The Cut Throat Trial cover art

The Cut Throat Trial

The explosive legal thriller from the No. 1 bestseller

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

The Cut Throat Trial

By: The Secret Barrister
Narrated by: Toby Jones, Annie Aldington, Maya Sondhi, Wesley Ruthven, Nathalie Buscombe, Kenton Thomas, Simon Vance, Tyreke Leslie, Rupert Farley, Eddie Toll, Ben Miles
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £12.20

Buy Now for £12.20

Brought to life by a full-cast, starring Toby Jones OBE (The Hunger Games, Harry Potter), Ben Miles (The Crown, Wolf Hall), and AudioFile Golden Voice Simon Vance.
Full of twists you won't see coming, The Cut Throat Trial is an edge-of-your-seat courtroom drama from the No. 1 bestselling Secret Barrister. And you have a front row seat.
‘An astute, empathetic, and satisfyingly twisty read’ - Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal
‘A diamond class legal thriller . . . I loved every moment’ - Janice Hallett, author of The Twyford Code
It is one of the biggest trials of the year. Three seventeen-year-old boys are accused of the brutal murder of an elderly teacher on New Year’s Eve. Each boy denies it. Each points the finger at the other two. But they can’t all be innocent.
The three defence barristers have only one job: to persuade the jury that their client is not guilty. But they’re up against a prosecutor who needs to win the case, no matter the cost.
Written by a criminal barrister with an expert insider’s knowledge, The Cut Throat Trial is an unputdownable legal thriller.


Cast:

“The Narrator” - Toby Jones OBE
Baxter Wyatt KC - Ben Miles
HHJ Jeremy Letts - Simon Vance
Craig Mervyn-Scott - Wesley Ruthven
Arron Freeman - Kenton Thomas
Jamal Lowton - Tyreke Leslie
Aliyah Arshad - Maya Sondhi
Jennifer Rennie - Nathalie Buscombe
Bob Evans KC - Rupert Farley
Rita Hooper - Annie Aldington
Jared Grimes - Eddie Toll

 Crime Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Murder Exciting Scary Law
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

A sharp legal thriller that grips you from the first page and puts you right inside the courtroom. The author's legal expertise combines with a twisting plot and a compelling cast of characters to deliver a thrilling page turner. (Mason Cross, author of The Killing Season and the Carter Blake series)
Weaves a really compelling plot-driven story with great characterisation. Pacy. Intriguing. Thrilling. (Imran Mahmood, author of Finding Sophie and You Don't Know Me)
Like a front row seat at a hotly contested murder trial. Fast, furious, fascinating and impeccably plotted . . . Legal thrillers don't get better than this! (Neil Lancaster, author of Dead Man's Grave)
Not so much a front row seat in a murder trial as a journey inside the minds of the necessarily unreliable defendants, judge and counsel, The Cut Throat Trial is both scathing examination of the criminal justice system and an astute, empathetic, and satisfyingly twisty read. . . I’ll be thinking about this one for quite some time. (Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal and Reputation)
This book is phenomenal!
If you want to know how the law takes its course with people’s lives, you won’t get a more accurate picture than this. It’s truly fascinating to see it turned into a page-turning story. (Wendy Joseph, author of Unlawful Killings)
A diamond-class legal thriller . . . Five stars (Janice Hallett, author of The Twyford Code)
A clever, compelling, insightful and often witty courtroom thriller from a writer who truly understands the machinations of the criminal court and the human mind. The brilliantly-drawn characters and deft double-crossing kept me reading late into the night. Loved it. (Anna Sharpe, author of Notes on a Drowning)
The verdict is in and it’s unanimous – The Cut Throat Trial is an absolute cracker. A deviously plotted, whip-smart courtroom thriller that oozes tension. (Neil Broadfoot, author of Falling Fast)
Brilliant . . . pitch perfect dialogue, wit and insight, as well as drama, thrills and big reveals . . . Moving, emotional and gripping. (Helen Fields, author of The Shadow Man )
All stars
Most relevant
If you think all legal audiobooks are just a dry recitation of facts, A Cut Throat Trial will completely change your mind!

The Secret Barrister has moved beyond just explaining the law to making you feel like you are sitting in the jury box.
The Standout Features:

A Full-Cast Experience: The sheer number of narrators is what truly makes this audio book shine. Unlike many audiobooks where a single voice tries to juggle a dozen accents, the distinct cast makes it effortless to identify exactly who is speaking—whether it’s the judge, the witnesses, or the counsel. It adds a layer of realism that is incredibly rare.

Authentic Atmosphere: The integration of court recordings (and the stylistic recreation of that environment) was fantastic. It bridged the gap between fiction and reality, making the stakes feel much higher and the procedural elements thoroughly engaging.

The "Jaw-Drop" Factor: I consider myself a bit of a sleuth, but the ending caught me completely off guard. The twist was masterfully handled—logical in hindsight, yet totally unpredictable in the moment.

My Final Verdict:
This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the justice system or just a damn good mystery. It’s immersive, easy to follow despite the legal complexities, and packs a final punch that will leave you thinking about it long after the credits roll!

Very much looking forward to the next book!

gripping from the start

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I got this book as a break from my usual sci-fi, urban fantasy stories, and felt a little apprehensive about it. How wrong I was! The performance from the narrators; the tension, drama, and constant surprises - this was the book that kept on giving. My husband normally hates when I have audiobooks on but even he became invested in this story. I cannot wait for more of this from the Secret Barrister.

I have never been so invested!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You always knew which POV you were getting without going back to check. Subtle with a twist. Love it!

Structure ideal for listening.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The author knows so much about the legal world, so first you learn the inns and outs of a courtroom; she also wrote a book full of cliffhangers. Once you get lulled into believing somebody, she comes up with a sentence to shatter your trust.
As a reader, you are a member of the jury, I suppose, dazed and confused by all the versions of one single event. Cannot recommend this highly enough.

Perfectly performed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Throughly enjoyed this book, very easy to listen to with the different narratives and kept me guessing up until the end

Fantastic!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews