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The Night Lawyer
Sophie Angel is the night lawyer. Once a week, she's the one who decides what the papers can and can't say.
During the day, she's a barrister. She struggles for justice in a system that's close to collapse, where she confronts the most dangerous aspects of humanity. Her life changes when a wealthy Russian offers her the biggest case of her career, a rape trial with a seemingly innocent client. But is someone manipulating Sophie from the shadows or is the danger much closer to home?
With her marriage under strain and haunted by nightmares from the past, Sophie must find the answer to these questions before it's too late. This is a story about betrayal, trust, guilt and innocence, played out from the courtrooms of London to the darkest corners of Soviet era Moscow.
During the day, she's a barrister. She struggles for justice in a system that's close to collapse, where she confronts the most dangerous aspects of humanity. Her life changes when a wealthy Russian offers her the biggest case of her career, a rape trial with a seemingly innocent client. But is someone manipulating Sophie from the shadows or is the danger much closer to home?
With her marriage under strain and haunted by nightmares from the past, Sophie must find the answer to these questions before it's too late. This is a story about betrayal, trust, guilt and innocence, played out from the courtrooms of London to the darkest corners of Soviet era Moscow.
- GenresLegal ThrillerMystery
310 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2020
6 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 1, 2020
If you're like me and you love a courtroom drama then The Night Lawyer is most definitely for you. There's nothing better than being immersed in a good story and feeling like you're viewing the trial from all angles and Alex Churchill does this absolutely brilliantly in her outstanding debut novel. The Night Lawyer ticks all the boxes for a thrilling courtroom drama and then ticks a few more boxes for luck.
Alex Churchill is on to a winner here as Sophie Angel is a superb character with more strands to her story than a plate of spaghetti. The daughter of a Russian father and English mother, Sophie spent her early childhood in Moscow before her family defected to the west. Sophie has nightmares about her childhood and there's something about her Uncle Kiril that her parents aren't telling her. A big tick goes in the family secrets box.
Sophie is a barrister in the prestigious Inner Temple and married to popular QC Theo Frazer so her life should be the envy of all of her peers, however, the couple are struggling to make ends meet and there are rumours that Theo is having an affair. Barrister by day and newspaper libel lawyer by night, Sophie has a lot on her plate without her personal problems. Let's tick that box for a potentially cheating spouse and put an extra tick in the gossip box as Sophie hears whispers around court.
As the great comedian Frank Carson would say, 'There's more!'. A case from the past comes back to haunt her when a prisoner escapes from custody and is rumoured to be obsessed with Sophie. Sophie has to keep looking over her shoulder whilst also taking on a rape case at the request of the new newspaper owner's wife. The court case that follows is absolutely sublime; I felt like I was judge, jury, defendant, victim, prosecutor and defence as well as viewing it all from the public gallery. This is one of those books that you can't put down because you're 'in court'. A huge tick for realistic courtroom scenes that keep the reader entertained.
Aside from the magnificent story, it was great to get an insight into the workings and history of the British justice system. Although I already knew about the history behind the black robes, I did look up the gateway at the top of Inner Temple Lane and Fleet Street. I was amazed to read that the gateway is one of only a few surviving medieval buildings in London and that the rooms above it date back to the 17th Century when they were reputed to be used as council chambers of Charles I when he was Prince of Wales. I love books where I get a little something extra from them; little nuggets of interesting facts that send me off searching the internet for hours. That's the exceptional box populated with a big fat tick.
The Night Lawyer is a stunning debut that transports the reader from the present day courtroom in London one minute to Sophie's early childhood in Soviet Moscow the next. It says on the back cover that this is a Sophie Angel novel so I am crossing my fingers and toes that there are many more Sophie Angel novels to come. The Night Lawyer is absolutely outstanding and is a very highly recommended read.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Alex Churchill is on to a winner here as Sophie Angel is a superb character with more strands to her story than a plate of spaghetti. The daughter of a Russian father and English mother, Sophie spent her early childhood in Moscow before her family defected to the west. Sophie has nightmares about her childhood and there's something about her Uncle Kiril that her parents aren't telling her. A big tick goes in the family secrets box.
Sophie is a barrister in the prestigious Inner Temple and married to popular QC Theo Frazer so her life should be the envy of all of her peers, however, the couple are struggling to make ends meet and there are rumours that Theo is having an affair. Barrister by day and newspaper libel lawyer by night, Sophie has a lot on her plate without her personal problems. Let's tick that box for a potentially cheating spouse and put an extra tick in the gossip box as Sophie hears whispers around court.
As the great comedian Frank Carson would say, 'There's more!'. A case from the past comes back to haunt her when a prisoner escapes from custody and is rumoured to be obsessed with Sophie. Sophie has to keep looking over her shoulder whilst also taking on a rape case at the request of the new newspaper owner's wife. The court case that follows is absolutely sublime; I felt like I was judge, jury, defendant, victim, prosecutor and defence as well as viewing it all from the public gallery. This is one of those books that you can't put down because you're 'in court'. A huge tick for realistic courtroom scenes that keep the reader entertained.
Aside from the magnificent story, it was great to get an insight into the workings and history of the British justice system. Although I already knew about the history behind the black robes, I did look up the gateway at the top of Inner Temple Lane and Fleet Street. I was amazed to read that the gateway is one of only a few surviving medieval buildings in London and that the rooms above it date back to the 17th Century when they were reputed to be used as council chambers of Charles I when he was Prince of Wales. I love books where I get a little something extra from them; little nuggets of interesting facts that send me off searching the internet for hours. That's the exceptional box populated with a big fat tick.
The Night Lawyer is a stunning debut that transports the reader from the present day courtroom in London one minute to Sophie's early childhood in Soviet Moscow the next. It says on the back cover that this is a Sophie Angel novel so I am crossing my fingers and toes that there are many more Sophie Angel novels to come. The Night Lawyer is absolutely outstanding and is a very highly recommended read.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
May 13, 2020
Well this story is jam packed full of drama and excitement. I loved it! It was so easy to read and even though there was a lot going on. It is written so well that we don't feel bogged down with the information.
The Night Lawyer is told from the point of view of Sophie Angel. She is a barrister by day and a night lawyer with a newspaper, giving guidance on what they can't and can't say in stories. Incase of libel charges. Through this story we get a well rounded view of Sophie and see who she really is. We get to delve into her personal life, her career and also into her family background.
Sophie is half English and half Russian. Throughout The Night Lawyer we get a few flashback scenes arising, hinting that something awful has occured in her past. I like that we only get little snippets in a dream type way, therefore we aren't entirely sure what to believe, adding to the mystery.
The Night Lawyer centres around Sophie and the cases that she is dealing with. The new case she has involves an upcoming name in the science world, who has been accused of rape. What I did like was the references to real life famous trials in relation to how the accused are affected. Is Henry guilty or not guilty? We the reader don't know the truth and along with Sophie we must piece together the evidence.
This is truly a great courtroom drama. It is written with great clarity as we go through the evidence from defence and prosecution. And, we get to see how Sophie works through her case. It also highlights the effects of understaffing and underfunding within the justice system. And, what occurs in this story was a very jaw-dropping moment, I had to stop and regain myself while reading.
The Night Lawyer is a fantastic courtroom drama. Sophie Angel is a strong female lead character and I hope to see a lot more of her.
Thank you to Lizzie from Red Door Books for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Night Lawyer is told from the point of view of Sophie Angel. She is a barrister by day and a night lawyer with a newspaper, giving guidance on what they can't and can't say in stories. Incase of libel charges. Through this story we get a well rounded view of Sophie and see who she really is. We get to delve into her personal life, her career and also into her family background.
Sophie is half English and half Russian. Throughout The Night Lawyer we get a few flashback scenes arising, hinting that something awful has occured in her past. I like that we only get little snippets in a dream type way, therefore we aren't entirely sure what to believe, adding to the mystery.
The Night Lawyer centres around Sophie and the cases that she is dealing with. The new case she has involves an upcoming name in the science world, who has been accused of rape. What I did like was the references to real life famous trials in relation to how the accused are affected. Is Henry guilty or not guilty? We the reader don't know the truth and along with Sophie we must piece together the evidence.
This is truly a great courtroom drama. It is written with great clarity as we go through the evidence from defence and prosecution. And, we get to see how Sophie works through her case. It also highlights the effects of understaffing and underfunding within the justice system. And, what occurs in this story was a very jaw-dropping moment, I had to stop and regain myself while reading.
The Night Lawyer is a fantastic courtroom drama. Sophie Angel is a strong female lead character and I hope to see a lot more of her.
Thank you to Lizzie from Red Door Books for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2020
I love thrillers but for some unknown reason I rarely read legal thrillers. I can count on one hand the amount and I honestly have no idea why as I find the legal system fascinating. After reading this I’m definitely going to try and change that so any recommendations are welcome.
Gripping from the start and with a complex and extremely interesting protagonist you can’t help but be caught up in all the goings on (and there’s a lot). With two jobs, a marriage that’s falling apart and a mysterious past in Russia all adding extra strain and stress to go with her ever growing stack of cases.
But the real clincher for me with this book and what gave it the well deserved five star rating was her new case. Centred around a young man accused of spiking a woman’s drink and raping her. He protests that he is innocent but before he is even tried he’s already been tarred as a rapist. This is when trial by news and social media outlets comes into play and we learn how the accused can become a victim and the damage it can cause. I will admit I’m guilty of doing exactly that myself, social media doesn’t give evidence or facts it just paints the picture it wants you to see. But we all have opinions regardless.
We follow Sophie as she pieces together the evidence trying to determine his guilt/innocence and we see both sides as the case is built. What was really great was also following her personal life and seeing inside her marriage and family background. I don’t want to say much more as I do spoiler free reviews and I would hope I’ve built a good enough case for you to read the book. I can testify that it’s worth it.
Gripping from the start and with a complex and extremely interesting protagonist you can’t help but be caught up in all the goings on (and there’s a lot). With two jobs, a marriage that’s falling apart and a mysterious past in Russia all adding extra strain and stress to go with her ever growing stack of cases.
But the real clincher for me with this book and what gave it the well deserved five star rating was her new case. Centred around a young man accused of spiking a woman’s drink and raping her. He protests that he is innocent but before he is even tried he’s already been tarred as a rapist. This is when trial by news and social media outlets comes into play and we learn how the accused can become a victim and the damage it can cause. I will admit I’m guilty of doing exactly that myself, social media doesn’t give evidence or facts it just paints the picture it wants you to see. But we all have opinions regardless.
We follow Sophie as she pieces together the evidence trying to determine his guilt/innocence and we see both sides as the case is built. What was really great was also following her personal life and seeing inside her marriage and family background. I don’t want to say much more as I do spoiler free reviews and I would hope I’ve built a good enough case for you to read the book. I can testify that it’s worth it.
August 6, 2020
The story of Sophie, a female Barrister in the UK, working with her enigmatic husband, plagued by dreams of her past, before she and her family fled from Russia, and stalked by a criminal.
It's got all the makings of a really interesting and intense tale but unfortunately, it frequently lagged just when things were getting going. Sophie herself was an okay but relatively passive character, who annoyingly kept waving things off as her imagination or a dream when they clearly weren't.
The author is clearly very passionate about the UK justice system and law - it's actually something I'm interested in too - but the over descriptiveness and thick jargon of it all only pulled you out of the focus of the chapter.
I also found it a bit of a let down that Sophie's job as a Night Lawyer didn't really have anything to do with the book itself. It was a convenient way for her to bump into someone from her past and nothing more.
The things I really loved about this book were Sophie's parents and their dynamic, I was always happy when Vassily was in the scene, his overprotective Russian fatherness brought a wonderful colour to the book.
In fact, every character was built really well - I can recall everyone's name with ease which is so rare for me - they all had such stand out personalities and distinctive traits.
An interesting read with some strong story elements woven in, that I wish pushed my buttons a little more.
It's got all the makings of a really interesting and intense tale but unfortunately, it frequently lagged just when things were getting going. Sophie herself was an okay but relatively passive character, who annoyingly kept waving things off as her imagination or a dream when they clearly weren't.
The author is clearly very passionate about the UK justice system and law - it's actually something I'm interested in too - but the over descriptiveness and thick jargon of it all only pulled you out of the focus of the chapter.
I also found it a bit of a let down that Sophie's job as a Night Lawyer didn't really have anything to do with the book itself. It was a convenient way for her to bump into someone from her past and nothing more.
The things I really loved about this book were Sophie's parents and their dynamic, I was always happy when Vassily was in the scene, his overprotective Russian fatherness brought a wonderful colour to the book.
In fact, every character was built really well - I can recall everyone's name with ease which is so rare for me - they all had such stand out personalities and distinctive traits.
An interesting read with some strong story elements woven in, that I wish pushed my buttons a little more.
June 15, 2020
The Night Lawyer is a well written story about our main character Sophie Angel. A barrister working on a number of tough cases she is also a Night Lawyer for one of the large papers. Working in the offices of the paper after work, once a week, she gives them guidance on what they can and can't publish.
We also learn that Sophie was born in Russia, having a Russian father and British mother. With flashbacks and snippets from Sophie's memories we find out that the family fled Russia quiet quickly when Sophie was only 3 or 4 years old. With a strong sense that something bad had happened concerning her family at this time. We learn more about Sophie's private life, her husband Theo, her parents, elderly and living now for some years in England and get a strong sense that things are not all that they seem.
The story follows the cases she is currently working on and her nights at the newspaper which has recently acquired new owners. One of which is Russian and appears keen to get to know Sophie. I loved the way her work at the paper is described. The aggressive and 'cut and thrust' nature of the work, which we associate with a papers newsroom is vivid and the characters well rounded.
One of her present cases is that of a young man accused of rape and not only are we shown the emotional side of the story but the author does a fantastic job of explaining the way the law works, the affects newspapers and social media have on cases currently not yet finalised and also about the consequences of a charge made to an innocent person, even when they are found not guilt. It refers to true statistics and the pressures courts and the police are currently under which I found very interesting. There is also a wonderful historical reference to the history behind the gowns barristers wear in court.
The story moves at a good pace allowing the reader to digest all that is going on in Sophie's life and lays out the details like evidence, waiting for you to piece them together. With the opening chapter giving you a more than a large glimpse of danger I couldn't wait to see how it all turns out.
A great courtroom drama full of interesting research, well rounded characters and suspense.
We also learn that Sophie was born in Russia, having a Russian father and British mother. With flashbacks and snippets from Sophie's memories we find out that the family fled Russia quiet quickly when Sophie was only 3 or 4 years old. With a strong sense that something bad had happened concerning her family at this time. We learn more about Sophie's private life, her husband Theo, her parents, elderly and living now for some years in England and get a strong sense that things are not all that they seem.
The story follows the cases she is currently working on and her nights at the newspaper which has recently acquired new owners. One of which is Russian and appears keen to get to know Sophie. I loved the way her work at the paper is described. The aggressive and 'cut and thrust' nature of the work, which we associate with a papers newsroom is vivid and the characters well rounded.
One of her present cases is that of a young man accused of rape and not only are we shown the emotional side of the story but the author does a fantastic job of explaining the way the law works, the affects newspapers and social media have on cases currently not yet finalised and also about the consequences of a charge made to an innocent person, even when they are found not guilt. It refers to true statistics and the pressures courts and the police are currently under which I found very interesting. There is also a wonderful historical reference to the history behind the gowns barristers wear in court.
The story moves at a good pace allowing the reader to digest all that is going on in Sophie's life and lays out the details like evidence, waiting for you to piece them together. With the opening chapter giving you a more than a large glimpse of danger I couldn't wait to see how it all turns out.
A great courtroom drama full of interesting research, well rounded characters and suspense.
September 3, 2020
This book could not decide what it wanted to be. There are three stories here: one is Sophie Angel, barrister, who works one night a week at a local paper to review the stories they're about to post online. The rest of the time,she works on the defense side of the legal system. The second is a mystery surrounding Sophie's past in the USSR, and the death of her uncle Kiril: her Russian father, a musician, defected while on tour, and her English mother, with Sophie, walked to the English Embassy in Moscow and left the country that way. The third is the well worn trope of a woman who marries a man (who cheated on his wife with her) who everyone but her knows is cheating on her, but she has trouble believing it.
Any one of these things would have been interesting - in fact, it would be great if the writing duo delved into the Russian story, because I'd read that in a heartbeat.
There are probably some spoilers in this, so if you want to read this, I'd skip to the bottom.
As it stands, we get a prologue that is a bit creepy, but not really necessary, in my opinion. The actual first chapters deal with Sophie turning down the defense of a violent rapist (and I suppose we're supposed to believe that the rapist, who has escaped prison that day has turned up at the newspaper somehow, in that prologue). The next part deals with someone buying the paper where Sophie works as the night lawyer. The wife of the buyer is Russian, and there seems to be some history between her and Sophie, although Sophie has little memory of her time in Russia. It occurred to me that since we get only a couple of scenes at the paper that this whole paper thing and the buyout of it was done just to get these two characters together.
Lydia (the Russian wife) asks Sophie to defend a young man accused of rape. His mother, and the young man, of course say he is innocent, and he may very well be. This part of the book is heavily focused on the legal system in England, and it's heavy on jargon from that system. If you don't know what solicitors and barristers are, or what a dock is in a courtroom, you may get a little lost, but it's still readable. Clearly, one (or both) of the writers has a great interest in the legal system and how it is (as in the US) heavily skewed against poor people.
Throughout the book, we get glimpses of her life with Theo, her husband. He's always "working", and when Sophie enters the dressing room to change into robes for court, other women look at her with pity. This reader spotted Theo as a cheat right off - after all, if someone cheats on their partner to be with you, they will most certainnly cheat on you to be with someone else. Sophie, though, waves it all away, even after finding a lipstick in Theo's car on the floorboard. Of course he has an easy excuse for it, as he does every time she is passively questioning him about it. Ultimately, and thankfully, she finally gets a clue and kicks him to the curb - she leaves.
But, since she's broke, and because she thinks this dude somehow means it when he says they should try again, she moves back into the house. She thinks she hears an argument, but is sleepy and ignores it. Then she wakes up, tells Theo there's someone in the house, but of course he does not get up. She goes downstairs and the escaped, violent rapist is there to take her away. The fight scene there is pretty good, and it's nice that she offs the bad guy - no thanks to Theo, who hid in the bathroom and dialed 999 (the British version of 911).
Sophie discovers she's pregnant, but leaves Theo again anyway (hooray!). Lydia (remember her? The Russian wife of the buyer f the paper?) tells Sophie to come with her to Russia to look into the disappearance of her uncle Kiril. She does, and then, mystery solved by her memory of the time being teased out, she returns to London and decides she's home. Presumably, she goes about her business from that moment forward.
The writing is fine, and the descriptions of he British legal system are interesting. There's a lot of editorializing by the authors via Sophie about it. It's an okay book - not great, but not unreadable.
I'd have liked it better had there been one story picked of these versus cramming three into it. Alas, that was not the case, and alas, this one didn't do it for me. Your mileage may vary.
Two stars of five. Thanks to NetGalley and RedDoor Press for the reading copy.
Any one of these things would have been interesting - in fact, it would be great if the writing duo delved into the Russian story, because I'd read that in a heartbeat.
There are probably some spoilers in this, so if you want to read this, I'd skip to the bottom.
As it stands, we get a prologue that is a bit creepy, but not really necessary, in my opinion. The actual first chapters deal with Sophie turning down the defense of a violent rapist (and I suppose we're supposed to believe that the rapist, who has escaped prison that day has turned up at the newspaper somehow, in that prologue). The next part deals with someone buying the paper where Sophie works as the night lawyer. The wife of the buyer is Russian, and there seems to be some history between her and Sophie, although Sophie has little memory of her time in Russia. It occurred to me that since we get only a couple of scenes at the paper that this whole paper thing and the buyout of it was done just to get these two characters together.
Lydia (the Russian wife) asks Sophie to defend a young man accused of rape. His mother, and the young man, of course say he is innocent, and he may very well be. This part of the book is heavily focused on the legal system in England, and it's heavy on jargon from that system. If you don't know what solicitors and barristers are, or what a dock is in a courtroom, you may get a little lost, but it's still readable. Clearly, one (or both) of the writers has a great interest in the legal system and how it is (as in the US) heavily skewed against poor people.
Throughout the book, we get glimpses of her life with Theo, her husband. He's always "working", and when Sophie enters the dressing room to change into robes for court, other women look at her with pity. This reader spotted Theo as a cheat right off - after all, if someone cheats on their partner to be with you, they will most certainnly cheat on you to be with someone else. Sophie, though, waves it all away, even after finding a lipstick in Theo's car on the floorboard. Of course he has an easy excuse for it, as he does every time she is passively questioning him about it. Ultimately, and thankfully, she finally gets a clue and kicks him to the curb - she leaves.
But, since she's broke, and because she thinks this dude somehow means it when he says they should try again, she moves back into the house. She thinks she hears an argument, but is sleepy and ignores it. Then she wakes up, tells Theo there's someone in the house, but of course he does not get up. She goes downstairs and the escaped, violent rapist is there to take her away. The fight scene there is pretty good, and it's nice that she offs the bad guy - no thanks to Theo, who hid in the bathroom and dialed 999 (the British version of 911).
Sophie discovers she's pregnant, but leaves Theo again anyway (hooray!). Lydia (remember her? The Russian wife of the buyer f the paper?) tells Sophie to come with her to Russia to look into the disappearance of her uncle Kiril. She does, and then, mystery solved by her memory of the time being teased out, she returns to London and decides she's home. Presumably, she goes about her business from that moment forward.
The writing is fine, and the descriptions of he British legal system are interesting. There's a lot of editorializing by the authors via Sophie about it. It's an okay book - not great, but not unreadable.
I'd have liked it better had there been one story picked of these versus cramming three into it. Alas, that was not the case, and alas, this one didn't do it for me. Your mileage may vary.
Two stars of five. Thanks to NetGalley and RedDoor Press for the reading copy.
May 15, 2020
What a great book!
The main character, Sophie Angel, is a barrister that comes face to face with criminals and the accused, as well as people fighting to prove their innocence. During some evenings she works as a night lawyer for a newspaper, ensuring that they don’t print their stories in ways that could cause them lawsuits and headaches.
Her marriage to a fellow barrister becomes rocky when a new woman enters the picture, but what is the truth? We find out when it all comes to a head towards the end and we learn just what is in store for the future of her marriage. This rocky time puts added pressure on Sophie who also has a stack of cases to deal with as well as a new owners taking over the paper. One of the new owners is Russian and is intrigued by Sophie once she learns her name and background. Sophie herself is also Russian as her family fled Russia when she was a little girl after the death of her uncle. We learn what the connection is between this owner and Sophie and it is a wild ride! There are ups and downs and surprises around every corner and I loved it all!
The new owner brings to her a case where a young man, Henry, has been accused of drugging a woman’s drink and raping her. He maintains his protest of innocence and the evidence is built up to support that. Despite Henry not yet being found guilty or not guilty word gets out that he is a ‘rapist’. We see the devastating effects that trial by social media can have on people’s lives and we get a look at what happens when this support for a victim creates a new victim in the accused. We see the pressure and power it takes to get a case built and all the ways it can go. Will Henry's protest of innocence ring true, or is something bigger at play here?
While all of this is going on Sophie wants to explore her Russian heritage more as she feels that questions have come up that she cannot make sense of. She speaks with her parents as well as taking a trip back to her past home in Russia to piece together the mystery that haunts her family. Will she find what she is looking for? Will Sophie get any closure in her life at this point?
This is an extremely well written book and the character of Sophie, as well as the other characters are presented excellently and we get a little bit of all of their stories without feeling like there is too much going on. Everything links together and the story told is great and moving. The writing style flows nicely and although there are many things happening for Sophie you never feel like it is too much to process, you are taken on her journey with her and it is gripping, exciting, happy, sad, tense and intriguing. It is a must read.
The main character, Sophie Angel, is a barrister that comes face to face with criminals and the accused, as well as people fighting to prove their innocence. During some evenings she works as a night lawyer for a newspaper, ensuring that they don’t print their stories in ways that could cause them lawsuits and headaches.
Her marriage to a fellow barrister becomes rocky when a new woman enters the picture, but what is the truth? We find out when it all comes to a head towards the end and we learn just what is in store for the future of her marriage. This rocky time puts added pressure on Sophie who also has a stack of cases to deal with as well as a new owners taking over the paper. One of the new owners is Russian and is intrigued by Sophie once she learns her name and background. Sophie herself is also Russian as her family fled Russia when she was a little girl after the death of her uncle. We learn what the connection is between this owner and Sophie and it is a wild ride! There are ups and downs and surprises around every corner and I loved it all!
The new owner brings to her a case where a young man, Henry, has been accused of drugging a woman’s drink and raping her. He maintains his protest of innocence and the evidence is built up to support that. Despite Henry not yet being found guilty or not guilty word gets out that he is a ‘rapist’. We see the devastating effects that trial by social media can have on people’s lives and we get a look at what happens when this support for a victim creates a new victim in the accused. We see the pressure and power it takes to get a case built and all the ways it can go. Will Henry's protest of innocence ring true, or is something bigger at play here?
While all of this is going on Sophie wants to explore her Russian heritage more as she feels that questions have come up that she cannot make sense of. She speaks with her parents as well as taking a trip back to her past home in Russia to piece together the mystery that haunts her family. Will she find what she is looking for? Will Sophie get any closure in her life at this point?
This is an extremely well written book and the character of Sophie, as well as the other characters are presented excellently and we get a little bit of all of their stories without feeling like there is too much going on. Everything links together and the story told is great and moving. The writing style flows nicely and although there are many things happening for Sophie you never feel like it is too much to process, you are taken on her journey with her and it is gripping, exciting, happy, sad, tense and intriguing. It is a must read.
May 19, 2020
5 out of 5 stars
Sophie Angel is a criminal barrister and one night a week she is a newspaper lawyer who tells them what they can and can’t print. When Sophie has to right the biggest case of her career those two worlds collide. She has a stalker who is closer than she can imagine which is very scary.
Ok so I went into this aware it was a thriller but didn’t expect to get so gripped so early on. You have different layers for the different parts of Sophie’s life. We have; her different jobs, her marriage and very importantly her past. Combining these into these into the core storyline is so important and yet to me it was done very well. I got annoyed with Sophie at times as I felt she could have stood up to her husband earlier on but she does develop and get stronger. I didn’t predict any of the twists which I thought was great but boy did I hate her husband straight away. Oh and I loved the pace in the book.
Sophie Angel is a criminal barrister and one night a week she is a newspaper lawyer who tells them what they can and can’t print. When Sophie has to right the biggest case of her career those two worlds collide. She has a stalker who is closer than she can imagine which is very scary.
Ok so I went into this aware it was a thriller but didn’t expect to get so gripped so early on. You have different layers for the different parts of Sophie’s life. We have; her different jobs, her marriage and very importantly her past. Combining these into these into the core storyline is so important and yet to me it was done very well. I got annoyed with Sophie at times as I felt she could have stood up to her husband earlier on but she does develop and get stronger. I didn’t predict any of the twists which I thought was great but boy did I hate her husband straight away. Oh and I loved the pace in the book.
May 20, 2020
This is the story of Sophie, criminal barrister and night lawyer newspaper.
I really enjoyed following Sophie along with her work and social life, it was written well and I wanted to turn the page to find out more.
It was a fascinating read for anyone who loves an in-depth look at the British legal system. It was detailed and informative and taught me a lot about the failings of a justice system that we rely on and is something I will look deeper into. I studied law and I think that added to my enjoyed of this book as it looked more heavily at the system than some of the more mainstream books that tend to romanticise the field.
I also enjoyed the added element that Sophie was originally from Russia as it added to the narrative and taught me more about cultural differences I was unaware of.
I would love to see another book in this series. Thank you to @reddoorbooks for my #gifted copy in exchange for review
July 25, 2020
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
There was a lot going on here; Sophie's being a night lawyer was probably the least interesting part of the story, although I had never before given a thought to the need for such a person. She was also battling with the clerks at her chambers, wondering what her husband was up to, remembering bits of the first few years of her life in Russia, defending one man accused of being a rapist and refusing to represent another etc etc.
Apart from long paragraphs of 'dialogue' which read more like the author's own views on the shortcomings of the legal aid system and funding for the police and CPS in general, this moved quickly, and both the Russia elements and the defence of Henry were gripping.
There was a lot going on here; Sophie's being a night lawyer was probably the least interesting part of the story, although I had never before given a thought to the need for such a person. She was also battling with the clerks at her chambers, wondering what her husband was up to, remembering bits of the first few years of her life in Russia, defending one man accused of being a rapist and refusing to represent another etc etc.
Apart from long paragraphs of 'dialogue' which read more like the author's own views on the shortcomings of the legal aid system and funding for the police and CPS in general, this moved quickly, and both the Russia elements and the defence of Henry were gripping.
May 16, 2020
'Night Lawyer' is a riveting, complex legal drama which feature an intriguing central character and a believable plot. This was a fast-paced, memorable read with a satisfying ending.
In addition, Churchill has used this book to deftly describe the inadequacies of the British legal system in a way that is fair and sympathetic. The topic of rape, trial by media and the effect of trying the wrong person for a crime have been sensitively addressed.
In my view, this is a book that is well worth reading.
In addition, Churchill has used this book to deftly describe the inadequacies of the British legal system in a way that is fair and sympathetic. The topic of rape, trial by media and the effect of trying the wrong person for a crime have been sensitively addressed.
In my view, this is a book that is well worth reading.
July 24, 2020
This was right up my street! Legal thrillers are my fave and this did not disappoint! A great female lead character with a complicated home life and childhood but a fabulous lawyer! The courtroom scenes were definitely the highlight for me. This had the makings of a new legal thriller series!
May 14, 2020
This blew me away, a must read for anyone that is interested in not just a good crime thriller, but a detailed look into the criminal justice service too.
August 13, 2020
I absolutely love books set in a legal setting, largely for reasons of nostalgia, and this was one of the better examples of the genre that I have read recently. I am hoping this is the first book in an exciting new series, because Sophie Angel is a character I could really become invested in.
There is so much to love about this book. First and foremost, it gives a very fascinating and truthful look into the workings of the English legal system and the trials and tribulations that it is currently facing, and for me this is the most interesting part of the book. The criminal justice system is woefully under-funded, but this seems to be something that very few people care about, until they become embroiled in it themselves. You often see articles in the press lamenting ‘fat cat lawyers’ and criminals ‘abusing the legal aid system,’ but this is so far from the truth and it is something we should all be very worried about. One of the cornerstones of a liberal and truly free society is an impartial and accessible justice system that provides fair trial for everyone, regardless of your financial means. If people cannot access good legal representation, then they cannot navigate the system with equality to people of means, and this is grossly unfair and dangerous. There are so many things that are currently being suggested as changes to the legal system, that threaten its impartiality, that it makes me very frightened, and you all should be too. This book goes some way to demonstrating some of the challenges faced, particularly by the Criminal Bar, and is a fascinating read that anyone interested in this subject matter will enjoy.
If that sounds a little dry, I apologise, because that is far from the case. All of this is wrapped up in a really exciting thriller. There are several plot lines to follow in the book that all add to the tension – Sophie’s family and past in Russia which is shrouded in mystery, Sophie’s relationship with her husband, another powerful barrister, her work on the newspaper at The Night Lawyer, the major trial she is defending, and the terrifying behaviour of a previous client. All of these things keep the plot moving along at a terrific lick, and provide plenty of moments of tension and high drama to keep the reader engrossed throughout.
Sophie is a really appealing and attractive character who carries the book beautifully. I totally believed in her and her behaviour throughout. Her reactions seemed entirely authentic and, as a reader, I was sympathetic to her in each of the situations in which she finds herself. I feel like there is much more to discover about her, her dual English and Russian heritage provides tantalising scenarios to be explored going forward. I really enjoyed the portion of this book exploring her Russian background and look forward to more of this. Her work of a barrister provides endless fodder for drama, and her work on the newspaper is a unique and interesting angle. I have high hopes of the next instalment from Sophie Angel.
If you are interested in the seemingly archaic and unusual world of the English legal system, and the Bar in particular will really enjoy this author’s writing. She explores it very well, without making the material seem dry and boring, and I thought the book was marvellous. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a legal thriller.
There is so much to love about this book. First and foremost, it gives a very fascinating and truthful look into the workings of the English legal system and the trials and tribulations that it is currently facing, and for me this is the most interesting part of the book. The criminal justice system is woefully under-funded, but this seems to be something that very few people care about, until they become embroiled in it themselves. You often see articles in the press lamenting ‘fat cat lawyers’ and criminals ‘abusing the legal aid system,’ but this is so far from the truth and it is something we should all be very worried about. One of the cornerstones of a liberal and truly free society is an impartial and accessible justice system that provides fair trial for everyone, regardless of your financial means. If people cannot access good legal representation, then they cannot navigate the system with equality to people of means, and this is grossly unfair and dangerous. There are so many things that are currently being suggested as changes to the legal system, that threaten its impartiality, that it makes me very frightened, and you all should be too. This book goes some way to demonstrating some of the challenges faced, particularly by the Criminal Bar, and is a fascinating read that anyone interested in this subject matter will enjoy.
If that sounds a little dry, I apologise, because that is far from the case. All of this is wrapped up in a really exciting thriller. There are several plot lines to follow in the book that all add to the tension – Sophie’s family and past in Russia which is shrouded in mystery, Sophie’s relationship with her husband, another powerful barrister, her work on the newspaper at The Night Lawyer, the major trial she is defending, and the terrifying behaviour of a previous client. All of these things keep the plot moving along at a terrific lick, and provide plenty of moments of tension and high drama to keep the reader engrossed throughout.
Sophie is a really appealing and attractive character who carries the book beautifully. I totally believed in her and her behaviour throughout. Her reactions seemed entirely authentic and, as a reader, I was sympathetic to her in each of the situations in which she finds herself. I feel like there is much more to discover about her, her dual English and Russian heritage provides tantalising scenarios to be explored going forward. I really enjoyed the portion of this book exploring her Russian background and look forward to more of this. Her work of a barrister provides endless fodder for drama, and her work on the newspaper is a unique and interesting angle. I have high hopes of the next instalment from Sophie Angel.
If you are interested in the seemingly archaic and unusual world of the English legal system, and the Bar in particular will really enjoy this author’s writing. She explores it very well, without making the material seem dry and boring, and I thought the book was marvellous. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a legal thriller.
August 21, 2020
A thriller, an indictment of the British legal system and a story of a personal struggle, there is so much going on in this contemporary novel it draws the reader in and keeps her there! Sophie Angel is a young barrister with quite a reputation despite her relative inexperience. She is dedicated, involved and determined to do a good job for her clients as she is mainly involved in defence work. She has worked out how to get the most from the evidence, how to approach clients and enjoys appearing in court. Despite all this, she has her problems. Like many younger barristers she is not on a guaranteed income, and has to pick up smaller cases to ensure she has enough to pay her bills. That is why she is a “Night Lawyer”, sitting in a national newspaper office on one night a week checking the text of the newspaper for libel before it is published. She is married to Theo, a star of the barristers’ chambers, a recent QC who is building his practice. He has secrets, and dictates a lot of what they do as a couple and how she should improve her career. When she gets involved in a difficult case, she begins to struggle with doubts, especially as her past life as a small child in Russia is beginning to haunt her nightmares. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this engaging and complex novel with real depth.
The book opens with a Prologue which details what Sophie feels as she sits alone in the newspaper office alone, overlooking London by night. She has been told of a young man who she met and rejected as someone she could defend in court, given her strong suspicion that he has admitted his guilt. He is reported to be looking for her, which she puts on one side as another worry. The action then reverts to three months earlier. As Sophie narrates her story, she puts in a lot of information about the contemporary life of a barrister, some of the rules, the clothes and traditions that have grown up over the years. She also points out the limitations and systematic problems in today’s legal system, with particular crimes receiving a lot of attention. As she struggles with her daily work, she becomes suspicious of her husband’s behaviour, which puts pressure on her work as well. When she meets another Russian emigre, she begins to realise that her relationship with her Russian father and her parents’ flight from the country are affecting her life.
This book has great depth and more as the real life problems of a young lawyer are exposed. While Sophie enjoys the tradition behind her job, the discrimination against women is still painful. This book is obviously written from a position of real knowledge and experience, and the construction of the multilayered plot is well handled. I found it engaging and gripping, as the tension builds up throughout the book, and simply could not put it down. This is a fiercely effective book of a woman’s contemporary experience written into fiction, and I really recommend it.
The book opens with a Prologue which details what Sophie feels as she sits alone in the newspaper office alone, overlooking London by night. She has been told of a young man who she met and rejected as someone she could defend in court, given her strong suspicion that he has admitted his guilt. He is reported to be looking for her, which she puts on one side as another worry. The action then reverts to three months earlier. As Sophie narrates her story, she puts in a lot of information about the contemporary life of a barrister, some of the rules, the clothes and traditions that have grown up over the years. She also points out the limitations and systematic problems in today’s legal system, with particular crimes receiving a lot of attention. As she struggles with her daily work, she becomes suspicious of her husband’s behaviour, which puts pressure on her work as well. When she meets another Russian emigre, she begins to realise that her relationship with her Russian father and her parents’ flight from the country are affecting her life.
This book has great depth and more as the real life problems of a young lawyer are exposed. While Sophie enjoys the tradition behind her job, the discrimination against women is still painful. This book is obviously written from a position of real knowledge and experience, and the construction of the multilayered plot is well handled. I found it engaging and gripping, as the tension builds up throughout the book, and simply could not put it down. This is a fiercely effective book of a woman’s contemporary experience written into fiction, and I really recommend it.
July 28, 2020
I do love a good legal thriller and this one had everything including a rape case, an historical mystery about barrister, Sophie’s background and an evil stalker! I couldn’t put it down curious to see how all these situations would resolve themselves.
Sophie is married to Theo, a senior barrister in her chambers. She is asked to defend and prosecute many cases. In this story she turns down the defence of Adam Harris who has been accused of a horrendous crime as she just doesn’t believe him and he wants to plead not guilty. However the reader quickly becomes aware that this decision may have negative repercussions for her.
When she is asked to help Henry who has been accused of rape she immediately believes in his innocence and takes the case on. These two cases represent Sophie’s strong ethical code.
Whilst defending Henry, Sophie also continues her job as a night lawyer at a national newspaper as she earns good money from this extra work.
When working at the newspaper she learns something about her Russian background which leads her to question everything her parents have told her. Escaping from Russia at the age of 6, Sophie has put that side of her life behind her although her father, Vasily tells her a bit about her life in Moscow in the 1980s she really knows very little. A chance encounter with her new Russian editor, Lydia brings a lot of memories back. The reader wants to find out what happened to Sophie and her family all those years ago and why it still affects them now.
I enjoyed getting to know Sophie and finding out about her life. She come across as a strong character with very high moral standards. About half way through I began to think that her choice in men was pretty poor but I did try and give Theo the benefit of the doubt.
I found this book very easy to read and I particularly enjoyed the court scenes when Sophie was defending Henry. They were compelling and so obviously written by an author who knew a lot about the way the justice system works. It made me think about how it could be difficult to get a fair trial if social media is allowed to influence the jury. How do you really stop that happening when there is such easy access to the internet nowadays?
I wondered whether this book might be the first in a new series as I’d definitely like to read more about Sophie and her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie is married to Theo, a senior barrister in her chambers. She is asked to defend and prosecute many cases. In this story she turns down the defence of Adam Harris who has been accused of a horrendous crime as she just doesn’t believe him and he wants to plead not guilty. However the reader quickly becomes aware that this decision may have negative repercussions for her.
When she is asked to help Henry who has been accused of rape she immediately believes in his innocence and takes the case on. These two cases represent Sophie’s strong ethical code.
Whilst defending Henry, Sophie also continues her job as a night lawyer at a national newspaper as she earns good money from this extra work.
When working at the newspaper she learns something about her Russian background which leads her to question everything her parents have told her. Escaping from Russia at the age of 6, Sophie has put that side of her life behind her although her father, Vasily tells her a bit about her life in Moscow in the 1980s she really knows very little. A chance encounter with her new Russian editor, Lydia brings a lot of memories back. The reader wants to find out what happened to Sophie and her family all those years ago and why it still affects them now.
I enjoyed getting to know Sophie and finding out about her life. She come across as a strong character with very high moral standards. About half way through I began to think that her choice in men was pretty poor but I did try and give Theo the benefit of the doubt.
I found this book very easy to read and I particularly enjoyed the court scenes when Sophie was defending Henry. They were compelling and so obviously written by an author who knew a lot about the way the justice system works. It made me think about how it could be difficult to get a fair trial if social media is allowed to influence the jury. How do you really stop that happening when there is such easy access to the internet nowadays?
I wondered whether this book might be the first in a new series as I’d definitely like to read more about Sophie and her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2020
I will be honest with you guys, this legal thriller hooked me from the opening. Now, I love a good crime thriller, but have never stumbled across one from a legal point of view, But, when it came to Sophie, my book-cation into the British legal is one I would take again. Though having to repeatedly battle with my two monsters for my page markers and the continued loss of bookmarks into the post-box that is the settee might be left in the hand-luggage next time.
“Fear is survival. And when you forget that you are truly in danger.”
The book took you on a follows an up and coming defence lawyer Sophie from the shadows of the legal system. It brings to light the clinks in the armour, and it was interesting to read. It also takes us on a personal journey as she tries to piece together a crumbling puzzle of her past and present; trying to discover the truth that is threatening to destroy her.
“Being different hurts. Grown-ups don’t understand.”
This book just kept on giving, whether it was the snippets of humour, the cases you follow or the people you meet, it was one I did struggle to put down. The writing was easy to read, the characters felt real to touch. Then the suspense, the forks in the road it took you down, had you wanting to solve the enigma unravelling in front of Sophie. I especially enjoyed the knowledge of the legal system the reader gains, written in a way not to overload and bore; but that makes you want to go to chambers and defend the case.
“…the glint of broken glass. The detail.”
I promised to keep this spoiler-free, and I’m sticking to that promise as I enjoyed this little gem of a novel. Though it is hard, if I give you a sneak peek at any of the pieces, the splendour of the journey just will not be the same. It was an interesting change to the standard crime thrillers that I am used to, and I really hope I get to meet Sophie Angel again.
“Fear is survival. And when you forget that you are truly in danger.”
The book took you on a follows an up and coming defence lawyer Sophie from the shadows of the legal system. It brings to light the clinks in the armour, and it was interesting to read. It also takes us on a personal journey as she tries to piece together a crumbling puzzle of her past and present; trying to discover the truth that is threatening to destroy her.
“Being different hurts. Grown-ups don’t understand.”
This book just kept on giving, whether it was the snippets of humour, the cases you follow or the people you meet, it was one I did struggle to put down. The writing was easy to read, the characters felt real to touch. Then the suspense, the forks in the road it took you down, had you wanting to solve the enigma unravelling in front of Sophie. I especially enjoyed the knowledge of the legal system the reader gains, written in a way not to overload and bore; but that makes you want to go to chambers and defend the case.
“…the glint of broken glass. The detail.”
I promised to keep this spoiler-free, and I’m sticking to that promise as I enjoyed this little gem of a novel. Though it is hard, if I give you a sneak peek at any of the pieces, the splendour of the journey just will not be the same. It was an interesting change to the standard crime thrillers that I am used to, and I really hope I get to meet Sophie Angel again.
July 29, 2020
How I love courtroom drama books (and films) but I must admit I was intrigued about this – how could you be a night lawyer? That was quickly cleared up as we learned that not only was Sophie a barrister at the London Inns of Court but she also did a shift at a newspaper as the night lawyer – who is effectively there to check through the various articles before they went to print in order to protect the newspaper from legal action.
In true detective fashion this leads to another question – why? She obviously had a busy, stressful job which required lots of reading and research; we then find out she needs the cash despite being married to a very successful barrister. However, the successful barrister had to pay off his ex-wife and Sophie’s contribution to the household is crucial – perhaps not helped by her husband’s extravagant tastes. To add to this financial problem, not all barristers get enough cases to pay their expenses in chambers and then they may have to wait for their fees to be paid. Hence the part-time job.
The book also reveals the gossip that flourishes in Chambers and in law circles in general and also the difference between lawyers and their stance of ethics and morals. Who hasn’t heard condemnation of those in the legal profession that defend murderers and the like?
Add to this Sophie’s parentage, Russian father, English mother; plus the takeover at the newspaper and the threat of job losses and the icing on the cake – Sophies stalker.
I hope this has whetted your appetite: for me there is one big disappointment, I have finished the book and cannot recommend it enough. A brilliant read with good characters that you may or may not like – but you will have an opinion, guaranteed.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
In true detective fashion this leads to another question – why? She obviously had a busy, stressful job which required lots of reading and research; we then find out she needs the cash despite being married to a very successful barrister. However, the successful barrister had to pay off his ex-wife and Sophie’s contribution to the household is crucial – perhaps not helped by her husband’s extravagant tastes. To add to this financial problem, not all barristers get enough cases to pay their expenses in chambers and then they may have to wait for their fees to be paid. Hence the part-time job.
The book also reveals the gossip that flourishes in Chambers and in law circles in general and also the difference between lawyers and their stance of ethics and morals. Who hasn’t heard condemnation of those in the legal profession that defend murderers and the like?
Add to this Sophie’s parentage, Russian father, English mother; plus the takeover at the newspaper and the threat of job losses and the icing on the cake – Sophies stalker.
I hope this has whetted your appetite: for me there is one big disappointment, I have finished the book and cannot recommend it enough. A brilliant read with good characters that you may or may not like – but you will have an opinion, guaranteed.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
August 12, 2020
By day she is a barrister, by night a newspaper libel lawyer. One moment we are in the prestigious Inner Temple watching Sophie as the defendant for suspected rape, and the next we are back in Moscow playing hide and seek with her deceased uncle Kiril. This debut novel is fast-paced and jam-packed full of thrills and spills. A courtroom drama, a potentially cheating-but definitely manipulative- husband, and an infatuated criminal stalker; what more could one want?
The novel revolves around Sophie’s new case in which a young scientist is accused of drugging and raping a young woman. Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence on Sophie’s side, and the fact that she’s a good lawyer, social media declare him guilty even before it goes to court. This dangerous new age of technology means that people are so quick to judge and gives them no room for a fair trial. This, and the underfunded (and slightly corrupt) Criminal Justice System, can have detrimental effects on the lives of innocent people.
While Sophie is trying to unravel the evidence in the case, her life appears to unravel with it. Sophie’s world comes crashing down as she becomes haunted by nightmares from her past. The new owner of the newspaper seems to be her link to the past and understanding what happened to her uncle, and why she had to flee to London from Moscow with her parents at such a young age. As well as that, she has to always look over her shoulder, even in her own home. She feels haunted by the past, by rumours of her relationship that are circulating the court, and of course by the criminal stalking her.
The Night Lawyer is a well-researched, intense and truly gripping debut. Churchill successfully taught us and gave us evidence piece by piece without shoving keywords at the reader and feeling too educational. I can honestly say I loved this book, and our badass protagonist Sophie.
The novel revolves around Sophie’s new case in which a young scientist is accused of drugging and raping a young woman. Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence on Sophie’s side, and the fact that she’s a good lawyer, social media declare him guilty even before it goes to court. This dangerous new age of technology means that people are so quick to judge and gives them no room for a fair trial. This, and the underfunded (and slightly corrupt) Criminal Justice System, can have detrimental effects on the lives of innocent people.
While Sophie is trying to unravel the evidence in the case, her life appears to unravel with it. Sophie’s world comes crashing down as she becomes haunted by nightmares from her past. The new owner of the newspaper seems to be her link to the past and understanding what happened to her uncle, and why she had to flee to London from Moscow with her parents at such a young age. As well as that, she has to always look over her shoulder, even in her own home. She feels haunted by the past, by rumours of her relationship that are circulating the court, and of course by the criminal stalking her.
The Night Lawyer is a well-researched, intense and truly gripping debut. Churchill successfully taught us and gave us evidence piece by piece without shoving keywords at the reader and feeling too educational. I can honestly say I loved this book, and our badass protagonist Sophie.
August 14, 2020
WARNING, this is a very addictive read, proceed with caution!
Yes, I am not joking, you start the book in the present, when Sophie’s life is messed up and someone is waiting for her at her office… Scary? This will just be the beginning, because it will not only be the work that will start crumble down but also her personal life.
Sophie is a barrister during the day and at night she works in a newspaper trying to save the justice, she has her worlds totally separated and doesn’t like the thought of having to mix them up; but everything will change when the newspaper she works has a new owner with a Russian wife. Yes, you can expect family lies and secrets that will be discovered as the story progresses; but don’t worry they will make you more eager to continue reading the story.
The case she will “not get involved” but that will treat her life is not easy, a man who has been accused of killing and raping a woman, there are a lot of evidence that point to him as the culprit, but he says that he is innocent. I really didn’t like him as a person so when he starts obsessing with Sophie his character turned a much darker side as you can expect. I can’t stay without saying a few words about Sophie’s husband, I didn’t like/trust him since the beginning, a partner that when you have a nightmare and can’t hold you because he has work next day is not someone that I would like in my life ever. And of course there’s the story of Sophie’s childhood life, her past in Russia and her memories from there, I can say that this was my favourite part.
As you can see there are multiple plots in the same story, they are all fascinating, twisted and interesting; making the reader impossible to put down the book. Ready?
Yes, I am not joking, you start the book in the present, when Sophie’s life is messed up and someone is waiting for her at her office… Scary? This will just be the beginning, because it will not only be the work that will start crumble down but also her personal life.
Sophie is a barrister during the day and at night she works in a newspaper trying to save the justice, she has her worlds totally separated and doesn’t like the thought of having to mix them up; but everything will change when the newspaper she works has a new owner with a Russian wife. Yes, you can expect family lies and secrets that will be discovered as the story progresses; but don’t worry they will make you more eager to continue reading the story.
The case she will “not get involved” but that will treat her life is not easy, a man who has been accused of killing and raping a woman, there are a lot of evidence that point to him as the culprit, but he says that he is innocent. I really didn’t like him as a person so when he starts obsessing with Sophie his character turned a much darker side as you can expect. I can’t stay without saying a few words about Sophie’s husband, I didn’t like/trust him since the beginning, a partner that when you have a nightmare and can’t hold you because he has work next day is not someone that I would like in my life ever. And of course there’s the story of Sophie’s childhood life, her past in Russia and her memories from there, I can say that this was my favourite part.
As you can see there are multiple plots in the same story, they are all fascinating, twisted and interesting; making the reader impossible to put down the book. Ready?
August 5, 2020
Legal thrillers are not my normal genre even though I love crime fiction, but after reading The Night Lawyer it has changed my mind and I will definitely be reading more of them. I also hope that this is not the last we hear of Sophie Angel. She is one of the great female protagonists that stick with you well after you have finished reading the book.
Going between flashbacks to her childhood in Russia to the courts of London this is a story with hidden depth and multiple storylines that all interweave to make a compulsive, addictive read.
The main storyline is Sophies new case, defending a young man of a rape allegation and that alone makes for a gripping storyline, but as well as that it follows her personal life. The marital problems, the issues from her past, how her Russian heritage is now beginning to effect her life now and the mystery of her uncles death all those years ago in Russia. And now, an escaped convict has Sophie set in his sights putting her in perilous danger.
If like me you don’t normally read legal thrillers don’t let that stop you from picking up this book as there is so much more than just a courtroom drama. It has multiple storylines that all have you hooked from the very first to the very last page.
Hopefully this is just the start of something great for Alex Churchill and her powerful protagonist Sophie Angel.
https://inkedbookreviews.co.uk
Going between flashbacks to her childhood in Russia to the courts of London this is a story with hidden depth and multiple storylines that all interweave to make a compulsive, addictive read.
The main storyline is Sophies new case, defending a young man of a rape allegation and that alone makes for a gripping storyline, but as well as that it follows her personal life. The marital problems, the issues from her past, how her Russian heritage is now beginning to effect her life now and the mystery of her uncles death all those years ago in Russia. And now, an escaped convict has Sophie set in his sights putting her in perilous danger.
If like me you don’t normally read legal thrillers don’t let that stop you from picking up this book as there is so much more than just a courtroom drama. It has multiple storylines that all have you hooked from the very first to the very last page.
Hopefully this is just the start of something great for Alex Churchill and her powerful protagonist Sophie Angel.
https://inkedbookreviews.co.uk
August 5, 2020
This book did take me a few chapters to get fully into and realise what was happening but after that it kept me constantly on my toes. The writing was so good that it made me think something was going to happen with every turn of the page.
Sophie is portrayed cleverly and you can tell that Alex has done her research and knows the judicial system really well. You feel like you are in the courtrooms with Sophie and almost fighting the cases with her.
The book goes quite deep at times and really does strike to the core or some harrowing issues, mainly looking at the impact social media can have on rape cases and similar. Do we really live in a society where we’re innocent until proven guilty?
I really didn’t see the ending coming, I could predict little snippets of it but was still surprised by it.
The character of Theo really didn’t bode well for me, from the start there was something that didn’t quite sit right. He seemed to be the kind of person I’d take a disliking to but without having done anything to annoy me. The complete opposite of Sophie who you warm to and care for instantly.
I would definitely recommend this book. It isn’t a mind blowing, bang bang bang thriller but it’s deeper roots have a lasting effect. It’s so cleverly and knowledgeably written that you finish the book feeling like you’ve learned something new.
Sophie is portrayed cleverly and you can tell that Alex has done her research and knows the judicial system really well. You feel like you are in the courtrooms with Sophie and almost fighting the cases with her.
The book goes quite deep at times and really does strike to the core or some harrowing issues, mainly looking at the impact social media can have on rape cases and similar. Do we really live in a society where we’re innocent until proven guilty?
I really didn’t see the ending coming, I could predict little snippets of it but was still surprised by it.
The character of Theo really didn’t bode well for me, from the start there was something that didn’t quite sit right. He seemed to be the kind of person I’d take a disliking to but without having done anything to annoy me. The complete opposite of Sophie who you warm to and care for instantly.
I would definitely recommend this book. It isn’t a mind blowing, bang bang bang thriller but it’s deeper roots have a lasting effect. It’s so cleverly and knowledgeably written that you finish the book feeling like you’ve learned something new.
July 25, 2020
‘The Night Lawyer’ is the excellent debut novel by the writer and criminal barrister, Alex Churchill.
I was immediately captivated by this book and loved the main character, Sophie Angel, who is the night lawyer. Sophie has three main aspects to her life; by day she is a practising criminal barrister, trying to do right by her clients and make a living within the forever dwindling public funding system; on a Friday night she is the Night Lawyer, working as the libel lawyer for a newspaper. She is the person who tries to prevent the publication being sued for publishing anything defamatory. The third aspect is that she is half Russian, her father is Russian and she was born in Moscow and lived there for the first six years of her life. She has deep unresolved issues connected with the time she spent there but she is not sure why.
The story is brilliant and multifaceted, bringing the three aspects of Sophie’s life together. It is so much more than a legal drama.
How can Sophie resolve all these issues and get peace in these areas of her life? Will something have to give for her to be able to continue with her work or personal life?
A brilliant debut novel. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was immediately captivated by this book and loved the main character, Sophie Angel, who is the night lawyer. Sophie has three main aspects to her life; by day she is a practising criminal barrister, trying to do right by her clients and make a living within the forever dwindling public funding system; on a Friday night she is the Night Lawyer, working as the libel lawyer for a newspaper. She is the person who tries to prevent the publication being sued for publishing anything defamatory. The third aspect is that she is half Russian, her father is Russian and she was born in Moscow and lived there for the first six years of her life. She has deep unresolved issues connected with the time she spent there but she is not sure why.
The story is brilliant and multifaceted, bringing the three aspects of Sophie’s life together. It is so much more than a legal drama.
How can Sophie resolve all these issues and get peace in these areas of her life? Will something have to give for her to be able to continue with her work or personal life?
A brilliant debut novel. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2020
A little known tidbit of information about me is that I was accepted to law school and then at the last minute took a different path. So you could say that from an early age, I've always been interested in legal-related books and shows. That's probably one of the reason The Night Lawyer was such a hit for me. Well, that along with some other things.
First of all Sophie Angel is a wonderful character. She was born in Soviet Moscow and the author does a great job of weaving courtroom drama with pieces from Sophie's childhood which clue the reader in to some past secrets. Also, although Sophie has the perfect marriage to anyone looking in from the outside. That too is riddled is problems which keep developing further as the book proceeds.
And secondly we have the legal case itself. It centers around rape allegations and not only does the reader get a glimpse of the inside of British trial law, they also get a ringside seat to how the media can make almost any accused look like a victim and skew what the public really sees.
I've been seeing this book receive quite the buzz and I do believe it's well deserved. If you love legal thrillers, a strong female protagonist and a intense plot, then you should definitely rush out and grab The Night Lawyer.
First of all Sophie Angel is a wonderful character. She was born in Soviet Moscow and the author does a great job of weaving courtroom drama with pieces from Sophie's childhood which clue the reader in to some past secrets. Also, although Sophie has the perfect marriage to anyone looking in from the outside. That too is riddled is problems which keep developing further as the book proceeds.
And secondly we have the legal case itself. It centers around rape allegations and not only does the reader get a glimpse of the inside of British trial law, they also get a ringside seat to how the media can make almost any accused look like a victim and skew what the public really sees.
I've been seeing this book receive quite the buzz and I do believe it's well deserved. If you love legal thrillers, a strong female protagonist and a intense plot, then you should definitely rush out and grab The Night Lawyer.
May 27, 2020
Meet Sophie Angel - Criminal Barrister by day and Night Lawyer for a newspaper by night.
I absolutely loved this book. A Courtroom thriller with much focus on the UK criminal justice system. I loved how the book delved into the budget cuts that effect the justice system today and the knock-on effects and the way much of the story is played out in the courtrooms of London.
We follow Sophie Angel as she takes on a high profile rape case, the strains her personal life and marriage to a popular top QC are under, especially admist the rumours of her husband's affair, along with a dark secret from her childhood in Russia.
Brilliantly written. The insights into the courtroom scenes of the rape trial are interesting. I've always had a fascination for courtroom dramas and would love to undertake Jury Service!
There are many twists and turns throughout, with a gripping sub-plot towards the end.
Crime, drama, suspense, fascinating, informative. It's all there. A great page turner. Definitely one to add to your must reads for 2020.
I absolutely loved this book. A Courtroom thriller with much focus on the UK criminal justice system. I loved how the book delved into the budget cuts that effect the justice system today and the knock-on effects and the way much of the story is played out in the courtrooms of London.
We follow Sophie Angel as she takes on a high profile rape case, the strains her personal life and marriage to a popular top QC are under, especially admist the rumours of her husband's affair, along with a dark secret from her childhood in Russia.
Brilliantly written. The insights into the courtroom scenes of the rape trial are interesting. I've always had a fascination for courtroom dramas and would love to undertake Jury Service!
There are many twists and turns throughout, with a gripping sub-plot towards the end.
Crime, drama, suspense, fascinating, informative. It's all there. A great page turner. Definitely one to add to your must reads for 2020.
August 7, 2020
Gripping, suspense-filled & unputdownable debut!
I was hooked from the prologue, I had to know what happened! Which of course meant I didn't put it down until I'd turned the very last page.
Sophie is a brilliant main character, a complex, and intriguing. Her latest case is thrown into the spotlight as she pieces together the evidence we alongside her are trying to work who is telling the truth - Who is innocent? Who is guilty? It shows the devastating impact trial by media can have in this day age and difficulty of having a truly fair trial when social media influence is so far-reaching, what happened to innocence until proven guilty?
It packs a punch commentating on present-day problems within the justice system in England, thought-provoking - certain to illicit an opinion and discussion it would make an interesting book club read.
A fabulous debut, you won't want to miss. I for one hope there is a book two for Sophie in the making!
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Red Door Press for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I was hooked from the prologue, I had to know what happened! Which of course meant I didn't put it down until I'd turned the very last page.
Sophie is a brilliant main character, a complex, and intriguing. Her latest case is thrown into the spotlight as she pieces together the evidence we alongside her are trying to work who is telling the truth - Who is innocent? Who is guilty? It shows the devastating impact trial by media can have in this day age and difficulty of having a truly fair trial when social media influence is so far-reaching, what happened to innocence until proven guilty?
It packs a punch commentating on present-day problems within the justice system in England, thought-provoking - certain to illicit an opinion and discussion it would make an interesting book club read.
A fabulous debut, you won't want to miss. I for one hope there is a book two for Sophie in the making!
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Red Door Press for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
August 7, 2020
A multilayered, quietly suspenseful book.
I truly loved the world of the British legal system that this book was set in, as this was something completely new and unknown to me. Alex Churchill takes you through more than one crime while you also dig into family secrets, possible Russian conspiracies and a murky marriage - all surrounding the young barrister, Sophie Angel. There was so much that laid under the surface in this read - leaving you wondering if something had a deeper, darker meaning before you were suddenly thrust into another shady situation. However, the storyline was clear and flowed nicely so that you never felt confused or overwhelmed.
*I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because my personal excitement and interest usually falls in more high suspense novels with a twist.
I truly loved the world of the British legal system that this book was set in, as this was something completely new and unknown to me. Alex Churchill takes you through more than one crime while you also dig into family secrets, possible Russian conspiracies and a murky marriage - all surrounding the young barrister, Sophie Angel. There was so much that laid under the surface in this read - leaving you wondering if something had a deeper, darker meaning before you were suddenly thrust into another shady situation. However, the storyline was clear and flowed nicely so that you never felt confused or overwhelmed.
*I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because my personal excitement and interest usually falls in more high suspense novels with a twist.
August 6, 2020
Sophie Angel is a barrister by day and once a week, a night lawyer for a newspaper advising them on what they can't print. She is married to QC and charismatic Theo who has a penchant for spending money and is rumoured to be having an affair. Sophie has a Russian father and English mother and they fled from Russia when Sophie was a young girl. Nightmares from this time still haunt Sophie. She is also being stalked by a deluded rapist who she put in jail. In the midst of all these complicating factors are the politics of her chambers and a new case defending a young girl who has been raped. Will she be believed?
This immersing court room drama is a debut novel and very well structured as many layers and storylines are interwoven seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This immersing court room drama is a debut novel and very well structured as many layers and storylines are interwoven seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author.
August 2, 2020
In this book we are following a criminal lawyer and her different cases, the central one being a rape case. There’s also the mystery surrounding the death of the protagonists uncle in russia thirty years earlier, a stalker and some family drama. It gives interesting insights into the work of a barrister in the UK and I quite enjoyed the courtroom scenes. Unfortunately though I did not like this story nearly as much as I was hoping to. Overall I found it too lengthy with parts where nothing really happened and had trouble staying invested in the characters life, also some of the strands of the plot felt implausible to me. However there were important questions raised about the criminal justice system in various countries that are worth thinking about.
September 19, 2020
Not Just my cup of tea.
Sophie Angel is the night lawyer. Once a week, she's the one who decides what the papers can and can't say.
During the day, she's a barrister. She struggles for justice in a system that's close to collapse, where she confronts the most dangerous aspects of humanity. Her life changes when a wealthy Russian offers her the biggest case of her career, a rape trial with a seemingly innocent client. But is someone manipulating Sophie from the shadows or is the danger much closer to home?
Sophie Angel is the night lawyer. Once a week, she's the one who decides what the papers can and can't say.
During the day, she's a barrister. She struggles for justice in a system that's close to collapse, where she confronts the most dangerous aspects of humanity. Her life changes when a wealthy Russian offers her the biggest case of her career, a rape trial with a seemingly innocent client. But is someone manipulating Sophie from the shadows or is the danger much closer to home?
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