She’s defending a man accused of a heinous crime….

….yet she has no idea who or where she is, or what the crime was. In what can only be described as the worst possible take on that dream we’ve all had where we arrive to take a final exam for a class we never attended, Lila Dalton comes to consciousness in a British courtroom with a judge and jury awaiting her opening statement. She is understandably panicked and overwhelmed, but does not admit to her state. With glimmers of courtroom knowledge kicking in, she asks for a brief recess and so begins her arduous journey to reclaim her memories and perform her role in the trial. The more she learns about the circumstances surrounding the case and her current level of involvement in it, the more dire the situation becomes. The person who should have been leading the defense just died in a suspicious automobile crash, hence Lila’s elevation to that role. Lila begins receiving mysterious messages reminding her that she has to secure an acquittal for her client or else suffer an unthinkable consequence. The trial is taking place on Assumption Island, a British Overseas Territory, and the island and people on it are to put it mildly strange. She senses that her every action is being monitored, that her ability to communicate freely is hampered, and is even arrested briefly for her predecessor’s death. With no real memories and able only to occasionally access bits of legal knowledge, Lila joins forces with a fringe journalist and a police officer who seems to share some of Lila’s suspicions about what is happening on Assumption Island, all while combatting a condescending prosecutor, a handsy judge and a Special Branch DC whose motivations are highly suspect. Will justice prevail amidst such an inauspicious environment?
In this novel, the reader as well as the protagonist enter into the story with little information. Who is Lila, and why is she in the state she is in? What is this trial about? Who is threatening her? As the plot unfolds, answers to these questions slowly begin to appear, although character development is given how the story is set up is limited. I would have preferred for the plot to have moved along more quickly and for the construct of the story to have been made clear sooner, but it is an interesting lens through which to view a legal case. Readers of authors like Paula Hawkins, William Landay and Harry Dolan might be interested in picking up a copy of The Trials of Lila Dalton. My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me early access to a copy of this intriguing thriller.

The plot really intrigued me. A defense lawyer who lost her memory in the middle of a case involving a terrorist attack on a strange island in the UK. It kept me interested about 40-50% of the book because of all the mystery, but the execution and the reveals were getting confusing. There was so much packed in the book that it left a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions. It was a fun and entertaining read, but it left me a little confused with the sci-fi twist at the end. 3.5 stars!

This was almost a DNF for me. I just didn’t love the vibe. I wanted way more out of the characters. They all fell flat for me, and it was hard to get through it.

This book drew me in at the beginning and kept me thinking that it would end up being a 3.5-4 star read, but towards the end the story began to develop to a 3-3.5 star. I enjoyed the beginning court room drama and the premise of the story, but my adoration changed by tge end. The ending seemed to be a little too convenient to wrap up the end of the story and a little strange in what was happening. A little more structure to the story and an easier to follow plot would have benefitted this book.

L.J. Shepherd will be on my radar for their next release because I can see all the potential in this writer for trial and courtroom procedural drama. I adore procedurals, and can't wait to see what they bring to the table next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was really excited about the premise of the story. The beginning was really good...I mean a lawyer that wakes up with amnesia. I don't know what happened but after awhile the main character was annoying and drove me crazy. I couldn't wait for it to end.

ummmm maybe genre bending but not sure how to execute it ??? It was just all very weird. Super action packed and intriguing in the very beginning but it was just weird, odd, I'm not even sure.

Unfortunately I had to dnf.

Ok so a little confusing at first, not a lot of suspense or action right away but I was interested. About 50-60% through and I was fully invested. Intriguing concept and storyline. Loved the ending/epilogue. Would recommend!

The Trials of Lila Dalton ☾𖤓
by L.J. Shepard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 stars!!

This book starts with a fascinating twist: Lila wakes up with no memory, suddenly defending someone in a high-stakes trial. The story takes you on a wild, speculative ride as she uncovers secrets and tries to piece together her past. The slow, deliberate pacing builds suspense and keeps you guessing. If you’re a fan of speculative fiction and enjoy a good mystery with unexpected turns, this book is definitely worth a read. It’s an intriguing debut with a lot of twists and turns that make it a unique experience.

I love a legal thriller but this one was just so weird! The different topics were just thrown in and I had no idea what was going on. This definitely is not the standard legal thriller, but a very strange take on the genre.

The trials of Lila dalton hooked me with its premise. A young woman wakes up on an island, unsure of how she got there or any details of her past. She finds out she has to go to court that day-she is a defense lawyer and has to defend a mass murderer/domestic terrorist. As she is struggling to piece her life together, she realizes that she has a daughter-who is now missing and it’s in connection to the case is working. What is going on on the island? How did Lila wind up there and why? Is her client guilty? Where is her daughter? As the plot thickens these are the questions that ultimately drive us forward as Lila tries to gain her bearings and finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy much deeper than she ever imagined.
I loved the first half of this book-the premise was interesting and intriguing and I was excited to see where it was going. The second half lost me and became overly-convoluted with the occult, nazis, the state of the British legal system, etc.
there is a ton of promise here though and if the landing had stuck this would have been a 5 star read! Otherwise, read this if you are a lover of mystery/thrillers. Fast-paced and even though I didn’t love the second half, I still found myself turning the page furiously.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review!

THE TRIALS OF LILA DALTON by L.J. Shepherd was a real stretch for me. Not what I was expecting with conspiracy theories, mind control, racism and government experiments. WAY out of my genre, so it was hard to follow at times.

Lila Dalton is Jr. Defense counsel for Jonathan Eades in a mass murder trial where he is charged with 27 deaths and 112 injuries. Imagine her problem when she ‘comes to’ while standing in front of the jury as the senior council following a serious car accident and the 1st chair being unavailable. Lila has no memories of the case, the defendant, and even questions her law degree but seems to bluff her way through the first day of trial deciding that she’ll run for her sanity at the end of the day. When she tries to flee Assumption Island, where the trial is being held, she learns that there is no way out. She begins receiving cryptic messages and visits by a woman no one else seems to see. What she uncovers makes her believe that she must win her case or her daughter is in jeopardy. Cloak and dagger meetings with informants lead Lila to lean on Devin Hanlon, a journalist who is following the case. As they sift through the clues and interviews, what they uncover could actually help Lila win her case. Oh, and did I mention, that she is arrested for having caused the death of the senior attorney in the case?

As I mentioned, this book was outside my normal genre. I don’t know if I should call it sci-fi or murder mystery or fantasy or dystopian, but I did have some trouble following along and had to go back a few times to remind myself of certain aspects. I was left scratching my head quite frequently. The writing was clear and concise, however, and I could feel myself sneaking through the town at night as Lila searched for her daughter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Yeah, that was weird. There was obviously something wrong with everything happening. There was something wrong with Lila Dalton finding herself in a court room with no idea how she got there. And yet, she knows everything she needs to know about the case and the law. That’s weird. Everyone on this island, yes, they are on an island that is specifically used for trials of sensitive cases, acts really weird. The locals hate everyone involved in the trial. Cops break into hotel rooms. Strange women lurk around in bright coats leaving clues.

I left this book unsure. There were parts that niggled at me while I was reading. But in the days since, they’ve gone away and left me with that feeling you have when you kind of want to revisit a book.

Those that like a good court drama will enjoy The Trials of Lila Dalton.

Lila Dalton finds herself in a courtroom, with no memory of who she is and what she's doing there. Her client is as unhappy to have her represent him and she is to do it. She soon discovers her memory loss is more than just in the courtroom.

This is a story that starts strong and hooks you. I found though, that there were parts of the story that slowed and nearly lost me but I also am a reader that needs constant action. I also found some bits confusing and wondered if it was because I'm not British.

Even still, I would definitely recommend this book to others that enjoy a good legal thriller with a twist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my advanced copy and thanks to L.J. Shepherd for writing The Trials of Lila Dalton!

Based on what I've observed, this book has received quite a bit of criticism, which surprises me because I absolutely loved it. I understand that opinions vary, but still... I have a deep appreciation for L.J. Shepherd's writing style, and I found the plot incredibly unique. The way she handled the amnesia trope was brilliant-it's such a versatile theme, and she used it masterfully! Overall, I found this book to be fast-paced, intriguing, and thoroughly enjoyable. I couldn't put it down! Another phenomenal five-star read!

Initially it was tough to ground myself in the protagonist LILA DALTON as she comes to consciousness knowing she's not a lawyer, but somehow knows the terminology, strategies, and appropriate behavior to defend a murder in a locked room type of mystery where she is also accused of murder and is pressured to win the case of the mass murderer or lose a child she didn't know she had. That sense of knowing and not knowing, of losing track of time and yet pressured to be present and be polite and do what you're supposed to do? The dystopian overtones and political underpinnings were woven with issues of identity and what it means to be a good person and live a good life -- so with the confusion and the always feeling like you're not quite getting what's going on around you, it feels uncomfortably like modern life. I felt like parts could have been developed a little bit more, but all in all, it was a story that kept me going until the very end. I received a copy. of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

The premise of this book was very intriguing to me. As a fan of legal thrillers and courtroom dramas (hello Law and Order SVU!), I found the book to be similar to what you would see on tv - not totally true but close yet dramatized.

Imagine waking up not knowing who you are, and you are responsible for someone's conviction or freedom. Located on an island, Lila must figure out who she is and what is going on in this mysterious place.

I would say this is a dramatized (almost) thriller/legal novel with some major secrets and many twists and turns.

Overall, this book was exciting and different, and I loved our FMC.

Highly recommend for my mood readers and crime lovers!

This was a very mind-bending thriller that made my head spin a little. In a good way. THE TRIALS OF LILA DALTON was a legal thriller that was unique and creative. There was a lot of action throughout the book with unpredictable characters which I liked. It was different than I expected because it was a bit speculative but it was an interesting concept that I feel was done well.

This was a fun debut! I was hooked immediately, even though I’m not usually a fan of courtroom thrillers. The premise: A lawyer loses her memory while defending a mass murderer – count me in! The first quarter of the book was fast paced and suspenseful, but the court room scenes slowed the action. Those scenes, although slow, felt the most authentic. I liked the twists, but there were so many it was difficult to keep up and the details got confusing. I would have enjoyed learning more about Lila’s character, because by the end everything was turned on its head and I had no real sense of who she was.

3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy suspense, mystery, and courtroom dramas.

The Trials of Lila Dalton was almost a complete miss for me. The premise sounded very promising - awake with memory loss in front of a jury, and try to figure out who you are, who you’re defending, and how to win the trial in order to get back home. Plus, its basically a locked room mystery, because its an island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean with no means of escape. But it was so convoluted, and too many details that seemed to mean nothing, and the whole Neo-Nazi terrorism angle was a bit of a turn-off for me. Even the resolution as the end was just much too far-fetched for my taste. Whatever good moments the book had, and there were a few, was just not enough to fully redeem it in my opinion.

Thank you to LJ Shepherd and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

Imagine opening your eyes and finding out you are representing an individual accused of a domestic bombing, and you have no idea who you are, who your client is, or what is even going on. This is exactly how “The Trials of Lila Dalton” starts, and what follows is a twisty, speculative fiction plot.

It is hard for me to talk about this book without spoiling any part. I will say this: You will either love this one or hate it. I personally love speculative fiction, and while the ending was a bit out there, I still enjoyed the entire plot.

I also very much enjoyed the FMC, Lila Dalton. As a reader, I felt just as lost as she was, and some of the reveals took me a minute to process, similar to our titular character. This entire plot device increased the suspense and tension of the overall novel and created a unique reading experience.

“The Trials of Lila Dalton” is a slow read. The pace is more like a trickle, where reveals are perfectly timed yet are quiet in delivery. There is no A HA! moment. Instead, Shepherd gracefully drops clues and solutions into the reader’s lap and allows the conclusions to come naturally.

I began this book thinking it was about one thing and that thought changed about 20 times while reading. “The Trials of Lila Dalton” is about a trial, but also not. It is about conspiracy theories, but also not. It’s hard to place this one in a category, which may lead some readers to think this book has an identity crisis. It’s an incredible concept if you enjoy speculative fiction. If this is not your type of genre, then I would skip this one. Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel from LJ Shepherd and am excited to see what she writes next.