Description

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION 2023

‘Lifts the lid on what it’s like to dispense justice … a gripping insight … beautifully crafted … grim tales lifted by humour and honesty.’ The Times

Wendy Joseph’s gripping account of the law at work reads like a cliffhanger.’ Sunday Times

‘Absolutely superb. 5 stars for sheer readability alone. Her Honour entertains as she educates us about murder, about the law and about how we human beings are shaped as we create the culture we live with.’ PHILIPPA PERRY, author of THE BOOK YOU WISH YOUR PARENTS HAD READ

‘Her writing is characterized by analytical precision, but it is also a book of great empathy and urgency… A fine book.’ TLS

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‘Every day in the UK lives are suddenly, brutally, wickedly taken away. Victims are shot or stabbed. Less often they are strangled or suffocated or beaten to death. Rarely they are poisoned, pushed off high buildings, drowned or set alight. Then there are the many who are killed by dangerous drivers, or corporate gross negligence. There are a lot of ways you can kill someone. I know because I’ve seen most of them at close quarters.’

High-profile murder cases all too often grab our attention in dramatic media headlines – for every unlawful death tells a story. But, unlike most of us, a judge doesn’t get to turn the page and move on. Nor does the defendant, or the family of the victim, nor the many other people who populate the court room.

And yet, each of us has a vested interest in what happens there. And while most people have only the sketchiest idea of what happens inside a Crown Court, any one of us could end up in the witness-box or even in the dock.

With breath-taking skill and deep compassion, the author describes how cases unfold and illustrates exactly what it’s like to be a murder trial judge and a witness to human good and bad. Sometimes very bad.

The fracture lines that run through our society are becoming harder and harder to ignore. From a unique vantage point, the author warns that we do so at our peril.
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‘The most exceptional book I have read in a long time.’ CLARE MACKINTOSH

‘A very rare gem. written with authority, humility and compassion. Compellingly clever and sharply honest.’ PROFESSOR DAME SUE BLACK, author of ALL THAT REMAINS

‘Riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.’ RODDY DOYLE

‘Will make you question all the fundamentals that you’ve come to take for granted about offenders, the crimes that they commit – especially murder – and the punishment they deserve. A page turner that will leave you wanting to know more.’ EMERITUS PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, author of MY LIFE WITH MURDERERS

Publisher Review

A gripping, disturbing and deeply humane exploration of the darkest side of the human condition, from a judge who has seen it all. I devoured Unlawful Killings in a single sitting. I cannot recommend it highly enough. -- The Secret Barrister Fascinating, propulsive and beautifully written, this is an extraordinary insight into the heart and mind of a judge as they witness the best and worst of humanity. I couldn't put it down. -- Sarah Langford, author of In Your Defence I inhaled this: brilliant, clear-eyed, compassionate and fascinating. -- Olivia Potts, author of A Half Baked Idea I really enjoyed this book. If ever I was on trial I would want my judge to be this one. She is compassionate, in control and understands the reality that exists outside the courtroom. Anyone who has worked in the Crown Court would recognise how true to life the court room scenes are. The fictional crime scenarios make compelling stories. What is unique is that they are placed in a wider context which challenges the assumptions that lie behind our criminal justice policy. A great read for those who want to understand how the system works now and why it is going wrong. -- Cherie Blair CBE QC Beautifully written and utterly gripping. -- Joshua Rozenberg * A Lawyer Writes * JUNE'S BOOK OF THE MONTH: Exceptional ... a riveting and revelatory work. -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller * A superb work providing the reader with a truly authentic judicial insight into the human stories and legal and forensic framework that constitute today's criminal trials of those accused of unlawfully killing another human being. It is permeated too with clearsighted analysis of the backstory to such killings, whether that be the pull of street gangs, the blight of domestic violence, the tragedy of death on our roads or the infliction of violence said to have been caused by mental illness or the ill temper of those with a disordered personality. The author's wit and wisdom deserve as wide an audience as possible. -- His Honour David Radford 'UNLAWFUL KILLINGS reads like a really terrific novel. It is riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.' -- Roddy Doyle The most exceptional book I've read in a long time. As a police officer in a former life I was mostly terrified of judges, so it was incredible to have this glimpse behind the pomp and ceremony of criminal court. Readers will be intrigued by the insight into the mechanics of the law, but what really makes this sing is its humanity. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion, and am heartened to know there is such compassion among our judges. -- Clare Mackintosh Absolutely superb. 5 stars for sheer readability alone. Her Honour entertains as she educates us about murder, about the law and about how we human beings are shaped as we create the culture we live with. -- Philippa Perry, author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read