Book Club

Page last updated: Friday, March 1, 2024

Do you like reading books? More importantly, do you love discussing your reads with fellow readers? Our Librarian and Dean are hosting a Book Club for students, members and the wider King’s Inns community.

Here’s how it will work

  • We will organise about five meetings in the course of the academic year, via Zoom. Meetings will take place in the evening, at a time when we hope most of you will be able to attend.
  • We will read books related to law or by legal authors, but NO textbooks or academic books. We may also include some books related to other topics.
  • You do not need to read the whole book in order to come along to the meeting but just be aware that there may be spoilers during the chat about the book if you haven’t got to the end by the time we meet online.
  • You do not have to attend every meeting, please sign up at any time to come along to the next book club meeting.

How to get involved for 2023 – 2024

Fourth Book Club

book club april

The fourth meeting of the year will take place on 29 April 2024. Next book to be discussed will be released soon.

Third Book Club

The third meeting of the year took place on 26 February 2024. The book discussed was ‘WITCHCRAFT: A HISTORY IN 13 TRIALS‘ by Marian Gibson.

Second Book Club

The second meeting of the year took place on Monday, 22 January 2024As two books tied with equal votes in the most recent survey, we discussed one at the meeting in January and the other will be discussed in February. The book selected for January was ‘THE KIDNAPPING‘ by Tommy Conlon and Ronan McGreevy.

First Book Club

The first Book Club meeting of the academic and legal year 2023–2024 will took place on Monday, November 13 at 7 pm through Zoom. The book discussed was ‘THE MURDERER AND THE TAOISEACHby Harry McGee (Hachette Books, 2023). It was a spirited discussion with multiple points of view.

Books we read in 2022–2023

First Book Club

The first Book Club meeting of the academic and legal year 2022–2023 took place on Monday, November 7. It was great to be joined by new members and welcome back a few familiar faces. 

The book discussed was “LESSONS FROM THE BENCH” by Judge Gillian Hussey, Gill Books (2022), which generated a lot of discussion! 

Second Book Club

The second meeting of the year took place on Monday, January 16, 2023. The book discussed was “NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH“ by The Secret Barrister, Pan Macmillan (2022).

Most of the members really enjoyed this well–written engaging book, the trials and tribulations of a being a pupil barrister in England resonated with many, both newly qualified and experienced! 

Third Book Club 

The third meeting of the year took place on Monday, February 27. The book discussed was THE LAST COLONY by Phillipe Sands, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (2022).

‘The Last Colony’ by Phillipe Sands was a resounding success on many fronts! A book that some of our members were initially hesitant about reading received glowing reviews and ignited an interest in reading and learning more about international law, geo–politics and diplomacy, as well as other titles by the author – a win for any book club selection!

Fourth Book Club 

The fourth meeting of the year took place on Monday, April 17. As we received an equal tie while selecting the last book, the fourth book discussed was THE MANDELA BRIEF‘ by Thomas Grant, Hachette (2022).

It was another evening of great chats at the King’s Inns book club, discussing the biography of renowned advocate Sydney Kentridge.

Fifth Book Club

The final book club meeting of the academic and legal year 2022–2023 took place on Monday, June 12. The book selected by our members was UNLOCKED AN IRISH PRISON OFFICER’S STORY‘ by David McDonald with Mick Clifford, Penguin (2023). 

Previous Readings (2021–2022)

  1. First Book Club –  ‘THE SUPREME COURT‘ by Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, Penguin (2016).
  2. Second Book Club – ‘SPIDER WOMAN: A LIFE‘ by Lady Hale, Bodley Head (2021).
  3. Third Book Club – ‘NOBODY’S VICTIM‘ by Carrie Goldberg, Virago (2019).
  4. Fourth Book Club – “WHAT LIES BURIED“ by Kerry Daynes, Hachette (2021).
  5. Fifth Book Club – I AM (MISS D) AMY DUNNE‘ by Amy Dunne with Orla O’Donnell, Gill Books (2022).

Where to get books

Books can be purchased from Irish Bookshops online such as

And borrowed from 

  • Many local libraries are offering a reserve and collect service. Find your local library here.

Connect via Social

If you want to reach out to anyone participating in the Book Club, use the hashtag #KIBookClub on Social – Twitter is our chosen network.

If you need help with anything, drop us an email at members@kingsinns.ie.

Join us for the Book Club below

To become a member of the book club please sign up and we will be in contact before the next meeting. 

To receive the Zoom link for the next book club, you must register before 11 am on the date of the book club meeting. 

If you would like to unsubscribe from book club notifications at any time, please email members@kingsinns.ie.