You Don't Know Me - Hardcover

Mahmood, Imran

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0718184254 ISBN 13: 9780718184254

Publisher: Michael Joseph, 2017

Synopsis

As chosen by The BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB and one of The TELEGRAPH'S CRIME BOOKS OF THE YEAR. 'Remarkable' Simon Mayo, BBC Radio 2 It's easy to judge between right and wrong - isn't it? Not until you hear a convincing truth. Now it's up to you to decide... An unnamed defendant stands accused of murder. Just before the Closing Speeches, the young man sacks his lawyer, and decides to give his own defence speech. He tells us that his barrister told him to leave some things out. Sometimes, the truth can be too difficult to explain, or believe. But he thinks that if he's going to go down for life, he might as well go down telling the truth. There are eight pieces of evidence against him. As he talks us through them one by one, his life is in our hands. We, the reader - member of the jury - must keep an open mind till we hear the end of his story. His defence raises many questions... but at the end of the speeches, only one matters: Did he do it? PRAISE FOR YOU DON'T KNOW ME 'An original take on a courtroom drama that puts the reader in the position of the jury. Superb character-driven fiction. Masterful' Guardian 'Startlingly original, stunning, superbly executed' DAILY MAIL 'A rollercoaster ride' GUARDIAN 'An exciting first novel, highly original, cleverly plotted and convincingly written' LITERARY REVIEW 'You Don't Know Me is a brave debut by a barrister... an impressively original courtroom drama' THE TIMES 'You'll never guess the ending' THE SUN 'A daring concept executed to perfection, a hypnotic and authentic voice, and questions for us to answer as people and readers' LEE CHILD 'An eye-opening, slick and compulsive thriller with an important message and unique writing' ADAM DEACON, actor, writer, rapper, director - star of Kidulthood and Adulthood 'A startlingly original courtroom drama . . . perfectly executed, gripping the reader from the first sentence with the defendant's unique voice and not letting go until a surprising twist at the end. Mahmood is most definitely one to watch * * * * *' DAILY EXPRESS 'You've never read anything quite like this' BARRY FORSHAW, FINANCIAL TIMES

About this title

About the Author

Imran Mahmood is a criminal defence barrister with over 20 years' experience in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. He specializes in Legal Aid cases involving violent crimes as well as fraud and sexual offences. He was born in Liverpool and now lives in London with his wife and daughter. You Don't Know Me was chosen as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice for 2017.

Review

Timely, tense and original . . . Written with gritty authenticity, this is compelling and important * Heat * A daring concept executed to perfection, a hypnotic and authentic voice, and questions for us to answer as readers and people -- Lee Child A searing, heart-breaking, genre-bending crime novel that triumphantly reconfigures the traditional whodunnit into something remarkable * RUTH WARE * You Don't Know Me is a brave debut by a barrister . . . an impressively original courtroom drama * The Times * A startlingly original courtroom drama . . . perfectly executed, gripping the reader from the first sentence with the defendant's unique voice and not letting go until a surprising twist at the end. Mahmood is most definitely one to watch * * * * * * Daily Express * You'll never guess the ending * The Sun * It's the voice that does it: edgy, conflicted, desperately urgent. A startlingly confident and deft debut -- Tana French You've never read anything quite like this -- Barry Forshaw * Financial Times * The defendant's narrative is beguiling, philosophical, vulnerable * Sunday Express * An eye-opening, slick and compulsive thriller with an important message and unique writing -- Adam Deacon, actor, writer, rapper, director, star of * Kidulthood and Adulthood * A bold and original courtroom drama, You Don't Know Me heralds the arrival of a thrilling new voice in crime fiction * Tim Weaver, Sunday Times bestselling author of the David Raker series * This is an exciting first novel. To start with, it is highly original; what's more, it is cleverly plotted and convincingly written in a voice obviously not the author's own ... I was left admiring this novel. * Literary Review * A must read for fans of Making a Murderer, Serial and those who like their crime fiction... edgy and provocative * Book Riot * A dazzling debut - authentic, funny, sad, sympathetic. I was utterly gripped. Rich in understanding of human nature, acerbic on the rights and wrongs of the justice system * Gillian McAllister, Sunday Times bestselling author of Everything But the Truth * A startlingly original debut from a criminal defence barrister, this story grabs from the very first sentence... utterly compelling throughout ... it is a stunning idea superbly executed * Daily Mail * An original take on a courtroom drama that puts the reader in the position of the jury. Superb character-driven fiction. Masterful. * Guardian * [A] riveting debut ... the defendant's narrative voice is so beguiling - eloquent, cocky, philosophical and vulnerable -- Jake Kerridge * Daily Express * The best psychological thrillers that should find a place on your reading list this summer * Fabulous Magazine Daily (The Sun) * A bold and original courtroom drama, You Don't Know Me heralds the arrival of a thrilling new voice in crime fiction -- Tim Weaver * Sunday Times bestselling author of the David Raker series * A dazzling debut - authentic, funny, sad, sympathetic. I was utterly gripped. Rich in understanding of human nature, acerbic on the rights and wrongs of the justice system -- Gillian McAllister * Sunday Times bestselling author of Everything But the Truth * Timely, tense and original... Written with gritty authenticity, this is compelling and important * Heat *

About this edition

• Publisher: Michael Joseph
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0718184254
• ISBN 13: 9780718184254
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400