Ever wondered what it's like to be a juror in a high-profile celebrity trial?
Well.. now you don't have to. Step inside the jury room to deliberate one of the most talked-about court cases of the decade.
SHE SAID...
...all three men got her drunk, led her to a hotel room and took advantage of her.
THREE SAID...
...she was a willing participant and consented to sex with each of them.
After five-weeks of listening to all of the evidence and all of the arguments in a celebrity rape trial that has gripped an entire nation, the jury sit down to begin their deliberations.
But they don't know who to believe...
...will you?
She Said, Three Said is one of the most provocative and thought-provoking novels of the modern era.
David B. Lyons is an international bestselling author from Dublin, Ireland
He writes psychological thriller novels and has achieved No.1 rankings in the Amazon crime charts in Ireland, the UK, Canada and Australia.
Former freelance journalist David grew up in Dublin - the city his novels are set - but currently spends his time between Birmingham in the UK and the Irish capital. David is married to a Brummie, Kerry, and they have one daughter, Lola.
Before becoming a novelist David was a football writer, a celebrity columnist and a music reviewer. He has lectured in Journalism and in Creative Writing in colleges and universities in both Ireland and in the UK.
Rape is a tough topic to write about, especially when it's written by a male author, IMO. I thought he did an excellent job by not boring us with the court proceedings, but by giving the jurors a voice.
She ~ Sabrina is the victim. Three ~ Jason, Li and Zach are best mates with Jason being a famous footballer. These 3 have been friends for a while, so they have plenty of stories and secrets between them. Are they ones that always try to cover things up and are they doing so in this case or was it consensual? There's the unfortunate fact that alcohol was involved, which can make the situation sticky for all parties involved.
I appreciated that it was told by each of the main characters and, as an added bonus, by the jurors as they deliberated. Calling each other by their numbers was interesting. Each chapter being timestamped really helped peel back the actions of the night through each of their eyes. In some instances this led to repetition, but I was still able to stay alert and remain engaged throughout.
Narration: 8 hours and 6 mins. I am VERY happy that there were multiple narrators. Amy Creighton, Stephen Dalton, Jack Boylan, Patrick FitzSymons, and Sean Doyle did a wonderful job, although some had thick accents and I had to bump my listening from 2x to 1.75 at times.
Overall this was decent. I'm not sure I liked the ending though. This is my first time with this author and wouldn't mind reading/listening to his work again.
A different take on a courtroom drama! As a huge legal thriller fan, i loved this audiobook! It looks at a rape case and focuses on the jury deliberations, and the different accounts of the alleged victim and perpetrators of the same incident. I loved the different narrators, and how each event is described differently by them. The question is, whose account do you believe, and whose account do the jury believe? The male narrators were at times difficult to separate, and I did frequently forget which characters were single or in a relationship. The jury deliberations were a wonderful viewpoint, taking each incident and unpacking it along with the reader. Very effective! Whilst I predicted the ending, I still loved it. That's a sign of a great book! Very clever, well plotted, and wonderfully executed. This won't be my only David B. Lyons book!
I’ve been obsessively watching/listening to the Johnny Depp trial for entertainment while I was in my reading slump. So last week when I came across this audiobook on Netgalley I instantly requested it. I was approved that day and started listening to it immediately. The audiobook was so well done! Each and every narrator fit the role of who they were playing. They did a great job adding in emotion for certain scenes and staying neutral for others.
*Possible Spoilers, kinda not really*
This book was absolutely fantastic until the last 2 minutes and because of those 2 mins it gets 2 stars from me. All it took was 2mins to turn my rating from a 4.5 to a 2. This might sound drastic or harsh but it’s how I feel. I know what the author was doing but it wasn’t executed well. If anything, I feel as though I wasted 8hours listening to this book. It was all for nothing and left me extremely upset. I was so mad about how it finished that I had to immediately vent it to my best friend and fiance. I gave them context to understand and both of them felt just as upset. Neither of them understood why the author did what he did.
I’m not going to say which side won nor am I going to give which side I thought should win. My issue is not with what the jury decided but instead of how the author decided to write those last 2mins. I could go on and on about how upset I am but I’m trying to keep this review somewhat nice/tame. I’m also trying hard not to give away any actual spoilers. I will say I can’t in good faith recommend this book but if you have read this book I would love to discuss it with you.
Thank you so much @dreamscapemedia for the #gifted copy on #netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
She said they did. They said it was consensual. How was one to know. The lawyers on both sides presented their case. 12 jurors were to decide. And the book started.
My first book by David B. Lyons, and I was hooked. The premise and the story gripped me by my throat and kept me stuck to my kindle wanting to know the truth. She said, three said. But what was the truth?
The author's style of writing made me feel as if I were the camera which was getting live feeds about the juror's discussions. All of them called themselves by the assigned number, though I got clips of their personal lives. They kept deliberating about She said, three said, giving their reasons. Could they come to the truth fast?
The pace was fast where the author showed me the truth of what happened at nearly every hour of the interaction between defendant and the accused. Their thoughts and personal lives were well projected. I got to know what She said, three said. But how do I get to the truth?
I read this at one go as I could not stop at any point. My mind couldn't seem to calm down until I got to the end. It kept screaming down the pages - who was lying in the whole equation of She said, three said. What was the truth?
The unexpected shocker of an ending made my mind go blank. I knew that would be the ending, yet didn't want to believe it. It all came down to the word NO, then came she said, three said. And the truth. Sighhh...
The author was a brilliant writer who could bring out the accents of the lads along with thoughts of the woman, the speculations of the jurors, finally the decision. And the truth. A snapshot of a slice of the case of She said, three said. Well, the truth said it all.
Thought provoking and horrifying was this breakfast read.
The story really begins after all the evidence has been heard and the jury has retired to discuss their verdict. Most of the jurors have elected to be known by numbers with the odd one using their name. Through the book, you get to know who they are and a little about their lives. The evidence is retold through the court transcripts that the jurors go through from the first meeting of Sabrina, and the three men Jason, who is a famous footballer and his old school buddies Zach and Li to the end of the evening. Firstly how she sees it and secondly how they see it. Never having been called for jury service myself I can only go by what I have heard but when you read about it like this it really makes you wonder why the fate of a verdict could possibly rest on twelve people that haven't a bloody clue really. I loved being a fly on the wall while they all debated and where I made judgements not just about the three on trial but the jury too. Oh boy, I had my say while I was reading when certain people got my back up!!! I really like how David Lyons lets me into the minds of his characters where I wanted to be the Jiminy Cricket on their shoulder shouting advice. There were times that I had to sit back knowing what would happen and feeling so helpless. I am still in shock. This is another brilliant read from this author
Hands up who likes to watch a court room drama. I do. I love being able to follow a case and try and piece together the evidence to find out whether the accused is guilty or not guilty.
This book is perfect for fans of court room dramas. We get to sit in on the deliberations and discussions that the jury on this case are having. It's great to get an in depth look at how each member of the jury feel toward the case. How their backgrounds, their upbringing and their lives can have an effect on their judgement. It felt like we were a fly on the wall just eavesdropping in on their thoughts.
The story is told from different viewpoints. Firstly, from the jurors debating room. Then a timeline of the night in question, where we get each characters take on the events. I enjoyed this format as we get to piece together and make our own deductions on what happened. But, what I found was that we automatically make snap judgements and this can usually be wrong. I made plenty of assumptions based on what I was reading and found I was quite wrong on few occasions. Even when I thought I had it all figured out, my judgements were put to question and I was shocked.
What I liked about this story is that yes it is a fictional story and written for our entertainment and reading joy. However, it also makes us think about how this could be a reality. There are a lot of facts about rape cases thrown into the story to make us step back and think.
This story is written perfectly and made to give the reader a sense of being involved in the case.
Incredibly unique and powerful read. She said she was raped by a famous soccer player and his two mates. They said it was consensual. The book starts after the lawyers have presented their cases and 12 jurors have to decide the outcome. The narrative alternates between the jury deliberation and the night of the incident. It is told through the four main characters’ perspectives.
Trigger warning - this book might trigger some readers given the graphic details and subject matter.
The story was raw and emotional. It was told unapologetically and delved into the grey lines of sexual assault. All of the characters were brought to life. They were flawed, which made it easy to empathize and understand their behaviours, even while feeling strong emotions such as rage and incredulity.
I would love a sequel that follows the aftermath as the ending left me with more questions than answers.
The audio version included multiple narrators, each one doing a fabulous performance. They kept me fully engaged and wanting to keep listening.
Thank you to Dreamscape Audio and Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really cool premise that would've been very interesting if it had been executed properly.
The premise is a glimpse inside the jury deliberations of a rape trial. Sabrina claims Jason and his 2 friends raped her on a night out. I appreciated the nuance of the characters. Everyone was flawed, as humans are, but there were times I leaned to one side and then the other.
The follow through just wasn't great. It needed more editing. It got repetitive going through the same situation between the 3 men and Sabrina so many times and then hearing the jury opine on it too. It would sort of come out of nowhere. It simply wasn't structured very well.
Why, yes, I have always wondered what it would be like to be on the jury at a trial but I have to tell you, after reading this book, I can safely say it’s an experience I’m happy to do without.
After five weeks of listening to evidence in a rape trial, jury members start their deliberations but they have no idea who to believe. There is little or no evidence to go on and it’s very much a case of she said, three said. She said three men got her drunk and took her to a hotel room to take advantage of her. The three men say she was willing and everything that happened was consensual. To complicate matters further, one of the three men is a well-known football player.
There are always two sides to every story and the truth is often found somewhere in the middle. But with a case like this, how do you keep a clear head? How do you remain objective? How do you leave prejudice, instinct and personal opinions out of the jury room and merely focus on the evidence in front of you? It’s a hard thing to do and being in that room with the other jury members really brings that to the fore.
Bar one, all jury members remain anonymous for most of the story. No names, no genders. They are merely known by their numbers. It felt a little odd to read the story like that but at the same time, it stopped me, as the reader, to be prejudiced against the jury members. None of that “of course, he’s going to vote not guilty” because you don’t know if the person is male. Personally, I thought that was quite a clever way of tackling things.
The chapters alternate between the deliberations in the jury room and snippets of what actually happened on that fateful night. This allows the reader to try and make up their own mind. Or does it? Because quite frankly, I didn’t have a clue and I kept going back and forth. This isn’t an easy read and at times it made me pretty uncomfortable but it also shows how quickly we can point the finger, see what we want to see and judge a book by its cover. I’m desperately trying not to give anything away here (and hopefully not failing) but sometimes things just aren’t what they seem. And all the while, it is immensely difficult to keep in mind that this is information the jury members just do not have.
In these times of the MeToo movement, this story is incredibly apt and the inclusion of statistics really drives home how tough it is for women everywhere to even get a case like this to trial, never mind about a just verdict. She Said, Three Said is an extremely thought-provoking and compelling story. Days after finishing it, it is still very much at the front of my mind. Who’s telling the truth? Who do you believe? How would you vote? Guilty or not guilty? And once you’ve made that decision, would you be able to live with yourself? I cast my vote, purely based on the evidence in the jury room, all the while ignoring what I was being told in the other chapters. I’m obviously not going to tell you what my verdict was and whether I was right or wrong but do feel free to get back to me when you’ve cast your vote and let’s discuss. Because if there is one thing She Said, Three Said is perfect for, it’s a (book club) discussion. An uncomfortable, compelling, clever story that I won’t forget any time soon.
This book takes you through the jury's deliberations during a rape trial, whilst also going through the night in question from the POV of the three men accused, and their accuser. Written in this way the story moves back and forth from what the jury is debating happened, and what actually happened.
As events during the night of the alleged rape are revealed, I realised how difficult being a jury member in such a case would be. In this case, it's the word of one woman, Sabrina, against three men, one of them a well known footballer. Even from an outsider's perspective, gradually learning what took place, I could see what a difficult task the jury had.
The story may be fictional, but highlights the true perceptions, assumptions and stereotypes of real rape cases. In this case Sabrina's past life choices being used against her in court, and that surely an Irish international footballer wouldn't be involved in such a crime?
The ending shocked me, even though I felt like I had an idea of the outcome of the case. This book would make a great TV drama. It's tense, gripping and up there with best crime fiction I've read.
It hurts me to rate a David B Lyons book so low! But this was my least favorite. Though it kept my attention and interest, I was really hoping for a twist at the end like most of his books. I hated all the characters (which is not unusual), and I was left feeling really frustrated at the end. Which i suppose is the point, if you watch the interview he gives when you finish the book. So overall I didn’t care for the nature of the book- so sex focused. And it was not deeply satisfying like his other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Another gripping read from David b Lyons who is becoming one of my favourite authors. The book takes you on a journey as a jury deliberates in a rape trial whilst the story is also told from the characters POV also from the night in question. Cleverly written, kept me guessing and changing my mind throughout and to the very last page.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.
I liked this book.... Until the end. I am so mad about the ending of this book that it kind of ruined the entire book for me. This was such a unique concept, but there could have been so many things done differently. First, I would have liked more of the trial and less of the jury deliberations. The core story of three men on trial for raping a woman was great. I really enjoyed that part of the book. But the ending was the worst. I won't divulge, but I believe that many readers will feel the same way.
There wasn't a likeable character in the bunch. I found Li likeable in the beginning, but that disappeared quickly. Sabrina was whiny and annoying. Jason was full of himself and Zach was just plain awful. It made it hard to connect with anyone, but judging from the ending, I believe that was the author's intent.
This was perhaps one of the most disappointing reads of the year. I can't stand it when the ending ruins a good book. If the ending was different, I would have rated this at 3.75 stars, but with that horrible ending, I have to go with 2 stars. The audio was okay. Not anything special. I liked the narrator for Sabrina, but not the narrator for Zach, Jason and Li or the narrator for the jury.
Interesting way for a story to unfold. Told from the prespective of the Jurors as they deliberate and then by the four people involved. Everyone saw the night a different way. Not until almost the very end do you know what actually happened. I hated the character of Zach, he was a jerk. At times a little crass, but I still enjoyed it.
I love the way this book included both the past story of the court case involved, the setting for the jurors and the discussions they had. However, one of the jurors was described as having a lisp - this lisp was then inconsistently actually written out which I found quite hard to follow, it ruined my flow when I came across a word that was spelt wrong (for the purpose of the lisp!
As soon as I started reading this I was straight away picking up incriminating bits for each character and was eager to know the truth, to discover the who the ‘liar’ was. Every time I thought i knew something happened that made me second guess my own thought process. It’s very cleverly written.
I didn’t expect this book to end that it did, I can’t explain why without giving any spoilers - but an unexpected ending that was truly shocking.
The only reason this is rated as 4 instead of 5 stars in the ‘lisp issue’ and I couldn’t stand one of the characters but otherwise so good - well done 👏🏽
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced copy of She Said, Three Said.
This book is jury's deliberations during a rape trial. Told from the perspective of the Jurors as they deliberate and then by the four people involved. Everyone saw the night a different way..
The ending was rather abrupt. I was told to go subscribe to an author's page to find out what happened to these characters after, which I found in really bad taste. Once you subscribe it is a video of the author answering questions and his option. So the book is unfinished in my eyes.
Publisher: Dreamscape Audio Genre: Courtroom Drama Pub Date: July 7, 2022
The plot of the story had promise. The story of the night is told from four different viewpoints. Unfortunately, the dialog is verbatim in all accounts. Leaving the repetitions out could have saved 30 pages. And the jury dialog was monotonous. I had to speed read half of the book just to get it over with.
Oh my days! Ok, first let me get this out there. ‘I am addicted to Law and Order SVU’ I have watched every single episode! There I feel better now. Those of you who have read the book will understand the relevance to this admission. Those of you who are considering reading the book. I hope this piqued your interest. Now onto the actual review.
As I said in my opener. Oh my days! I chose this book because I wanted a quick read towards the end of the month. So I thought. Don’t make my mistake! This book is more than that! This book sucks you in, twists you round, messes with your head and spits you back out at the end. I started it, read a couple of chapters and then had to re start it because I decided I was going to be the 13th Juror. When I found out who was one of my fellow Jurors was, I was absolutely gutted for her. Of course she had no idea the significance of the three accused. But I did. I also knew that in reality, it mainly one of the three.
She: she’s not the main character in the book, I am of the opinion that all four play that role. But I am starting with her. She’s in her twenties, she’s extremely naive and and uses her attitude as a shield, not much has changed then since I was her age. She makes mistakes, she gets things more wrong than right and she’s trying her best to get through life. She meets the three accused in the pub, early in the night, does something with number one, that I cringed over and they all go their merry separate ways.
Number one: number one proves money most definitely can not buy you happiness he’s made it in life through his career, yet is still unhappy, extremely depressed and like her, naive in life, and because of THE SECRET feels bound to number two and three. He would have been better getting the number from her and leaving....sadly for him, that proves a mistake he will regret. Not Guilty
Number two: Now this guy had me laughing out loud! I used to get approached by these kinda people in my twenties, I laughed then and still laughing now. They’re so absolutely transparent it’s unreal! I would say let’s give them points for trying. He’s a wannabe. He’s a player (he thinks anyway) he’s one of the ‘lads’. Reality? He’s a desperate thirty something who needs to grow up! Act his age and stop being a d***. Sadly he never got that memo. Despite ‘she’ being so obviously not into him, bless him, he still tries......Not Guilty
Number three: now I will make an admission here. I had this guy sussed from the start. You know the sort, butter wouldn’t melt an all that. Seems perfect. Until you actually sit back and really take stock of what he’s saying and how he’s acting. He’s actually the one culpable in THE SECRET. You find that out very early on. He’s also the one who you think has a perfect life with his Niamh, until you actually really really listen to what he says about her. Then you realise what an absolute horrible man he is! He’s right about one thing. He most definitely doesn’t deserve Niamh. Guilty on THE SECRET Guilty on the Rape.
When a woman says the word NO. She’s not saying YES or MAYBE, she’s saying NO! What I also liked about this book was the stats scattered throughout. Too many Rape victims don’t get their day in court, and those that do, sadly don’t get the verdict they deserve. This is a worldwide phenomenon and it needs addressing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Oh my! I can’t believe the trial is over. This is the kind of book that envelopes you so completely, you don’t want it to end because you may or may not agree with the verdict. .
She Said, Three Said is split into two narratives, the jurors deliberating on the trial and the four main characters' version of events of that night. As you read/listen, you are following the trial through the eyes of the jurors but with an added window into what actually happened that night. The jurors can only speculate the chain of events from testimonies. We, the reader, hear the alternating voices stating their own version of what happened from those who were there. This aids in building suspense and gives each character a personal feel. We get to realize the differences between what has been shown in court and what actually happened on the night In question.
On trial are Jason, Zach and Li who are friends but all very different and it’s these differences that give the story its edge, as you hear the story from each character's point of view. Sabrina, the rape victim, Is interesting if not a bit mysterious. It's intriguing to watch her character unfold as you witness her version of the night of.
The jurors were also a mixed bunch as they tend to be. I liked that they were all but one called by their juror number rather than their names. You do find out a bit about each one… who they are and what they do, as they are discussing the case along with a level of anonymity, due their not being named except 1. The personality differences made for some tense arguments and power struggles which added to the drama.
The storyline is controversial and gripping as you wait to find out what the lawyers say happened that night and how the jury will decide. You, the reader, have inside information and get to decide how you would vote. Will you agree in the end?
Well what a book!! This is the kind of book that you can quite easily lose yourself in as the desperation to discover what really happened on the night that this story revolves around kicks in.
She Said, Three Said is split into two narratives, the jurors deliberating on the trial and this alternates to the four main characters version of events that night. I really liked that we were following along at the same rate as the jurors but that we were discovering what actually happened rather than speculating about it. The change from character to character and then to the jurors really helps to build the suspense in the story, especially as the differences between what has been shown in court and what happened on the night become known.
The characters are a perfect mix from this kind of story, Jason, Zach, and Li are friends but all very different and it's these differences that give the story its edge because as you hear the story for each character's point of view you can see where their assumptions change the course of the evening. Sabrina, I found a very interesting character, a bit of an enigma at times, and I was intrigued to discover more about her as the book went on.
The jurors were also a mixed bunch and I liked that they were all but one called by their juror number rather than their names. You do find out about them, who they are and what they do, but when they are discussing things I liked that there was a level of anonymity because I couldn't always quite remember which juror it was by their number. Again though there were a lot of differences in the jurors and it made for some tense arguments and power struggles which added to the entertainment.
All I can say about the storyline is that I was gripped, waiting to find out what actually happened and I'm not going to say much but I didn't expect what happened at all. I was definitely surprised by some of the goings-on throughout the story and it added to my excitement and anticipation.
Name of Book: She Said, Three Said Author: David S. Lyons Narrators: Amy Creighton, Stephen Dalton, Patrick Fitzsymons. Jack Boylan, and Sean Doyle Publisher: Dreamscape Audio Genre: Courtroom Drama Pub Date: July 7, 2022 My Rating: 3.6 rounded up
I was drawn to this high-profile celebrity trial ~ as I enjoy ‘Good Courtroom’ drama. (I was a big Perry Mason fan for years!!) I knew this was a rape trial and hsd concern that it might be a bit too graphic. Yep disturbing😪 But the story had me curious.
The story leads up to the trail with the POV of Sabrina and the each of three men~ Jason, Zach, and Li. She Said: Three men raped her by first getting her drunk and then took advantage of her Three Said: She was a willing participant and consented to having sex with each of them.
Story then takes us into the courtroom and then into the jury’s deliberation room.
I was on the fence as to who was really at fault but I was leaning one way. The ending was indeed a surprise! Interesting cover with the 'Me Too' demonstrators!
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my honest opinion. Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 5, 2022
Acknowledging the serious subject matter as well as real life statistics, I found this highly readable and relatable.
3.5 stars not rounding up (profanity and the link discussed below).
I had the audiobook and wish to recognize the narration: there were multiple narrators. Once I settled in, early on, I didn't notice. I was intently invested. They all did a good job.
Without spoiling, the title tells you how they plea. Lyons has chosen to write seamlessly the perspectives of the female, three males (one high-profile), and the jury room. Of which, I found the jury room the most interesting. Second to that would be the high-profile male's thinking and thought-processes.
There is a significant amount of profanity.
This was a fast read, and one I would like to comfortably discuss. The book will stay with me.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for accepting my request to read and review She Said, Three Said.
Of note, at the conclusion of the book, there is a note to find out further thoughts by the author follow a link given. I did not listen to the author's thoughts prior to my review. I do feel cheated as in click bait to receive the thoughts, I have to subscribe. I find it highly unlikely that this interview could not have been transcribed and placed in the book. (It's done every day.)
This story was told by the three alleged rapists, the woman who was allegedly raped, and the jurors who had to decide their fates. I've always wondered how cool it would be to be on jury duty, but after listening to this story I am apprehensive. Separating out one's feelings and only listening to the case that's being presented sounds hard. The fact that most rapes don't get reported because only a few women actually see justice is sad.
I'm sure what happened in this story can happen in real life. Perception is everything and it causes miscommunication, but in no way does that mean you can take advantage of someone. This book gave me chills, the last two-three chapters left me with my mind wandering and hoping that I never find myself in this same situation.
Great narration. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.
She Said, Three Said will make you question your definition of what you consider is guilty and not guilty in terms of rape. David B. Lyons doesn't mind to expose the gray areas and provides statistics to back up the statements in his book and the actions of his characters. Sabrina Doyle is a young woman who has been blessed with fantastic looks, but she has not been so lucky in love. After a professional footballer and his friends enchant her with a taste of attention, and a little too much wine, she claims she ended up in a situation in which she did not give consent. Twelve jurors lead the reader through an account of the night in question, and Zak, Jason, Li, and Sabrina give the reader a true look at the events as they happened. As a woman, my heart went out to Sabrina, but I was committed to learning the truth of her claim. I wasn't as surprised at the ending as I was disappointed in the characters. Truly, it is a realistic book. The audiobook had several voice talents for the characters, and each of them were believable and professional. I recommend the book for mature readers, as the book contains sexually explicit scenes.
An compelling read. A rape accusation,denials by the three accused and a jury that has to decide. This book was hard to put down. The story of the night in question is told from each characters point of view. As for the jury, it was an interesting aspect of the story.