Trials of Gabriel Ward – serie

*WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS CRIME & THRILLER BOOK OF THE YEAR 2026*‘An absolute delight’ JANICE HALLETT ‘A triumph of ingenuity’ DAILY MAIL‘I loved it! ... A whiff of Shardlake and a pinch of Rumpole ... a joy’ S.J. BENNETT‘A guaranteed page-turner with secrets, twists and turns throughout’ WOMAN & HOMEWhen barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms one sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case – the disputed authorship of bestselling children’s book Millie the Temple Church Mouse – that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep.But even he cannot fail to notice the judge’s dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London’s legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now…As the police have no authority in the Temple, who better to investigate than a man who has dedicated his life to the law? But Gabriel soon discovers that murder is much messier outside the courtroom – and that behind the Temple’s heavy oak doors are stranger secrets than he could ever imagine.Gabriel Ward returns in A CASE OF LIFE AND LIMB - available now!‘A cunning and delightful mystery with rich, wonderful characters and period detail so vivid, you can touch it’ IAN MOORE, author of DEATH AND CROISSANTS‘Sir Gabriel Ward KC is endearingly eccentric. Intriguing, engaging, and thoroughly satisfying’ T.E. KINSEY, author of A QUIET LIFE IN THE COUNTRY‘A total delight! ... Intelligent, insightful mystery ... all skilfully woven together with a poignant, human story. I devoured it in one sitting!’ SARAH YARWOOD-LOVETT, author of A MURDER OF CROWS

A WATERSTONES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEARA LITERARY REVIEW CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR'As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you'll ever read' JANICE HALLETT'A masterful voice in the mystery world' S. J. BENNETTCHRISTMAS EVE, 1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London's most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until the mummified hand arrives in the post...While the hand's recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive - one with fatal consequences - Gabriel realises that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.Someone is holding a grudge that has led to at least one death. It is up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who before the body count gets any higher. The game's afoot…

''A delight from first page to last'' SUNDAY TIMES''I loved it! ... A whiff of Shardlake and a pinch of Rumpole ... a joy'' S.J. BENNETT, author of THE WINDSOR KNOTWhen barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case – the disputed authorship of bestselling children''s book Millie the Temple Church Mouse – that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep. But even he cannot fail to notice the judge''s dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London''s legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now…The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn''t answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple''s heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he''d ever imagined...Gabriel Ward will return in A CASE OF LIFE AND LIMB - available to pre-order now!''A cunning and delightful mystery with rich, wonderful characters and period detail so vivid, you can touch it'' IAN MOORE, author of DEATH AND CROISSANTS''Sir Gabriel Ward KC is endearingly eccentric. Intriguing, engaging, and thoroughly satisfying'' T.E. KINSEY, author of A QUIET LIFE IN THE COUNTRY''A total delight! ... Intelligent, insightful mystery ... all skilfully woven together with a poignant, human story. I devoured it in one sitting!'' SARAH YARWOOD-LOVETT, author of A MURDER OF CROWS

A WATERSTONES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEARA LITERARY REVIEW CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR'As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you'll ever read' JANICE HALLETT'A masterful voice in the mystery world' S. J. BENNETTCHRISTMAS EVE, 1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London's most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until the mummified hand arrives in the post...While the hand's recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive - one with fatal consequences - Gabriel realises that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.Someone is holding a grudge that has led to at least one death. It is up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who before the body count gets any higher. The game's afoot…

A WATERSTONES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEARA LITERARY REVIEW CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR'As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you'll ever read' JANICE HALLETT'A masterful voice in the mystery world' S. J. BENNETTCHRISTMAS EVE, 1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London's most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until the mummified hand arrives in the post...While the hand's recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive - one with fatal consequences - Gabriel realises that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.Someone is holding a grudge that has led to at least one death. It is up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who before the body count gets any higher. The game's afoot…

''As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you''ll ever read'' JANICE HALLETT''A masterful voice in the mystery world'' S. J. BENNETT1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London''s most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until the mummified hand arrives in the post...While the hand''s recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive - one with fatal consequences - Gabriel realises that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.Someone is holding a grudge that has led to at least one death. It is up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who before the body count gets any higher. The game''s afoot…

''As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you''ll ever read'' JANICE HALLETT''A masterful voice in the mystery world'' S. J. BENNETT1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London''s most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until the mummified hand arrives in the post...While the hand''s recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive - one with fatal consequences - Gabriel realises that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.Someone is holding a grudge that has led to at least one death. It is up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who before the body count gets any higher. The game''s afoot…

A priceless medieval book has been stolen from the Inner Temple. The librarian has been murdered at his desk. Once again, Sir Gabriel Ward KC must provide answers.Gabriel meanwhile is preparing to represent a tiny sweetshop in Brighton brought to the brink of ruin by the postponed coronation of King Edward VII. Winning the case will save the sweetshop and change the law for ever. Yet for once he does not object to being pressed into acting as detective, because another miscarriage of justice may be on the cards.The Temple authorities already have their prime suspects: Jitendra Shah, an Indian law student, and Lesley Roberts, the scandalously female assistant librarian, neither of whom fit the profile of a ‘true’ member of the Temple. Both were in the library at the time the murder must have taken place. Each claims not to have seen the other. At least one of them must be lying. But does this make them a killer?Gabriel is convinced there is far more to this case than meets the eye. And in matters of murder, Gabriel is very seldom wrong…

A priceless medieval book has been stolen from the Inner Temple. The librarian has been murdered at his desk. Once again, Sir Gabriel Ward KC must provide answers.Gabriel meanwhile is preparing to represent a tiny sweetshop in Brighton brought to the brink of ruin by the postponed coronation of King Edward VII. Winning the case will save the sweetshop and change the law for ever. Yet for once he does not object to being pressed into acting as detective, because another miscarriage of justice may be on the cards.The Temple authorities already have their prime suspects: Jitendra Shah, an Indian law student, and Lesley Roberts, the scandalously female assistant librarian, neither of whom fit the profile of a ‘true’ member of the Temple. Both were in the library at the time the murder must have taken place. Each claims not to have seen the other. At least one of them must be lying. But does this make them a killer?Gabriel is convinced there is far more to this case than meets the eye. And in matters of murder, Gabriel is very seldom wrong…

"I was immediately besotted . . . Brilliant." -Janice Hallett, internationally bestselling author of The AppealThe first in a delightful new mystery series set in the hidden heart of London''s legal world, introducing a wonderfully unwilling sleuth, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Nita Prose.When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case-the disputed authorship of bestselling children''s book Millie the Temple Church Mouse-that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep. But even he cannot fail to notice the judge''s dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London''s legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now . . . The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn''t answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple''s heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he''d ever imagined . . .The trials of Gabriel Ward continue in A Case of Life and Limb coming Fall 2025 . . .