First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, William Deverell, and ECW Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

A long-time fan to William Deverell and his Arthur Beauchamp series, I rushed to get my hands on this ARC. Always unique in his approach, Deverell offers up small-town Canada so effectively, with his protagonist at the centre of a major legal battle. This piece sought to straddle the present, as Beauchamp enjoys some quieter time in rural British Columbia, with a case from his past in which he defended a young woman accused of murder. All while trying to deflect the accusations of a recently published unauthorised biography, Arthur Beauchamp seeks to clear his name and remember a case that made a difference. Brilliant work by Deverell left me hungering for more!

After the reviews are in about a recent unauthorised biography, Arthur Beauchamp is ready to set the record straight. While he cannot toss verbal grenades at the author, he can choose to write his own piece, focussing on the details of a case he fought back in 1966. Angelina Santos, young housemaid, was accused of murdering her philandering boss, who apparently raped her days before. As Arthur agreed to take the case, still riding the high of some recent notoriety in his Vancouver law firm, he knew it would be a long shot, but could not turn down the opportunity to help the defenseless against a local business magnate who wanted nothing more than to destroy this woman who was of no consequence to him. The case had all the makings of being a slam dunk for the Crown, though Beauchamp refused to stand down, seeking the truth from his client and heading int a northern British Columbia community to set the courtroom on fire with his legal style and sharp wit.

When Angelina was asked about the crime of shooting her boss point-blank, she did not deny it, though fear appeared to fuel her confession. As Beauchamp tries to explore in the trial, the rationale was more than simply trying to get the upper hand on a wealthy employer, but to end the suffering she had at his hands. Still, Angelina is sure that she did not kill him, something Beauchamp tries to bring up in the trial, though the evidence is stacked against him. With a judge as sharp as Beauchamp , it would take a great deal of work to convince the jury to see things through the eyes of a defenseless woman and ignore the power of a local business tycoon.

In a present-day narrative, Beauchamp remembers the case and engages in explaining his writing style to the reader, as well as pen letters to his publisher to decry the pressure put upon him. As he seeks to revisit the events of those days in 1966, Arthur Beauchamp presents how his young and cocky self could also have had seeds of true greatness in the making, years before he made a name for himself nationwide (as seen throughout the series). Deverell does a stunning job in this piece, depicting his protagonist just as I remembered him.

Those who have not had the time to enjoy the Arthur Beauchamp series before may not fully comprehend the goings-on with ease. William Deverell has a unique style and approach to his writing, which shines through here once more. Deverell builds a stunning narrative with this piece and keeps the reader hooked as events gain momentum in short order. A crisp storytelling ability with many twists throughout, the story reaches its legal climax as the reader is unsure which way the jury will side. With strong characters throughout, Deverell presents the young version of his protagonist, full of the vigour many who have read the series will understand. The one-off characters are perfectly suited to this piece, tossing out great banter and keeping the reader enthralled with how Arthur Beauchamp will handle it all.

With Deverell’s courtroom dramas, there is never a lack of plot twisting to flavour the story effectively. The reader is immersed in the guessing game that is found within the pages of the book, never sure where things are headed or how the story will advance. Legal thrillers that include Beauchamp appear never to be as clear-cut as they are with other authors, which adds depth and excitement to the read for the dedicated reader.

Kudos, Mr. Deverell, for another masterful piece of legal fiction!

A story within a story as a lawyer takes a break from “lawyering” to write about a case from his past. The case looked to be open and shut, so he needed to chip away enough in his presentation to create doubt. The unique perspective adds to the story.