This is a book filled with mystery, conspiracy theories and lots of twists and turns. In fact it could perhaps have too many twists and turns because I didn’t quite get it. I thought I did and then I got to the end and was still questioning if I actually understand what had happened. Maybe that’s the point?

The writing is great; sharp and witty. Not too explanatory but still gives a full bodied approach to the plot, characters and world building. I found the characters really interesting, they were well thought out and I was really intrigued by Lila, the main character.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the wonderful chance to read this book!

The writing is stunning, it is so unique and soft despite the context. But dark and so dark too. I wanted to annotate the heck out of it. It tugs at your heart strings.

Thanks for the ARC! The plot of the book is interesting: a lawyer defending a client while having memory loss and being a murder suspect herself. In my opinion, those elements were not tied together enough and following it was difficult due to everything going on. The narrative was a little boring, and there were parts that felt drawn out and slow. I didn't feel any overwhelming connection to the characters, and wanted more information on some aspects of them. The last scene ties things together pretty well, but it doesn't quite cover it and felt unsatisfying.

I don't think I am smart enough for this book, I feel like my brain is mush now.

This starts off as a courtroom thriller and slowly descends into a mind-bending, reality-questioning conspiracy theory thriller? I can't say I hated the trajectory, but I think there was too much going on for me to really comprehend it all. By the end I was just pushing through to be finished because it all became a little too convoluted (and yet... I still kind of like the overall outcome?)

Lila comes to awareness in the middle of the courtroom with no knowledge of who she is or how she got there- but she quickly discovers that she is the public defender for a mass murder trial. In trying to uncover what happened to her, Lila starts down a road of conspiracy theories that tangle her up more than anything. And then she finds herself in the center of a second murder investigation.

This was giving Shutter Island vibes BIG TIME (from the semi-racist remarks, to the island isolation and potential for reality to be skewed). It took a different turn that I wasn't quite expecting, which helped divert it from the Shutter Island idea, but that's also when things became a little too twisty for me to follow. There is a LOT of legal jargon to wade through in here, and I didn't understand half of the big words. Did that ruin it? No, not really, I just glossed over some things which may have come in handy toward the end??

For a few content warnings since I did not see any listed in my ARC copy: This ends up involving neo-Nazi characters and themes, discussions of terrorism, mass murder via bombs, and psy-ops with distortion of reality.

Lila Dalton doesn’t remember who she is, but more importantly, she doesn’t know why she is the attorney on a terrorism case. Somehow, she needs to defend her client and solve the mystery of her memory loss.
This is a speculative fiction that mixes genres of thrillers, sci-fi and mystery. The mystery kept me going with the book and the stakes were high throughout. There was also an interesting courtroom drama aspect to the novel. However, I found the pacing to be inconsistence as there were parts that dragged on for me. I found the plot to be too convoluted for me and the ending was anti-climatic. Lila felt naïve and childish, especially her internal dialogue. She was too worried about embarrassing herself than way more pressuring matters.
I gave The Trials of Lila Dalton a 3 out of 5 stars for having an intriguing mystery. I also appreciate the author exploring of various genres and themes. But I found the main character frustrating and the story confusing..

"The Trials of Lila Dalton" by L.J. Shepherd follows the journey of Lila Dalton, a protagonist thrust into a web of mystery and intrigue. The novel promises a blend of suspense and psychological depth, set against a backdrop of complex relationships and personal struggles. In conclusion, while "The Trials of Lila Dalton" may appeal to readers who enjoy psychological mysteries with complex interpersonal dynamics, it did not resonate with me personally.

This story has a lot of complexity to it and a slow pace and I would say if you are okay with this then please read it! I listened to the audiobook while reading the book and wow, it really enhanced the reader's experience, especially with the heavy drama in the plot.

The rhythm of the story and writing did keep me engaged but it is a complicated plot with lots of legal terms. The Character development was a struggle to keep up with however. And about the last 10 chapters or so I kind of checked out and read to finish, not read to enjoy.

This book. I'm on the fence. I was so excited about it and for it. But it was so slow to start with and the end just seemed to crash into place without ever really justifying everything. I feel like there's a lot more that could have been done or done better to make everything make sense more and not as an after thought.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisioned Pen for an eARC of this book.

Unfortunately, this did not pull me in as I expected. The back and forth of the main character identifying how they ended up in court and also still knowing what to do when working on the case seemed forced. This reads more like it would do best as a TV show than a novel. I found myself wanting to DNF but waiting for the book to feel more cohesive.

When I read the description of the book on Netgalley I was so intrigued and excited to read it. Something unique and different. I guess I went into it with high expectations and let myself down. Don't get me wrong. It was a good book. I wanted to know what was going on. I wanted to finish it and never thought of DNFing it. But it didn't pull me in. And in the end I guess I was a little disappointed and not fully understanding the concept. It just could be that this book was too smart for me and went over my head and others may love it. I just was like eh that was an okay book. I probably just had too high of hopes going into it but isn't that what Netgalley and getting these ARCs are for? To try new things and see what you like and don't like. Some you win some you lose this I would say maybe I tied.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. Book was fine, it took me a long time to get into it though.

The Trials of Lila Dalton follow our main protagonist, Lila, a woman who comes to it in the middle of a court room. She doesn't know who she is, how she got there, or what she is doing. With quick investigative skills, she realizes she is a barrister and is supposed to be defending a man on trial for domestic terrorism on an island in the middle of nowhere. The more she unravels the more she realizes she cannot trust anybody, not even herself and her mind.

L.J. Shepherd started this novel off on a high. The author does a phenomenal job with the authenticity of the legal processes and courtroom scenes. They really put their work in to make this knowledgable. Lila was a great protagonist, capable and cautious despite not knowing anything. I did not understand the why the reviews were so low until I got about 30% into the story. There were so many moving parts with the memory, the daughter, the notes, and the assumed domestic terrorism. I was not expecting so much history into the far right of England and cult like activities. If one of the main plot points was taken away, this could have been a slam-dunk.

I wish I had more to say regarding this, but I got so lost trying to keep everything organized and straight while reading it. This is a great debut, and I will read what Shepherd releases after this.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. I really enjoyed it and the courtroom style set up in this book. I would recommend reading this if you have a similar reading interest. I rate this book a 5 stars.

The Trials of Lila Dalton by L.J. Shepherd is one of the more layered debuts that I have read in a minute, and I was hooked from the very first chapter! The premise of a barrister standing at the front of a courtroom with no idea of how she got there or who she is was incredibly intriguing to me and the execution was well done. I initially rated this a 3, but after thinking about it more, it is probably more of a 4 star read for me. It is very complex and while I didn’t love the far-right aspect of the story I have to be fair to the author who literally put it in the note at the beginning that I failed to read first for fear of spoilers, so that’s on me.

I did love this book on audio and I thought Ella Lynch made for an amazing narrator. She was pleasant to listen to, easy to understand, and she totally took on the persona of our FMC Lila. The anxiety ridden moments especially as we get to the end were excellently expressed by Lynch and I could feel her voice radiating the tension I myself was feeling for Lila. I loved the isolated location setting as well as the scraps of memory and déjà vu that Lila experiences throughout as she tries to figure out how she got to where she is while at the same time trying to win the case for her client. This ended up being very twisty and I was so glad there was a conversation with the author (not in the audiobook) that confirmed it was what I thought it was. Very freaky and added a bit of an otherworldly twist I wasn't expecting.

Read this if you enjoy intricate debuts that are based on far-right conspiracy theorists, heaps of red herrings, and courtroom dramas!

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed reading this book. However I did find it kind of confusing at times. I did like it that the legal terms used were explained in the book and loved how the story developed well throughout the book , keepingthe reading in suspense al the time.
Overall I will recommend it to my friends and customers the plot is good and I liked the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen for the ARC.
I am not much of a courtroom drama reader, however this story peaked my interest. The plot was a little tough to follow, but that's what good writing should do. Make you really think and stay invested.
Many plot twists that keep you guessing until the end.

The Trials of Lila Dalton is a captivating legal thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story follows Lila Dalton, a determined young lawyer, as she navigates a complex case that challenges her professional abilities and personal beliefs. The plot is full of twists and turns, with each chapter adding more tension and suspense.

Lila is a strong, relatable character, and her journey of growth and self-discovery is one of the book's highlights. The author does a great job of portraying the challenges of working in the legal world, while also exploring deeper themes of justice, morality, and personal sacrifice.

The pacing is spot-on, with the perfect balance of intense courtroom moments and quieter, reflective scenes. The supporting characters are also well-developed, each playing an important role in Lila’s story.

The Trials of Lila Dalton is a thrilling, thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of legal dramas and anyone who enjoys a gripping, character-driven story.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF. The writing was very bad, with the author repeating the same words quite often which annoyed me a lot. I am really not into politics so the political aspect threw me off as well, because going into the book, I wasn't aware it was going to be about that. The plot was very confusing and hard to follow.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.