‘Blind Defence’ by John Fairfax

Published by Little Brown,
5 April 2018.
ISBN: 978-1-4087-0875-0(HB)

Not being a card player, before I read the second in John Fairfax's compelling series featuring convicted killer turned barrister William Benson I had no idea how similar conducting a defence in court is to playing a game of poker. Blind defence, the reader is reliably informed by one of the characters, is a useful tactic in the game – and it sums up the case Benson is fighting pretty well, too.

This time Benson appears to be defending the indefensible. His client is a thoroughly unpleasant character accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend; he strenuously denies it, but not only is there persuasive forensic evidence against him, he also shows marked reluctance to talk to Benson, and when he does, he seems incapable of offering the same version of events twice in a row. Not even Benson is totally convinced of his innocence but governed by the cab rank rule which means a barrister has to accept each case that comes his way, he sets out to achieve a not guilty verdict regardless of his own feelings. And what a tangle of events emerges, as it turns out that a lot more was going on in the victim's life than anyone realized.

It all takes place against the background of Benson's pressing financial problems. Since his triumph in the first book in the series, his career has taken a nosedive. Tess de Vere, the solicitor who believes in him, has been warned off providing him with work; the bank is calling in the loan he took out to set up his chambers and forcing him to put the houseboat he has made his home up for sale; a sneaky politician is after his blood. Even Tess, who has made it her mission to prove he was innocent of the crime which put him away for eleven years, is beginning to doubt him.

The essence of good fiction lies in the characters, and John Fairfax (now revealed as an alias for award-winning author William Brodrick, himself a former barrister) weaves them all into three-dimensional human beings any reader would want to get to know. Benson himself is edgy, secretive, determined and damaged. Tess is smart, self-aware and driven. Benson's former cellmate Archie, now his clerk, and Molly, his secretary-come-mother figure, are warm and stalwart, and Sally, Tess's friend and partner in cocktail nights, is sparky, flamboyant and too intrigued by Benson's past to let it go. The supporting players, too, are richly drawn; I especially enjoyed Mrs Justice Fleetwood on the bench and wanted to slap Merrington the justice minister and Yardley the prosecuting barrister. 

Like the first in the series, Blind Defence kept me up into the small hours. If the promised TV series is half as engrossing, you can count me in. And I can hardly wait for the next book.

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Reviewer: Lynne Patrick

John Fairfax is the pen name of William Brodrick who practised as a barrister before becoming a full-time novelist. Under his own name he is a previous winner of the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger Award and his first novel was a Richard and Judy selection.

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years, and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives on the edge of rural Derbyshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction.

‘Bloody Reckoning’ by Rafe McGregor

Published by Endeavour Press Ltd,
25 August 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-54958651-4 (PB)

Captain Gareth Hutt of the York and Catterick Special Investigation’s Branch of the Royal Military Police is staying in his flat in York. Theoretically, Gareth is catching up on holiday that he has neglected to take during the last couple of years whilst he was serving in Afghanistan. His old friend Maikel, a Fijian paratrooper with Special Forces Support Group, is recovering from being shot in the arm and is staying with Hutt.

One evening Sian Mathews, Gareth’s former lover, arrives unannounced on his doorstep. Sian is in a bad state both mentally and physically. She is also in fear for her life because she has run away from her current partner, Mick Bell, a powerful drug baron who does not take kindly to being crossed.  Hutt rashly assures Sian that he will free her from Bell and his cronies.  Maikel falls for Sian and is only too pleased to guard her whilst Hutt deals with the controlling Mike Bell and his extensive entourage of thugs. 

At around the same time as Sian comes to Hutt for help, Hutt receives a second request. This time it’s from Detective Sergeant Alex Lawson of Central Area Command in York. Lawson wants Hutt to help him investigate the death of a young soldier who has been found naked and shot in the head in a local wood. Hutt agrees to help the detective provided that Lawson helps him to dissuade Mike Bell from pursuing Sian.

Gradually, as more historical soldier victims emerge, it becomes evident that there is a serial killer in the army. The race is on to find the shooter before anyone else is killed.

Set in Leeds and York there is a very good sense of place in this book. Life is never dull when Hutt and his friends from the military police are around. As we follow Hutt’s often violent and foolhardy activities and witness his ill-considered brand of “suicidal heroism”, it’s not difficult to see why Sian went to him for help, nor why she never wanted to marry him - she would never have had a moments peace of mind.  This is a great read for those who enjoy a fast-paced book that revolves around the activities of the Military Police and manages to reveal just some of the personal difficulties that may arise from joining that organisation. 

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Reviewer: Angela Crowther

Rafe McGregor is the author of nine books, including The Value of Literature, and two hundred articles, essays, and reviews. His most recent book is Bloody Reckoning. He can be found online at @rafemcgregor.

Angela Crowther is a retired scientist.  She has published many scientific papers but, as yet, no crime fiction.  In her spare time Angela belongs to a Handbell Ringing group, goes country dancing and enjoys listening to music, particularly the operas of Verdi and Wagner.

‘Killer Intent’ by Tony Kent

Published by Elliott & Thompson,
25 January 2018.
ISBN: 978-1-78396-326-3

During a ceremony in Trafalgar Square honouring the British heroes of the recent Middle East wars, ex United States President Thompson, and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mattewson are shot at close range by McGale, in spite of secret service agent Sam Regis trying to stop him. She is shot and killed by a sharpshooter from a distance as she tries to do so. Her boss, agent Joe Dempsey knocks McGale to the ground.

It is obvious Sam's killer is stationed high up on one of the surrounding buildings. Dempsey is at a loss to understand who it could be as all the sharpshooters place up there to guard the proceedings have been handpicked.

A solicitor, Daniel Lawrence, is appointed McGale's lawyer and on being interviewed, he tells Daniel he blames Mattewson for the loss of his family in Northern Ireland. Mysteriously on the way home, Daniel is forced off the road by another car and has a serious crash.

Dempsey is now given the task of not only finding the killer of Sam Regis, but who is behind Daniel's accident. There also seems to be more than a personal reason why McGale shot the two men, is there someone else behind the shootings?

Together with C.N.N reporter Sarah Truman and a close friend of Daniel's, barrister Michael Devlin, Dempsey is determined to find the truth.  Enquiries reveal facts that lead them to Northern Ireland where they enlist the reluctant help of Michael's brother Liam, a well-known gangster. They uncover corruption that extends to members high up in the British government but how do they prove it? Who is the mysterious “Stanton” giving instructions to someone called Joshua to get rid of anyone making enquiries about the shootings.

Dempsey, Sarah and Michael have many narrow escapes until an exciting conclusion reveals the truth, but not without more casualties.

Whew, what an exciting book full of intrigue and corruption in high places. Written with great verve and insight as to what extreme lengths people with ambition will go to reach their goal.

I see Tony Kent is a barrister, no wonder he writes with such conviction about the criminal mind and how devious people can be. 

Highly recommended. Nnonstop, fast moving action with plenty of shocks and surprises at every turn of the page.

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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

Tony Kent grew up in a close-knit Irish family in London and studied law in Scotland. He is a top-ranking barrister and former champion boxer who brings a wealth of detail and personal insight to this unputdownable thriller. A regular at London's Old Bailey, Tony's case history includes prosecuting and defending many high-profile, nationally reported trials. Before his legal career, Tony boxed internationally as a heavyweight and won a host of national amateur titles. He is based in London.

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.