by Anne Perry
First published 2013
Judge Oliver Rathbone has handled his early cases with skill, but now faces his greatest test. Abel Taft, a beloved minister whose congregation worships him, stands trial for massive fraud and corruption. The victims he destroyed tell their stories in court, painting Taft as guilty beyond doubt. Then the defense calls their key witness. This testimony shreds every accusation and leaves the prosecution's case in ruins. Rathbone watches justice slip away, knowing he possesses hidden evidence that could save the trial. But judges cannot involve themselves in cases they oversee. If Rathbone acts, he risks everything he has built. If he stays silent, a criminal walks free while his victims suffer. The choice Rathbone makes will pull his friend William Monk into a perilous investigation that transforms both their futures forever.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, 19th-century
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: hidden-truth, moral-dilemma
Period: 19th-Century
352 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books