This mad cap murder mystery and court room drama is another star turn for Arthur Ramsgate Beauchamp, a "retired" Vancouver criminal attorney who can't seem to stay retired or away from dead bodies. William Deverell's
Kill All the Judges is the third novel in the series. There's a somewhat lengthy set-up which is chaotic as some chapters are seen through the eyes of someone having an emotional breakdown but the pay-off is gold as the story unfolds.
Cud Brown, a foul mouthed ex-steel worker turned ribald poet, lives on Garibaldi Island, Arthur's chosen retirement home. Cud's got a problem: he's been charged with the murder of a judge, His Honour Whynet-Moir, who disappeared over the balcony of his fabulous estate home. Cud was there but drunk enough that he doesn't remember a thing ... other than getting up to mischief with the late judge's trophy wife, Florenza. With the whole island urging Arthur to take the case, he demures, and plonks the case in the lap of Brian Pomeroy. But Pomeroy's got a problem, too: he's stewing over a divorce, getting deeper into substance abuse and, while he happens to be writing a novel, he's also going just a little bit nuts.
Should Arthur pick up the slack when Pomeroy disappears? Arthur's got a problem too: his wife Margaret has just been nominated as the Green Party candidate in a by-election and Arthur is expected to pull his weight to get her elected. He can hardly do that and take the case as well. But takes the case he does and, with an maleable prosecutor, Abigail Hitchens, a judge with an agenda who doesn't like Arthur and likes his sidekick, Wentworth Chance, even less, the story unfolds with sly humour and pacing which draws the reader deeply into the tale.
Strongly recommended.
Available at
Kindle and
Kobo for around $7.