A.A. Abbott

GREAT CRIME STORY WRITER

well-written

Book Review – Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph

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Compelling true crime stories

Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph is a true crime book as compelling as any thriller

True crime books are often racy, but speculative, accounts of the workings of a psychopath’s mind. Wendy Joseph’s book is not like that. As a former judge at the Old Bailey, she takes us behind the scenes at her trials. We learn not just about the roles of court officials, but the judges’ daily tea and their pecking order for chocolate biscuits. The book is laced with humour alongside the pathos of shattered lives.

As well as explaining how each story unfolds, Ms Joseph gives us a hint of what happens next. The cases include a stabbing, dangerous driving, child cruelty and a Mr Big dying at the hands of his battered wife. In the latter, the jury appear to decide that the widow has carried out a public service.

Ripples

Each crime affects not just the victim and defendant, but their families. It is impossible to feel unmoved at the anxious parents awaiting the fate of their child in the dock, or hearing that a much-loved son belonged to a gang. A crime creates ripples throughout the community, and the trial is a but a small part of that.

The future

Obliged to sentence in accordance with strict guidelines, Ms Joseph suggests we are storing up problems for society’s future. By the time prisoners regain their freedom after a long sentence, they are likely to be institutionalised and brutalised. How can we expect that to end well? She makes a plea for more work on rehabilitation and crime prevention.

The past

Ms Joseph also takes us back to the scene of each crime, with well-written and emotional vignettes. It is impossible to finish the book without shedding a few tears.

A fork in the road

The book begins with a school party visiting the court. The children, clearly engaged, act out a courtroom drama with enthusiasm. One of them might even be persuaded to follow in Ms Joseph’s footsteps. Schools outreach is possibly even more important than the ear of politicians. As long as Ms Joseph and her colleagues can convince young people to stay on the right side of the law, there is hope.

Do you love a well-written crime story? My latest psychological thriller, “Lies at Her Door” combines an old mystery with modern family drama.

A murder she can’t remember. A cop convinced she’s a killer. Her battle for freedom just became a fight for her life…

Book Review – Double Identity by Alison Morton

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Book Review. Alison Morton's international thriller Double Identity, set in Paris and London.

Dreams turn to nightmares…

Mel has found the man of her dreams. After an aristocratic upbringing in rural France and a spell in the French army, she’s ready to settle down and make babies. Parisian financier Gérard appears to be everything she’s looking for: rich, handsome and besotted with her. Sadly, a romantic holiday in London turns into the stuff of nightmares. Mel wakes up in a hotel room to find Gérard dead in bed beside her. Worse, London cop Jeff McCracken thinks Mel is the killer.

Partners from Hell

Once her innocence is proven, Mel is offered a job with an elite European spy team. She jumps at the chance. They’re investigating dodgy financial deals with which Gérard was apparently  involved. She hopes to prove him innocent and find his murderer. To their mutual dismay,however, Mel is required to work alongside the newly promoted Jeff McCracken. A man from a deprived background, Jeff regards as Mel as snobby. She sees him as coarse and misogynistic. Perhaps they are both right, but as the case progresses, they learn to work together. What they find causes Mel to question her belief both in herself and her relationships.

Absorbing action thriller

This is an action thriller, with plenty of fist fights and shoot-outs. They’re very believable, as you’d expect from Alison Morton, a former British Army captain. Her knowledge of Poitou in France, where she now lives, is also put to good use. While the genre is a departure for Morton, who previously penned a series of alt-history thrillers, the story follows her tradition of creating ballsy, kick-ass heroines.

Well-written and fast-paced, “Double Identity” is an absorbing read and a perfect piece of escapism during the pandemic. It’s currently on a blog tour, so you can find out more about it here.

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If “Double Identity” has whetted your appetite for an international thriller packed with action, dodgy deals and a strong female lead, look no further than “The Vodka Trail”. It’s the second thriller in my Trail series, and also a superb read on its own!

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