S. F. Prescott

L.J. Shepherd lives in Cardiff with her rescue cat, Coral. She studied English Literature at Christ Church, Oxford. After graduating, she decided to pursue a career in law. Laura began practicing as a barrister in 2017. Since then, she has prosecuted and defended in many jury trials in the Crown Court.

Published August 27th, 2024

I look up to find twelve strangers staring back at me… and I realize I’m the one they’re waiting for. – Lila Dalton

This was a fun debut! I was hooked immediately, even though I’m not usually a fan of courtroom thrillers. The premise: A lawyer loses her memory while defending a mass murderer – count me in! The first quarter of the book was fast paced and suspenseful, but the court room scenes slowed the action. Those scenes, although slow, felt the most authentic. I liked the twists, but there were so many it was difficult to keep up and the details got confusing. I would have enjoyed learning more about Lila’s character, because by the end everything was turned on its head and I had no real sense of who she was.

For readers who enjoy suspense, mystery, and courtroom dramas.

Synopsis:

Lila Dalton has no memory of how she came to be in this courtroom; no memory of how she got to the courthouse at all, or why she’s facing a jury who seems to be waiting for her. The man on trial is accused of mass murder, and she’s his lawyer, but she can’t remember any details of the case. She can’t remember anything… Stranded on an island in the Atlantic Ocean where the most serious crimes are tried, Lila has to prove her client’s innocence if she wants to go home. But how can she solve this case when she’s not sure she can trust anything around her, including her own memory?