Unlawful Killings

Who hasn't wanted to be a judge and sit and deliver verdicts on all those evil people who do the most appalling things to other people - more often than not, members of their own family, or to someone that they know. You might think again after reading Unlawful Killings which will make you question all the fundamentals that you've come to take for granted about offenders, the crimes that they commit - especially murder - and the punishment they deserve. It will also make you think again about our judges and I for one was left gladdened that we have someone of this quality assessing what was right and what was wrong. A page turner that will leave you wanting to know more.

Emeritus Professor David Wilson Author of My Life with Murderers

A superb work providing the reader with a truly authentic judicial insight into the human stories and legal and forensic framework that constitute today's criminal trials of those accused of unlawfully killing another human being. It is permeated too with clearsighted analysis of the backstory to such killings, whether that be the pull of street gangs, the blight of domestic violence, the tragedy of death on our roads or the infliction of violence said to have been caused by mental illness or the ill temper of those with a disordered personality. The author's wit and wisdom deserve as wide an audience as possible.

His Honour David Radford

With compassion, wisdom, sardonic humour and a novelistic skill with pace and words, this is a breakthrough in expressing heinous crime from the position of one who had the fearful job of ruling upon it.

Philip Mould, Philip Mould & Company

Beautifully written and utterly gripping.

Joshua Rozenberg, A Lawyer Writes

JUNE'S BOOK OF THE MONTH: Exceptional ... a riveting and revelatory work.

Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller

A very rare gem. An author who uses hindsight to contemplate foresight whilst generating genuine insight. The book is written with authority, humility and compassion. Compellingly clever and sharply honest.

Professor Dame Sue Black

I really enjoyed this book. If ever I was on trial I would want my judge to be this one. She is compassionate, in control and understands the reality that exists outside the courtroom. Anyone who has worked in the Crown Court would recognise how true to life the court room scenes are. The fictional crime scenarios make compelling stories. What is unique is that they are placed in a wider context which challenges the assumptions that lie behind our criminal justice policy. A great read for those who want to understand how the system works now and why it is going wrong.

Cherie Blair CBE QC

Absolutely superb. 5 stars for sheer readability alone. Her Honour entertains as she educates us about murder, about the law and about how we human beings are shaped as we create the culture we live with.

Philippa Perry, author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read

I inhaled this: brilliant, clear-eyed, compassionate and fascinating.

Olivia Potts, author of A Half Baked Idea

This is a brilliant book. It tells the stories of six different types of homicide case coming before an Old Bailey judge, vivid, compelling, tragic and sometimes funny about the barristers. It makes a compelling case for prevention before cure - and, by the way, for more women judges!

Rt Hon Lady Hale DBE, Former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

Wendy Joseph's career as a leading criminal barrister and High Court judge at The Old Bailey has given her unparalleled insight and understanding of crime and the working of the criminal mind. In this remarkable book she sets out in clear, dispassionate and forensic detail the twists and turns of six very different trials, not only revealing the intense human tragedy behind these stories but also the lives of the people who are integral to the court process, be it QC, barrister, clerk, witness or jury. Fast-moving, hugely absorbing and at times emotionally draining, Wendy Joseph is a born storyteller for whom a complete understanding of the law and how it applies to deeply harrowing and disturbing murder cases never wavers.

John Benjamin

'UNLAWFUL KILLINGS reads like a really terrific novel. It is riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.'

Roddy Doyle

The most exceptional book I've read in a long time. As a police officer in a former life I was mostly terrified of judges, so it was incredible to have this glimpse behind the pomp and ceremony of criminal court. Readers will be intrigued by the insight into the mechanics of the law, but what really makes this sing is its humanity. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion, and am heartened to know there is such compassion among our judges.

Clare Mackintosh

Fascinating, propulsive and beautifully written, this is an extraordinary insight into the heart and mind of a judge as they witness the best and worst of humanity. I couldn't put it down.

Sarah Langford, author of In Your Defence

A gripping, disturbing and deeply humane exploration of the darkest side of the human condition, from a judge who has seen it all. I devoured Unlawful Killings in a single sitting. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

The Secret Barrister

Judge Wendy Joseph's gripping account of the law at work reads like a cliffhanger ... Joseph is a deft deployer of suspense and nuance ... She is funny too, with a keen eye for the absurdities of the human condition

Kathryn Hughes, Sunday Times

Her writing is characterized by analytical precision, but it is also a book of great empathy and urgency... A fine book.

Jonathan Buckley, TLS

Fresh, compelling, well-written and unflinchingly authentic.

Emily Penninck, the i newspaper

Lifts the lid on what it's like to dispense justice ... a gripping insight ... beautifully crafted ... grim tales lifted by humour and honesty.

The Times