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Summary Justice

'An all-action court drama' Sunday Times

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Summary Justice

By: John Fairfax
Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
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The last time Tess de Vere saw William Benson she was a law student on work experience. He was a twenty-one year old, led from the dock of the Old Bailey to begin a life sentence for murder. He'd said he was innocent. She'd believed him.

Sixteen years later Tess overhears a couple of hacks mocking a newcomer to the London Bar, a no-hoper with a murder conviction, running his own show from an old fishmonger's in Spitalfields. That night she walks back into Benson's life. The price of his rehabilitation - and access to the Bar - is an admission of guilt to the killing of Paul Harbeton, whose family have vowed revenge. He's an outcast. The government wants to shut him down and no solicitor will instruct him. But he's subsidised by a mystery benefactor and a desperate woman has turned to him for help: Sarah Collingstone, mother of a child with special needs, accused of slaying her wealthy lover. It's a hopeless case and the murder trial, Benson's first, starts in four days. The evidence is overwhelming but like Benson long ago, she swears she's innocent. Tess joins the defence team, determined to help Benson survive. But as Benson follows the twists and turns in the courtroom, Tess embarks upon a secret investigation of her own, determined to uncover the truth behind the death of Paul Harbeton on a lonely night in Soho.

True to life, fast-paced and absolutely compelling, Summary Justice introduces a new series of courtroom dramas featuring two maverick lawyers driven to fight injustice at any cost.©2017 John Fairfax Crime Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Mystery Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Murder Thought-Provoking
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Critic reviews

Intriguing . . . packed with accurate legal detail, the story never loses its grip - it is no surprise it's been optioned for TV (Geoffrey Wansall)
An all-action court drama
An elegant, intricate legal thriller with nerve-shredding courtroom action
Benson is a compelling character.The court scenes are irresistible, with as many twists and turns as you could want
I followed his trials, tribulations and eventual triumph with great enjoyment. This unusual courtroom drama is quick-witted and vividly imagined
[Summary Justice] works superbly as a classic courtroom drama, in which nothing is as it seems - even though it really does seem it. Yet what makes the book particularly impressive is that there's far more to it than just brilliant plotting. It also has genuine heart, plenty of interesting things to say about the law and a highly appealing troubled hero. With "a major television drama series" already in the offing, I suspect we'll hear a lot more of William Benson in
the years to come
All stars
Most relevant
Excellent book, well narrated with intriguing characters and plot. Book 2 downloaded and ready to start.

Brilliant!

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What a great story and what a wonderful narrator. I have already reviewed Forced Confessions and that too was brilliant but read this one first if you can as it introduces the series. A story of courage and redemption, of good versus evil, of prejudice and discrimination and of the struggles we all have with banishing the devils in our past so that we can make amends in our future. The courtroom has rarely been more engaging or relevant and am so glad I found this new author and his fabulous advocate. Read and enjoy!

Loved it

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An interesting and compelling cast of characters. None overdone or caricatured. Unfolds into the solution subtly and cleverly.

Excellent story. Very well narrated

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classic thriller, with a secondary storyline linking the trilogy too. great characters and fantastic work as always by narrator Daniel Weyman

great

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Wow! I love the storyline, the characters, the writing and the narrator. I can’t wait to listen to book 2.

Utterly Fabulous

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