“Justice is blind, but it’s not deaf and dumb.”
Thriller books are some of the most effective at keeping a reader captivated and turning the page from the first chapter to the last. And one of the most popular subgenres in the thriller world are legal thrillers. From the tension of a witness examination to the suspense of a verdict being returned, these stories blend the high-stakes adrenaline of traditional thrillers with the procedures and legal systems of a true crime documentary. If you’re looking to learn more about what a legal thriller is and pick up some tips on writing effective ones, join us today at What We Reading for our complete guide!
What Is A Legal Thriller?
First off, what do we mean when we ask: ‘What is a legal thriller’?
Legal thrillers are a subgenre of thrillers and crime dramas. The story centres around the tension and suspense of a courtroom, the legal system and the personal lives of the individuals involved.
While they are about the legal system, these books are also about the complexities of working within said legal system, attempting to conduct a real life outside of it, and the clashes that can occur when the two collide. In legal thrillers, the protagonist is usually a lawyer and many of the best legal thrillers revolve around a defence attorney representing an innocent client, usually to the detriment of their own safety, and personal and professional relationships.
3 Examples Of Legal Thriller Books
Some of the most famous examples of legal thriller books include:
To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Arguably the most famous legal thriller story, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the racially-charged American South. Atticus defends a black man accused of assaulting a white woman. Its themes of racism, justice and morality shine through, and the audience is able to see the inner workings and injustices of a broken system.
Anatomy Of A Murder – Robert Traver
Attorney Paul Biegler defends Lieutenant Frederick Manion, who is charged with murdering a man who allegedly assaulted his wife. Based on a true story, the case soon becomes a complex legal battle involving temporarily insane defences, witness credibility and intense courtroom strategies.
The Firm – John Grisham
Mitch McDeere, a Harvard Law School graduate, accepts a job at Bendini, Lambert & Locke, a small but wealthy law firm. As Mitch settles into his new role, he discovers that the firm is involved with money laundering for the mob. Mitch faces moral and legal dilemmas as he navigates threats from both the firm and the FBI.
How To Start Writing A Legal Thriller
Now that you know what a legal thriller is, you’re all set to start writing the next great courtroom drama! Whilst most of the steps involved with getting going are similar to other genres, there are a handful of pointers unique to this subgenre:
1. Set Up The Premise
The term ‘legal’ is a broad one, and doesn’t always have to involve a courtroom. Before you start writing a legal thriller, think about what part of the legal system you want to focus on. Remember that fans of legal thrillers are typically serial veterans of the genre, so you’ll want to make sure you have a fresh angle.
One tip we recommend is to mix up the occupation of your protagonist. Instead of an attorney, they could be a court reporter, mediator, coroner or even a judge.
2. Do Your Research
Many of the best legal thriller books have been written by authors with extensive knowledge of the system. For example, John Grisham was practising law for years before he published some of the most popular legal thrillers in the world.
Legal thrillers need to be convincing to win audiences over. If your story isn’t realistic or believable, it won’t have the suspension and tension necessary to keep a reader interested.
Take the time to get clued up on the specific parts of the legal practices you’re going to be writing about to ensure you know how the system actually works, rather than how you might think it does.
3. Understand Expectations
As we mentioned above, people who like legal thriller books, really like legal thriller books. Most of them have been reading these stories for years. As such, they have very specific ideas and expectations on what should be involved in a story.
The best way of acquainting yourself with these expectations is to read a lot before and as you write. What arcs and development spring up the most? What tropes and archetypes are used most commonly?
4. Think Of An Interesting Conflict
The central conflict in a legal thriller is what sets the overall theme and drives the story forward. It’s what publishers look at when they’re looking through your book proposal and the thing that jumps out as a reader goes through your blurb.
The conflict should be immediately recognisable to the audience, and how it relates to the personal life of a protagonist. Remember, legal thrillers aren’t just about the job. It all has to weave into the lives of the characters so that a convincing arc can be built.
5. Crafting A Capable Main Character
On your protagonist, make sure yours is capable, talented, skilled and enigmatic. Protagonists in legal thrillers typically have a bit more know-how and skill than those in other genres, which is why the issues they encounter in the story feel all the more high-stakes.
Make sure you develop a character who is good at their job and has enough room in their personality and wider life to make use of.
6. Plot The Story
Legal thrillers have a rough shape that you can use to help outline your own plot. A legal thriller novel might look a bit like this:
- Introduction: Setting the context, introducing characters and showing what their life looks like.
- Inciting incident: This is usually the moment the protagonist takes the case or becomes embroiled in a legal conflict.
- First slap: This term describes the first fail. The protagonist is set back and a bigger conflict emerges.
- Second slap: A second bigger failure is established, and the protagonist begins to lose hope.
- Climax: The conflict and character growth come together to solve the problem. The protagonist might find an inner strength or acknowledge/address a previous flaw they hadn’t seen before.
- Resolution: All other conflicts are tied up, and arcs come full circle. If this is a series, establish a ‘hook’ in the form of the next conflict to keep the audience interested in the next book.
Plotting can take time. The trickiest part is selling the climax and having both the character and plot come together at a time that feels natural and fulfilling for the audience. As with any genre, practice and perseverance are both the name of the game, but consider having your drafts read by others and invite their feedback to get a good sense of how your story comes across.
Check Out Our Tips For Plotting Short Stories
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
