Conviction is narrated by Neve Harper, a defence barrister who is acting on behalf of Wade Darling, a man accused of killing his family and then burning their house down. Neve is an excellent barrister, with what I'd describe as the killer instinct to win. However, this is not a straightforward case for Neve as she has something to hide and somebody knows about it and blackmails her. They tell her she must ensure Wade is found guilty and to do so she must sabotage her own case.

Neve is a complex character and although we know what she has to hide it's quite a while until we find out why and so it's difficult to sympathise with her at times. She's an excellent creation though, one whose instincts to win and moral code are pitted against her need to survive and this is a story that took me down many paths that I didn't expect to go down, with some shocking deeds taking place.

The first half or so of the book is a slower burn as Neve navigates the threats against her and takes instructions from Wade. Then the second half picks up the pace with the court case and things eventually coming to a head. I found myself thoroughly gripped by this point.

I love a courtroom drama and this one has some really exciting aspects to it. I also love reading about a moral dilemma (this book has this in spades) and contemplating the possible outcomes. Conviction is tense and tightly plotted with the unexpected hitting me at every twist and turn in the action and I was impressed with how the dilemmas were dealt with when I just couldn't see how a conclusion could be reached. This is a very readable and intelligent legal thriller. ( )