A Case of Life and Limb

The Trials of Gabriel Ward, Book 2

By: Sally Smith

Narrated by: Jeremy Clyde

AN ELLE BEST MYSTERY OF THE YEAR

"I was immediately besotted . . . Brilliant." —Janice Hallett, internationally bestselling author of The Appeal

All is calm, all is bright . . . until reluctant sleuth barrister Gabriel Ward is tasked with finding the culprit of yet another grisly crime in the Inner Temple.

Christmas Eve, 1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London's most famous music hall star, Topsy Tillotson, and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, the Nation's Voice, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until a severed hand arrives in the post.

While the hand's recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive—one with fatal consequences—Gabriel realizes that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.

Someone is holding a grudge that has already led to at least one death. Now it's up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who, before an old death leads to a new murder.©2025 Sally Smith (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Loved this one as much as the first

This series is so wonderful - the main character is clearly on the spectrum and has a bit of OCD, but he's not tortured. I loved the descriptions of the Temple and its inhabitants, as well as legal and criminal procedures at the turn of the 20th century. The narration is great. I can't wait for more.

Excellent!

The first book in this series, A Case of Mice and Murder, immediately became a favorite comfort re-listen for me. This second book is every bit as good as the first and develops the characters in authentic yet surprising ways. Highly recommend!

Delightful

I am loving these books! Love the reluctantly compassionate main character, the turn of the century setting, the historical detail of London, the whole thing. The equivalent of a perfect cup of tea and biscuit. More please!

Another charming and clever novel by Sally Smith

A most wonderful second novel, understated but full of tenderness and passion. I listened to the book and the reader/narrator, Jeremy Clyde, was pitch perfect for these sympathetic characters brought so vividly to life by the clear and powerful prose of the author. Clearly Sally Smith as a King's Counsel in the UK is very knowledgeable about her subject matter. The cleverly entwined but seemingly unrelated plots engaged my interest fully. I did not want the book to end! Above all in a novel I appreciate intelligent conversation, engaging characters whom I care about, and vivid descriptions of the setting; social commentary is a plus as is originality. This novel hits the mark in every respect. In this case, one of the characters is an intelligent and ambitious woman who excels in her profession as a Drury Lane femme fatale. She was slandered in the press and decide to sue while the all male, old boys club of the media and legal professions thought they could crush her in court. She overturned all their entrenched stereotypes. Meanwhile, some of the leaders of the legal profession are shown to have few moral scruples preferring to cover up their dirty laundry rather than treat others with respect, dignity and the true spirit of the law. A most engaging read and I look forward to her forthcoming novel, the third in this series, due out in 2027.

Even Better Than the First!

Sally Smith has a wonderful, addictive series. Gabriel, Wright, and the entire company of regulars make for another fantastic mystery. While I enjoyed this novel better than the first, that’s just because it’s even more entertaining than the first. I’m excited for the third novel in the series.