Legal thrillers are some of the most popular types of thriller fiction. It’s not surprising as courtroom tension, silver-tongued lawyers, and twisty cases lend well to creating a suspenseful atmosphere.
Another reason why they’re so in demand is the level of realism they contain. Many of authors of legal thrillers have, in some capacity, worked in the legal world. And many of the stories they write are based on real-life events, giving readers an inside view of how the law works.
Best Legal Thrillers
Whether its the suspense of uncovering the mysteries of a case, or the intensity of back-and-forth arguments in court, legal thrillers can be some of the most gripping stories in literature. Below are some of the best examples of this genre.
1. Contempt by Michael Cordell
Lawyer Thane Banning is finally free after spending five years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Right after his release, he accepts a case that pits him against the same DA that put him behind bars. Soon, he’s besieged by death threats from an alleged victim’s father, public outrage, and an old grudge.
Fortunately, prison has taught him a thing or two. Playing by the rules put him in prison. Now he’s ready to break them all to expose the truth.
2. The Guilty Die Twice by Don Hartshorn
Ten years ago, a murder case splits the Lynch family in two. Now, two estranged brothers find themselves on the opposite sides of another high-profile murder case.
Both think they know the truth. But when the truth proves more complicated—and deadlier—than they thought, they must put aside a decade-long feud in the name of justice. But can they find a way to work together before time runs out?
3. Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow
When a beautiful and ambitious colleague is found dead, Rožat “Rusty” Sabich takes charge of the case. But Carolyn Polhemus wasn’t just a co-worker, she was his one-time lover.
When their affair becomes public knowledge, Rusty quickly turns from lead investigator to prime suspect. Now he must seek help from an old adversary in his fight against a court bent on pinning the crime on him.
4. The Firm by John Grisham
For an up-and-coming lawyer, the offer is just too generous to refuse. And so Mitch McDeere rejects offers from prestigious firms in New York and Chicago in favor of signing with Bendini, Lambert and Locke, a small tax law firm in Memphis.
But there’s something off about the firm and its employees. Things turn into a nightmare when an FBI investigation reveals just how much danger and destruction he’s unknowingly gotten himself into.
5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Maycomb, Alabama’s peace is disturbed by the a crime: a young, white woman has been raped, and Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of the deed. Atticus Finch, a middle-aged lawyer, agrees to defend him despite the community’s disapproval.
The resulting backlash is witnessed by Atticus’ children. Their concept of honor and the fairness of the justice system is challenged as the case progresses.
6. Clean Hands by Patrick Hoffman
Elizabeth Carlyle’s prestigious law firm is currently handling their biggest case yet. Then everything begins crashing down when one of her junior associates loses his phone—and the secret documents contained within it.
Things get more desperate when someone retrieves the phone and uses its contents to blackmail the firm. She turns to ex-CIA Valencia Walker in solving a case that’s quickly turning more sinister by the second.
7. A Nearly Normal Family by M. T. Edvardsson
Eighteen-year-old Stella Sandell comes from a responsible and respectable family. Now she stands accused of brutally murdering a man almost fifteen years her senior.
Her father, a pastor, and mother, a high-powered lawyer try to defend their daughter while struggling to understand why she is a suspect in the first place. As their facade of a perfect family crumbles, they must learn who they really are.
8. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Mickey Haller is the Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who does business in the backseat of his Lincoln town car. He drives around the courts of Los Angeles, defending clients of every kind.
And when a Beverly Hills playboy is arrested for assault, he hires Haller to defend him. It’s his first high-paying case in years—one that could bring a lot of business his way. Then someone close to him is murdered and he realizes just how close he has come to pure evil.
9. No Further Questions by Gillian McAllister
Two sisters, once so close, now sit on the opposite sides of the courtroom. One is a grieving mother, Martha, still shocked at her baby’s death. The other is an aunt, Becky, accused of murdering her own niece.
Martha craves for the truth, but fears what she’ll do if Becky is proven guilty. And outside the courtroom doors, both sisters must also deal with a family being torn apart.
10. Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver
U.S. Army Lieutenant Frederic Manion confesses to the murder of a bar owner who allegedly raped his wife. Attorney Paul Biegler accepts the case, banking on an unconventional defense to win.
But the prosecution is composed of veteran attorneys out for blood, and the case turns into a legal joust that brings the participants’ every ounce of skill to the battlefield.
11. An Innocent Client by Scott Pratt
Over the years, Joe Dillard has become jaded trying to balance his career and conscience. Now, he wants to quit as a criminal defense lawyer and stop defending guilty clients.
But he can’t resist taking on one last case. When a mysterious girl is accused of killing a preacher, Dillard steps up to defend a client who, for once, might actually be innocent.
12. Blood Defense by Marcia Clark
Samantha Brinkman is an ambitious lawyer trying to make a name for herself in the cutthroat legal world of Los Angeles. That’s until she lands a high-profile case involving a beloved tv star and a decorated LAPD detective.
It has everything she needs to get into the big leagues. Sam brings all of her skills to defending her client, but soon realizes how much danger she’s brought to herself and those around her.
Who Writes the Best Legal Thrillers?
Writers of legal thrillers always strike a balance between suspense and realism. The cases they write are sensational and often complicated, but are still believable enough to happen in the real world.
And though legal thrillers come in many different ways, they always boil down to one central theme: the pursuit of justice. How this justice is achieved within the labyrinthine world of law is what most readers want to read about.
As such, a big part of the justice system is explored, from initial investigations to trial proceedings, and even corrections. The courtroom becomes the battlefield where innocence is determined and injustice is punished.
What’s your favorite legal thriller? Share it in the comments below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
