The Holdout by Graham Moore

"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 member Rick, one of the few black jurists, spent the last ten years trying to prove Maya was wrong and that they had let the murderer of a teenage girl go free. He claims to have proof. During the sequester of the jury, he and Maya conducted a secret love affair before their differing verdicts drove them apart.

At the reunion, Maya and Rick talk for the first time since the trial. Then, Rick is found dead and Maya is accused of his murder. Maya now must prove her innocence.

Readers learn the backstories of the jurors while Maya uncovers startling evidence that leads the jurors to reconvene, consider the facts, and cast their votes once again.

Graham Moore's courtroom drama The Holdout is entertaining with a convoluted resolution.

Moore's previous novel was The Last Days of Night and he authored the award-winning script The Imitation Game.

I was given access to a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

The Holdout
by Graham Moore
Random House Publishing Group - Random House
Pub Date 18 Feb 2020
ISBN 9780399591778
PRICE $28.00 (USD)