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Tuesday, March 3, 2020

The Waxwork Corpse by Simon Michael






In a vast reservoir whilst on a dive a tightly wrapped body is found. Whilst a young woman has been missing, it is discovered this is not that woman. The woman whose body is found is someone who went missing thirteen years ago - a wife of a Judge and one who is very eminent now.


Judge Steele is a pillar of the community - three young children, stellar character and there is no one who will talk ill of him. On the other hand, there is no one either personal or professional who will talk well of his late wife - the stories are lurid and ugly and each one is worse than the other. That he stayed in the marriage "for the sake of the children" is the theory flouted but even that wears thin.


On discovering blood in the ceiling and on the floorboards of their former house the Judge is taken into custody and then the trial emerges. The prosecuting lawyer Charlie has his own demons - Jewish and not comfortable in an orthodox household he has broken away from family and has a bitter relationship with his mother. He puts together the pieces of Judge Steele's marriage and the final breakdown where he murdered his wife. The Judge however due to clever lawyering and an epic display of emotion masterfully crafted swings a jury for his acquittal.


It is only after the acquittal that Charlie puts together pieces of a puzzle which he knows is incomplete upto now and the final piece is very surprising. 


Well written, masterfully played out by the two main characters of Judge Steele and Charlie and the supporting cast of family this was a very good book.


Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Sapere Books.

4 comments:

  1. This sounds like a fascinating mystery. Thank-you for the great review!

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  2. The characters and plot are intriguing. I enjoyed your review!

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  3. I'm so curious about this one. Sounds Good!

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  4. I like the idea that the final pieces don't emerge until after the Judge is acquitted. I'm really curious about that final piece.

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