Graham Moore, Orion

The United States. When fifteen-year-old schoolgirl Jessica Silver goes missing, presumed dead, suspicion falls on one of her schoolteachers. There is evidence that they had an inappropriate relationship, which includes a series of incriminating text messages. He is put on trial for murder and it becomes one of those Trials of the Centuries (Silver is heiress to a billion-dollar fortune) and consequently followed by the entire nation. All of the jurors are convinced of his guilt except Maya, who, over the weeks they are ensconced away, talks the others round. The teacher is set free. That was ten years ago. To mark the anniversary of the famous case a true-crime podcast pulls the jurors back together in order to chat about their original deliberations. Added spice is added when one of them reveals that he has new information to share. When they gather, however, one of them is murdered. Graham Moore’s novel deftly flick-flacks between the past and present for an exciting tale that will appeal to fans of ‘Serial’ and keep you guessing right to the end.