Book description
A gripping courtroom drama combining psychological suspense and
political intrigue from the pen of ex-barrister-turned-crime novelist
Simon Tolkien, grandson of J. R.R. Tolkien.
It's the trial - and scandal - of the decade: Greta Grahame, the
beautiful young wife of Minister of defence Sir Peter Robinson, is
accused of conspiring to murder her predecessor, Peter's first wife, Anne.
The prosecution case depends heavily on the evidence of one witness -
Greta's sixteen-year-old stepson, Thomas.
A dreamy, bookish boy, Thomas was present but hidden on the night two
men broke into their ancestral home, The House of the Four Winds, and
killed his mother. His testimony steadfastly links Greta to the hitmen.
But the boy's motives are unclear. Is he so crazed by grief that he
would frame his stepmother for murder? Or are his feelings toward Greta
more complicated than anyone realizes? Might he actually be jealous of
his father, jealous enough to destroy what remains of his own family? Or
is he telling the truth - that this cunning young woman will stop at
nothing in her pursuit of wealth and status?
Simon Tolkien combines compelling courtroom drama and classic
psychological suspense in this sharply etched page-turner.
Previously published in 2003 as The Stepmother. “Half Christie and
half Grisham” - Los Angeles Times
“A legal thriller ripped from tomorrow's headlines … a remarkably
skillful novel, brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed.” -
Washington Post
“Tolkien's skill as a storyteller is worthy of notice in this taut,
well-paced legal thriller” - Library Journal
“The twists keep coming until that last witness. Highly convincing
debut.” - People Magazine
“Fast-paced and with suspense to spare, [Tolkien's] debut shows
admirable skill and depth and has a conclusion as surprising as it is
satisfying” - Dallas Morning News Simon Tolkien was a successful
Criminal Justice barrister in London specializing in serious crimes
before moving to California with his wife and two children to take up
writing full time. He has been acclaimed as a naturally gifted
storyteller with a terrific command of language and a unique perception
into the darker sides of human nature. The grandson of J. R.R. Tolkien,
with whom he had a very special relationship, Simon Tolkien's writing is
set firmly in this world.
