One juror flips the verdict, sending a courtroom into chaos and another juror to their death
The Holdout — Graham Moore
Welcome to Reading Under the Radar, where every Tuesday you’ll receive a book recommendation right to your inbox that hasn’t hit any major lists or book clubs but definitely deserves to be read.
The best way to support this newsletter is to become a paid subscriber, but if that isn’t your thing and buying books is, consider sending me a book from my wishlist to review for an upcoming weekly recommendation. You can also send this newsletter to a friend and encourage them to subscribe, especially if you think they’d like this book!
The Holdout by Graham Moore
Content warnings, which do contain some spoilers, listed in the footnote of this newsletter.1
What It’s About
Ten years ago, the biggest case of the decade shocked everyone when the jury delivered a not-guilty verdict on what everyone thought was an open-and-shut case. Jessica Silver, a 15-year-old heiress, disappeared on her way home from school, and her teacher Bobby Nock was arrested after police found implicating text messages on his phone. In the jury room, Maya Seale is the lone juror who believes Nock is innocent, and she manages to persuade the rest of the jurors to declare him not guilty.
People still can’t believe what happened all those years ago, and now, a true crime docuseries is doing a deep dive into the case, assembling the jurors to interview and discuss their experience delivering the infamous verdict.
Maya is now a defense attorney, well versed in the courtroom after her first experience a decade ago, but it still seems like someone isn’t happy with her decision. When one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s room and she’s declared the main suspects, Maya knows she has to prove her innocence by figuring out this case and the one from ten years earlier.
Why You Should Read It
While this is obviously not a comedy, if you were fascinated by Jury Duty and the behind-the-scenes look at the jurors’ side of the case, this is a great courtroom mystery to pick up. The jury room discussion — while I’ve never been in one myself — felt incredibly real and dealt with topics I wasn’t expecting it to get into, particularly racism in the American court system and systemic racism in policing of Black men.
Each character was flawed and realistic and posed interesting questions about who gets to remain innocent until proven guilty, and who is presumed guilty from the outset. This is recommended for fans of true crime podcasts, courtroom drama books and TV shows, and avid mystery readers ready for something with real-world substance.
Other realistic mysteries I’ve loved are Long Bright River (read my full recommendation) and Notes on an Execution (read my full recommendation).
I’m so grateful to receive books for potential review consideration from publishers, and here are some I’ve recently received that I’m really looking forward to reading! The Leaving Season discusses making a home for yourself, family, loves and losses, and more that sound like the perfect slow book to read as the leaves change. I also loved Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, so can’t wait to see what her new book is about. And The New Naturals is one I haven’t seen anyone talking about but has an amazing cover and is about a utopia that starts as a safe haven for many.
Fall to me is the start of a new year, not January. It’s something about my lifelong love of learning, starting a new school year (though I am well past school years), and feeling like I get a reset. It invigorates me to learn more, read more, and spend more time off screens and outdoors with the changing weather and temperatures.
Which season lets you feel like you are starting a new era? Do you read more in one particular season?
Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations:
Read about a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, mystery-solving nun
An enchanting and beautiful island starts to turn against its visitors
Read a mystical novel about what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman
I also love hearing from readers! Let me know what kinds of books you’re looking for that you’d like to see featured, or send in your most recent five-star read (or two) and get a recommendation just for you. You might be featured in an upcoming newsletter! Reply to this email to get in touch!
Sponsor an issue of Reading Under the Radar! Add your own banner image or use text only, and link to your publication, product, or service. Fill out this form to inquire about sponsoring a newsletter and featuring your book or publication!
Content warnings include murder of a minor, explicit discussion of teacher/student relationship, sexual assault, drug overdosing, suicide on page.
Fall is THE best season, for everything.
I just ordered a copy of The Holdout and it will be my first read in October.
Just met Kelly McMasters, of THE LEAVING SEASON, last night at an author event in Boston!