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The Verdict
Terry Flynt is a struggling legal clerk, desperately trying to get promoted. And then he is given the biggest opportunity of his career: to help defend a millionaire accused of murdering a woman in his hotel suite.
The only problem is that the accused man, Vernon James, turns out to be not only someone he knows, but someone he loathes. This case could potentially make Terry's career, but how can he defend a former friend who betrayed him so badly?
With the trial date looming, Terry delves deeper into Vernon's life and is forced to confront secrets from their shared past that could have devastating consequences for them both. For years he has wanted to witness Vernon's downfall, but with so much at stake, how can Terry be sure that he is guilty? And what choices must he make to ensure that justice is done?
The only problem is that the accused man, Vernon James, turns out to be not only someone he knows, but someone he loathes. This case could potentially make Terry's career, but how can he defend a former friend who betrayed him so badly?
With the trial date looming, Terry delves deeper into Vernon's life and is forced to confront secrets from their shared past that could have devastating consequences for them both. For years he has wanted to witness Vernon's downfall, but with so much at stake, how can Terry be sure that he is guilty? And what choices must he make to ensure that justice is done?
512 pages, Hardcover
First published January 23, 2014
150 people are currently reading
4870 people want to read
About the author
Nick Stone
24 books147 followersNick Stone was born in Cambridge in 1966, the son of a Scottish father and a Haitian mother. His first novel, Mr Clarinet, won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel, and was nominated for The Barry Award for Best British Novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 525 reviews
September 6, 2022
The Hook - The publicity for this fast paced British legal thriller grabbed my attention.
The Line – ”You can’t cheat karma. Can you?”
The Sinker – With a title like The Verdict expectations to get to that ruling are high. Sorry, you’ll have to wait until quite a good portion of its 499 pages are read to get a ruling. I’m certain many readers will think this book was long, way too wordy, perhaps a bit tedious even and could have done with a tighter editing. Somehow this didn’t bother me and I just went along for the ride. I liked Terry Flynt though at times I wanted to take him and shake him and ask him just what the heck he thought he was doing. Here’s a guy in his late thirties who I had to wonder if he had ever grown up. He gets a job as law clerk in a prestigious firm and has aspirations of gaining a nod for promotion to paralegal and paid tuition for a law degree. Does he have the drive to reach that goal? Flynt is immediately immersed in a high profile case of the murder of a woman in a hotel room. The suspect, Vernon James has just received a distinguished honor, ‘The Ethical Man of the Year', one never before given to a businessman. It appears Vernon is not so ethical when a woman, not his wife, is found dead in bed. When confronted by the police Verson weaves a strange tale and claims he neither slept in the bed nor with the woman. Said woman, Evelyn Bates, 5’4”, supposedly seen with James and wearing a green dress (becomes key evidence), was strangled with a belt (Wanderlust comments below correcting strangulation by belt to strangulation by hand, honestly I don't remember now) and subjected to rough sex. On the surface this seems like Vernon’s SOP, but Bates is not his type. He likes his women, tall, with long blonde hair and slender. Now back to Flynt. What Flynt never tells anyone in his office is that he knows the suspect and personally holds a long-time grudge against James for getting him kicked out of Cambridge years ago. Can he really help defend his ex-friend, a man he now despises and whose lifestyle appalls his senses?
There are flaws here, not everything works and it does get repetitive. I liked most of the staff in Flynt’s law firm, and enjoyed the courtroom scenes at Court 1 of The Old Bailey, the judge, jury, prosecution and defense. Violence to women, S&M, several murders may nix this for some. I didn’t find it overly graphic. The causes and effect were probably outlined well but this along with the bad guys and conspiracy theories didn’t interest me that much. Still, I kept turning the pages, I kept reading, and in the end I enjoyed my introduction to Nick Stone. Keep your eyes open for clues as they are there.
Nick Stone has one other book under his belt, The Clarinet, which won several awards, including Macavity for best first novel. Perhaps I’ll go back and read his debut. If not, I certainly will be waiting to see what else he writes. The Verdict is a solid entry into the lawyer/thriller genre.
The Line – ”You can’t cheat karma. Can you?”
The Sinker – With a title like The Verdict expectations to get to that ruling are high. Sorry, you’ll have to wait until quite a good portion of its 499 pages are read to get a ruling. I’m certain many readers will think this book was long, way too wordy, perhaps a bit tedious even and could have done with a tighter editing. Somehow this didn’t bother me and I just went along for the ride. I liked Terry Flynt though at times I wanted to take him and shake him and ask him just what the heck he thought he was doing. Here’s a guy in his late thirties who I had to wonder if he had ever grown up. He gets a job as law clerk in a prestigious firm and has aspirations of gaining a nod for promotion to paralegal and paid tuition for a law degree. Does he have the drive to reach that goal? Flynt is immediately immersed in a high profile case of the murder of a woman in a hotel room. The suspect, Vernon James has just received a distinguished honor, ‘The Ethical Man of the Year', one never before given to a businessman. It appears Vernon is not so ethical when a woman, not his wife, is found dead in bed. When confronted by the police Verson weaves a strange tale and claims he neither slept in the bed nor with the woman. Said woman, Evelyn Bates, 5’4”, supposedly seen with James and wearing a green dress (becomes key evidence), was strangled with a belt (Wanderlust comments below correcting strangulation by belt to strangulation by hand, honestly I don't remember now) and subjected to rough sex. On the surface this seems like Vernon’s SOP, but Bates is not his type. He likes his women, tall, with long blonde hair and slender. Now back to Flynt. What Flynt never tells anyone in his office is that he knows the suspect and personally holds a long-time grudge against James for getting him kicked out of Cambridge years ago. Can he really help defend his ex-friend, a man he now despises and whose lifestyle appalls his senses?
There are flaws here, not everything works and it does get repetitive. I liked most of the staff in Flynt’s law firm, and enjoyed the courtroom scenes at Court 1 of The Old Bailey, the judge, jury, prosecution and defense. Violence to women, S&M, several murders may nix this for some. I didn’t find it overly graphic. The causes and effect were probably outlined well but this along with the bad guys and conspiracy theories didn’t interest me that much. Still, I kept turning the pages, I kept reading, and in the end I enjoyed my introduction to Nick Stone. Keep your eyes open for clues as they are there.
Nick Stone has one other book under his belt, The Clarinet, which won several awards, including Macavity for best first novel. Perhaps I’ll go back and read his debut. If not, I certainly will be waiting to see what else he writes. The Verdict is a solid entry into the lawyer/thriller genre.
March 14, 2016
3.5 stars: This is a wonderful courtroom fiction, fast-paced-page-turner of a novel. It’s a bit long, 499 pages, but it doesn’t seem that long once you get into it. It’s also a British novel, with British legal/court proceedings that differ from the USA legal mode. Author Nick Stone does a fabulous job providing the reader with enough info to understand the legal nuisances.
Vernon James, aka VJ, is a millionaire businessman who is accused of brutally murdering a woman. The reader gets VJ’s side of the story in the prologue of the novel. From the start, author Nick Stone writes VJ as an unflattering and unlikable character. Terry Flynt, a legal clerk who inadvertently gets on the case when he answers his colleague’s phone line, has a history with VJ. They both grew up on the streets of a poor area of London. VJ got himself out of the projects, while Terry squandered his chances. The reader learns Terry harbors ill feelings for his childhood friend.
Nick Stone doesn’t portray the law in a very flattering way. Which is one of the reasons the novel is fun to read. That, plus VJ is a disgusting character who looks like he has been framed so as the reader, you are ambivalent about his innocence. Yet, the plot has twists and turns which leaves the reader in question of VJ’s guilt.
The courtroom scenes are the best. The dialogue is quick and witty. The pages fly by. There are places that do drone on which distract from the story. Yet, all in all, it’s well written and worth the time.
I highly recommend it for those who love crime and courtroom fiction. It’s worth the read! Thank you Carol for giving this novel a great review that encouraged me to read it!
Vernon James, aka VJ, is a millionaire businessman who is accused of brutally murdering a woman. The reader gets VJ’s side of the story in the prologue of the novel. From the start, author Nick Stone writes VJ as an unflattering and unlikable character. Terry Flynt, a legal clerk who inadvertently gets on the case when he answers his colleague’s phone line, has a history with VJ. They both grew up on the streets of a poor area of London. VJ got himself out of the projects, while Terry squandered his chances. The reader learns Terry harbors ill feelings for his childhood friend.
Nick Stone doesn’t portray the law in a very flattering way. Which is one of the reasons the novel is fun to read. That, plus VJ is a disgusting character who looks like he has been framed so as the reader, you are ambivalent about his innocence. Yet, the plot has twists and turns which leaves the reader in question of VJ’s guilt.
The courtroom scenes are the best. The dialogue is quick and witty. The pages fly by. There are places that do drone on which distract from the story. Yet, all in all, it’s well written and worth the time.
I highly recommend it for those who love crime and courtroom fiction. It’s worth the read! Thank you Carol for giving this novel a great review that encouraged me to read it!
August 24, 2023
I was feeling the need for some legal thrillers, so I did a library search online and this book came up.
Apparently, Nick Stone is an award-winning mystery-writer in Britain. He has won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller of the year, the International Thriller Writers award for best first novel and the Macavity Award for best first novel, “Mr. Clarinet.” He won that award over Michael Connelly’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Those were very impressive credentials, and a significant honor.
So, needless to say, I was ready for a good reading adventure.
This is the story of Terry Flynt, who is a 30-year-old, legal clerk at a prestigious London law firm. He is barely hanging on to this job. He has had some major setbacks in his life that have something to do with a friend from Cambridge named Vernon James. Interestingly enough, this same friend Vernon went on to become glamourous, rich and powerful.
Then…
Vernon is accused of murdering a woman in his hotel room on the very night he is honored as the most Ethical Person of the Year. (What?!)
As fate would have it, Terry becomes part of Vernon’s defense team. (What?!)
In another shocking twist, Terry’s college sweetheart wound up marrying Vernon. (What?!)
Can anything more happen to Terry?
So…
Did Vernon do it?
Should Terry play detective and find out?
Is this the worst defense case that Terry can be given, or will this case help Terry’s sagging career?
Complicating matters…
Terry has doubts about the firm, since it is headed by a secretive, manipulative legal star who seems to want to fire, bribe and promote Terry simultaneously.
What should Terry do?
And yet…
Terry is so endearing with us readers.
He keeps finding out things about his co-workers that make us readers cheer him on.
How many more secrets will there be to unravel in this book anyway?
Now…
There are a few things to consider…
Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is part of the mix; London riots are in here too, armed foreign nationals; real estate development; a confession late in the book is so casual it seems kind of silly; sometimes characters outlive their usefulness to the author and vanish; sometimes they just vanish.
And…
Terry is rather a moody guy. The novel swirls around him, switching gears so often, it is sometimes hard to know whether as a reader we should shift from 2nd gear, to 3rd gear or go directly into drive.
So you are probably thinking – how reliable is Terry as a narrator anyway?
Still…
It is a smooth drive read. Because as readers, we are always rooting for Terry.
And…
When you have a likable character, that matters. Right? 3.5 stars
Apparently, Nick Stone is an award-winning mystery-writer in Britain. He has won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller of the year, the International Thriller Writers award for best first novel and the Macavity Award for best first novel, “Mr. Clarinet.” He won that award over Michael Connelly’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Those were very impressive credentials, and a significant honor.
So, needless to say, I was ready for a good reading adventure.
This is the story of Terry Flynt, who is a 30-year-old, legal clerk at a prestigious London law firm. He is barely hanging on to this job. He has had some major setbacks in his life that have something to do with a friend from Cambridge named Vernon James. Interestingly enough, this same friend Vernon went on to become glamourous, rich and powerful.
Then…
Vernon is accused of murdering a woman in his hotel room on the very night he is honored as the most Ethical Person of the Year. (What?!)
As fate would have it, Terry becomes part of Vernon’s defense team. (What?!)
In another shocking twist, Terry’s college sweetheart wound up marrying Vernon. (What?!)
Can anything more happen to Terry?
So…
Did Vernon do it?
Should Terry play detective and find out?
Is this the worst defense case that Terry can be given, or will this case help Terry’s sagging career?
Complicating matters…
Terry has doubts about the firm, since it is headed by a secretive, manipulative legal star who seems to want to fire, bribe and promote Terry simultaneously.
What should Terry do?
And yet…
Terry is so endearing with us readers.
He keeps finding out things about his co-workers that make us readers cheer him on.
How many more secrets will there be to unravel in this book anyway?
Now…
There are a few things to consider…
Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is part of the mix; London riots are in here too, armed foreign nationals; real estate development; a confession late in the book is so casual it seems kind of silly; sometimes characters outlive their usefulness to the author and vanish; sometimes they just vanish.
And…
Terry is rather a moody guy. The novel swirls around him, switching gears so often, it is sometimes hard to know whether as a reader we should shift from 2nd gear, to 3rd gear or go directly into drive.
So you are probably thinking – how reliable is Terry as a narrator anyway?
Still…
It is a smooth drive read. Because as readers, we are always rooting for Terry.
And…
When you have a likable character, that matters. Right? 3.5 stars
August 7, 2017
What an incredibly entertaining story! The Verdict tells the story of a murder trial told from the perspective of the defense team's clark. The catch....he was childhood friends with the defendant, and they both keep their past a secret from the rest of the team. The clark, Terry, has grown a deep hatred for his old friend and enjoys the chance to have a front row seat to his murder trial. Trying to juggle his job, wife, kids, and a nagging pull for alcohol, this legal thriller has something for everyone to relate. It's fast paced and a lot of fun!
December 28, 2015
The Verdict is a British Legal Thriller. I think it may be a US sleeper hit...one of those Grishamesque type books that soon everyone will be reading. It may be a bit long for US audiences at close to 500 pages, but it is a terrific read and will keep you engaged till the very last page.
The narrator is a struggling law clerk-Terry. When his firm accepts a high profile case of a hedge fund multi-millionaire accused of murdering a woman, Terry realizes that this millionaire is his former best friend and school mate.
The story was multi-layered, really one story within the primary story. Good writing with the main character very human and likable. Interestingly this book was published as a paperback in 2014 and re-released as a hardcover in early December 2015.
The narrator is a struggling law clerk-Terry. When his firm accepts a high profile case of a hedge fund multi-millionaire accused of murdering a woman, Terry realizes that this millionaire is his former best friend and school mate.
The story was multi-layered, really one story within the primary story. Good writing with the main character very human and likable. Interestingly this book was published as a paperback in 2014 and re-released as a hardcover in early December 2015.
August 21, 2017
My favorite book of 2017 thus far!
The Verdict is a bit long, but it's a fascinating story with believable characters.
Best of all, the writing is divine.
Chock full of fabulous similes & metaphors, great one-liners and magnificent imagery, such as:
- you can't cheat karma
- alcoholics come in 2 flavors - sweet or sour
- he had the personality of an irate viper caged in barbed wire
- the first fistfuls of dirt landed on his reputation
- he read my thoughts as clearly as if they were ticker taping across my forehead
- DNA stands for Do Not Argue
- her skin had the hue of day old boiled eggs
- they conferred over sharp whispers - I thought of two snakes spitting venom at each other over a hot plate
Need I go on? Nick Stone's writing is so rich.
As an author myself, I felt like I became a better writer just witnessing how well he crafted his story. Bravo. Sign me up for more!
The Verdict is a bit long, but it's a fascinating story with believable characters.
Best of all, the writing is divine.
Chock full of fabulous similes & metaphors, great one-liners and magnificent imagery, such as:
- you can't cheat karma
- alcoholics come in 2 flavors - sweet or sour
- he had the personality of an irate viper caged in barbed wire
- the first fistfuls of dirt landed on his reputation
- he read my thoughts as clearly as if they were ticker taping across my forehead
- DNA stands for Do Not Argue
- her skin had the hue of day old boiled eggs
- they conferred over sharp whispers - I thought of two snakes spitting venom at each other over a hot plate
Need I go on? Nick Stone's writing is so rich.
As an author myself, I felt like I became a better writer just witnessing how well he crafted his story. Bravo. Sign me up for more!
January 11, 2016
This was a real page turner for me (It was a hectic two weeks, so every spare second I had was spend on this book!!). The Verdict is a fast pace, action packed court room drama. I used to love court room dramas, I have no idea why I stopped reading them!! The setting is in the British juridical system and if you are not familiar with this court terminology (if I can call it that), it takes a few pages to get used to it. As a South African, there were a few very interesting twists that kept me glued to this novel. The characters were all well developed with strong underlying suggestions of good is not always good and bad is not always that bad.
December 19, 2013
Coming February 2014 from Sphere.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Terry Flynt is a struggling legal clerk, desperately trying to get promoted. And then he is given the biggest opportunity of his career: to help defend a millionaire accused of murdering a woman in his hotel suite.
The only problem is that the accused man, Vernon James, turns out to be Terry’s sworn enemy – a man who betrayed him and turned all his friends against him at university. This case could potentially make Terry’s career, but how can he defend a man that he loathes?
So I love a good legal thriller. I like SOME Grisham, depending on how political it is and I used to adore Steve Martini’s Paul Madriani books until they became way too much about government conspiracy theories. About the only legal thrillers I read these days belong to John Lescroart. When I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of “The Verdict” I was very excited, not least because Nick Stone’s Mr Clarinet was a wonderful read so I knew the writing standard would be high.
I loved it. Immediately engrossed I could hardly bear to put it down. Vernon James is accused of murder – he claims innocence but the evidence is overwhelming. Terry knows Vernon of old – way back when, Vernon destroyed his life. When he is put on Vernon’s case, Terry has to hide this old connection. However the past is about to come back to haunt both of them…
So well written and absolutely moving at a perfect pace, with some really terrific characters (I loved Christine, and absolutely adored Terry himself, he is so beautifully flawed in such a normal way) this was a well drawn and compelling mystery thriller. The courtroom scenes are genuinely exciting – and I do love that this is all set within the British legal system. You may not get a “You can’t HANDLE the truth” moment because we British are not nearly so melodramatic, but you do get real sense of urgency and are never sure what is coming.
The resolution is clever and unexpected and I genuinely hope that Nick Stone will write more legal based novels – certainly I would love to see Terry back again to find out how he gets on!
Happy Reading Folks!
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Terry Flynt is a struggling legal clerk, desperately trying to get promoted. And then he is given the biggest opportunity of his career: to help defend a millionaire accused of murdering a woman in his hotel suite.
The only problem is that the accused man, Vernon James, turns out to be Terry’s sworn enemy – a man who betrayed him and turned all his friends against him at university. This case could potentially make Terry’s career, but how can he defend a man that he loathes?
So I love a good legal thriller. I like SOME Grisham, depending on how political it is and I used to adore Steve Martini’s Paul Madriani books until they became way too much about government conspiracy theories. About the only legal thrillers I read these days belong to John Lescroart. When I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of “The Verdict” I was very excited, not least because Nick Stone’s Mr Clarinet was a wonderful read so I knew the writing standard would be high.
I loved it. Immediately engrossed I could hardly bear to put it down. Vernon James is accused of murder – he claims innocence but the evidence is overwhelming. Terry knows Vernon of old – way back when, Vernon destroyed his life. When he is put on Vernon’s case, Terry has to hide this old connection. However the past is about to come back to haunt both of them…
So well written and absolutely moving at a perfect pace, with some really terrific characters (I loved Christine, and absolutely adored Terry himself, he is so beautifully flawed in such a normal way) this was a well drawn and compelling mystery thriller. The courtroom scenes are genuinely exciting – and I do love that this is all set within the British legal system. You may not get a “You can’t HANDLE the truth” moment because we British are not nearly so melodramatic, but you do get real sense of urgency and are never sure what is coming.
The resolution is clever and unexpected and I genuinely hope that Nick Stone will write more legal based novels – certainly I would love to see Terry back again to find out how he gets on!
Happy Reading Folks!
November 29, 2015
Terry Flynt is a clerk in a large London legal firm. He once was a student at Cambridge Law School but was thrown out when his best friend, Vernon James, unjustly accused him of stealing a notebook. Since then, he's hovered with shame over his head and has worked in a menial job with co-workers he dislikes. Then, out of the blue, his life changes.
Vernon James is a very wealthy man and has just been awarded 'The Ethical Man of the Year' prize. That same night, however, his life takes a drastic turn down hill. A woman is found dead in his hotel room. She has been drugged and there is evidence of rough sex prior to her death. Terry is taken into custody and the police see it as a cut and dry case.
Terry's firm is representing Vernon and Terry is asked to be on the team. The firm appears not to know his history with the defendant and his on-going hatred for Terry who not only ruined his life by his false allegations, but also married the woman he loved. Joining Terry on the team are some unique and quirky characters. The main investigator, Swayne, a recovering alcoholic, likes to spend his evenings in strip clubs. The primary attorney for the defense is critically ill and on serious pain medication. The alternate attorney rarely speaks. Things just don't add up for Terry. Why was he chosen to be on the team? Wasn't he vetted before-hand?
The book is exceedingly long and could have been better edited. Like many procedurals and thrillers, things are repeated as though the reader is not savvy enough to remember what they were told 50 pages previously. This is a perfect airplane book. It is a page-turner, has lots of twists and turns, and it is almost impossible to guess where the novel is heading. I did enjoy it, but not enough to seek out the author's other books.
Vernon James is a very wealthy man and has just been awarded 'The Ethical Man of the Year' prize. That same night, however, his life takes a drastic turn down hill. A woman is found dead in his hotel room. She has been drugged and there is evidence of rough sex prior to her death. Terry is taken into custody and the police see it as a cut and dry case.
Terry's firm is representing Vernon and Terry is asked to be on the team. The firm appears not to know his history with the defendant and his on-going hatred for Terry who not only ruined his life by his false allegations, but also married the woman he loved. Joining Terry on the team are some unique and quirky characters. The main investigator, Swayne, a recovering alcoholic, likes to spend his evenings in strip clubs. The primary attorney for the defense is critically ill and on serious pain medication. The alternate attorney rarely speaks. Things just don't add up for Terry. Why was he chosen to be on the team? Wasn't he vetted before-hand?
The book is exceedingly long and could have been better edited. Like many procedurals and thrillers, things are repeated as though the reader is not savvy enough to remember what they were told 50 pages previously. This is a perfect airplane book. It is a page-turner, has lots of twists and turns, and it is almost impossible to guess where the novel is heading. I did enjoy it, but not enough to seek out the author's other books.
March 11, 2016
This was enjoyable legal thriller though I did think it was a bit too long and some of the plot points too convoluted. The best part was the trial section and I really liked most of the supporting characters.
Read
November 26, 2017This is the trifecta in my latest reading slump. This one should have worked for me. What’s with me and novels lately? I’m having all the luck with non-fiction. Somehow the fiction isn’t holding up by comparison.
My complaints about this one make little sense even to me. I want to say it’s a man’s book and not for me. That’s not remotely justifiable since my taste leans more toward “men’s” books than “women’s” to start with. Yet I couldn’t stop being the woman rolling her eyes at prototypical male perspectives, so, not proud of myself, I finally gave up.
This book really deserves a different reader. I think I would try another book by the same author. Another book, another reader mood.
My complaints about this one make little sense even to me. I want to say it’s a man’s book and not for me. That’s not remotely justifiable since my taste leans more toward “men’s” books than “women’s” to start with. Yet I couldn’t stop being the woman rolling her eyes at prototypical male perspectives, so, not proud of myself, I finally gave up.
This book really deserves a different reader. I think I would try another book by the same author. Another book, another reader mood.
October 19, 2021
Legal/Courtroom thrillers are very hard to find. Despite the massive success of folks like Grisham, there aren't that many out there. They require meticulous plotting and a good understanding of the legal system. It's very easy to go off the rails, there were a few times when I thought this book would. But ultimately it delivered. I tip my hat.
My biggest stumbling block in a lot of legal thrillers is actually knowing the legal system, so I can see every single cut corner. This is set in the UK, which helped a little, as I don't know their rules in and out. It is necessary to cut some corners because the truth is trials are very boring. Stone cut a smidge more than I found necessary (lots of argument from the questioning lawyer when examining witnesses, the most common flaw) but otherwise he was good on procedure and pacing, and his courtroom scenes are okay to pretty good. Long courtroom scenes will always feel staged because they literally are staged, but I was always interested. He's particularly good at helping the reader see the difference between all the evidence in a case vs the actual case presented to a jury.
This is set over several months and the bulk of the book is the actual investigation of the case. There's a personal angle for our protagonist Terry, who knows the accused millionaire murderer Vernon James from their childhood and has a long grudge against him. And there's the question of whether he really wants this job as a legal clerk in a fancy firm's criminal division, which he isn't quite sure how he landed. I suspect that clerks don't actually do this much investigating in the UK, that they leave the work to actual investigators, but even though I was ready to nitpick, Stone makes it all pay off. He has some call back or follow up to every little detail along the way.
It isn't perfect. Terry's family starts out getting lots of attention and then has hardly any by the end. It suffers from the problem that many "is this actually a big conspiracy" plots suffer from, in that it's all too well executed with too many coincidences to be anything anyone could have planned. But like I said, it isn't a genre where you're going to be overwhelmed with choices, and a solid contender that I haven't read already is hard to find.
Violent if not particularly gory, plus includes a lot of nonconsensual S&M violence.
My biggest stumbling block in a lot of legal thrillers is actually knowing the legal system, so I can see every single cut corner. This is set in the UK, which helped a little, as I don't know their rules in and out. It is necessary to cut some corners because the truth is trials are very boring. Stone cut a smidge more than I found necessary (lots of argument from the questioning lawyer when examining witnesses, the most common flaw) but otherwise he was good on procedure and pacing, and his courtroom scenes are okay to pretty good. Long courtroom scenes will always feel staged because they literally are staged, but I was always interested. He's particularly good at helping the reader see the difference between all the evidence in a case vs the actual case presented to a jury.
This is set over several months and the bulk of the book is the actual investigation of the case. There's a personal angle for our protagonist Terry, who knows the accused millionaire murderer Vernon James from their childhood and has a long grudge against him. And there's the question of whether he really wants this job as a legal clerk in a fancy firm's criminal division, which he isn't quite sure how he landed. I suspect that clerks don't actually do this much investigating in the UK, that they leave the work to actual investigators, but even though I was ready to nitpick, Stone makes it all pay off. He has some call back or follow up to every little detail along the way.
It isn't perfect. Terry's family starts out getting lots of attention and then has hardly any by the end. It suffers from the problem that many "is this actually a big conspiracy" plots suffer from, in that it's all too well executed with too many coincidences to be anything anyone could have planned. But like I said, it isn't a genre where you're going to be overwhelmed with choices, and a solid contender that I haven't read already is hard to find.
Violent if not particularly gory, plus includes a lot of nonconsensual S&M violence.
November 11, 2024
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2017
It’s 2011. Maggie Thatcher lives at 10 Downing Street, the recession is still in full swing, and London is simultaneously preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics and the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. This all takes place in the background of Nick Stone’s excellent English courtroom drama, The Verdict. The book has been compared to the work of John Grisham, and in many ways the comparison is apt.
Deadly secrets
In the midst of all the angst and confusion of that troubled year, a law clerk named Terry Flynt is unexpectedly offered a dream opportunity by the prestigious firm where he works. He is assigned to the defense team for Vernon James, a multimillionaire accused of murdering a young woman. There’s just one catch: Terry has been concealing important facts about his past from his employers. If those facts come out in the course of the case, Terry’s career in the law will be summarily ended.
To complicate matters further, Terry and Vernon had been best friends growing up poor in a poverty-stricken town in the hinterlands — until falling out in a dramatic way when both were in their first year at Cambridge University. Terry was expelled from the university, and he holds Vernon responsible. Naturally, he will be tempted to sabotage the case against his former friend.
Courtroom drama on steroids
The case against Vernon James seems unassailable. His motley defense team — a barrister risen from her deathbed, a second chair (“junior” in English courtroom parlance), Terry, and the solicitor who is head of the criminal practice at Terry’s firm — must somehow find ways to attack the police and prosecutor’s assertions and raise reasonable doubt. As the case painstakingly moves through successive phases over several months, Terry develops increasing doubt that Vernon is in fact guilty, the evidence notwithstanding. Gradually, facts that undermine the prosecution emerge in the courtroom. It’s fascinating to observe the interplay between the lawyers for the defense and the prosecution. And the story is told in such detail that the stark differences between legal procedures in England and the United States come into clear focus.
Has the English language changed more than I thought?
For some unfathomable reason, Stone repeatedly describes conversations among his characters as consisting of Smalltalk, with a capital S. Might this reflect a problem in the spellcheck utility on his computer? Smalltalk, capital S, is a computer programming language. Casual, superficial conversation is called small talk, two words, no capital S. Unless the Queen’s English has drifted even farther from familiar territory than I was aware.
There’s also a puzzling departure from accepted English grammar when Stone again and again notes that a character was sat instead of was sitting. Perhaps this is another Britishism that has escaped me. Please let me know if that’s the case.
About the author
Nick Stone has written three novels about a fictional American detective named Max Mingus. The Verdict, his fourth book, is the first to be set in the UK, despite the fact that Stone was born and educated in England.
Deadly secrets
In the midst of all the angst and confusion of that troubled year, a law clerk named Terry Flynt is unexpectedly offered a dream opportunity by the prestigious firm where he works. He is assigned to the defense team for Vernon James, a multimillionaire accused of murdering a young woman. There’s just one catch: Terry has been concealing important facts about his past from his employers. If those facts come out in the course of the case, Terry’s career in the law will be summarily ended.
To complicate matters further, Terry and Vernon had been best friends growing up poor in a poverty-stricken town in the hinterlands — until falling out in a dramatic way when both were in their first year at Cambridge University. Terry was expelled from the university, and he holds Vernon responsible. Naturally, he will be tempted to sabotage the case against his former friend.
Courtroom drama on steroids
The case against Vernon James seems unassailable. His motley defense team — a barrister risen from her deathbed, a second chair (“junior” in English courtroom parlance), Terry, and the solicitor who is head of the criminal practice at Terry’s firm — must somehow find ways to attack the police and prosecutor’s assertions and raise reasonable doubt. As the case painstakingly moves through successive phases over several months, Terry develops increasing doubt that Vernon is in fact guilty, the evidence notwithstanding. Gradually, facts that undermine the prosecution emerge in the courtroom. It’s fascinating to observe the interplay between the lawyers for the defense and the prosecution. And the story is told in such detail that the stark differences between legal procedures in England and the United States come into clear focus.
Has the English language changed more than I thought?
For some unfathomable reason, Stone repeatedly describes conversations among his characters as consisting of Smalltalk, with a capital S. Might this reflect a problem in the spellcheck utility on his computer? Smalltalk, capital S, is a computer programming language. Casual, superficial conversation is called small talk, two words, no capital S. Unless the Queen’s English has drifted even farther from familiar territory than I was aware.
There’s also a puzzling departure from accepted English grammar when Stone again and again notes that a character was sat instead of was sitting. Perhaps this is another Britishism that has escaped me. Please let me know if that’s the case.
About the author
Nick Stone has written three novels about a fictional American detective named Max Mingus. The Verdict, his fourth book, is the first to be set in the UK, despite the fact that Stone was born and educated in England.
September 12, 2018
Audiobook
Terry Flynt is a clerk in a large law firm. He's assigned to case that's more than startling. A man who grew up with and with whom he had a terrible falling out has been charged with murder and the evidence of his guilt is startlingly overwhelming. His boss assigns him telling Terry this case will help him win promotion and a scholarship to law school.
The boozing investigator assigned by the firm tells Terry otherwise, hinting the case is so unwinnable Terry was assigned so they could give him the boot at its conclusion. Terry continues to investigate on his own, but as potential witnesses and colleagues die he realizes something is truly off.
The ending was a bit rushed and off, good story and enjoyable listen. The courtroom scenes were particularly interesting.
Terry Flynt is a clerk in a large law firm. He's assigned to case that's more than startling. A man who grew up with and with whom he had a terrible falling out has been charged with murder and the evidence of his guilt is startlingly overwhelming. His boss assigns him telling Terry this case will help him win promotion and a scholarship to law school.
The boozing investigator assigned by the firm tells Terry otherwise, hinting the case is so unwinnable Terry was assigned so they could give him the boot at its conclusion. Terry continues to investigate on his own, but as potential witnesses and colleagues die he realizes something is truly off.
The ending was a bit rushed and off, good story and enjoyable listen. The courtroom scenes were particularly interesting.
April 6, 2016
I've fallen in love with Nick Stone's legal thrillers. He takes them to a new level. The first book I read, Mr. Clarinet, went so far as to make Haiti, the island and culture, a character in the story.
The followup book in that series was equally good. Both on their own right as police thrillers but with the added interest of Haitian culture.
This book doesn't belong in that series but is a solid thriller. This time of the legal persuasion.
I feel comfortable in comparing him to John Grisham. His protagonist is a rather memorable yet conflicted character. He is flawed and rather stuck in his life. Mentally rooted to his 20s which is now many years past. He's neither likeable nor unlikeable. It's up to the reader to decide how they feel about him as the story progresses.
I noted that some of the reviews of this book say its a bit too long and I do have to agree that it does get a bit stalled around the middle but once the trial starts... full speed ahead and very engrossing.
Nick was very careful to point out the ways that British court differs from American. Again, a fascinating look at how other people do things.
4 stars. Recommended to any aficionado of legal thrillers.
The followup book in that series was equally good. Both on their own right as police thrillers but with the added interest of Haitian culture.
This book doesn't belong in that series but is a solid thriller. This time of the legal persuasion.
I feel comfortable in comparing him to John Grisham. His protagonist is a rather memorable yet conflicted character. He is flawed and rather stuck in his life. Mentally rooted to his 20s which is now many years past. He's neither likeable nor unlikeable. It's up to the reader to decide how they feel about him as the story progresses.
I noted that some of the reviews of this book say its a bit too long and I do have to agree that it does get a bit stalled around the middle but once the trial starts... full speed ahead and very engrossing.
Nick was very careful to point out the ways that British court differs from American. Again, a fascinating look at how other people do things.
4 stars. Recommended to any aficionado of legal thrillers.
May 3, 2020
A highly entertaining take on the inanities of serving justice in a Baroque system which still harps back to the traditions from 1812 that probably did not even make sense then and even less today when applied to the modern British legal system.
This book is free from Hoopla and gave this American an opportunity to understand justice within Britain and learn such interesting things such as the British use of the word ‘piss’ to mean drunk (I had no idea). I would rate this book a step above almost all of the recent fictional distractions that have been published recently and would recommend it as a pleasant distraction. When I rate this book against its American cohorts this is easily a five star book.
This book is free from Hoopla and gave this American an opportunity to understand justice within Britain and learn such interesting things such as the British use of the word ‘piss’ to mean drunk (I had no idea). I would rate this book a step above almost all of the recent fictional distractions that have been published recently and would recommend it as a pleasant distraction. When I rate this book against its American cohorts this is easily a five star book.
May 17, 2020
One of the better legal thrillers I've read lately, which since it started out being annoying and then climbed out of the hole it dug itself, is saying something.
August 6, 2021
I am 100%, absolutely no nonsense about how many books do not need to be the length they are because at least 100 pages needed to be edited out. I say this because this book is long and I was expecting to feel massively this way about it, but honestly it felt more like a duology got printed in one volume and saved us from having to wait at least a year after a cliff hanger.
This was so good. It was exactly what I love in a legal thriller: did they or didn’t they do it; the entire process from the start of the crime all the way to the end of the trial. Give me all the details, clue collecting, and inside firm politics, please and thank you. And then the massive bonus was a really nice hook. One of the lawyers assigned to the case–did this man who just accepted a humanitarian award murder a random woman in his hotel room–knows the accused from childhood and hates him as his sworn lifelong enemy!
Yes, delicious. Because on top of all the “did he do it/if not who did,” now we get to watch a lawyer and wonder whether he’ll always do right by his client or get so angry that his life was ruined once, and you know, get revenge? Oh, and he can’t let his job know he knows the client nor that he lied on his CV when he was hired. Drama. Thriller. Legal case. Did he do it?! I want more legal thrillers like this!
(TW alcoholism/ attempted sexual assault scene, discusses S&M turned to assault, including partner abuse/ mentions death questioned as murder or suicide, detail/ past child and domestic abuse mentioned/ cancer/ discusses date rape drug during court case)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
This was so good. It was exactly what I love in a legal thriller: did they or didn’t they do it; the entire process from the start of the crime all the way to the end of the trial. Give me all the details, clue collecting, and inside firm politics, please and thank you. And then the massive bonus was a really nice hook. One of the lawyers assigned to the case–did this man who just accepted a humanitarian award murder a random woman in his hotel room–knows the accused from childhood and hates him as his sworn lifelong enemy!
Yes, delicious. Because on top of all the “did he do it/if not who did,” now we get to watch a lawyer and wonder whether he’ll always do right by his client or get so angry that his life was ruined once, and you know, get revenge? Oh, and he can’t let his job know he knows the client nor that he lied on his CV when he was hired. Drama. Thriller. Legal case. Did he do it?! I want more legal thrillers like this!
(TW alcoholism/ attempted sexual assault scene, discusses S&M turned to assault, including partner abuse/ mentions death questioned as murder or suicide, detail/ past child and domestic abuse mentioned/ cancer/ discusses date rape drug during court case)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
November 28, 2017
This was a surprisingly character-driven legal thriller that revolves around a rich dickbag being tried for a murder he (probably) didn’t commit, his childhood best friend who hates his guts but winds up digging into the complicated conspiracy to “fit him up,” as the Brits say, and lots of broken, damaged people (including the protagonist) trying to atone for past sins on seemingly quixotic quests for justice in the grimy, unjust modern world.
Vernon James is a rich financier who was once schoolmates with our hero, with the appropriately milquetoast English name Terry, at Cambridge. After Terry’s chum accused him of something he didn’t do, Terry’s life went off the rails, while Vernon went on to become rich and successful and, just to rub salt in the wounds, married Terry’s beautiful former girlfriend.
Years later, a dead blonde is found in the bed of Vernon James’s hotel room. His implausible story is not helped by the fact that he keeps getting caught in lies by both the police and his own legal counsel. Terry, a paralegal at the firm his ex-friend hired to represent him, discovers more than he wanted to about his old buddy’s sex life, and also gets mixed up with Quakers, South African death squads, Israeli hit men, and naturally, a fraught reunion with his old flame.
Surprisingly, all of these elements fit together nicely at the end, making for a complicated but (mostly) plausible conspiracy explaining everything from the dead blonde to the fit up, and in the process, why Vernon and Terry are both as fucked up as they are.
This is a British legal thriller, but the author knows his audience will consist of a lot of Americans, so the first-person narrator, despite being British, is constantly pointing out how “If we were in America…” and then explaining the differences between American and British courtroom procedures. The differences are mostly small so the general flow of the case, the explanation of defendants’ rights, the courtroom drama, and the roles of the police and lawyers, will be more or less familiar to any American fan of legal shows or police procedurals. This isn’t a dry courtroom novel, though -- although quite a few chapters are spent in the courtroom, there are also car chases, murder attempts, sleuthing, and of course, sex. I ended up “knowing” all the characters, each of whom had their own motivations, no matter how petty, and while I have a bias against milquetoast Englishmen as protagonists, even Terry won me over by the end, proving himself to be, if not heroic, not completely spineless.
A very good book for fans of legal thrillers, with a non-American perspective.
Vernon James is a rich financier who was once schoolmates with our hero, with the appropriately milquetoast English name Terry, at Cambridge. After Terry’s chum accused him of something he didn’t do, Terry’s life went off the rails, while Vernon went on to become rich and successful and, just to rub salt in the wounds, married Terry’s beautiful former girlfriend.
Years later, a dead blonde is found in the bed of Vernon James’s hotel room. His implausible story is not helped by the fact that he keeps getting caught in lies by both the police and his own legal counsel. Terry, a paralegal at the firm his ex-friend hired to represent him, discovers more than he wanted to about his old buddy’s sex life, and also gets mixed up with Quakers, South African death squads, Israeli hit men, and naturally, a fraught reunion with his old flame.
Surprisingly, all of these elements fit together nicely at the end, making for a complicated but (mostly) plausible conspiracy explaining everything from the dead blonde to the fit up, and in the process, why Vernon and Terry are both as fucked up as they are.
This is a British legal thriller, but the author knows his audience will consist of a lot of Americans, so the first-person narrator, despite being British, is constantly pointing out how “If we were in America…” and then explaining the differences between American and British courtroom procedures. The differences are mostly small so the general flow of the case, the explanation of defendants’ rights, the courtroom drama, and the roles of the police and lawyers, will be more or less familiar to any American fan of legal shows or police procedurals. This isn’t a dry courtroom novel, though -- although quite a few chapters are spent in the courtroom, there are also car chases, murder attempts, sleuthing, and of course, sex. I ended up “knowing” all the characters, each of whom had their own motivations, no matter how petty, and while I have a bias against milquetoast Englishmen as protagonists, even Terry won me over by the end, proving himself to be, if not heroic, not completely spineless.
A very good book for fans of legal thrillers, with a non-American perspective.
January 31, 2016
A great court room murder trial and the investigation leading up to it. We know for most of the book the truth but there are twists and turns and interesting garbage about many of the characters leading up to the trial. An interesting study of witness and attorney behavior on the stand in the courtroom.
March 6, 2016
A real page turner with intricate detail and a "start to finish" look at a high profile murder case with multiple twists and turns and a highly entertaining set of action and characters. More than a courtroom drama we are investigating the case and experiencing British law. The narration by David Thorpe was stellar, fabulous voices.
November 13, 2017
I got about 25% in and it was just too slow for me. I loved the beginning but then I just felt it sort of dragged.
September 8, 2017
Very good, fast paced British legal thriller from a new author for me. Had to learn the difference between a Barrister and a Solicitor but otherwise she a very enjoyable read.
Child chums, Vernon James (VJ) and Terry Flynn diverge on very different paths upon Terry's expulsion from Cambridge. They meet in again when VJ is accused of murder. Some good back stories unfold and enough suspense to keep the story rolling.
Child chums, Vernon James (VJ) and Terry Flynn diverge on very different paths upon Terry's expulsion from Cambridge. They meet in again when VJ is accused of murder. Some good back stories unfold and enough suspense to keep the story rolling.
March 14, 2019
The critics are right: Nick Stone is Britain’s John Grisham. This mystery, legal thriller was so good that I feel like I should down-rate past thrillers. It runs the gamut of all things well-told: lovable loser protagonist, corruption, murder, but mostly an education on British legal procedure.
October 22, 2017
Nick Stone is an awesome writer! I loved his books from the first. Mr Clarinet.
This is his first legal thriller and , well, what can I say! I hope he writes another one.
My only gripe is he doesn't write fast enough, but at least he's not "doing a Patterson" where
quantity seriously outweighs quality.
The hook at the front of this book is a quote from Mark Billingham. 'London has now its own John Grisham'.
I disagree.
If only Grisham was THIS good!
Grab this book!
This is his first legal thriller and , well, what can I say! I hope he writes another one.
My only gripe is he doesn't write fast enough, but at least he's not "doing a Patterson" where
quantity seriously outweighs quality.
The hook at the front of this book is a quote from Mark Billingham. 'London has now its own John Grisham'.
I disagree.
If only Grisham was THIS good!
Grab this book!
October 9, 2021
Far too long. This book started really well, but as an audiobook it’s over 21 hours. It just went on far too long and I really struggled to understand why as so many of the leads are just not relevant to the story in the end. Some great characters but the plot felt far too reliant on many that were not developed at all. Shame, really limped along at the end.
January 10, 2016
Excerpt from Books of the Times (New York Times), 12/09/2015, review by Janet Maslin:
"Readers who enjoy having curveballs pitched at them are sure to appreciate Nick Stone’s hyperactive throwing arm. Mr. Stone, an award-winning mystery writer who is much better known in his native Britain than he is here, has come up with a legal thriller called “The Verdict.” It may well find an American audience without a helping hand, but comparisons to John Grisham will ease its way. They’re valid, and not just because of the blunt title. The Grisham feeling persists, even though this book’s courtroom scenes are set in the Old Bailey and feature white horsehair wigs.
"The milieu is familiar, thanks to Scott Turow, Mr. Grisham et alia, and the structure is even more so. This relative conventionality makes it nothing like the more adventurous books for which this half-Scottish, half-Haitian writer has previously been admired. (His first, “Mr. Clarinet,” was set in Haiti and won the British Crime Writers’ Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, beating a strong field of nominees that included Michael Connelly’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” The next year’s winner was “Sharp Objects,” the debut novel by Gillian Flynn. It’s a significant honor.)
"Nick Stone, the author of the legal thriller 'The Verdict.' Credit Via Pegasus Books
So prospective readers of 'The Verdict' know who they are. If you enjoy being toyed with and misled, here’s an author eager to fool you. And his hero is a generic guy who prompts some déjà vu. Meet Terry Flynt, who’s in his late 30s but still just a clerk at a prestigious London law firm. And he’s barely hanging on to that job. "
What she said. I rated this a solid 4.5 stars. Loved that this is a British writer and that the location is set in London. Yes, perhaps I did have to suspend credibility at times for a couple of the plot twists and synchronicities, but all worth it. When I find a book that keeps my attention riveted to the point I'd rather stay home and continue listening than go out to dinner with friends, it deserves at least four stars. This one did just that.
Kudos also to David Thorpe, the narrator, who at times reminded me of Michael Caine.
"Readers who enjoy having curveballs pitched at them are sure to appreciate Nick Stone’s hyperactive throwing arm. Mr. Stone, an award-winning mystery writer who is much better known in his native Britain than he is here, has come up with a legal thriller called “The Verdict.” It may well find an American audience without a helping hand, but comparisons to John Grisham will ease its way. They’re valid, and not just because of the blunt title. The Grisham feeling persists, even though this book’s courtroom scenes are set in the Old Bailey and feature white horsehair wigs.
"The milieu is familiar, thanks to Scott Turow, Mr. Grisham et alia, and the structure is even more so. This relative conventionality makes it nothing like the more adventurous books for which this half-Scottish, half-Haitian writer has previously been admired. (His first, “Mr. Clarinet,” was set in Haiti and won the British Crime Writers’ Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, beating a strong field of nominees that included Michael Connelly’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” The next year’s winner was “Sharp Objects,” the debut novel by Gillian Flynn. It’s a significant honor.)
"Nick Stone, the author of the legal thriller 'The Verdict.' Credit Via Pegasus Books
So prospective readers of 'The Verdict' know who they are. If you enjoy being toyed with and misled, here’s an author eager to fool you. And his hero is a generic guy who prompts some déjà vu. Meet Terry Flynt, who’s in his late 30s but still just a clerk at a prestigious London law firm. And he’s barely hanging on to that job. "
What she said. I rated this a solid 4.5 stars. Loved that this is a British writer and that the location is set in London. Yes, perhaps I did have to suspend credibility at times for a couple of the plot twists and synchronicities, but all worth it. When I find a book that keeps my attention riveted to the point I'd rather stay home and continue listening than go out to dinner with friends, it deserves at least four stars. This one did just that.
Kudos also to David Thorpe, the narrator, who at times reminded me of Michael Caine.
August 28, 2017
This was a fairly long novel, and I'm not a huge fan of legal thrillers, so I worried I would be disappointed, but I'm happy to say it held my attention from the first page to the last. The story was clever and well plotted and I lived the character of Terry, who was deeply developed and about whom I could imagine the author creating a series. Definitely one for fans of Adam Mitzner, but also for anyone who just enjoys an intriguing mystery with multi-dimensional characters.
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Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 23, 2016
I thought this was pretty good. I liked the London setting, and I really ended up liking Terry, the protagonist. For a legal thriller, it stayed well within the bounds of credibility for the most part, and it only got a little convoluted with the South African/Rhodesian connection. Overall, I'd call this an enjoyable, page-turning legal thriller. I will be curious to see if another book with Terry is in the works based on how the book ended.
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