Books Like The Holdout

There's nothing as engrossing as a good legal thriller and The Holdout by Graham Moore is no exception. Many readers consider it to be one of the most gripping thrillers of recent times and it has gained enough attention that a major television series is in the works too. If you have already finished The Holdout and want more there's plenty of other great court procedurals worth reading until the television show is released. Whether you enjoy the thrill of the legal drama or the suspense of the investigation these following books like The Holdout should be on your reading list.

The Last Juror

by John Grisham

John Grisham is a master when it comes to legal thrillers, so The Last Juror should appeal to all fans of The Holdout. It features the dramatic legal trial of Danny Padgitt, a man convicted for the brutal rape and murder of a young mother. Despite being sentenced to life in prison by the jury his influential family manages to get him paroled after just nine years. However, just before his trial ended Danny swore revenge against the jurors if they convicted him and after his release, they are all murdered one by one. All evidence points to Danny who uses his family as alibis for his whereabouts at the time of the murders. Grisham manages to keep the nail-biting suspense going right until the end in this thrilling novel.

Witness for the Prosecution

by Agatha Christie

For a quick, but riveting read, there is Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie. Originally this short story was published in a 1920s pulp magazine before appearing in The Hound of Death collection during the 1930s. However, these days an ebook version of the story is available, which makes it more accessible to read. In this classic tale, a man named Leonard Vole is suspected of the murder of a wealthy spinster. The fact that the spinster bequeathed all her riches to Leonard just before her death makes the situation even more suspicious. Despite assuring investigators that his wife his alibi, she ends up delivering a very damning statement which results in a tense court case. Despite being very short this story is still a classic of the genre and received numerous film, television, and even theater adaptations since its release.

Thirteen

by Steve Cavanagh

The tagline for Thirteen by Steven Cavanagh is "The serial killer isn't on trial, he's on the jury" which pretty much sums up what the story is about. Thirteen is a courtroom drama unlike any other and the amount of page-turning twists will keep fans of The Holdout on the edge of their seats. This novel sees the return of Eddie Flynn, the ex-con artist who turned his life around and became a lawyer, from previous Steve Cavanagh stories. Flynn is tasked with the defense of a young Hollywood star on trial for murder, begins to suspect that there is more to the case than what meets the eye.

You Don't Know Me

by Imran Mahmood

You Don't Know Me by Imran Mahmood is the story of a man who stands accused of murder. In a shocking turn of events, he fires his lawyer just before the closing speeches and decides to take matters into his own hands. Despite the overwhelming evidence against him he tries to convince the jury that he is innocent. The fact that his speech takes up the majority of the novel presents a very unique perspective, which is quite refreshing for the genre. The accused describes everything from his disadvantaged upbringing to the events that led to the murder as well as the reasons why the jury should find him innocent. It's quite a compelling story, but definitely one that should be approached with an open mind.

The Crossing

by Michael Connelly

The Crossing is actually the 18th novel in the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly, so knowledge of the previous books are useful, but not essential to enjoy this one. It opens with the protagonist resigning from the Lost Angeles Police Department and suing them for unfair suspension. Aiding him is his half brother, Michael Haller, who is a lawyer. Then when Michael asks Harry to assist him with investigating an upcoming murder trial he reluctantly agrees, only to immediately begin finding discrepancies. The only problem is that the prosecution appears to have a cast-iron case and Harry's former colleagues are not pleased with him crossing over to the dark side and working for the defense.

Presumed Innocent

by Scott Turow

Presumed Innocent is the first novel by former U.S. prosecutor, then Chicago defense attorney, Scott Turow. Turow used his extensive knowledge of the legal system to write this story about a prosecutor named Rozat "Rusty" Sabich who is charged with discovering the identity of the murderer who killed his colleague. There are only three weeks left before his boss' re-election campaign ends and the results will determine whether or not Rusty keeps his job. However, the last thing that Rusty expected was that he ends up being accused of the murder. Presumed Innocent is told from the perspective of Rusty and the gripping story was later turned into a 1990 film starring Harrison Ford.