To Become An Outlaw

'When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw' - Nelson Mandela

This is the latest in Peter Murphy's historical legal series featuring barrister Ben Schroeder, it's subject is the horrors of apartheid in South Africa. Danie du Plessis is raised by a black maid, Hilda, whom he loves, in a conservative white family. He begins a promising academic career at a leading university, when he does the unthinkable, he falls in love with Amy Coetzee, classified as a Cape Coloured, a relationship deemed illegal. It is 1964, knowing they are close to being arrested, Danie and Amy flee the country, helped by his friend, Pieter, making their way to Cambridge in England. They are helped and supported by Sir John Fisk, who guides him into a Cambridge college, where he progresses to become a Roman Law professor, whilst Amy goes on to become a Fellow at Girton College.

Danie and Amy get married, their future looking secure, and have 2 children, Sally and Douglas, which his parents refuse to acknowledge. South Africa is in their past, until out of the blue in 1968, Art Pienaar, a lawyer enters Danie's life, asking him to get involved in the movement to bring down apartheid, by assisting in getting donor funds into the hands of activists and connecting with the ANC via the Hawala system. Dani agrees, wanting to do all that he can to bring down apartheid, supported by Amy. The amount donors are contributing increase as the funds now contribute to an armed struggle against apartheid, but one donor is causing Danie some concern, Vincent Cummings, whose contributions have increased dramatically. Matters come to a head in 1976 when the bodies of Vincent and Art are found in a hotel, both men shot dead, the murders investigated by DI Ted Phillips and DC Connie Whittaker.

Danie and his family find themselves in grave danger, finding themselves targeted by BOSS, the South African Bureau for State Security. Britain's need to have good relations with South Africa for strategic reasons lead to Danie going on trial at the Old Bailey defended by Ben Schroeder, accused of knowingly taking drug trade proceeds to fund the fight against apartheid, even though the evidence is very thin. This is a wonderfully engaging addition to the series, immersing the reader in the nightmare of apartheid, and the many, including Danie and Amy, who want to do all that they can to bring down the monstrous South African regime. Murphy excels in bringing alive the 1970s era and politics with the courtroom trial, including looking at jury members and their thoughts, and evoking the challenges of race in the UK through Connie and the problems she faces being a black woman officer in the police force. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This was such a good read. It was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters, some of whom I loved. It was a gripping read with a good level of twists and unpredictability. I really enjoyed it.