The Inquest

A brilliant novel by Michael Mansfield QC. In depth story line was riveting, went into fascinating detail and held some great insights

Absolute page turner - sort of a UK John Grisham that is just gagging to be made into a great Netflix tv series or a movie. The scenes of the disaster are devastating and completely believable - and written with humanity and compassion as well as at a cracking pace. You believe in all the characters and their stories and want them to win. The prolonged mission to get justice for the families is both nail-biting and infuriating (at the corruption in government and the judiciary). It reminded me a bit of the Stephen Lawrence case and Doreen Lawrence's absolute determination to get justice and recognition of the racist tragedy that was her son's death. Tom Harrison is a sympathetic protagonist as are those close to him - I kept imagining who would play them all! Ben Whishaw would make a great Tom - and I'd like to see the beautiful Archie Panjabi as Vicky!

Mostly set in the early 90s, The Inquest not only tracks the often frustrated battle by the small group of relatives and survivors of a devastating plane crash over London to get to the truth behind the disaster, but also charts the personal and political journey of the main protagonist, mild-mannered local solicitor, Tom Harrison who takes on their case - and devotes the next fourteen years of his life to it. Not only a fascinating, and passionate, perspective on the, very often, creaky, perverse, obfuscatory workings of the British legal system, this is a book with a profound sympathy for ordinary people betrayed at its heart. Tom is accompanied in his epic battle to force truthful answers out of a system, and an elected government, for those it purports to serve by three strong women, Vicky, Louise and Ailey, and there are many others - some significant, some thumbnails - who also play their part in the story. So that, given that this is a book has an angry message to deliver, what might have been a diatribe about inherent injustice in the system is here a pacy and engaging narrative that centres believably on the effects of a tragedy and a perhaps equally hurtful cover-up upon real people's lives. Although, having said that, I did learn something too about the workings of justice. And what one learns, because one has been made to care, makes ones blood boil to make things better! With Lockerbie, The Marchioness river boat, Hillsborough etc etc still alive in our memories, this, then, cannot but be a necessary book.

My wife and I were spellbound by it. Let's face it, with a co-writer of Michael Mansfield's calibre it could not do anything else but reveal how governments have always treated the public as mushrooms- so much for "pro bono publico". -- and the excruciatingly complicated maze of our legal system. THE big shock was to open Chapter 24 and realise that 10 years had elaped! The covering up by govrernments is so similar to that over the strange death of Dr David Kelly; he was an old school mate with whom I had renewed contact during the Irag war, so I am reallyso angry atthe wiping out of his life and memory by the Cameron Government; and "Dark Actors" by Robert Lewis covers this infamy.The Inquest is a must- read for all political cynics.

An aircraft crashes on suburban houses, killing hundreds. At some point in its descent it seems to have collided with a helicopter. But did the collision cause the accident or result from it? Every attempt to uncover the truth seems blocked by judicial and bureaucratic obstacles. The families of the victims face a dilemma. Should they pursue the truth or settle for the most generous compensation on offer? Wardle is an expert storyteller while Mansfield knows every inch of the legal labyrinth. Together they create a compelling page-turner. The young lawyer representing the victims is torn apart by the choices he has to make. This book would make an excellent film. Where is Spielberg when you really need him? I have already cast Thandie Newton in the role of Vicky, its force-of-nature heroine.

Gripping, realistic, thrilling book that keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way though. The main character, a high street solicitor Tom Harrison, is extremely likeable for all his flaws (all where women are concerned!), and being with him as he tenaciously uncovers a crime beyond enormous, is quite a journey. His deep friendship with his street wise and dry witted assistant Mike Smith is entertaining and brilliant - can imagine them in a TV series.

The Inquest is completely gripping. A David V Goliath conflict, it just makes you want to keep reading - the authorities covering their backs while truth becomes as much a victim as those who die. Doreen Lawrence OBE (Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon)

"It is riveting and moving, a real page turner. I loved it and couldn't put it down." Jimmy McGovern (writer - Cracker, The Lakes, The Street and the docudrama, Hillsborough).