Series: Elliot Rook #1
Published by Bloomsbury Raven on June 13 2019
Pages: 340
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Elliot Rook QC is one of the greatest barristers of his generation. He is also a complete fraud.
Elliot Rook is the epitome of a highly successful, old Etonian QC. Or so everyone believes. In fact, he is an ex-petty criminal with a past that he has spent decades keeping secret. Until now.
An unidentified young woman of Middle Eastern origin has been found murdered on the outskirts of Rook's home town. Billy Barber - a violent football hooligan and white-supremacist - is accused of her murder. Barber insists that Rook must defend him. If Rook refuses, Barber will expose him, bringing crashing to the ground the life and career that Rook has spent his life building.
The truth is there for the finding. But at what cost?
The start of a thrilling new legal series, perfect for fans of Robert Galbraith and The Secret Barrister, written by an acclaimed QC
✮ My Review ✮
Boy was I am in for a treat with this book! I adore courtroom books, I love the setting and it would have been the second choice of job for me if I had not been caught up in the glitz and glamour of Finance! I love John Grisham books, so I was excited to see if Bell QC lived up to this same expectation I had.
Well, he did! Knowing that some of these events in Beyond Reasonable Doubt is based on Bell and his life experiences and the fact he is also a QC gives this book an added punch. Not only do we see a case broken down into parts, but it is also a thriller of a book as we see Elliot Rook and his Rookie Zara Barnes work the case and defend Billy Barber, a violent and racist man. The problem that Rook faces, well Billy is a character from his past, and he needs his past to stay hidden. Intense right! I mean having to defend these godawful people despite your own views takes some inner strength and it is worse when you do not have a choice in it.
I was enthralled by this book, I was following Rook and Rookie closely seeing if I could pick up anything they may have missed. Rook is trying to keep the wolves from his door at all angles and juggling too many balls just does not get him anywhere. Well, apart from a few kickings, blackmail, split lips you know the usual! I found him endearing despite all the MANY mistakes he has made and I found that Rookie aka Barnes was a refreshment he needed in life. She was the spark that reignited his passion to do what is right.
The writing by Bell was easy reading and lures you in, hook line and sinker. It left me wondering which elements of Beyond Reasonable Doubt actually happened to him and which parts are fiction. I love that he gave Rook most of his background, to me, completely fleshes him out and makes this story all the more real and much more gritty. Weaving in his personal experience and knowledge so seamlessly takes skill which Bell definitely possesses. I was really excited by the insight into the Old Bailey, the traditions and the mechanics of it all, I found it all completely fascinating.
The fact this is a new series and told from a legal viewpoint has me hooked and impatiently waiting for the next book! It is realistic, spell bounding and you are in for a treat when you read it.
Until next time xxx
Thanks to Emma at Damppebbles for the tour invite and the author for a copy of the book in return for my honest and unbiased review
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Davida Chazan says
My husband love courtroom books. I’ll tell him about this one!
Zoé says
Hope he enjoys it. There are a lot of bits not in the court room too
Shalini says
Woohoo I love courtroom dramas, sounds really good. Fantastic review
Zoé says
Aw thanks lovey x
damppebbles says
Thanks so much, Zoe! Brilliant review x
Zoé says
Thanks Emma ☺️ so kind of you to say ❤️ xx