Prima Facie

Based on the award-winning play starring Jodie Comer

Suzie Miller author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cornerstone

Published:14th Mar '24

£16.99

Available for immediate dispatch.

Prima Facie cover

'Compelling and human . . . a political rallying cry' New York Times

'Bold, fearless and heartbreaking' Elle Magazine

‘It has been an absolute joy to return to Tessa’s story . . . My hope is that it will reach the widest number of people . . . I’ve personally enjoyed delving into her story again’ Jodie Comer

'Bold, fearless, heartbreakingly timeless. Written with skill, humour, despair and hope, Prima Facie is a deeply rewarding, absolute must read' Chris Whitaker

'Enthralling and sharp-witted . . . Highly recommended' Karin Slaughter

'Miller's star shines as brightly as a novelist as it does as a playwright. Prima Facie the novel gives us what novels do: the intimacy of interior life. A great read' Anna Funder

From the Olivier award-winning playwright of Prima Facie Suzie Miller comes her first novel, where power, patriarchy and morality diverge.

‘This is not life. This is law.’

Tessa Ensler is a brilliant barrister who's forged her career in criminal defence through sheer determination. Since her days at Cambridge, she’s carefully disguised her working class roots in a male-dominated world where who you know is just as important as what you know. Driven by her belief in the right to a fair trial and a taste for victory, there’s nothing Tessa loves more than the thrill of getting her clients acquitted.

It seems like Tessa has it made when she is approached for a new job and nominated for the most prestigious award in her field. But when a date with a charismatic colleague goes horribly wrong, Tessa finds that the rules she’s always played by might not protect her, forcing her to question everything she's ever believed in . . .

AS SEEN IN ROISIN KATE KELLY, SUNDAY TIMES, ROUND-UP OF BEST BOOKS COMING IN 2024

Prima Facie has already had a powerful impact outside the theatre, with copies of the original script included in training for new judges. If the novelisation gives it a greater reach, that can only be to the good; these are stories that need to be heard * Observer *
This nakedly powerful story of how even a successful articulate woman lawyer can herself become a victim of the system is still one worth telling and re-telling * Daily Mail *
An enthralling, biting story * the i, 'Best Books to Read in March' *
An engaging, thought-provoking novel . . . Miller braids the legal technicalities and courtroom procedures with Tessa’s personal story authentically, with great control of tension and pace -- Helen Cullen * Irish Times *
Bold, fearless, heartbreakingly timeless. Written with skill, humour, despair and hope, Prima Facie is a deeply rewarding, absolute must read -- Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of WE BEGIN AT THE END
Enthralling and sharp-witted . . . Highly recommended -- Karin Slaughter
Miller's star shines as brightly as a novelist as it does as a playwright. Prima Facie the novel gives us what novels do: the intimacy of interior life. A great read. -- Anna Funder, author of STASILAND
A fantastic read, page-turning and thought-provoking. The kind of story you can't stop thinking about, I loved it -- Jane Harper, author of THE DRY
Miller's novel is searing, vindicating and absolutely necessary both in the injustices it names and the emotions it evokes. I am grateful to her for writing it -- Sarah Krasnostein, author of THE BELIEVER
Gripping . . . [with] blistering points about class, power, the patriarchy and the law shaped by generations of men -- Alice O'Keeffe, Books Editor * Bookseller *
A compelling expose of how the legal system is broken when it comes to cases of sexual assault . . . As a reading experience, it is fascinating and compelling, and it is alive with anger, urgency, and a call to arms. Once read, its message should not be ignored or forgotten * Off the Shelf, 'Books to make your heart beat faster' *
Magnificent and moving -- Alex Preston * Financial Times *
Incredible . . . I loved it -- Deborah Frances-White
A tour de force that will leave you shaken, enraged and moved -- Matthew d'Ancona * The New European *
Compelling and human . . . a political rallying cry * New York Times *

ISBN: 9781529153644

Dimensions: 240mm x 162mm x 32mm

Weight: 555g

336 pages