The masters of the legal thriller – a genre that regularly tops bestseller lists – have been doing so for decades. But as you`ll find in our list, the 21st century has produced many of the best. After developing a passion for legal and legal thrillers, I decided it was time to make a list of the best legal thrillers that aren`t John Grisham. Angie Kim won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel for Miracle Creek, and with the slight edge of science fiction, I can understand why! Miracle Creek talks about an experimental medical device from Young and Pak Yoo. The legal part comes into play when something goes wrong and patients are killed. This deserves its place on a list of the best right-wing thriller books! If you`re a fan of right-wing thrillers, then you`ve definitely heard of John Grisham. He is the bestselling author behind claustrophobic page-turners like The Firm and The Pelican Brief. And in The Client, he weaves once again a story of intrigue and tension that will captivate you until the last page. When Billy, a Princeton junior, is arrested for attacking his ex-girlfriend, Cassie returns home to Manhattan to find her older brother Nate and his parents, Lawrence and Eleanor. The Quinns strive to hire the best lawyers money can buy, but Billy fits the all-too-familiar profile of sex offenders — white, athletic, and privileged — that makes headlines and influences juries. Gabriel Soto is a social recluse accused of the murder of The Free-spirited Melina Mora.

At the center of the media spotlight is Sandy Grunwald, an ambitious young prosecutor whose political fate depends on using limited evidence to secure a conviction. But the criminal justice system is complicated, and everyone has a story, especially the jury. With striking originality and expert storytelling, the actors of the ensemble come to life on the page, and when their stories are revealed, it is their own experiences, prejudices and beliefs – not the facts of the case – that ultimately shape the verdict. You`ve never read a right-wing thriller like this before. There has never been a thriller writer like Robin Peguero. And you won`t be able to predict how it will all end. A disturbing read if you`re a parent, and an intense thriller, even if you`re not. This novel delves deep into what happens when your child is accused of murder. Definitely one of the best legal fiction books! But there are many legal thrillers that are not John Grisham, and also many women or authors of color. Take a look at these 12 best legal thriller books that aren`t John Grisham! Carter, a professor at Yale Law School, fills every chapter with insider knowledge of the federal justice system and the rare world of New England`s black upper class, making The Emperor of Ocean Park one of the most insightful legal thrillers of the past 20 years.

Full of psychological suspense and deliciously imbued with fear, The Watching is a must for fans of legal thrillers. With complex characters and an inverted plot, Supreme Justice is a right-wing thriller that leaves you perplexed until the end. If you`re looking for a quick read that will entertain you from start to finish, look no further than Max Allan Collins` Supreme Justice. Clark, a district court judge in rural Stuart, Virginia, based this deep and often funny story on one of his cases. The author finds a rich vein of material in the discrepancies between the letter of the law and the true nature of justice, and his electric prose reads as a cross between Elmore Leonard and John Grisham. A legal thriller that has everything genre fans can ask for, the ninth installment in Ellsworth`s Thaddeus Murfee series, in which defense attorney tackles the case of an unlikely client — District Attorney Killen Erwin, who is charged with the negligent homicide of a passenger after destroying his truck while driving drunk. Throughout the novel, and especially in the climaxing scenes in the courtroom, Box manages to cross the line between dark intensity and humor in this most unusual right-wing thriller. Emily`s ironic humor is omnipresent, but even in her boldest moments, The Girl in Cell 49B is still believable. When a beautiful and ambitious colleague is found murdered in her apartment, Rožat “Rusty” Sabich, chief deputy prosecutor of Kindle County, Illinois, takes over the case. But Carolyn Polhemus was not only a co-worker, she was also Rusty`s mistress.

When the evidence in the case is revealed, Rusty moves from chief prosecutor to lead suspect; Soon, he is in court for his life. Is he an innocent bystander or a cold-blooded murderer? You won`t know until you turn the final pages of Scott Turow`s brilliant first novel, which combines deep philosophical ideas, authentic details about the inner workings of a big city courtroom, and a mysterious plot that sets the golden standard for the modern legal thriller. Looking for more of the best legal thrillers in literature? Check out this guide for writers like John Grisham. Rick Treon is a former journalist who now writes mysterious thrillers. His first Deep Background is available in paperback, e-book and audiobook. Visit ricktreon.com to learn more about him and his work. The story follows Joe Dillard, a criminal defense attorney, as he deals with the case of a mysterious girl accused of murder.