This started slow, but still kept my interest. This is probably my least favorite Michele Campbell books, but it was still a decent thriller that kept me guessing. I didn't care as much for the Judge's background, even though I know it was important to the story. I just feel like it should have focused more on the main character, Madison, instead. Overall, the twists kept me invested, so it was worth the read.

I found this book to be very interesting and intriguing. I would recommend this a friend because this is a book for everyone. I really enjoyed emerging myself into this book and it was just wonderful. This book evened my eyes to quite a few things and it’s one of those books that I’ll think about for quite awhile.

I enjoyed this book but it took a little while for me to get into it. It then became fast paced though a little predictable. Still, I would recommend thriller lovers read it!

The Intern by Michele Campbell did not disappoint. Michele is one of my favorite authors and when I see a new book by her, I want to read it even without reading the plot. All of her novels are well-written, gripping, and satisfying. If you haven’t read this one yet, get it right now!

Plot:

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?

This book was pretty slow moving for me and overall just an okay read. I enjoyed the ending but was hoping for a little more from this book.

I have read a few of Campbell’s books and this was definitely my favorite of hers yet. A bit complicated at times (could have been the audio) but this was intense and quite the page turner, especially at the end. I did not know how everyone was going to make it out ok and I will just say I was satisfied with the ending. There are plenty of unlikeable characters in here as well as likable ones that do questionable things, and overall this was an entertaining and heart pounding legal thriller that I very much enjoyed and absolutely recommend.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.

The Intern
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.2
Author: Michele Campbell

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I had both the audio and digital copy and favored the audio version. Madison has always admired Judge Conroy and when the opportunity arises to intern in her court, she is grateful for the opportunity. Then Madison’s brother Danny gets rolled on a drug possession and before he is officially sentenced, he goes missing in the prison system, she uses the intern opportunity to learn more about her brother’s case. In doing so, does this dig her down a deeper rabbit hole? The research into her brother’s case leads her to Judge Conroy, what secrets will she uncover here?

The story is narrated by both Madison and Judge Conroy in a dual narration, with past flashbacks. Both of our MCs are unrelateable narrators and entrusted into the dark part of legal world. Madison is in law school to become a lawyer and works hard, is outspoken, and loyal to a fault. Judge Conroy has had someone controlling her actions for a very long time, but has been a very successful Judge, with a tough exterior. I really love the lengths that the author goes to, they are surprising, unpredictable, and balanced with being believable. Judge Conroy lives in a dangerous, secretive world and invites Madison in. The characters were created with depth, were mysterious, secretive, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, suspenseful, twisty, and unpredictable. The story is a slow burn, building the characters, the plot is delivered in twisty layers, it flows nicely, and has excellent pacing. I love the flashbacks of Judge Conroy’s life and we get to see how she got herself in this dark world to begin with.

This legal thriller was compelling, intriguing, and really kept me guessing until the end. I devoured in less than two days. The narrator does an amazing job with voice variation, and truly brings the characters from the pages into a movie that I can clearly see. My only con was the vast amount of characters and how they connect to our MCs and the webbs you had to deconstruct, and what their purpose was in the storyline. Having said that, I still loved this book and would recommend to other readers, personally I would do the audio. I love that the author is from the legal world and provided a great emphasis on the judge and intern relationship.

I love a good legal thriller!

This one was interesting. I really enjoyed the overall plot and corruption aspect. I am truly intrigued with stories about corruption. But I really struggled with the forced dialogue and how parts felt overwritten. I think this could have wrapped up sooner. With that said, I definitely loved how all the plot points were tied up in the end, especially the cat.

4 stars...

I enjoyed the legal thriller. I like how it was broken up into 5 parts...it was a little long, and took me longer than normal to read but it kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next!

I liked this book a lot! It felt fast paced and a quick read, even at nearly 400 pages. I was rooting for both of these ladies, regardless of their backstories and found the ending to be pretty satisfying. It’s a yes from me, and now I need to read Michele Campbell’s backlog!

This was an OK read. I don't get a lot of the hype leading up to it, I didn't enjoy it as much as most of the internet. It felt really predictable but was also all over the place with the pacing.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I love Michele Campbell she’s a must read author for me! I was so excited to get an early copy in my hands and let me tell you this book did not disappoint!
Harvard law student Madison Rivera feels like her dream has come true, when she’s picked as an intern for prestigious Judge Kathryn Conroy. Madison has a looked up to Judge Kathryn as an inspirations and wants to follow in her footsteps. Madison’s is hiding a secret though her brother Danny was arrested on a drug charge and Judge Conroy is on the case. As Madison begins her internship she begins to realize maybe her idol isn’t who she says she is. But when Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison may just be over her head, the pressure builds on Madison's shoulders as her mother pushes her harder to assist in finding what’s going on with her brother. As the judge brings Madison into her world she wonders if she’s pawn in the judges hands and someone in the dark is determined to kill Madison to keep the secrets hidden. Told in two POV one in Madison’s in the current time and in Judge Kathryn through Kathryn's POV, readers delve into her dark past. I loved this book I’m begging you to grab a copy and tell me your thoughts!

I really enjoyed The Intern. It was the third novel I have read by Michele Campbell and I have really liked them all. She is an author I now feel confident in preordering whenever I see a new book come out. So the Intern was initially marketed to me as a Thriller. I guess it was a light thriller, but it was more of a mystery to my mind than a thriller. I enjoy Legal Thrillers, and The Intern, with its judicial system setting, was right up my alley. The strongest point of the novel was the relationship between Madison (the intern) and Kathryn (the judge). The story took a bit of willing disbelief to accept how they ended up working together, but once I accepted that, the rest of the story really took off for me. I have never enjoyed the whole "family over everything" plot device that so many books use, and in the case of Madison's mom pressuring her to do things that were completely inappropriate for her to do in the capacity of her job, I wanted to scream a few times. However, this novel was giving "The Firm" vibes and I loved that book way back in the day, so I really enjoyed this one.

If you are looking for an intense legal thriller, look no more. The Intern is an entertaining, gripping, edge of your edge-of-your-seat thriller that kept me riveted from start to finish. Michele Campbell expertly brings the drama through well-developed, realistic characters and an original, suspenseful plot. Twists and turns are sprinkled throughout leading to a jaw-dropping and satisfying conclusion. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

Thank you, NetGalley, St-Martin’s Press and the author Michele Campbell.
It's a story of family, lies, duplicity.
Madison is a law student at Harvard, and one of her classes is taught by Judge Conroy whom she idolizes.
Judge Conroy asks her to apply for an internship in her office.
A legal nail-biter, suspenseful, with lots of twists and turns which I did not see coming.
Recommend
4 stars

I really enjoyed this book! It was fast paced and intriguing. Madison is a Harvard law student that has been chosen to intern under her mentor, Judge Kathryn Conroy. The more Madison leans about the judge the more she questions her integrity and therefore questions whether her idolization of the judge is misplaced. As Madison tries to help her imprisoned brother she learns more about the inner workings of some people that are supposed to uphold the law. The book is definitely bingeable and I loved the character development.

Fast paced and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where legal thrillers are popular.

DNF at 55 Percent

I do not support St Martins Press at this time.

The racist, homophobic, Islamophobic and anti Palestine content that was posted to their social media platform is disgusting and it is not ok.

Harvard Law Student, Madison Rivera is thrilled to earn an internship under Judge Kathryn Conroy for several reasons. Not only does she covet the mentorship of someone she’s admired for ten years, but Conroy is the judge on her brother, Danny’s case. Danny believes something underhanded is happening with his case, and the judge is in on it. Madison hopes to secretly find out something to help her brother. But soon it will be a question who is using who? As the judge pulls Madison into her life, endangering them both, Madison can’t decide if Kathryn is a victim or criminal.
A psychological thriller encased in deceit, ambition, corruption and murder with mob undertones and an interesting array of unscrupulous characters that will keep you turning the pages.

This was an interesting read. I'm not even sure how to classify the genre of this book. It was a mix of thriller, true-crime, and suspense. Regardless, it was a good read but at times it did feel a little slow.