of your seat thriller with so much depth and character development. I would highly recommend reading the first book before reading this one as there is a lot of references to it and carries on the characters stories. This legal thriller has so many elements to the story and that makes it really interesting to read. I love Lee’s character, such a strong woman with integrity that makes her really likeable. I hope there will be another book in this series. Highly recommended. 5 stars

If you read court room dramas such as those byt Jeffery Archer and others, then Ithink you will find this more enjoyable and readable.
Who might gain from the murder of the head clerk in chambers, a man who seems to secure the best cases but by what means.
The novel also explores prejudice, not only racially motivated byut depending on bacground and class.
Will the prsecution get their way or will the defence prevail.
I look forward to the next case in Maple chambers.

Having read the first book in the series I was hopeful for another interesting read.
The book has great representation of characters but personally I found it quite difficult to follow with many characters and points of view.
The premise of the book, set in chambers, is great. I love the character of Lee Mitchell and would love to see her character develop more.
This book would be a great holiday read or if you can read in longer sittings, allowing you to truly grasp the story and characters.

I just love stories set in chambers, courtroom dramas and murder mysteries. And here all three are rolled into one. I’ve missed the first book in this series ( but will be seeking it out) and this is a great standalone. It makes a change to have a female barrister as lead character and Lee fills that role well. There’s murder in chambers and Lee doesn’t know who to trust. There are various suspects and on the journey, we encounter a range of memorable characters. I find the world of chambers fascinating. It feels like a throwback in time where old traditions prevail, there’s a strict pecking order, divisions of class and privilege and a lot of back stabbing. It’s a very particular world which is brought vividly to life. Add to that the courtroom scenes; again, these feel authentic as prosecution and defence bat back and forth, building and destroying and trying to create doubt or provide evidence of guilt.

This is fast paced and really well written. I’ve skipped through it with relish and can’t wait for more. Brilliant to have a new, loud female voice in the law field. Bring it on!

Lee Mitchell #2 (Book 1 = Until Proven Innocent)

The shadow of chief clerk, Tom Mannion, looms large over Maple Court Chambers as sure he has a killer instinct. However, maybe there’s someone who has reason to have an even deadlier killer instinct. Who is the last person from Chambers to see Tom alive? That would be his junior clerk, Dean Carter, currently struggling into work on the morning after the night before. The news of Tom‘s death spreads through Maple Court and has a tsunami impact. Why is Tom dead? Was it an accident or a deliberate act? Has it anything to do with Tom‘s extensive knowledge about people in Chambers? DCI Danny Wallace begins the investigation as deputy SIO on the case and eventually leads the inquiry.

If you like legal thrillers and lively courtroom scenes and exchanges, then this duo of novels with lead protagonist of legal rising star Lee Mitchell, are well worth reading. Although these are slow burners, they are full of intrigue and are thoughtful, thought provoking rather than fast paced. A standout feature is a very good portrayal of Chambers life and here we get several perspectives, not just Lee’s. There’s plenty going on, some of which is unsavoury, unsettling and creepy as well as power dynamics, infighting and intriguing vibes and tension between members of Maple Court. You feel the pressure put upon the barristers to win a case and to a secure conviction from the perspective of the police and the prosecution. I’ll leave the delight of making the acquaintance of the prosecuting lawyer to future readers.

There’s a good range of characters, some are very likeable, some are honourable, there are some to heartedly dislike, some you wouldn’t trust as far as you could throw them and one very interesting diamond in the rough. I really like Lee who feels very authentic. She’s had to claw her way to the top by being better than the average Joe as she’s black and female. She’s not perfect but goes the extra mile for her clients and her ups and downs with her partner David give further credibility to her character. There’s a good portrayal of Tom Mannion, warts and all.

These novels are good on a number of issues, especially race, privilege, corruption and loyalty versus truth. The courtroom scenes are good as evidence bats back and force with good interplay between the lawyers and the judge. There’s drama as it twists and turns its way to a resolution.

Another good read from Nicola Williams.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for a much appreciated Epub in return for an honest review.

Hooked me from page one... Five stars plus for this brilliant series!!

It was outstanding! I absolutely loved the main characters!... I ended up staying up until the early hours of the morning to finish as I just couldn't put it down... this series is sure to fill your mystery loving needs!