The
inspiration behind the book was twofold. First and foremost, I wanted to write something
that would entertain and provide escapism for readers. And perhaps even more
importantly, having practiced law for over twenty years, I wanted to relive my
own experiences of the Bar and give readers a real insight into the somewhat
closed-off and mysterious world of Chambers – to highlight the murkier aspects
of the British legal system, and to explore a question I have never been able
to answer fully: ‘What is justice?’.
As
the book opens, we become witness to the poisoning of hero policeman, Grant
Cliveden, and his shocking death inside the Old Bailey. We then meet Adam
Green, a trainee barrister who works on the defence case. All the evidence
points to Jimmy Knight, who has been convicted of multiple offences before. But
as Adam digs deeper, he realises the case is not as clear-cut as had first been
assumed.
The
book is, at its heart, a page-turning whodunnit aimed at keeping readers on
their toes. And as the narrative unfolds, we are also exposed to the inner
workings of the British justice system too. This is done through the eyes of
Adam Green, a slightly socially awkward young man from a working-class
background. Sitting outside of the usual barrister stereotype, Green must learn
to fit in with the glamour of chambers and deal with colleagues whose
priorities are not always focussed (to his surprise!) on upholding the highest
standards of the law. His pupil master, Jonathan Taylor-Cameron, for example, is
often more concerned with pursuing his multiple mistresses than acquitting his
clients.
Adam
is an echo of my younger self, insofar as he is from a non-traditional legal
background and must work tirelessly to prove himself as a worthy member of this
new world. He is also discernibly Jewish, and the book is punctuated with
telephone calls to his mum who is constantly trying to invade his house and
work out why he has not yet married a nice Jewish girl. Through these
interactions, we learn about the small cases Adam takes on (including his
representation of an 82-year-old sex worker named Gloria), as well as the
high-profile trials that come to define his career.
The
world I have created is inspired by what I experienced at the Bar – and is
intended to be a mirror of what it was like when I first arrived on the law
scene, though it has become slightly more serious and professional since I
joined.
Revisiting
old tales from my time as a junior barrister made writing The Trial a total
delight and took me on a wonderful trip down memory lane. I hope I have been
able to create an authentic account of what living, and working, within this
world looks like.
The
Trial was also inspired by one of my favourite writers, John Mortimer, whose brilliant
Rumpole series has a special place in my heart. Not only do these books
approach the legal system with a sense of warmth and wit, but they are the very
thing that encouraged me to train as a lawyer all those years ago. When I began
writing The Trial, I knew I wanted to embody Rumpole’s rich tapestry of humour but
make it relevant and exciting to a contemporary audience. And, who knows,
perhaps it will inspire a budding young student to embark on their own legal
career too!
As
someone who loves to read, I have been delighted with early reactions to The
Trial. What I love the most is that readers feel as though they have been
invited into an otherwise alien world that is slightly outside the reach of
most people’s understanding. But beyond shining a light on the inner workings
of the legal system, readers have responded to themes surrounding class, the
“importance” of fitting in and, at the very core of it, the idea of what
justice itself really means.
One
murder, one impossible case, who is guilty? When hero policeman Grant Cliveden
dies from a poisoning in the Old Bailey, it threatens to shake the country to
its core. The evidence points to one man. Jimmy Knight has been convicted of
multiple offences before and defending him will be no easy task. Not least
because this is trainee barrister Adam Green's first case. But it will quickly
become clear that Jimmy Knight is not the only person in Cliveden's past with
an axe to grind. The only thing that's certain is that this is a trial which
will push Adam - and the justice system itself - to the limit . . .
Hear
Rob in conversation about The Trial at one of his events: https://linktr.ee/thetrial
You can also find him on Twitter @RobbieRinder and on Instagram @robrinder
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