Cut-Throat Defence

If I could have given 6 stars for this book I would have done! I am a sucker for a good legal thriller and this one was exceptional.

Well written, credible with characters you really believed in and rooted for. Goodies and Baddies, an understanding of the law and court procedure and, to cap it all a huge twist followed by a happy ending. What more can you ask for?

I will not jinx Olly Jarvis by comparing him with Grisham but some of Mr Grisham's early books (his best in my opinion) featured young lawyers, out of their depth desperately trying to overcome apparently insuperable odds which were stacked against them.

This book follows that blueprint and is all the good for it.

Highly recommended and hopefully more to come!

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Death By Dangerous, which I read last year, I was really looking forward to more from this author and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. Like the previous book, this one hit the ground running and didn't let up until the very last page.
To say that new qualified barrister Jack is nervous would be an understatement. He's obviously smart but lets himself down in the court room and that's not really a good thing in his line of work. When a high profile case falls into his lap, he teams up with Lara, a young solicitor and together they set about trying to defend their client who is accused of drug offences.. Their job is made all the more harder as their defence is based on accusing the other two co-accused leading to the book's titled cut-throat defence. Successfully getting their client bailed, their job is made all the harder when he absconds. Can Jack overcome his nerves well enough to not only defend a high profile client who is going after the authorities but also one who isn't present for him to consult with. Flying blind is a bit of an understatement.
The plot is very well worked out. The concept of the defendant going awol was to me the key to the way the book was constructed. There were no quick easy answers, every query Jack had, he had to investigate himself which I thought was brilliantly done. Along with Lara, they really did have their work cut out to achieve the deadlines set upon them by the trial schedule. A plot which also had me jumping from pillar to post along with the characters themselves. Uncovering the secrets and working out the truth from the lies, together going on a rather bumpy but thrilling ride to what I have to conclude was a bit of a jaw dropping climax.
Characterisation was excellent. The "relationship" between Jack and Lara was very well constructed and I also loved Jack's father. The best thing, however is the way that Jack himself develops throughout the book. It comes across as being fluid and natural.
Pacing is also top notch. There are a lot of mood changes throughout the book, each seamlessly executed and interspersed with some calmer moments which gave me time to get my breath back.
Again, I'm not experienced enough to say whether the courtroom stuff is true to life but I can say that, to me, the uneducated in these matters, it came across as totally credible and that's what matters to me.
All in all, a great follow up book. Both this authors book have been standalone, but if I could put in a vote for more from Jack/Lara, be it a series, a sequel or just as secondary characters in another book. I think they have more to share with the readership!

My thanks go to NetGalley and the Publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to have read this book.
This is the first book by Olly Jarvis I've read, and it was quite a treat! I can't wait to read more of his books.
The book was really entertaining and highly recommended.

This was the best book I have read in a long while, you could tell the author has experience in this field and put it to good use. I would love to read the other book by this author, would highly recommend this book

Well-plotted mystery, intriguing subject, suspenseful denouement.

I was delighted to read this new book from Olly Jarvis having read and loved Death by Dangerous last year. If you would like to see my review for that one, you can do so here.

This book carries what is now becoming this authors trademark, a legal thriller with real edge and depth of plot with characters that stick around in the mind long after the story and the trial are over. I was hooked into the clutches of this story from the very first page.

Back in the day I read a lot of John Grisham, after a while I stepped away from those as I found the court scenes too arduous or similar. Olly Jarvis keeps this story alive with a frenetic pace and interesting and exciting scenes. Somewhat of an adrenalin rush to read and see if the culprit gets their just desserts. There is a razor sharp wit in there too which rounds the plot of nicely.

Set in gangland Manchester, this brings something new to the genre as we are faced with drugs, murder and threatening behaviour. Also new is Barrister Jack Kowalski, he is young and newly qualified, at first it seems that he is not going to make it, he seems to lack the respect of a lot of colleagues and has made some poor decisions. This character was a fantastic way to portray how hard a legal team have to work and sometimes I imagine not for much money. I loved Jack and what he brought to the story.

Olly Jarvis uses the depth of his experience to bring the reader an intricate and engaging plot. He manages to create scenes where the reader feels like that are actually in the gallery watching the case unfold. There were plenty of twists and cliffhangers to keep me turning the page. The legal jargon never got boring and actually I found it fascinating.

This book was gripping and I would have no fear in going back to this author time and time again. I would actually particularly love to read some more about Jack Kowalski.

If legal thrillers are your thing then you need look no further than Olly Jarvis.

A very well written court room procedural. Great characterisation and a good insight into the court procedure. I liked the mood changes from tense court room to emotional revelations from Jack the newly qualified barrister, and Lara his assistant.. A good story of rivalry and survival in the seedy Manchester underworld. I would recommend this book. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon and Goodreads.