The Secret Barrister
Stories of the Law and How It's Broken
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The Secret Barrister
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Narrated by:
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Jack Hawkins
About this listen
An anonymous barrister's darkly comic and moving first-hand account of life in the legal system, and how it's failing us all.
The Sunday Times number one bestseller.
Winner of the Books are My Bag Non-Fiction Award.
Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year.
Shortlisted for Specsavers Non-Fiction Book of the Year.
You may not wish to think about it, but one day you or someone you love will almost certainly appear in a criminal courtroom. You might be a juror, a victim, a witness or – perhaps through no fault of your own – a defendant. Whatever your role, you’d expect a fair trial.
I’m a barrister. I work in the criminal justice system, and every day I see how fairness is not guaranteed. Too often the system fails those it is meant to protect. The innocent are wronged and the guilty allowed to walk free.
In The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It's Broken I want to share some stories from my daily life to show you how the system is broken, who broke it and why we should start caring before it’s too late.
A Sunday Times top ten bestseller for twenty-four weeks.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2018 The Secret Barrister (P)2018 Macmillan Digital AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
'Eye-opening, damning and hilarious' – Tim Shipman, author of All Out War and Fall Out
‘Eye-opening, funny and horrifying’ – Observer
‘Everyone who has any interest in public life should read it’ – Daily Mail
What listeners say about The Secret Barrister
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mikhail Tikilyaynen
- 16-05-19
A mixed bag
So, this is essentially "This is going to hurt", but about the system of criminal justice. Depending on what you're after, this could be a good thing. The mix of battlefield stories and, um, general discourse (don't want to call it ranting, because it's more of a structured argument) is a lot more weighted towards the discourse than TIGTH.
If you read this, like me, to get a better idea of how the justice system is organised and is meant to function, this is a decent guide, and it isn't boring.
Or, if you're after some solid, unrelenting government-bashing, this is definitely for you. Some points are indeed interesting and fair, but it does leave you with a feeling that despite some effort from the author to achieve balance, you've had a bit of a one-sided lecture.
Still, pretty useful if you haven't paid much attention to how the law is served before.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- rikki
- 09-07-18
a perfect reading of a sad system
an excellent reading of a subject that can be heart breaking/depressing/funny in the same chapter . it really does make me wish it had more funding. I felt the barrister was talking to me rather than down at me. A really great book that made me want to want to improve my written and spoken vocabulary
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 06-09-18
Very informative and well written
But not quite the rollicking comedy romp through the annals of legal slapstick I thought it was going to be from the title. Intentional? I suspect the author is clever enough to know that most people wouldn't choose four hours of a civics lesson knowingly...
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AmyI
- 19-02-21
Every person in the UK NEEDS to read this!
please read this book! I have had a truly rude awakening at the content of this book.
The assumptions I have made over our legal system are completely inaccurate! scarily so! I am shocked beyond belief at our press and our politicians that the general public are misled in such a way!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jimm
- 16-04-19
Shocking
Brilliantly shocking account of the British legal system.
I work in local government and have family in the NHS and these are the parallels drawn through out the book when talking about crippled services after decades of cuts and MPs lies(of pure lack of knowledge in the area they comment on)
Its a scary book in the fact that some of the miss trials could have been me or you just in the wrong place at the wrong time only to be let off after years in prison with a "sorry old bean" as your life has vanished. Brilliant book and I hope it gets people behind the reform that most sectors need but particularly the crim justice sector.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- D. Webster
- 18-03-19
Passionate Plea
Really enjoyed this insider's account. Very clear account of the legal world.
I did have a cynical view of the legal profession but this has changed
my view completely. Full of admiration for those who struggle to
uphold our justice system.
Lots to absorb in the book but it is well written and the
narrator is excellent.
Towards the end it is mentioned that Citizenship is taught in our schools
this book should be part of education for all of us.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 13-08-19
Very good
I've listened to lots of audio books and this is very good. It's well read, entertaining and an eye opener for anyone interested in the law.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jeffrey
- 20-11-20
Lifts the lid on the legal system
Persuasive and informative analysis of problems in the legal system in what I assume is England, Wales and NI although it probably also applies to Scotland although there are subtle differences its different system. Lively narration with a hint of comedy.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 01-02-19
Gold Tongue Word Smith
A Well executed opening statement, A middle ground cross examination and A thorough closing statement. Mans got skill like tupac!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- BARRY SILVERSTEIN
- 01-06-18
Great. A bit horrifying.
Great stuff. A real eye opener. One of the better non-fiction audiobooks. With the time.
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