Trial by Ambush

Murder, Injustice, and the Truth About the Case of Barbara Graham

By: Marcia Clark

Narrated by: Marcia Clark

In this dramatic true account about the power of sensationalized crime, one woman’s case is exposed for its sexism, flagrant disregard for the truth, and, ultimately, the dangers posed by an unbridled prosecution.

Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse—offering her too many options of all the wrong kind. Her innate sensitivity left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the street, where she was left to fend for herself before she reached double digits. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster.

But in 1953, a catastrophic twist of fate would catapult her out of obscurity and into the headlines.

When a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary—a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted.

The frenzy of public interest and willful distortion paved a treacherous path for Barbara Graham. In Trial by Ambush, author and criminal lawyer Marcia Clark investigates the case exposing the fallacies in the demonizing picture they painted and the critical evidence that was never revealed.

©2024 by Marcia Clark. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Clark (the Samantha Brinkman series), the former lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson case, brings new insights to a sensational killing from the 1950s in this standout true crime narrative….Impressive research, combined with breakneck pacing and a trenchant critique of the media circus surrounding Graham’s arrest, bring the verdict down decisively in Clark’s favor. This is masterful.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Clark uses her expertise to bring fans into a world that wasn’t revealed in the original case. True crime fans, and suspense fans in general, will love her approach. She brings the reader into a world that uncovers how power and biases can ruin lives. Clark was born to write and Trial by Ambush could be her best book yet.”—John Raab, Suspense Magazine

“A must read for those who love courtroom drama.”—Charlene Giannetti, Woman Around Town

Great look at how justice was trampled

A vibrant story of how the system claimed a victim from another victim. Sometimes the pins of flesh is unfairly taken and this book shows it. It’s heavy on process within court but alarming how a prosecutor make suggestions that put a thumb on the scale against Barbara

Just Wow…

This kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. It was well written and researched. I resisted the urge to google the case to find out how things ended and it was worth hearing the author’s ending as well as her final thoughts.

While flawed, as it always will be, we are quite fortunate to have the justice system that we have today. If nothing else, this book is an in your face reminder of how unfair things once were and how ego can trump fairness with no thought of the human consequences.

Great read

Great summary of the murder trial and good insight by subject matter expert, Marcia Clark.

How lies kill

This was a great true story and very sad how lies can kill you! So sad that a prosecutor can lie and keep lying just because he wanted fame.

Brilliant MRI of a bungled prosecution!

A vile travesty of justice exposed in Marcia Clark’s research, analysis and reasoned conclusion! Brava!