Terry Flynt is a struggling legal clerk desperately trying to get promoted when he is given the biggest opportunity of his career: to help defend a millionaire accused of murdering a woman in his hotel suite.
The only problem is that the accused man, Vernon James, is not only someone he knows but someone he loathes. This case could potentially make Terry's career, but how can he defend a former friend who betrayed him?
With the trial date looming, Terry delves deeper into Vernon's life and is forced to confront secrets from their shared past that could have devastating consequences for them both. For years he has wanted to witness Vernon's downfall, but with so much at stake, how can Terry be sure he is guilty? And what choices must he make to ensure that justice is done?
About the Author :
Nick Stone's first novel, Mr. Clarinet, was a critical and commercial success, winning several international awards, including the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller of the year, the International Thriller Writers Award for best first novel, and the Macavity Award for best first novel. The French translation, Tonton Clarinette, won the public-voted SNCF Prix du Polar in 2009. Nick lives in Cambridge.
David Thorpe has appeared in numerous stage plays, in repertory, and on tour. Twice a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company, he has been heard in many radio plays and readings. An award-winning audiobook narrator, he has voiced several fantasy and science fiction books, including a number of the original Doctor Who books and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.
Review :
"[A] propulsive legal thriller...the Machiavellian plotting, Old Bailey fireworks, and almost Dickensian richness of character and setting make this a standout."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"A fast-moving British legal thriller filled with tension and surprises...The suspense never lets up in this terrific courtroom drama. Fans of John Grisham will love it. It's definitely movie material."
-- "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"
"A terrific legal thriller in which long-buried secrets acquire the force of deadly weapons...the writing is vivid and energetic, and Stone has John Grisham's flair in the court scenes."
-- "Guardian (London)"
"David Thorpe dazzles with his performance...Thorpe portrays Flynt with working-class diction full of glottal stops. But the rest of the characters run the gamut from upper-crust Brits to African immigrants, and Thorpe can do it all. The plot is intricate but tight, and the pace is so pell-mell that if things get baroque in spots, you won't care. This production is jet-propelled and marvelously entertaining. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile"
"It's a relief to have English courtroom scenes described by an author who knows better than to scatter the dialogue with cries of 'objection' and the sound of a gavel, and a pleasure to read someone who so understands legal practice. A very enjoyable legal thriller."
-- "Literary Review (New Jersey)"
"Nick Stone has been described as the London John Grisham. This is terrific stuff. An unrelenting narrative grip right up to its courtroom climax. The Verdict is a rattling good read."
-- "Daily Express (London), A Best Books of the Year Pick"
"Now and then there's a book worth really shouting about. So listen up, this is the best legal thriller in years."
-- "Peterborough Evening Telegraph"
"Readers who enjoy having curveballs pitched at them are sure to appreciate Nick Stone's hyperactive throwing arm...Mr. Stone does...have a gift for keeping readers locked tightly into his stories."
-- "New York Times "
"Stone intertwines the personal and procedural, the past and the present, with a facility that has English critics invoking the holy name of Grisham. It begins when foundering legal clerk Terry Flynt finally lands a big case, only to find himself defending against murder charges a millionaire and ex-friend who betrayed him years ago."
-- "Vulture"
"This fast-paced legal thriller...is destined to grab the attention of American readers for its complexity of plot, its depth of character development, and for the nitty-gritty portrayal of -London's seamier side."
-- "Library Journal (starred review)"
