Charles
Holborne has made his way from the despised Jewish boy to a recognized
barrister in 1960s London. Not afraid of digging, he can solve tricky cases and
made himself a name in the criminal classes. Yet, his private life is far from
being this successful. His wife is unfaithful and he has to admit that a
divorce is the only solution left. Not realizing that dark forces are against
him, he suddenly finds himself the main suspect of his wife’s murder and has to
retreat to the underground from where he now has to fight for his right and
name.
The novel
starts at a slow pace, the characters are introduced thoroughly and their way
of moving around described in detail. However, it is worth keeping on reading
because with the murder of Holborne’s wife, the story accelerates and it
getting better from page to page. The way the protagonist has to act now to
defend himself and to deliver the real culprits is very thrilling and full of
suspense. There are some dead ends to who might be behind the whole complot and
untangling the conspiracy is great to read.
What I
appreciated most is the atmosphere of the time. Simon Michael manages to evoke
the spirit of the 60s and thus provides a suitable set for the plot. His
characters are designed authentically and the crime is solved completely
without leaving any questions open or by providing surprises out of the blue. All
in all, a convincing crime novel.
