SOLOMON’S COURT

Toby Read

RIGHTS SOLD: World English / Bloodhound Books (pub date January 2027)

RIGHTS AVAILABLE: All rights handled by the bks Agency

“Solomon’s Court” is a heart-pounding legal thriller where trust is scarce, and seeking justice has a price. 

Isla McQueen, a junior barrister burdened by a troubled family legacy, is fighting to save her career after a disastrous amateur boxing debut. When she’s handed a case that could define her future, she’s determined not to fail: defending Amber Lewis, accused of murdering Leon Wilder—the man Amber believes kidnapped her young daughter, Lily.

As Isla digs deeper, she unearths unsettling truths about Amber, her dubious ex-partners, and the wealthy, enigmatic neighbours entangled in their lives. With the trial fast approaching and her chances slipping away, a shocking revelation turns the case on its head. Suddenly, Isla is battling not just for Amber’s freedom, but for her own survival.

Her client is spiralling downwards, and the clock is ticking on finding the missing toddler. Will Isla uncover the truth before it’s too late?

TOBY READ is the pen name of Toby Walker. A practising solicitor, Toby was appointed as a part-time judge on the South Eastern Circuit of England in 2021. After years spent in real-world courtrooms, he turned to writing fiction, channelling his insider knowledge of the law to create pacey, character-driven legal thrillers. He completed a Creative Writing course at the University of Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education, where he developed the early ideas that would become his debut novel: Solomon’s Court. The book introduces Isla McQueen, a junior barrister fighting to salvage her career while defending a mother accused of murdering the man she believes abducted her missing daughter. Set in South London, the novel blends high-stakes courtroom drama with the tension of a missing-child investigation. A lifelong reader of crime and legal fiction, Toby cites Steve Cavanagh, John Grisham and William Landay as key influences. He lives in Oxford with his family.