A Game of Proof

The Trials of Sarah Newby, Book 1

By: Tim Vicary

Narrated by: Susan Edmonds

Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

A mother's worst nightmare - can her son be guilty of murder?

Sarah Newby, who left school at 15, and was living as a teenage single parent on an inner-city estate, has worked her way up to begin a career as a criminal barrister. But what should she do when her own son, Simon, is arrested and charged with a series of brutal rapes and murders?

Has Sarah, in her single-minded determination to create a career for herself, neglected her son so much that she no longer knows him? He has often lied to her in the past, so how can she trust him when he says he is innocent this time? And what should she do when she herself uncovers evidence that seems to suggest his guilt?

©2012 Tim Vicary (P)2015 Tim Vicary

A really good listen

I really enjoyed this book. I like dramas with a lot of court time. I enjoyed all the drama that took place in the courtroom. The book was never boring. I’d like to see the conviction of Sean. Also I would like to have known if the relationship between Sarah and Simon improved. It was a solid piece of work. Definitely recommend this book and I will read more of the same author.

Very interesting

Kept my attention right up to the end. The narrator was excellent and very easy to listen to.

Delectable Legal Procedural Story! Loved it!

This is an outstanding legal procedural -- with lots of mystery twisting and turning throughout the story. Sarah Newby is a 40-something who has achieved her lifelong goal of becoming a barrister after a rough start as a teenage mother. Enter a husband who embraced her and her fatherless young son and the teenage daughter they had together. . . this is an imperfect family at best; and Sarah's relentless pursuit of her career goals don't add much to domestic tranquility. She is incredibly adept in the courtroom, even as a junior barrister -- and her skills are tested to the core when she represents her own son in a murder investigation.

I loved the way the author provided insights from the characters' silent thoughts throughout the story and gave us sketches of their backgrounds that have influenced them throughout their lives.

A very good story -- and an excellent story set within the British legal system.

Burden of Proof

While the American justice system is largely based on the British, there are many differences. In the first place, we do not distinguish between a barrister and a solicitor. Nor do our trial attorneys need to wear wigs and robes. Much of the language used is also somewhat specific to British courts as opposed to American phraseology. For instance one hears the solicitor offer that he or she suggests something--if you watch any of the British TV shows you've seen this. But, interestingly, TV and movie dramas do not immerse you to the same level as a good novel. Or at least not to the depth of this novel. We find ourselves entranced by the defense of an alleged rapist, a thoroughly loathsome character, but the bottom line is the need for the court to present evidence proving Beyond Reasonable Doubt that the defendant did the crime of which he is accused. As in Law and Order, we see the interaction of police and attorneys, the gathering of evidence and the presenting thereof. The drama is compelling, the narration [AUDIO] is excellent and the story gripping.

4 stars for A Game of Proof

Would you listen to A Game of Proof again? Why?

Absolutely. This was a gripping read. Although it was quite slow to start and had some minor errors, (ie: Sarah's hair was brown in 2 instances and then black, fibula mentioned as bone in arm when it is a bone in leg, Lucy Sampson for 1st half of book-- then Lucy Parsons for 2nd half) this was a story that had so many elements that I'm not sure that I picked them all up the first time around. I'm sure that I could pick more up from hearing it again.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that the narrator inserted emotion and different pitches and accents into her narration; it really added to the story. I loved that this story showed the strength and resiliency of the human spirit, and that the justice system sometimes works!

Have you listened to any of Susan Edmonds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to Susan Edmonds before. I do like that she was able to produce different English accents. As an American, I always find it a treat to listen to books narrated by people with English accents. She did a great job.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Like Law and Order, only better!

Any additional comments?

Amazon review:
I was given an audio copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I also read along in many parts, so I will comment on both the audiobook and the ebook versions.
A Game of Proof opens with the trial of Gary Harker, a man indicted for the brutal rape of Sharon. This trial is very intense and goes on for quite some time. It is important to the story, although I felt that it started to drag on a bit. It could have been cut down by at least half while still getting the point and all pertinent information across. Then, we move onto Sarah Newby's daughter, Emily, going missing and her son, Simon, being charged with his ex-girlfriend's (Jasmine Hurst's) rape/murder. All the while, Gary Harker is still a suspect to the police in the "Hooded Rapist" crimes, in which at least 3 women have been attacked, and one has been murdered. This makes for a very busy plot and a long book; I do have to say that it did hold my attention and I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of keeping all the characters straight. I did find it interesting that the author used a Gary, Harry, Terry, and Larry.

There were numerous small errors throughout the book/audio. For example, in the audio, when referring to bones in the arm, the fibula was noted; the fibula is a bone in the lower leg. Sarah was also described in 2 places to have brown hair and then another to have black hair. Also, in the audiobook, the narrator called Lucy 'Lucy Samson' for the first half of the book and 'Lucy Parsons' for the second half.

Overall, the audio performance was quite good. I was very pleased with the clarity of the narrator's voice and her use of different pitches and accents for different characters. She did a fantastic job inserting emotion in her voice in all the right places and really made the book enjoyable to listen to. The production quality was good as I didn't hear any static, pops, clicks, etc.

In conclusion, this book would be like if a typical Law and Order episode was turned into a 3+ hour movie; you'd be left sitting there like: "why couldn't they have cut it down to the standard 42 minutes plus commercials?". This is a good book with the potential to be great; the opening trial just dragged on a bit too much, when it should've been a little bit more like the speed of Simon's trial. This book starts out slow, but it's like a ball rolling down a hill; once it gets started, it's full steam ahead! If the little errors weren't overlooked as well, I definitely think this would be a 5+ star read. I am looking forward to reading the next books in the series (and I usually don't read any but the first in series, so that's saying a lot coming from me!)

Trials and Tribulations

I enjoyed listening to this book, however the protagonists were not very likable,. The courtroom dramas were quite good and held my interest.

Enjoyed everything about it

Would you listen to A Game of Proof again? Why?

Probably not - I never listen to a book twice

What did you like best about this story?

The narration and the characters

Have you listened to any of Susan Edmonds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I sure would if I could find any. I hope they record the next two books in the series.

Any additional comments?

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and this one rated very near the top of my favourites

Really enjoyed

This book kept my interest and the development of each character was done exceptionally well.
Regarding the story I thought for sure he/Simon was involved in the murder. Surprise on me.
The lady who read the book was hard to understand at times.

Sarah Newby--The Barrister who wins!

Where does A Game of Proof rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book was one I couldn't stop listening to. I enjoy legal thrillers and British literature, so this was a perfect book for me. Sarah Newby is a cut throat barrister who doesn't mind grilling a rape victim or a distraught mother of a murdered child. None of it is personal with her until it is.

What other book might you compare A Game of Proof to and why?

This could be a British version of an early Scott Turow legal thriller.

What does Susan Edmonds bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Susan Edmonds narrated the book perfectly with the appropriate Yorkshire accent.

Any additional comments?

The Trials of Sarah Newby is a play on words. Sarah not only defends her clients in trials but she is forced into a bitter trial for her son's life. As a driven barrister, she spends a great deal of time away from home. She is estranged from her eldest child, and her daughter also feels neglected. Her problems come to a head when her daughter disappears while Sarah is defending a rapist who is probably guilty. When the police call her to come to the coroner's to identify a body, she feels doomed. Later, things get worse when she must act as her son's barrister to defend him from a murder and rape charge.

excellent all around

What did you love best about A Game of Proof?

Loved the plot and the characters

What about Susan Edmonds’s performance did you like?

Loved the interpretation of the characters, and ended up hearing them as entities in their own right rather than someone just reading their lines.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes I would have had I the time to sit down and listen to it in one sitting... certainly listened every opportunity I got.

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to more of Tim Vicary's books... Can't wait to follow Sarah Newby on more of her adventures in Law...