Until Proven Innocent

Until Proven Innocent

The Must-Read, Gripping Legal Thriller

Summary

'Spectacular! British crime fiction has a dazzling new voice in Nicola Williams' Tony Parsons

The gripping new courtroom thriller following barrister Lee Mitchell in her most controversial case yet


Lee Mitchell is a young barrister from a working-class Caribbean background: in the cut-throat environment of the courtroom, everything is stacked against her.

On her doorstep in South London the 15-year-old son of the pastor at the local Black church is shot, and the local community is shattered. All evidence is pointing to infamously corrupt, racist police officer Sergeant Jack Lambert as the irredeemable suspect. His own boss - rebel-turned-copper Danny Wallace - is certain he is guilty.

Against her will, Lee is strong-armed into defending him. With cries of 'Black Lives Matter!' echoing in the streets, Lee is at the centre of the turmoil as lies, anger, and mistrust spiral out of control.

With the line between her personal and professional life becoming increasingly blurred, Lee keeps asking herself the same question: How can she defend the indefensible?

Reviews

  • Penning a blend of legal and psychological thriller would be enough for most authors, but Williams, a barrister, deftly adds a layer of social realism. Her book teems with memorable characters from the law and the black community
    Sunday Times

About the author

Nicola Williams

Nicola Williams started her career as a barrister in private practice, specialising in Criminal Law. She was a member of the first Independent Advisory Group to the Metropolitan Police Service (following recommendations arising from the Stephen Lawrence Report [1999]). She has been a part-time Crown Court Judge since 2010. She is an active volunteer for the Speakers for Schools programme, a charity which encourages young people from disadvantaged and under-represented communities to achieve their full career potential.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more