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The Holdout

Graham Moore (Goodreads Author)

4.05 · Rating details · 961 ratings · 298 reviews

In this twisty tale from Moore (The Sherlockian), the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game, young juror Maya Seale is convinced that African American high school teacher Bobby Nock is innocent of killing the wealthy white female student with whom he appears to have been involved and persuades her fellow jurors likewise. Ten years later, a true-crime ...more

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Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: February 18th 2020 by Random House

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Oct 02, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey rated it really liked it

Recommended to Chelsea by: Random House Reader's Circle (RHRC)

Shelves: from-publisher, netgalley

BOTM pick for February 2020!

This will be a short review, because the less you know about this book going in the better, but what a wild ride! While some parts of the plot were a bit far-fetched and reaching at times, it didn't cause my interest to wane, and if you can suspend the need for 100% believability, I think you'll enjoy this book as much as I did. We get two mysteries for the price of one in this book, and if that kind of a bargain doesn't sell you, then perhaps the exploration of ...more

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Jan 14, 2020 Paromjit rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime-fiction, thriller, mystery, netgalley

Graham Moore's legal thriller is a compulsive and enthralling novel, based in Los Angeles, that points out many of the shortfalls of the justice system, from law enforcement, media intensity and social media, right through to the court trial and the jury system. Moore exposes the multiple ways that society throughout its racist judicial system stacks the cards against black defendants. In 2009, 25 year old black music teacher, Bobby Nock, is on trial for the murder of 15 year old schoolgirl, Graham Moore's legal thriller is a compulsive and enthralling novel, based in Los Angeles, that points out many of the shortfalls of the justice system, from law enforcement, media intensity and social media, right through to the court trial and the jury system. Moore exposes the multiple ways that society throughout its racist judicial system stacks the cards against black defendants. In 2009, 25 year old black music teacher, Bobby Nock, is on trial for the murder of 15 year old schoolgirl, Jessica Silver, the daughter of billionaire, Lou Silver. There is no body, but the prosecution led by Ted Morningstar, think they have a slam dunk case with the evidence they present, only to find themselves being confounded. As the trial sets to conclude, the jury, with the exception of Maya Seale, plan to deliver a guilty verdict. Maya does not fall in with the others, instead she turns each juror so that Bobby Nock is found not guilty.

However, each juror found themselves facing public and media excoriation for their controversial verdict, bringing with it notoriety and a raft of life changing consequences. 10 years on, Maya is now a successful lawyer, a partner at Cantwell & Myers, invited to a reunion of the original jury members at the same hotel they had all been sequestered in. The Murder Town podcast team are turning the trial into a Netflix docuseries, in which Rick Leonard, one of the jury members, is planning to present incontrovertible evidence of how they all got it wrong and Bobby Nock was as guilty as sin. A reluctant Maya attends, and in a narrative that goes back and forth in time, what happened at the original trial is slowly revealed, and in the present, the reunion kicks off a cycle of death and destruction that threatens to claim Maya as a victim.

Moore writes a fast paced, intense and riveting legal drama, peppered with twists, underlining from a legal perspective, that often while the truth can be an accurate reflection of what occurs, it can prove to be a poor legal strategy, leaving defendents with the stark choice of the high likelihood of being found guilty if they tell the truth or have a better outcome by lying. Whilst feeling ambivalent about the ending, I found this to be a highly entertaining read that touches on the serious issues of ethics, morality, race and justice, or more aptly, injustice. There are instances where a suspension of disbelief will be required, but otherwise this is an engaging legal thriller that I recommend. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC. ...more

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Oct 02, 2019 Felicia added it

DNF @ 51%

I just can't finish this one.

Maybe it's the third person narrative, I don't know, but I'm so disconnected from this book that my red low-battery icon has been showing since around 20% into it.

Don't let me discourage you from picking it up, different books for different fry cooks, amiright? ... sorry, that's all I could come up with *sees myself out*.

** I was provided an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **

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Oct 03, 2019 Liz rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

I was a huge fan of The Last Days of Night, so I was curious to see what Moore would write next. Don’t look for another historical fiction, this book is a legal thriller. But it’s equally as good.

Ten years ago, Maya Seale convinced her fellow jury members to acquit Bobby Nock for the murder of Jennifer Silver. The question being was he guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. As so often happens, the court of public opinion thought the jury got it wrong and each jury member suffered the fallout. “He I was a huge fan of The Last Days of Night, so I was curious to see what Moore would write next. Don’t look for another historical fiction, this book is a legal thriller. But it’s equally as good.

Ten years ago, Maya Seale convinced her fellow jury members to acquit Bobby Nock for the murder of Jennifer Silver. The question being was he guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. As so often happens, the court of public opinion thought the jury got it wrong and each jury member suffered the fallout. “He gestured around the room. “Do you think any of us were allowed to go back to real life?”” Now, Rick Leonard, one of the jury members, has convinced a documentary series that he has new evidence that proves Bobby guilty. The series gathers all the jury members together again. And then, Rick is killed in Maya’s hotel room. Of course, the police think she must have killed him.

Once again, Moore's writing is very strong and makes excellent points about racial identity among other topics. He also knows the legal system. The start of the book, with Maya trying to get damning evidence excluded was equal parts hysterical and unnerving. Like Maya during the murder trial, I found myself fascinated by the ins and outs of the law. I could totally understand the frustration of not being able to share their beliefs about the trial with anyone, even the other jurors. I would have lost my mind!

The book alternates between the current day and the time of the trial. The present day is all told from Maya’s perspective, but the past is told using a variety of different jurors. The book deals with both mysteries - was Bobby guilty and who killed Rick. I was correct in my guess about one mystery but the other caught me totally off guard. And there continue to be twists even after we knew the who part of the whodunit. Yes, it's a little unbelievable at the end, but it works.

Our human psychology is on full display here; the blame game in particular. Also, how quickly alliances can be made and then fall apart. I loved how Moore developed Maya as a character.

This is a well thought out mystery sure to entertain fans of Louise Penny and John Lescroat.

My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book. ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Ceecee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is an intriguing book that mostly keeps my interest throughout. The start certainly catches your attention and let’s just say it’s a head turner! Ten years ago Jessica Silver, daughter of wealthy Lou Silver, goes missing and her body never found. Her teacher Bobby Nock is eventually charged with her murder and the case goes to trial. The evidence against Nock is not overwhelming but is suggestive and one things for sure, the trial is an absolute cock up. The jurors are expected to return a This is an intriguing book that mostly keeps my interest throughout. The start certainly catches your attention and let’s just say it’s a head turner! Ten years ago Jessica Silver, daughter of wealthy Lou Silver, goes missing and her body never found. Her teacher Bobby Nock is eventually charged with her murder and the case goes to trial. The evidence against Nock is not overwhelming but is suggestive and one things for sure, the trial is an absolute cock up. The jurors are expected to return a guilty verdict but one juror, Maya Searle, is not convinced of guilt. After days and days of debate and counter debate the jurors reach a not guilty verdict much to the outrage of the court of public opinion. It’s this element of the book I find most disturbing as public opinion ruins many of the jurors lives. Ten years on, one juror believes he has irrefutable evidence of Nock’s guilt and the jury reassemble for a TV programme. What happens next is unexpected and twisty demonstrating that the trial sets of a chain reaction of catastrophic events with an impact similar to a runaway train. The story is told in alternate storylines from each jurors perspective at the time of the trial and now, principally from Maya’s point of view. This works well for most of the book but I think that towards the end of the book the final remaining jurors stories do not seem so relevant.

There is a lot I like about this book. The case is really interesting, the trial is fascinating if flawed and the juror dynamics is excellent. I like the dialogue between Maya and the other jurors and it feels a bit like knights armed combat. You get two mysteries for the price of one, the story unfolds really well with a feeling of suspense and tension and it feels a bit like a movie. There are some really good twists, more than one shocker and the end is very unexpected. I like that the author makes you think long and hard about the jury system and how one person with a strong point of view can persuade others to change their minds. However, whether you have a jury or judges you will always have opinion because we are human and our brains are wired that way.

My only reservations about the book lie with its length, it’s a bit overlong and the end is rather convoluted. Overall, though I did enjoy it as I like the concept, the characters are really interesting especially Maya and the law aspect is intriguing and thought provoking.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the ARC. Publication date in UK 20/2/20. ...more

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Feb 14, 2020 Barbara rated it liked it

3.5 stars

In 2009, 25-year-old high school music teacher Bobby Nock was tried for the murder of his 15-year-old student Jessica Silver.

When Jessica - the daughter of billionaire Lou Silver - disappeared, the police found sexy text messages between herself and Nock and found traces of Jessica's blood in Nock's car.

The fact that Nock was black and Jessica was white exacerbated matters, and the teacher was quickly arrested and prosecuted.

Maya Seale was one of a diverse bag of jurors at Nock's ...more

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Oct 30, 2019 Katie B rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, fiction, read-in-2019, arc

3.5 stars

Held my interest and although I have some mixed feelings with some of the stuff at the end, overall this was a good read. It was almost like I was getting two mysteries for the price of one as the story alternated between the jury trial from ten years ago as well the murder that occurred in the present time.

Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, vanished ten years ago. The case made national news as her family has money, lots of it. Jessica's teacher, Bobby Nock, a twenty-five-year-old 3.5 stars

Held my interest and although I have some mixed feelings with some of the stuff at the end, overall this was a good read. It was almost like I was getting two mysteries for the price of one as the story alternated between the jury trial from ten years ago as well the murder that occurred in the present time.

Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, vanished ten years ago. The case made national news as her family has money, lots of it. Jessica's teacher, Bobby Nock, a twenty-five-year-old African American man, is suspected of murdering her and the case goes to trial. Given the evidence, it seems likely the jury will convict. However, juror Maya Seale is convinced Bobby is innocent and manages to change the minds of the rest of the jury members. When they come back with a not guilty verdict, it is controversial and it certainly has an impact on their lives to say the least. Ten years later a docuseries is being produced and the jury gets together to discuss the trial. But one of the jury members winds up dead, and now Maya is the main suspect in his murder. So, what exactly happened now and what exactly happened to Jessica ten years ago?

This was a fairly quick read and I think that is due to a couple reasons. One, the alternating timelines as well as switching back and forth between characters keeps the action going at a good pace. You could say Maya is the main character in this book but eventually you get to know the other jury members as well. I also thought the author's screenwriting background shone through a bit with this book. The writing is simple and to the point. If you are looking for overly descriptive passages, this isn't the book for you. That's not to say it isn't well-written, as my interest level was high throughout the book.

The author brings some substance to the story as race is one of the subjects that is explored throughout the book. The story doesn't have a simple ending as there are multiple layers and there was one piece of the puzzle I didn't care for as it ventured out of realistic territory for me. I also didn't find anything to be all that surprising or shocking but to be fair despite that I still enjoyed reading this book. I think if you enjoy legal thrillers this is a pretty safe bet.

I was provided an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

...more

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Oct 07, 2019 Matt rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Graham Moore and Random House for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When this Graham Moore novel crossed my radar, I could not help but be interested to see how he’d spin this story about a jury faced with a murder trial. The book ended up being so much more, perfect for those who love a good legal drama with a mystery mixed into the plot. Maya Seale is a successful criminal First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Graham Moore and Random House for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When this Graham Moore novel crossed my radar, I could not help but be interested to see how he’d spin this story about a jury faced with a murder trial. The book ended up being so much more, perfect for those who love a good legal drama with a mystery mixed into the plot. Maya Seale is a successful criminal defence attorney in Los Angeles, able to see things from the accused’s point of view with ease. However, she has not always had this wonderful job, having served on a highly-controversial jury a decade before. In 2009, Maya and fourteen others were gathered to hear the case of The People vs. Robert Nock, in which the defendant is accused of killing one of his high school students. Maya engages with the other jurors, none more so than Rick Leonard, as they listen to the evidence and form their own opinions about his guilt. The story depicts how this collection of everyday citizens made the baffling decision to find Nock not guilty, which created immediate vilification by the public. As the story progresses, Moore introduces a second narrative in which the jurors are brought together by a production company to revisit their decision a decade later. While Maya awkwardly encounters Rick Leonard again, the man who shared her bed during the trial and then stabbed her in the back during a tell-all book after the trial, she also gets the chance to remember a lot of what happened during the trial. When Leonard is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, all eyes turn to her as the most likely suspect. Maya, wanting to cleaner her name, collects a number of portfolios Leonard left behind and discovers new and scandalous information about their fellow jurors. As the story flips between 2009 and the present, the readers can fill in all the pieces, from the trial and the current investigation to find out who might have killed Rick Leonard. Additionally, there is the question of what really happened and how the jury’s deliberations turned on a dime. An intriguing legal drama that will leave the reader wondering how much they think they know about an apparent open and shut case, as well as the plight of those tasked with judging a man’s life with filtered evidence. Recommended to those who love all things courtroom, as well as the reader who likes a mystery that slowly unfolds.

I always enjoy something with a legal flavour, particularly when it strays from the cookie-cutter style of writing and leaves me wondering where things will go. Maya Seale takes up the role as the protagonist in this piece, whose role is important in both the 2009 and modern narrative streams. She went into the trial and was sure she could convince any of her fellow jurors of the truth she saw, thinking that Rick Leonard would be the least of her worries. However, she was wrong and spent much of the flashback sections trying to convince them, while seeking to stay one step ahead in the present day narrative as she is accused of killing her one-time lover who sought to hang her out to dry. As she discovers new truths about her fellow jurors, she also must piece together what happened leading up to the trial that split the country. Many other characters make their impact throughout, particularly through a narrative technique that Moore uses, allowing the reader to see things through a variety of perspectives. This, in turn, permits the reader to have a better handle on all aspects of the story and the trial at its core. Graham Moore does a masterful job at presenting a case to the reader, develops the courtroom arguments and pushes the reader into the deliberation room as well. By writing chapters that tell things from the perspective of all the jurors, the reader is given the opportunity to see the story in a new light. Adding the current time period narrative, the story’s plot thickens even more and everything that the reader (and jurors) thought they knew soon goes up in smoke. Powerful in its delivery and easily read in short order, Moore treats the reader to a wonderful legal tale that is anything but straightforward.

Kudos, Mr. Moore, for a lovely way to introduce me to your writing. I will surely be back to read more in the coming months.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... ...more

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Oct 15, 2019 Emma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: novelnotions, netgalley

Being a juror on a high profile murder case has got to be a thrill ride and a half: looking at the bloody evidence and weighing witness statements, the savage craziness of the media interest, then finally getting to decide the fate of a man charged with murder. It’s got to be just like tv, right? Exciting. Maybe even a shot at your own fame… 15 minutes or otherwise.

But what Maya Seale got wasn’t quite fame, it was INFAMY. Not convinced of Bobby Nock’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt, she Being a juror on a high profile murder case has got to be a thrill ride and a half: looking at the bloody evidence and weighing witness statements, the savage craziness of the media interest, then finally getting to decide the fate of a man charged with murder. It’s got to be just like tv, right? Exciting. Maybe even a shot at your own fame… 15 minutes or otherwise.

But what Maya Seale got wasn’t quite fame, it was INFAMY. Not convinced of Bobby Nock’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt, she campaigned for a Not Guilty verdict and eventually persuaded, or wore down, all the other jurors. The result was spectacularly unpopular, provoking uproar in both the courtroom and the real world, and changing the jurors’ lives forever.

Now it’s 10 years later and they’re back together again. Apparently there’s new evidence to consider and more questions to be asked. Everyone wants to know if they got it wrong. But when one juror ends up dead, it looks like someone’s willing to kill to keep their secrets buried for good.

You can tell the author has screenwriting experience, The Holdout would be well served as a slick tv series or film. Nevertheless, this is a surprisingly issue led book for something that’s also a hell of a lot of fun. Racism stands front and centre, with the black defendant Bobby Nock identified as the murderer of a pretty blonde girl from the ‘right’ kind of (rich) family in no small part due to the colour of his skin. The intersections of race and justice are examined throughout the novel, particularly through the multifaceted levels of expectation, misunderstanding, and outright prejudice. The notion that race or skin colour has more to do with guilt/innocence than the evidence is cleverly developed through the varied perspectives of the jurors. Multiple POVs reveal the action in a dual timeline, the original period of the trial and the present day search for the killer(s). More than the did-he-do-it mystery or even the who’s-the-killer-now question, it’s the author's examination of ‘justice’ via jury that fascinates. All the big social issues are here in microcosm and while the sideways commentary on fairness, class, race, justice, and the individual are intriguing, I wish there had been more of it. Especially because the plot did edge into the far-fetched at times. Even so, while readers might guess something of the ending if they know the ‘rules’ of storytelling, knowing one of the twists didn’t ruin the finale in any way. The book kept some surprises close.

Fast paced and offering a genuine good time, this is well worth reading before it undoubtedly hits the screen.

ARC via Netgalley ...more

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Oct 13, 2019 Esil rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

3.50

The Holdout started off strong and then lost a bit of its edge. It was still a good read, but not as good as it seemed to promise at the beginning. It’s the second novel I’ve read this past year focused on the dynamics between jury members. In this case, the story is told from Maya’s perspective in two timelines. Maya sat on a jury that acquitted a young teacher accused of murdering his teenage student. Ten years later, Maya is a criminal defence lawyer, and she’s invited to a reunion of all ...more

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Jan 30, 2020 megs_bookrack marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020-releases, modern-lit-to-read, books-i-own-to-read

I don't want to alarm anybody, but the February BOTM selections are already up.

This was my selection and I am freaking excited about it!!

Go and get 'em, people!!!!

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Nov 29, 2019 Jayme rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, legal-drama

Unexpected and thought-provoking!

2009: Fifteen year old heiress Jessica Silver has disappeared on her way home from school and the suspect is her African-American teacher, twenty-five year old, Bobby Nock. It looks to be an open and shut case, until one juror, Maya Seale, not only holds out, but manages to sway all of the eleven other jurors to change their mind.

Their controversial verdict of “not guilty” will alter their lives forever.

The Present: “Murder Town” is going to do a TV adaptation ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 DeAnn rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019

4 courtroom jury stars

Ah, the dread when that envelope shows up in your mailbox that you’ve been selected to show up for jury duty. I’ve been summoned several times, but I’ve never served on a jury. After reading this book, I don’t think I want to, especially not a high profile, drawn out case!!

I didn’t realize that this author wrote the screenplay for “The Imitation Game” – fabulous movie! Knowing that now, I can see how this book almost seems like it was made for the big screen. This one was ...more

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Oct 26, 2019 Martie Nees Record rated it liked it

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: Feb. 18, 2020

Let me start off by saying I was surprised that I was disappointed in this book. Not because other reviewers gave “Holdout” five stars. (I don’t actually read other reviews on a book until I have finished my own to ensure that I am not influenced. But, I do check out the stars). The discrepancy between my review and others did not surprise me, because I often disagree with my peers. I was surprised to be disappointed ...more

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Feb 11, 2020 Carolyn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of this interesting thought provoking mystery/courtroom drama in return for an honest review. I had read and enjoyed The Last Days of Night, and learned the author was also the screenwriter for the excellent Imitation Game.

I regret that I am in the minority here, as I found the secondary characters one-dimensional. The protagonist, Maya, I thought annoying with little regard for anyone’s opinion but her own.

Told in two alternating timelines, Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of this interesting thought provoking mystery/courtroom drama in return for an honest review. I had read and enjoyed The Last Days of Night, and learned the author was also the screenwriter for the excellent Imitation Game.

I regret that I am in the minority here, as I found the secondary characters one-dimensional. The protagonist, Maya, I thought annoying with little regard for anyone’s opinion but her own.

Told in two alternating timelines, we feel the tension and stress when serving in a sequestered jury, with shifting alliances and decisions. People who would probably never connect outside the courtroom, deliberate and struggle to come to a unanimous decision on the guilt or innocence of a young black male teacher, Bobby Nock. He is accused of murdering a young white student, Jessica, the daughter of wealthy parents. Text messages indicate an inappropriate relationship, and the prosecution submits DNA evidence, and charge that he lied about his whereabouts. Jessica’s body was never found.

A young juror, Mayo, believes it is better that a guilty person go free than an innocent man go to prison. The other11 jurors are leaning towards a guilty verdict, but Mayo persuades each one to change their votes to not guilty with her arguments against each point presented by the prosecutor. Bobby is freed.

The trial becomes a sensation when broadcast on national TV. Themes of morality, legal and personal ethics, persuasion, racial prejudice and profiling, and weakness in the justice system leading to injustice are explored. Sharp criticism by news reporters and in the social media vilify the jurors after their not guilty verdict. Doubt, remorse, and guilt influence their future lives.

I found the chapters which are set 10 years after the trial to be difficult to believe. Maya is now a successful defence lawyer. One of the jurors is involved in an upcoming TV production based on the trial. He gathers the former members of the jury together for a reunion, hinting that he has proof that Bobby was indeed guilty of murder and they made the wrong decision. This man is found murdered in Maya’s hotel room before disclosing the new information. She is accused of killing him. A portfolio of secrets and scandals he compiled about fellow members of the jury is found. Maya is arrested and charged with his murder but gets out on bail.

I may be wrong, but I found it preposterous that she would be allowed to go hunt for Bobby who has disappeared and is obsessed with finding him innocent, interviewing jurors in their homes, and family members. She is adamant in clearing his name and proving she was correct in persuading the other jury members to reach a not guilty verdict. Even more unbelievable for me, is that she is free to go to people’s homes and businesses to investigate who really killed the juror for whose murder she has been blamed. She is certainly a relentless and driven individual.

I thought the twist at the end very surprising and thought it made sense. I think most readers who enjoy courtroom stories would enjoy this book, and should not be deterred by my misgivings. Most reviews have been very positive. ...more

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Oct 13, 2019 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing

A thoroughly entertaining really very clever book in the end, especially given all the influences I thought about whilst reading this were referenced by the author himself later in the book...And used to really good effect within the resolution.

Kind of thought provoking too a book with a moral dilemma at the heart of it wrapped up in a mystery element that is very intriguing.

Great pace, plotting and addictive quality with engaging eclectic characters and a what would you do vibe that'll keep ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 Cindy Burnett rated it liked it

I absolutely loved The Holdout for the first two-thirds or so of the book. The premise was clever, the implementation was stellar, and I was thoroughly invested in both the story and attempting to determine how it would end. Then, it fell apart - the ending just did not work for me. Some people do not mind an ending that is unrealistic or that seems out of place or not in keeping with the story. I am very much not that person. An ending can really ruin a book for me (as I have mentioned in many ...more

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Feb 02, 2020 Tami rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, mystery-thriller, net-galley, netgalley-2020

After reading this legal thriller, I sure am glad I didn’t get picked for the jury in an upcoming capital murder case! What do you get when 12 random people are thrown together and sequestered for weeks on end? Either they work together or they become fractured.
What happens with this jury? It’s interesting to find out!

They made a decision, only to face harassment by the public and be left wondering years later if they made a mistake. When the jurors gather 10 years later for a reunion, one juror ...more

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Jan 17, 2020 Lena rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, legal-thriller, murder-mystery, direct-from-publisher

A1-BC11-B0-1-DA4-41-A8-8-A5-E-1-E900-C3-F9839

Best legal thriller ever.

There is no way this does not make the Goodreads Choice Awards. There is no way this does not get made into a movie or, more likely, a Netflix miniseries.

I devoured this book and you will too.
F3-C8-CA52-FC86-4-F60-A176-9-DCCA51-CDEB7

F3-C8-CA52-FC86-4-F60-A176-9-DCCA51-CDEB7

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Oct 08, 2019 Kasa Cotugno rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, genre-crime-thriller

Graham Moore has a knack for dialogue and characterization, important when crafting courtroom thrillers. The Holdout features a above average plot with two murder mysteries, one a closed room that isn't locked and the other a timely issue. By constructing this around the personalities of a sequestered jury and the aftermath of a notorious trial, Moore manages to keep many balls in the air, raising ethical issues as approached from many directions. Well done.

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Feb 02, 2020 ʚϊɞ Shelley ʚϊɞ rated it really liked it

The Holdout is one of those books that just captures your interest from the first page and four hours later you look up and have forgotten to eat dinner. The personalities of the jurors and their reaction to each other and the facts of the case make this a page turner. I loved the format of now and then as well as getting the perspective of each of the major players.

Well written, the characters are well developed and diverse, and most are unlikable. The politics of police, the DA etc. enter into ...more

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Oct 30, 2019 Kathleen rated it it was ok

So excited to read this since the The Last Days of Night is one of my favorite books. Unfortunately this one just left me flat. The premise sounded interesting - we re-visit jurors 10 years after they gave the 'wrong' verdict in one of the most sensational trials in history. The author provided an interesting perspective with alternating chapters in the present and during the trial, 10 years earlier, with a chapter for each juror. I just found the current day scenario a bit far reaching. Lawyers ...more

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Nov 05, 2019 Jill rated it liked it

It is no surprise that Graham Moore is a screenwriter. In this propulsive plot-driven narrative, there are many cinematic scenes and I could easily visualize how the story could be transported to the big screen.

After all, the premise is compelling: a young woman named Maya is a juror on a sensationalistic trial: a beautiful teenage heiress has been reportedly murdered by her black high school teacher, with whom she may have had an affair. Everyone thinks he indeed is the murderer. Except for ...more

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Nov 30, 2019 Mary Lins rated it it was ok

Shelves: complete

Graham Moore is an Oscar winning screenplay writer, so it’s not surprising that his new courtroom thriller, “The Holdout”, reads like a movie; fast-paced, twisty, with cinema-graphic descriptions. Agatha Christie is mentioned early, so you can't say he doesn't warn you.

The eponymous “holdout” is Maya Seale, a defense attorney who once was the lone “holdout” in a high profile murder trial. The acquittal of the suspect was loudly condemned by the public (think of the Casey Anthony case in 2008). ...more

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Feb 09, 2020 Christine Mott rated it it was amazing

The Holdout
By: Graham Moore
5
A fast paced thriller that I could not put down. Imagine having jury duty and having to decide if one is innocent or guilty of murder! Bobby Nock, a young African American teacher who is on trial for killing Jessica his student. Jessica is white and her dad is a billionaire.

To complicate matters as a juror you have to deal with drama, secrets, lies and betrayal of the other jurors.

Maya Seale is on the jury and appears to go against everyone else’s opinion. She ...more

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Jan 30, 2020 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley, 2020, mystery-thriller, published-in-2020, legal-thriller

This is a really compelling legal drama, and I did enjoy it, but the ending didn't quite satisfy me. I would recommend it of the premise sounds interesting to you, but I don't think it's a must-read. We get a dual mystery here, with whether or not Bobby Nock killed Jessica Silver ten years ago, and who killed Maya's fellow juror in the present day, and the narration shifts between various jurors during the original trial as Maya now. The pace is engaging and kept me turning pushes the whole ...more

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Jan 14, 2020 Basic B's Guide rated it really liked it

I think in another life I would have been a lawyer. I love to argue, just ask my husband. The Holdout is not your run of the mill suspense and if that doesn’t have you running to pick it up then I don’t know what else to say. After finishing it I realized just how many layers the story has to it and really think it would make for a lively book club discussion.

Maya and 11 other jurors are reconvening after a controversial verdict 10 years prior. Rick a fellow juror is convinced that they made a ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Susan Johnson rated it it was ok

The entire time I read this book I thought what a great Lifetime movie this would make. I thought a good actress might make the lead character of Maya come alive because the book did not do that. I don't think I could have stood one more minute in Maya's company. One of her fellow jurors called her sanctimonious and that is the perfect description of her. Or perhaps insufferable would be better.

The high school daughter of a rich man disappears and is presumed dead. Her teacher, a black man, is ...more

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Nov 03, 2019 Nancy rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

3.5

"When the villains are so clear, we can tuck ourselves into bed at night knowing that we're nothing like them. But what if it's not so clear?"~from The Holdout by Graham Moore

The jury from a notorious murder trial is brought together by a reality television show. The trial of a black teacher accused of murdering his white teenage student looked like a sure verdict until Maya channeled 12 Angry Men to turn the guilty votes to not guilty. The experience motivated Maya to become a lawyer.

Jury ...more

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Oct 15, 2019 Steven rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery-thriller-mayhem, read-in-2019, netgalley-or-publisher

Review to come upon release.

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About Graham Moore

Graham Moore

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Graham Moore is a New York Times bestselling novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.

His screenplay for THE IMITATION GAME won the Academy Award and WGA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2015 and was nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.

His first two novels, THE LAST DAYS OF NIGHT (2016) and THE SHERLOCKIAN (2010), were published in 24 countries and translated into 19 languages.

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