Verbal

Brilliant book. Loved how although it was about the legal system it was light hearted in places, a bit of suspense and a few twists. Definetely want to read more by this author

This was really a thrilling read, entertaining until the very end and I will read more by this author in future. Recommended.

Peter Murphy's legal thriller featuring QC Ben Schroeder is set in a London and Britain in the period before the 1984 Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) that addressed a number of problematic issues in policing, and a culture where, for example, it was acceptable for police to verbal, meaning they made up things that people never said, purely to incriminate them. A Code of Practice set up with PACE meant the recording of interviews ensured this corrupt practice and some other aspects of police malfeasance came to an end. 'A good police force is one that catches more crooks than it employs', Sir Robert Mark's quote is based on a number of high profile policing scandals and is an appropriate quote, capturing a major theme in this story of the law, policing and the British security services.

Imogen and Damian Lester's parents, Michael and Margaret, are murdered on the streets of Sarajevo in Yugoslavia. Michael is a diplomat, and it seems rather strange that he should be in Sarajevo, particularly with his wife. Imogen travels there with her lover, Julia, representing her as a solicitor, to make sense of what happened, becoming aware of the two way East-West drug trade run by the ringleader Dragan, funding arms for nationalist groups in the fractured Balkans. On her return, the Met drug squad, under Detective Chief Mellor and DI Thomas Beech raid Imogen's London home early in the morning, arresting and charging her and her brother, Damian, for being inn keepers, storing drugs for criminal gangs at their home. This courtroom thriller illustrates the shabby practice of verballing as it affects Imogen, as Ben Schroeder fights to prove her innocence.

There are a number of threads in this exciting blend of espionage novel and legal thriller, Murphy sets some of the story in the Balkans, a region that exploded into a horrifying and tragic mix of murderous nationalism and genocide in the 1990s. Murphy's primary aim is to remind us of the bad old days where a number of police officers were little different from the criminals they were supposed to be policing, arresting, and putting behind bars. Through the character of Imogen, fortunately with an excellent legal team, Murphy provides a great example of the police engaging in verballing in a trial where she stands to lose everything. This is a enjoyable and entertaining read, fast paced with its short snappy chapters, keeping my attention with ease. Many thanks to Oldcastle Books for an ARC.

I’d never heard of the author before so wasn’t sure what to expect. This is a terrific read. It’s been a while since I read a book which mostly takes place during a court trial, so this made a nice change. The only real issue is that a huge piece of the plot around corruption and bribery is made obvious quite close to the start of the book, maybe not obvious but there are hints and my heckles were raised as I wondered WTF? I enjoyed the way the book weaves the trial with the murder of Imogen’s parents and the investigation into their deaths. I enjoyed the scenes during the trial the most as I wondered how it would all play out. Apparently, this is the seventh book featuring Ben Schroeder. I will likely read the others because I thought this was great.