She Said, Three Said by David B Lyons
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Publication Date:
Psychological Thriller
Book Description:
Ever wondered what it's like to be a juror in a high-profile celebrity trial?
Well.. now you don't have to. Step inside the jury room to deliberate one of the most talked-about court cases of the decade.
SHE SAID...
...all three men got her drunk, led her to a hotel room and took advantage of her.
THREE SAID...
...she was a willing participant and consented to sex with each of them.
After five-weeks of listening to all of the evidence and all of the arguments in a celebrity rape trial that has gripped an entire nation, the jury sit down to begin their deliberations.
But they don't know who to believe...
...will you?
My Thoughts:
My thanks to Emma at damp pebbles tours for the invitation to read this intriguing court room thriller as part of the blog tour. All opinions here are my own and unbiased.
I do love a tale set in a court room, and this one didn't disappoint. We get to hear from each of the 3 defendants, the victim and each of the jurors in varying amounts. Sabrina - the young lady who is accusing pro footballer Jason Kenny and his two school friends, Zach and Li, of raping her on a night out - is a bit of an enigma. From her point of view, she is a bit of a shy, home loving soul but the way she portrays herself and the reason she was out on the town at all, dressed the way she was, suggests a whole different personality. And it's the way she is portrayed in court that the jurors have to base their decisions on.
Jason Kelly is a big name, easily recognisable with a shock of ginger hair. All he wants is a quiet night out with two of his oldest friends - after all, Li has just announced he is going to settle down with his girlfriend and ask her to marry him. Zach is already married although he seems to forget this fact as soon as he sets foot in a nightclub and he turns on the charms with the ladies.
So we have at least 2 characters who aren't who they outwardly appear. The story is told from time frames of the night in question and the deliberations in the jurors' room. I really was torn between believing Sabrina but then the same scenario told from one of the boy's point of view swung me over to their interpretation of events. It must be so difficult to try and work out whose version of events is the truth, and (as Brian Hoare one of the more vocal jurors likes to remind everyone) it has to be beyond all reasonable doubt.
In one respect this book is quite predictable as we are led to believe rape trials go, with the usual defences being presented with regard to what the victim was wearing and how much she had to drink throughout the night. But I really didn't expect the facts to pan out as they were eventually disclosed to the reader by both Sabrina and the boys. I'm not going to spoil the outcome for anyone but I found it very interesting how the jurors justified their decisions to one another to come to a verdict around the table. It was an interesting view of how people interact under pressure, with normally confident personalities being quashed by someone who can talk a good argument and others who would rarely speak out finding their voices when challenged regarding a deep felt belief.
There is a nice little twist of Fate entwined in the story and I had hoped this would transpire to be a stronger thread in the tale but looking at the whole story objectively that wouldn't have been very realistic - I'm struggling to not give you spoilers here while still giving you my opinion!
Overall, an enjoyable drama but whether justice is done, you will have to decide for yourself.
Purchase Links; Buy your copy here:
Amazon UK:
About the Author:
David B. Lyons is an international bestselling author -- a writer of psychological thrillers.
He has reached No.1 in charts in Ireland, the UK, Canada and Australia.
David grew up in Dublin - the city his novels are set - but currently spends his time between Birmingham in the UK and the Irish capital. David is married to a Brummie, Kerry, and they have one daughter, Lola.
He has lectured in Creative Writing in colleges and universities in both Ireland and in the UK and coaches people how to write with free tutorials at TheOpenAuthor.com.
You can connect with David here:
Website: TheOpenAuthor.com
Twitter: @TheOpenAuthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidBLyons
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheOpenAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidBLyons
Website: http://theopenauthor.com/
Thanks so much x
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such an interesting and thought provoking read! It deals with such a timely issue as well and I definitely want to read this novel now to see how the trial plays out and whether the truth of the matter is exposed or not. Thanks for sharing your thoughts x
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading my review - apologies for the delay in responding. It is a good read, and will keep you guessing til the end
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