A Case of Mice and Murder: The Trials of Gabriel Ward

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 BRITISH BOOK AWARD, CRIME & THRILLER

Named a Best Book of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, Library Journal, and Christian Science Monitor

"I was immediately besotted . . . Brilliant." -Janice Hallett, internationally bestselling author of The Appeal
When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case--the disputed authorship of bestselling children's book Millie the Temple Church Mouse--that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep.

But even he cannot fail to notice the judge's dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London's legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now . . .

The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn't answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple's heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he'd ever imagined . . .

Author: Sally Smith
Publisher: Raven Books
Published: 06/16/2026
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781639739356

About the Author
Sally Smith is the author of A Case of Mice and Murder, winner of the 2026 British Book Award: Crime & Thriller. A Case of Life and Limb is the second book in the series starring the reluctant sleuth Sir Gabriel Ward KC. Having spent all her working life as a barrister and later King's Counsel, Smith was inspired by the historic surroundings and rich history of the Inner Temple in London where she still lives and writes.