“The courtroom is a battlefield, and the truth is your weapon.”
The best legal thriller books are some of the most unique in the thriller genre. Unlike other subgenres, tension and suspense is reserved strictly for the courtroom, where the ins and outs of the legal system and its key players are put on show for readers to follow. These courtroom dramas delve into the proceedings, the shocking twists and turns and the consequences of the verdict, but are as much about the attorneys, judges, witnesses and investigators that take part. Fans of legal thrillers are some of the most dedicated and loyal in the reading world, so we here at What We Reading thought we would pay homage to this gripping subgenre by running through our favourite picks!
A Time To Kill (Jake Brigance #1) – John Grisham
No list of the best legal thriller books would be complete without including John Grisham. The veteran crime thriller writer is one of the most acclaimed in the legal space, and he kicks off his Jake Brigance series with arguably his best work, A Time to Kill. Two monstrous individuals shatter the life of a ten-year-old girl. The mostly white town naturally reacts with shock and appal. At least, until her black father picks up an assault rifle and sources his own retribution.
Over the next ten days, burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire sweep through the streets of Clanton. The entire nation watches on as young defence attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client’s life, as well as his own. A searing drama about revenge and uncertain justice, Grisham probes the savage depths of racial violence in the underbelly of a small Mississippi town.
Defending Jacob – William Landay
Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for over two decades. He is firmly respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and his son, Jacob. But, when a harrowing crime rips through his New England town, Andy is completely unprepared for what happens next: his fourteen-year-old boy being charged with the murder of another student.
Nominated for Best Mystery & Thriller in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Defending Jacob is a 2012 legal thriller book by William Landay. A suspenseful, character-driven mystery, it explores guilt and betrayal, as well as how terrifyingly quickly any of our lives can unravel.
You Don’t Know Me – Imran Mahmood
An unnamed defendant stands accused of murder. Just before the closing speeches in his case, the young man suddenly sacks his lawyer, deciding to give his own speech to the jury. He tells us that his barrister instructed him to leave some things out. Sometimes, the truth can be too difficult to explain or believe. But, he reasons that, if he is about to go down for life, he may as well go down telling the truth.
Eight pieces of evidence have been brought against him. He begins to talk through each of them one by one. We, the readers, – members of the jury – must keep an open mind until we reach the end of his story. His defence certainly raises plenty of questions. Nevertheless, the only question that matters at the end is: ‘Did he do it?’
Thirteen (Eddie Flynn #4) – Steve Cavanagh
Another one of the best legal thriller books that revolves around the jury, Thirteen is a 2018 story by Steve Cavanagh. Hollywood icon Robert Solomon is charged with the brutal murder of his wife in what soon becomes the celebrity murder trial of the century. Con artist turned lawyer Eddie Flynn is serving as the defence.
But, as the trial gets underway, a string of sinister events begins to make Eddie question whether they have the right man on trial. What if the killer isn’t standing in front of the judge? What if he is on the jury? Featuring an ingenious climax and an innovative hook, Steve Cavangh’s Thirteen is the perfect follow-up read for any fans of John Grisham and Lee Child.
Check Out Our Guides To Crime Subgenres
The Legal Limit – Martin Clark
Gates Hunt chose to fight his abusive father head-on. His younger brother, Mason, escaped their impoverished upbringing by securing a free ride to college and law school. Gates became a serial felon, whilst Mason met the love of his life, had a spirited daughter and returned to his community as the commonwealth’s attorney. But any sense of satisfaction Mason may have felt is quickly upended.
Convinced that his brother’s legal influence should spring him out of prison, Gates attempts to force Mason to help him by threatening to reveal a secret they had both sworn they would take to the grave with them. And with his closest friend also suddenly threatened by a series of secrets of his own, Mason finds himself teetering on the edge of ruin and defending everything and everyone, he holds dear in Martin Clark’s superb legal thriller, The Legal Limit.
Odell’s Fall – Norman Bacal
Where do you go once you’ve climbed the ladder from humble obscurity to the summit of success? When you’ve managed to snag the woman of your dreams. When the moral compass that has driven your life needs to be broken to have her, eloping to avoid the stigma of an interracial marriage among Alabama’s elite class.
If you’re Odell Moore, one of the most successful lawyers in New York, the entire world is primed for your inevitable fall from grace. And two determined detectives are sure to be waiting to greet him in hell. One of the best legal thrillers from the past decade, Norman Bacal’s debut novel, Odell’s Fall, is a story of love, jealousy, deceit and murder in a penthouse suite. But, if even Odell can’t be sure he didn’t do it, how can justice be truthfully delivered?
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A Game Of Proof (The Trials Of Sarah Newby #1) – Tim Vicary
Sarah Newby left school at fifteen. After years as a single parent on an inner-city estate, she has clawed her way to beginning a career as a criminal barrister. But then a terrible irony strikes. Her own son, Simon, is arrested and charged with a series of brutal assaults and murders. Simon swears he is innocent, but the evidence appears so compelling that his QC has already advised for a guilty plea. After he pleads with her, Sarah agrees to be her son’s defence representative.
The only problem? The only other obvious suspect in the case is a man who has already been acquitted once. A man who had Sarah acting as his lawyer. Has her single-minded determination for a career caused her to lose sight of who her son truly is? And what should she do when she uncovers evidence that appears to put his guilt beyond question? One of the best legal thriller book series, Tim Vicary introduces readers to Sarah Newby in A Game of Proof.
Check Out Our Full Guide To Legal Thrillers
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).
