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Transworld has pre-empted rights for Unlawful Killings: Stories of Life and Death from the Old Bailey by an Old Bailey murder trial judge, who is writing anonymously.
The author has previously worked as a barrister and as one of just a few judges licensed to try murder cases in the UK they have presided over many of the high-profile cases that make for dramatic media headlines, says the publisher.
In Unlawful Killings, they will "skilfully peel apart" five murder and manslaughter cases and describe with "great compassion" how the stories unfold in trial, illustrating what it is like to be a murder trial judge. The author will also reveal the inner workings of the Old Bailey and UK law, and shine a light on the many and subtle ways in which we can all be touched by such killings, as they reflect the society in which we live.
World all language rights were acquired from Alice Lutyens at Curtis Brown, with publication slated for 16th June 2022.
Andrea Henry, editorial director, said: "Unlawful Killings takes the expert voice narrative to another level. The author’s exquisite writing means they’re able to place the reader right in the very centre of courtroom proceedings. With great skill and humanity they recreate, with painstaking detail, cases that are powerful, touching and surprising. You’re left not only with a sense of 'There but for the grace of God…' but a real understanding of our legal system, its relevance to us all, and the troubled state we’re in as a society. This is a truly tantalising book."
The author commented: "Most people have never been inside a real Crown Court and have only the sketchiest idea of what really happens there. Yet any one of us could end up on a jury, in the witness box or even in the dock. The job of the judge is to ensure that everyone who uses the courtroom does so free of fear, and everyone who leaves it does so with a sense that they were fairly treated. That, at least, is how it should be. But it’s not always as easy to achieve as you might think. I’ve written a book which I hope guides the reader through this important process in a clear and compelling way. I am thrilled to be working with Transworld and Andrea Henry, who have shown such incisive understanding of what I want to do."