'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?

About the Author
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.

Reviews
Until Proven Innocent is a legal thriller with heart and soul -- Erin Kelly
A brilliant and tense drama about legal justice that propels us well beyond the courtroom and right into the heart of a troubled community and its people -- Dreda Say Mitchell * Guardian *
An authentic thought-provoking new voice in crime fiction -- Kate Ellis
A great twisty, gritty investigation with wonderful characters culminating in an explosive courtroom drama! -- Ajay Chowdhury
Compelling, smart, staggeringly relevant... Williams' insightful novel is pitch perfect. Outstanding -- Rachel Edwards
A brilliantly taut, gritty and authentic page turner that takes you on a thrilling road from the streets of London to the courtroom -- Nadine Matheson
Until Proven Innocent is nothing short of an astounding, brilliantly engaging book! Nicola has created one of the most daringly complex, intellectually and emotionally evocative crime stories I've read in quite some time -- Stephen Mack Jones



Book Information
ISBN 9780241562710
Author Nicola Williams
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Hamish Hamilton Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 536g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 162mm * 31mm