In The Intern, Madison has scored an elite position as an intern working in a Federal Judge’s chambers. But Madison has a secret: her brother has pending charges in front of the very same judge. But Judge Kathryn Conroy has secrets of her own, secrets that she desperately wants to stay buried. As Madison and the judge circle each other in an attempt to get to the whole truth and nothing but the truth, outside parties are at play to pit them against each other- but if they both want to come out of this encounter alive, they might have to work together instead.

This concept grabbed my attention from the first I heard of the book, partially because I love a good cat-and-mouse thriller, but also because the plot strikes very close to my day job working in the justice system. The Intern is a whip-smart dual-POV novel that will have you questioning everything that you’ve read in order to suss out the truth. The story is told in five parts, alternating between present and past events from Madison and Kathryn’s perspectives. While the layout of the book was fascinating, I did find it a bit confusing to follow along with; it was difficult to keep up with who in the story knew what at times. It definitely kept me hooked and paying attention!

I really enjoyed reading this and binged the entire book in a single day. I would recommend this to legal thriller readers, provided that you can suspend your disbelief if needed. It's fiction! It's not meant to be exactly like real life! Live a little!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of The Intern, which publishes on October 3rd.

DNF at 35%. This is not a bad book, it’s just not for me.

We follow two characters, Madison and Kathryn, in alternating parts. I got through Madison’s first part and most of Kathryn’s. Madison is a law student who idolizes Kathryn, a judge and professor. Madison gets the opportunity to work for Kathryn, but things quickly get out of hand. There’s legal trouble with her brother, and Kathryn is more complicated than she seems.

I think this is a well written legal thriller/suspense. On a sentence level and a tone level, it’s nicely done. I also saw that the author has a law background, which gives me confidence in the authenticity of the setting.

Mainly I’m DNFing because I don’t find gang/mob/drug crime plots very interesting. I don’t feel drawn to keep going in this one, but if you do enjoy that kind of plot, I think this book is a good choice.

This was such a fun legal thriller! I completely devoured it because I had to know what was going on, and it was very easy to read! I liked the alternating pov, and how the ending was wrapped up well, but not toooo well. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read before pub day on October 3rd!

The previous two books I've read by Michele Campbell have been three star reads, decent but nothing I would suggest dropping everything for; The Intern fell into the same category. The synopsis had me intrigued and requesting a review copy. I liked that the story surrounded two ambitious women in a male dominated worlds. I struggled with how fast feelings changed in the span of a single conversation, and the secrets felt to farfetched form not feel like they were believable. Are there bad apples everywhere, absolutely, do some of these scenarios exist in real life ... maybe? The intern was a fun read, there were moments of cat and mouse that made things exciting and the end was the fast paced storyline I wish the whole book was like. Fans of Campbell's previous books might enjoy this one more than I did.
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Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

this book was wildly all over the place with characters capable of only making idiotic decisions 🥴 so naturally it made for a fantastic binge read!!!

from the start, I knew I was going to be disappointed from MC madison, a law student idolizing her teacher and refusing to believe that the law can be corrupt. and boy, was I right!!! not only was she so closed-minded but she constantly broke the law for the stupidest reasoning in her head!! like “it’s either jail or jail? okay, I guess I’ll choose jail” NO SIS THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS!!! 😶

also, the fact that it was over a single white lie, please I was really heated about that minute little fact turning into a huge debacle

and kathryn, the main judge, also made decisions that nowhere near benefited her in the long run. if I had to witness one more conversation with her and her “handlers” about her past, I was going to throw the book across the room.

I did really appreciate the fast-paced storytelling and the way that michele crafted the multiple timelines together effortlessly. however, I don’t think the plot itself was fleshed out enough to hold attention by itself.

I can’t even lie … I really just binge hate read this so I could be annoyed at something else other than my buffalo bills losing … 🤣🤣😭😭

thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! you can also get this one early through BOTM!

rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay

The Intern
by Michele Campbell
Pub Date: 03 Oct 2023

The Intern is a suspenseful, emotion filled mystery that you won't want to put down until the last exciting chapter! I totally loved every page.

This is my first book I've read from author Michele Campbell, I'm so impressed I plan on reading many more of her books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Read if you like:
⚖️ Legal/political dramas
⚖️ Cat-and-mouse thrillers
⚖️ Multiple viewpoints
⚖️ Nonlinear timelines

Madison Rivera is a successful Harvard law student who has just landed the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy, a woman Madison has idolized since she was a young girl. It is a dream-come-true, but Madison has a secret that could destroy her legal career before it even begins. Her young brother, Danny, has been indicted on federal drug charges, and Judge Conroy is the federal judge assigned to his case. Madison decides not to tell anyone about her brother, but she’s not the only one in Chambers keeping secrets. Danny accuses Judge Conroy of corruption and then goes missing. As Madison digs into the judge’s life, she quickly learns that not everything is as at seems.

As an attorney, I often find it difficult to read legal thrillers, but this was a very well-written and compelling book. The story is told from the viewpoints of Madison and Kathryn, two strong female characters. From Kathryn’s point of view, we delve into her past and learn about the struggles she faced and the difficult choices she had to make in her career. The book started off slow but really picked up throughout Kathryn’s POV, especially in the last 20% of the story. There is a lot of legal and political drama in this book, but it was never too over-the-top or far-fetched, although it toed the line at times. This was a compelling and fast-paced page-turner that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

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.

I thought the Intern was a pretty good read. I'm not too into reading books about lawyers/corrupt cases/mobs but I got drawn in so i had to finish! All in all, I enjoyed this immensely!

We all have that teacher or other informal mentor in our lives that has influenced or guided our direction and as a result has gained hero status. It is easy to see how Madison as a law student puts Judge Conroy on a pedestal in the classroom and as her intern and has difficulty believing there is something shady going on with her court decisions. . The plot continually thickens with clever twists and turns throughout making it difficult to put this one down! This was my first Michele Campbell but she has quickly become one of my favorites and can’t wait to read her other books.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy of The Intern. WOW, I am crying as I write this review. What an AWESOME book, I have Never felt for a character like I did for Kathy, just WOW. Smart, smart, smart women characters, an unbelievable plot and heart pounding chapters. A Fantastic Book and it should be book of the Year. Keep writing please Michele Campbell.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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?

I really enjoyed this story. The suspense was killing me so I stayed up all night reading. Will recommend to others

I really liked this book! It’s a really good book and kept me interested through the whole book..I liked the whole Judge/intern relationship. I haven’t read a book from that POV before so that was different

Fun fact about me, I used to want to be a lawyer…not just any lawyer but a criminal defense lawyer. I dreamed of attending Harvard Law (“what like it’s hard”)- that is until the show Damages came out in 2007 and scared me straight. Kidding- kind of, but it did make me realize I realistically did not have enough of a backbone to make it in that world. So imagine my interest when I first heard about a new legal thriller with a similar concept- The Intern by Michele Campbell set to be released on October 3, 2023.

Madison Rivera is an ambitious Harvard law student, when she secures a prestigious internship opportunity with one of her professors- Kathryn Conroy, who also happens to serve as a federal judge. But Madison is keeping a secret that could destroy her future…her younger brother, Danny was recently arrested for federal judge charges, and brought before Judge Conroy for his hearing. He swears he’s innocent and is being framed. Then, while in custody, Danny goes missing. Madison searches for answers, bringing her dangerously close to the people who put him away. Can she trust the judge to help her, or is she involved? And why does it seem like someone is out to kill her?

This title is available in the September Book of the Month monthly selections, which means if you didn’t pick it this month, you should consider adding it on in October!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From about 25% of the way through I was hooked and did not want to put it down. The two main characters are beautiful, powerful and successful women with a lot at stake and some tough choices to make. This book is divided into five parts, two with each woman’s perspective and a final part titled End Game, and the ending was unexpected.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars- rounded up)

I will most definitely be checking out Michele Campbell’s other works- especially “It’s Always the Husband,” which sounds so good.

Thank you to the publisher- St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THIS WAS MESSY, but I'm always here for a messy narrative, especially with DUAL POV. I am so thankful to St. Marin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and Michele Campbell for granting me advanced digital and audio access before this one hits shelves on October 3, 2023.

Madison lands the internship of her dreams, serving as Judge Kathryn Conroy's intern for the year. After learning that her brother was wrongfully convicted of drug charges and Kathryn is the judge on the case, she's skeptical but eager to feel out this legendary judge and see what's up. Kathryn welcomes Madison in with warm and trusting arms, jetting off to DC for errands, leaving Madison to be bullied by mob-like goons who are all connected dangerously.

Readers hear from Madison and Kathryn at various points in their lives, providing plot hole context for a connected web that's smaller than you'd imagine.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Intern releases October 3, 2023

- dual pov
- nonlinear timeline
- complex family dynamics
- federal judge x law student/intern

Madison has just been offered an internship position by Judge Kathryn Conroy for her judicial chambers, whom also doubles as Madison’s professor at Harvard Law.
The thing is, Madison doesn’t want Kathryn finding out about her younger brothers legal troubles because it would be a conflict of interest.

Danny was set up to get busted in possession of drugs. The cops, lawyer, and judge involved in his federal case are all dirty and corrupt.

Now this is where things get good, because the dirty judge? None other than Kathryn Conroy — the same person that Madison admires and is in close contact with.

But some things may not be so black and white…


On the outside this had everything to be right up my alley, but it didn’t quite land right.

I found that Madison and Kathryn shared one too many similarities. Kathryn’s storyline was much stronger than Madison’s, and I would have enjoyed a tighter narrative from just her perspective.

Given Kathryn’s past history growing up and the recent murder of her husband (whose case is still unsolved), I would have thought that she would have more boundaries and be more guarded. Her relationship with Madison went from professional to personal way too quickly. Not even day one on the job and they were already going to dinner together and was being offered up her entire house and clothes just to cat sit? It seems out of character.
Not to mention the fact that she had no problem leaving her student/intern at her house alone for an entire weekend, while intoxicated, with a known history and threat of a man that would come to the premises armed with a gun, trying to break in? That’s weird.

A personal ick: Madison’s mothers name was Yolanda and it took me out of the story more often than I would have liked.

I have really enjoyed Campbell's books in the past, so as soon as this one became available on NetGalley requesting it was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I had hoped. It starts off pretty strong and although it's a slow-burn, it does a pretty good job of building the suspense along the way. However, I also found it to be rather convoluted and implausible, and characters are not at all likable. I was lucky to receive both an ARC and an ALC and would totally recommend reading it over listening to it. I didn't love the narrator for this one. A huge thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the advance copies in exchange for my honest opinion.

hanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Peeps, I think I am unable to move from Outlier Island. It's comfortable here. If I am being honest, I had a feeling a few chapters in that I might throw it in the "did not finish" pile. However, since it was an ARC, I felt obligated to follow through and see if it got better.

It didn't

From the beginning, there was just too much emphasis on second-year law student, Madison knowing all there was to know about the law. Umm...she only knows what is in her textbook and has never been in court. How in the world is she supposed to make all these miracles happen?


Madison's wide-eyed innocence at so many events in this book was like teeth-grinding. Like people are corrupt.. surely you're learning this at Harvard?

Also, Madison's mother was so annoying, and she manipulated Madison time and time again to fix the situation with Madison's brother Danny.

On the other hand, I loved that Kathryn's ( the judge) back story is kept concise and to the point. I am sorry for my harshness here but it felt like Michele Campbell had just binge-watched Damages and decided to write this novel.

It must be the continuous rain or the fact that two nights in a row I haven't slept a whole eight hours BUT this is my grumpy review.


Expected Publication Date 03/10/23
Goodreads Review 09/09/23

#TheIntern #NetGalley.

The Intern is a fast paced, cant put down and don't talk to me right now read.

The story keeps you holding your breath as the tension mounts.

The story is told from 2 perspectives, that of Madison a law intern and her idol Judge Kathryn Conroy

Their are rumors that the Judge is on the take but Madison refuses to entertain the idea as she becomes the judge's intern.

They both have their secrets and they are big ones and they are dangerous.

Madison's brother Danny is in trouble with the law and it seems that the only one who can help her is Kathryn.

Can Madison trust the Judge..

I couldn't help but cheer for both of them even though they were more than pushing the envelope.

Michele Campbell keeps your attention from page one and never lets up by throwing in twists and turns that keep you crossing your fingers.

Highly recommend The Intern and once you get your copy move it to the top of your TBR pile.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a pulse pounding read.

Madison is determined to become a lawyer and eventually a judge, just like her idol Kathryn Conroy. When the opportunity to intern in Judge Conroy’s office comes up, Madison can’t pass it up. Even if that means lying about her brother, a recently convicted drug dealer. But maybe everything isn’t as it seems. The Intern is a fast paced, courtroom thriller filled with dirty cops, lawyers on the take, and an intern just trying to help her family.