This felt like a show unraveling before me. I was fully invested.

I’ll admit, I was curious to see where the story was going and I went in thinking it would be much different story. I was picturing the story in my head as if it were an episode of The Rookie or some other tv drama. This book was made for television. The characters were so well done and the way everything fell into place was fascinating. I was almost stressed waiting to see how it would end. I was extremely happy with the ending.

Definitely recommend.

Thanks so much NetGalley for the ARC.

Okay so I have a lot of competing thoughts so I probably won’t know for sure how I feel about this book until I finish this review. I’ll start by saying it was very well written, it was definitely a more ‘grown up’ book than I was thinking when I read the plot. I was expecting it to be more YA and less A Good Marriage. But the writing style was excellent, as was the character development and the descriptions.

A lawyer named Madison? I felt immediately a kindred spirit ✨ so it was off to a great start. But it was LONG. I just checked The Invisible Girl because it’s next to me (351ish pages) and it was 375ish pages so it was fairly close but man it felt like the longest 375 pages. I love a corrupt scheme especially in the legal system, but the ‘coincidences’ right off the bat made me roll my eyes a bit and I think that coloured my perception of the rest of the book. There were also four parts (I think) and some I was more interested in so I got bored during the judges back story parts and kept having to stop myself from skimming.

Overall, interesting storyline, great writing style but fell short on the delivery and plot points. I definitely would’ve tightened up the storyline and cut some parts out, especially at the start with all the weird things that just happened and the reader just had to be like el oh el okay yeah 100% this makes sense but I would say worth the read, kept me fairly interested, and a legal thriller that has no dashes of YA!

This was fun and twisty but then it fell off in parts. I enjoyed the predictable nature because it felt a little dark but safe. There were great characters involved.

This book had me excited the whole time !! I love a legal thriller. It was fast paced which I love because some thrillers drag. I feel for Madison, having to make some hard decisions. But the ending was so good !!

What an intriguing legal thriller!

This is a newer to me genre, and absolutely loved how the courtroom, roles and cases were wound into the story. Also I don’t always love the multiple POVs of a story, however found it easy to read and captivating to know how each character was going to play out.

Would definitely recommend!

Thank you for the ARC!

Madison Rivera, a Harvard law student, unexpectedly secures an internship with her favorite judge, Kathryn Conroy. However, both the internship and the judge prove different from Madison's expectations, leaving her overwhelmed. The narrative, titled "The Intern," focuses more on Judge Conroy's past, with dual timelines exploring her upbringing and challenges in attaining her current position.

Despite not being my favorite from this author, the story's intriguing elements kept me engaged. I initially read digitally and switched to audio about a third of the way through, finding both formats effective. Sarah Mollo-Christensen's narration, while pleasant, might have benefited from an additional narrator.

Holy smokes! This is not my first Michele Campbell book, but it is definitely her best one yet. A young Harvard law student gets a sought-after internship at a federal court judge's office at the same time that her brother gets arrested for a federal crime. She also discovers that every level of the law in this area is corrupt and gets in the middle of a dangerous scheme in order to get her brother's case dropped. It is non-stop action and thrills. While most of the twists aren't shocking, I found that I could not put this book down. Great choice for readers who enjoy crime shows on TV; It could be described as a cross between The Wire and House of Cards (both of which I loved!)

Law student Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But they are both holding secrets and neither one knows who to trust. Can they help each other?

This was a fun, fast-paced read that I could not put down. Perfect for that rainy weekend when you don't want to get off the couch!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

As a lawyer, I enjoyed this, but had a hard time looking past the "charismatic judge". A little much for me.

This is an easygoing albeit predictable thriller, perfect for those seeking a carefree vacation read.
Madison Rivera, a law student, lands a sought-after internship with her idol, Judge Kathryn Conroy. The catch? Madison conveniently omits a crucial detail—her brother, Danny, recently faced arrest, and his case is currently before Judge Conroy.

The narrative unfolds amidst corruption, abuse of authority, family bonds, and the classic clash between good and evil. With heightened emotions and danger lurking at every turn, it offers an engaging story, granted you're willing to temporarily suspend disbelief.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Intern will be the perfect book for a lot of readers, but I wasn’t one of them.

I’m totally over the unlikable characters trend. In fairness, I don’t think I was supposed to dislike the two lead females as much as I did. Given the story’s spin, I assume I was supposed to feel compassion or sympathy for their situations. But neither woman had enough redeemable qualities for me to care about what happened to them.

The story has lots of drama, which I’m tired of seeing as the main focus within suspense and thrillers.

I know our “justice” system is corrupt, but everything about this plot was over-the-top. I didn’t believe any of it.

So, not for me.

*I received a free eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted eARC to read and review.

The Intern is an awesome legal thriller – it's a speedy read and I was quickly immersed in Madison and Judge Conroy's worlds. Campbell's legal experience shines through her writing with small details scattered throughout the book, especially in the court scenes, and scenarios that jump off the page. I loved seeing the same situations, like the pro bono ball, from multiple perspectives. This allowed for strategically placed plot twists that kept me second guessing my theories until the final page. And the ending? Spot on.

I'm a big fan of Michele Campbell's books and recommend The Intern to anyone who enjoys a legal thriller.

PS: The Intern would be an amazing mini series with fantastic female roles. Nicole Kidman as Judge Conroy, anyone?

TITLE: THE INTERN
AUTHOR: Michele Campbell
PUB DATE: 10.3.2023 Now Available

A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case. 

When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s quest for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her? 

As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?

THOUGHTS:

I had been a long time fan of Michele Campbell’s thriller novels - I find myself highly anticipating, and then quickly devouring to the point of not sleeping unable to put down. This latest is twisty, with a really great fleshed out characters told in alternating POVs. This was an easy five star read for me for the fast paced plot, engaging characters, and surprising twists I can’t get enough of.

Halfway through the book, the story just felt a bit repetitive, and lost the grasp it had on me. I did still enjoy it for the most part.

One of her best ones yet!! Thank you for the opportunity to read this fast paced book I couldn't put it down!

Reviewed 9.29.23

Traveling With T's Thoughts:

I’ve read all of Michele’s books (It’s Always The Husband, She Was The Quiet One, A Stranger on the Beach, and The Wife Who Knew Too Much) so when I got the Netgalley widget for The Intern, I didn’t hesitate on accepting it.

I love legal-ish stories. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer so while my adult self doesn’t want to do law in real life, I do like reading about it 🙂

What I Liked:

The cover. Perfection for the book.

Madison and Kathryn. Even though years separate them, at one time, in much different circumstances- they really and truly could have been a dream legal team. Because they both know what it’s like to have to pull yourself up and do what it takes.

The ending. I loved it.



Bottom line: Cat and mouse games, legal thriller, and a story that once it got going, it didn’t stop- all YASSSSS boxes from me!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Madison is a law student who gets an internship for a popular judge. During the interview, Madison left out a few details about her family, like that her brother is in prison.

The Intern is told using the points of view of Madison and Kathryn. Madison is a law student with pressure from her family to help her brother. He’s in prison for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Kathryn is the judge Madison interns for, and also the judge on Madison’s brother’s case. Madison hopes Kathryn will be a mentor, but their relationship becomes more complicated.

Complex characters in a intriguing mystery. Recommended for fans of legal thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Intern, by Michele Campbell, is a fast-paced thriller involving a well-respected federal judge and a second year law student, both of whom are mob-connected. Yes, there are some aspects of the plot that are totally implausible, and some actions taken by the characters that are just silly. Nonetheless, it did not stop me from enjoying the story. Sometimes you just have to suspend judgment and enjoy the ride! It is a fast read, perfect for those days when you want diversion and escape! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

The thriller was engaging and kept me hooked until the end, although there were a few plot holes that required some suspension of disbelief to fully make sense. However, overall I enjoyed the book. My only critique is that it could have been shorter. for the most part I enjoyed the use of dual POVs and the strong female characters. The college setting and legal themes added an interesting layer to the story. While I appreciate a good twist in a thriller it was predictable Perhaps I missed it, but it left so much to be desired

Michele Campbell is a must read author for me. I find her books to always be intriguing. The Intern was a fun cat-and-mouse game and I loved how the characters were constantly switching things up.