Vivid and exciting' The Times WINNER OF THE PRIX DU MASQUE She was found hanging in a dingy London bedsit with a blood orange in her mouth. Diane Heybridge, a young woman without a past or much of a future, has captured in death the compassion denied her in life. For the prosecution, this seeming suicide is nothing more than a bungled killing and a disgusted public looks to Court 2 of the Old Bailey for justice. Her callous, jilted partner Brent Stainsby stands accused of her murder and he's turned to the maverick legal team William Benson and Tess de Vere to defend him. However, as the trial unfolds it soon becomes clear that there is far more to Diane Heybridge than meets the eye. She wasn't the weak and downtrodden victim now being presented to the jury. She was capable of a sophisticated form of vengeance. By the same token, Brent Stainsby isn't who he seems to be either. He's hiding a motive for murder unknown to the police and may well be playing a deadly game of poker with the judicial process. What began as a simple trial rapidly turns into a complex search for the truth beyond the confines of the courtroom...
William Benson. Criminal barrister. Convicted murderer.... Convicted of murder sixteen years ago, William Benson is ostracised by the establishment and his family. Supported by a close-knit group including solicitor Tess de Vere, he's defied them all and opened his own Chambers. Now he faces the case of his life - and the terminal illness of Helen Camberley who helped him leave his prison life behind Jorge Menderez, a doctor from Spain, has been found dead in a deserted warehouse in East London. A troubled man, he'd turned to counsellor Karen Lynwood seeking help. Now Karen's husband, John, is accused of his murder. Who is Menderez, and why did he come to London? Benson is defending the couple against seemingly impossible odds, while secrets from his own past threaten to overwhelm him... Praise for Summary Justice and Blind Defence 'Assured storytelling and highly intriguing moral complexity. I tore through it' Chris Brookmyre 'The courtroom scenes are brilliant, and Benson really comes alive under pressure. Stubborn, fitful and contradictory, he's a highly individualised creation' Spectator 'Punchy dialogue and devious plotlines . . . compelling' The Times
With over 500 residents, The Fairfax is a thriving community that offers retired military officers and their spouses gracious living arrangements. But in 1982, it was just an idea in the minds of a small band of men and women who envisioned a need for such a community. History of The Fairfax details the story of how this multi-million dollar facility came to fruition through conception, construction, and conscription all in just ten years. Lieutenant General Frank Camm had already enjoyed a distinguished career in the United States Army when he was appointed Chairman of a group that would develop an Army Officer Retirement Residence. In Part I, he relies heavily on the minutes of some 200 Foundation meetings to share the trials and errors, disappointments, and successes endemic to such an enterprise. In Part II, Colonel John Schlight, a retired Air Force navigator and former Air Force Academy history professor, details how The Fairfax grew into maturity and how its residents learned to govern themselves and transform The Fairfax into a fun-filled community. History of The Fairfax shares a captivating behind-the-scenes glimpse into how one idea created a community with traditions and an atmosphere ideal for military retirees.
These Benson and de Vere stories are unputdownable... A five star bravura performance. This writer gets better and better' A.N. Wilson The Hither Green murder... William Benson knows what it's like to be accused of something you didn't do - the fear, the vulnerability and the nightmare of watching your life unravel. Now he speaks on behalf of those who have no voice, defending anyone who claims to be innocent. This time, it's Karmen Naylor, estranged daughter of a south London crime boss, fighting a murder charge and desperate to be believed. But Benson becomes trapped into a grudge match between two rival clans, endangering himself and those he loves. Tess de Vere is by Benson's side but she's keeping something from him. A stranger on the trail of a secret death squad operating in Northern Ireland during the Troubles brings a terrible secret into the heart of her own life. And he won't go away. Can Tess and Will find their way through all the secrets and the lies? Should justice always be served - and if so, at what cost? Praise for the Benson and de Vere series 'Assured storytelling and highly intriguing moral complexity. I tore through it' Chris Brookmyre 'The courtroom scenes are brilliant, and Benson really comes alive under pressure. Stubborn, fitful and contradictory, he's a highly individualised creation' Spectator 'Punchy dialogue and devious plotlines . . . compelling' The Times
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