The Brief by Simon Michael @SapereBooks @simonmichaeluk

The Brief by Simon Michael

Charles Holborne Legal Thriller Series #1

Published by Sapere Books

Publication Date: 10 June 2019

369 pages

Book Description:

London, 1960

Barrister Charles Holborne is not popular. A Jewish East Ender with a rough past, he is ostracised by his anti-Semitic and class-conscious colleagues who don’t want him in their prestigious Establishment profession.

And the bitterness Charles feels at work is spilling over into his personal life, putting his marriage under strain.

When a high-profile murder case lands on his desk, Charles is hopeful his fortunes will turn around.

But after a shocking crime is committed, he finds himself on the other side of law…

Can he outwit those trying to frame him? Will he manage to unmask the real criminal?

Or will he find himself on trial for murder…?

THE BRIEF is the first crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London.

My Review:

What a great introduction to a series which looks set to get grittier as it goes along - which isn't to say that this first instalment doesn't have its fair share of grit.  We have a barrister with Jewish ancestry, which in the time frame the book is set is always going to throw up issues. Said character has connections in his formative years with some of the biggest names in English gangland history - but which side of the fence is Charlie on when it comes to the crunch?

With long hours necessary to do his job defending criminals Charlie is away from home and wife Henrietta for long periods. Henrietta gets bored easily and her head is allegedly turned on more than one occasion by 'gentlemen' in the legal profession whose morals are less squeaky clean than her husband's.  

These dalliances lead Henrietta and Charles into a situation where they are both way out of their depth, and it's up to Charles to keep his wits about him to work out what has been going on and stay one step ahead of those who really don't want him to progress his career any further.

But who is Charles up against? There are people on both sides of the law and others very close to his professional home who all have motives to threaten Charles's career prospects in the worst way possible.

This book is quite different to the crime thrillers I usually read, being viewed from the legal team's perspective rather than the police force as is the more regular viewpoint. The author's inside knowledge of how the system works and the buildings used by the barristers is very clear and explained in plain English without feeling patronising in any way and I soon felt quite at home in the chambers.  The time setting is excellently portrayed and in my head I had a film-reel of 1960's cars and dress codes easily come to mind.  

 I found there to be a comfortable amount of legal content which didn't become overwhelming, the range of characters is varied and well described and the plotline is well balanced between the personal and professional sides of the main character Charlie Holborne.  I am intrigued as to where the author is going to take Charlie's character and how his colleagues fit in as a couple of them have some serious explaining to do.

My thanks to Caoimhe at Sapere Books for the opportunity to read and review this excellent thriller -  I have already pre-ordered the next in the series so that I can find out what life holds next for Charlie.

About the Author:

Simon Michael is the author of the best-selling London 1960s noir gangster series featuring his antihero barrister, Charles Holborne. Simon writes from personal experience: a barrister for 37 years, he worked in the Old Bailey and other criminal courts defending and prosecuting a wide selection of murderers, armed robbers, con artists and other assorted villainy. The 1960s was the "Wild West" of British justice, a time when the Krays, Richardsons and other violent gangs fought for control of London's organised crime, and the corrupt Metropolitan Police beat up suspects, twisted evidence and took a share of the criminal proceeds. Simon weaves into his thrillers genuine court documents from cases on which he worked on the big stories of the 1960s.

Simon was published in the UK and the USA in the 1980s and returned to writing when he retired from the law in 2016. The Charles Holborne series, The Brief, An Honest Man, The Lighterman and Corrupted, have all garnered strong reviews for their authenticity and excitement. The fifth in the series, The Waxwork Corpse, will be published by Sapere Books later this year.

Simon's theme is alienation; Holborne, who dabbled in crime and serious violence before becoming a barrister, is an outsider both in the East End where he grew up and in the Temples of the Law where he faces daily class and religious prejudice. He has been compared to Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe and Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade, honourable men surrounded by corruption and violence, trying to steer an honest course.

Follow Simon on Twitter: @simonmichaeluk