SilksDick Francis, Felix FrancisMichael Joseph, £18.99

The doyen of British thriller writers returns (with the help of his son) for his 41st time over the jumps, this time colliding his beloved world of horseracing with that of m’learned friends.

Geoffrey ‘Perry’ Mason is a criminal law barrister whose true passion is racing as an amateur jockey. But when a fellow rider is brutally murdered, Mason’s hobby soon becomes all too close to his work. The prime suspect is champion jockey Steve Mitchell and the evidence seems overwhelming. Mason is reluctant to get involved, but soon finds himself at the centre of a web of violence, threats and intimidation aimed at ensuring he takes the case and loses it.

Well researched (almost too well researched – various bits of legislation are thrown into the text as proof of Mason’s legal credentials), this is classic Dick Francis, featuring a likeable, troubled and determined central character who faces impossible odds before figuring out what is happening. As ever, the reader is kept in the dark until all is revealed, this time in a dramatic court scene.

For faithful followers of Francis, the way the story unfolds is like putting on a comfy old cardigan, and none the less enjoyable for it; for newcomers, this is a better introduction to the great storyteller than some of his recent works (he’s been publishing novels since 1962), which had shown signs of flagging. This is a satisfying return to form with a slightly shocking ending.

The Brass VerdictMichael ConnellyOrion, £16.99

When an American thriller’s cover includes the exhortation ‘Move over John Grisham’, it is often time to find something else to read. But in the case of The Brass Verdict it is sound advice.

This novel marks the return of Michael Connelly’s vibrant protagonist Mickey Haller from The Lincoln Lawyer (so-called because his office is the backseat of his Lincoln car). A cynical defence attorney, Haller is prepared to stray to the wrong side of the law, but ultimately sits just about on the side of justice as long as he can get his client off the hook.

The book picks up a couple of years after The Lincoln Lawyer - which was catapulted into bestseller status through being picked up by Richard and Judy - with Haller looking to return to the law after a spell in rehab. When his old colleague Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller is propelled back into the hotseat by the dead man’s instruction that he should inherit all of his clients, including a Hollywood mogul accused of slaying his wife and her lover.

With LA cop Harry Bosch - star of many of Connelly’s earlier books - convinced that the killer must be one of Vincent’s clients, Haller begins to fear that he may wind up dead like his predecessor.

While Grisham’s books are all about plot, Connelly delivers both plot and character - Haller is an engaging individual with an authentic voice. The twists come a bit too fast and furious towards the end, but this is an engrossing novel that will drown out those tiresome relatives over Christmas.

The BetrayedAndrew IyerBook Guild, £14.99

In Iyer’s novel we are offered kidnap, murder, extortion and violence tied together in a gritty thriller. Sadly for the reader, the novel is more grit and not quite enough thrill.

The story sees habitual criminal Eddie Doyle convicted for murder and for stealing a famous painting in 1966. He hides the painting before his arrest and on his release 30 years later goes in search of the painting. The painting, however, has been stolen from Doyle’s hiding place and the only suspect is his now deceased lawyer. Whatever happened to the Solicitors Code of Conduct? Doyle charges the solicitor’s son with finding the painting, or he will kill his wife and son. This is a somewhat excessive response, which does not quite add to the realism of the piece. While readable, the novel does not quite have that must-turn-over feel more often found with the likes of Grisham, Paterson or even Archer.

The author, himself a lawyer, tells the story in a well-constructed and thought-out fashion, but sadly it rather lacks passion or belief, and a twist for a twist’s sake leaves the reader rather disappointed.

All You Need to Know About Being a Trainee SolicitorElizabeth Cruickshank, Penny CooperLongtail, £9.95

Elephant traps, protection, survival. No, not headings from an SAS field manual; these are chapters in All You Need to Know About Being a Trainee Solicitor.

The book is not patronising, but never forgets how young many trainees are likely to be. There is advice on coping with Byzantine office etiquette, sexual harassment and bullying, and the grind of early mornings and late nights. Not to mention the diplomatic niceties of sharing office space with a stressed-out supervisor and his or her unreasonable demands.

There are sections on researching firms, applying for contracts and interviews, plus tips on what to wear, socialising with colleagues and clients, personal telephone calls and emails. There are also warnings about the ‘ultimate taboo’: an affair with a client. And then there are passages on the arcane arts of billing, time recording and pouring the coffee at client meetings.

This book, written by former solicitor Elizabeth Cruickshank and law school associate dean Penny Cooper, is a genuinely compre­hensive guide to the minefield of traineeship. It is packed with informed common sense, which is only to be expected from authors who between them have worked for 40 years in and around the legal profession.