Jurymen May Dine

Having met the author, Nick Boreham recently at the Beverley Springfest Festival of Words and listened to how he came up with the idea for his book 'Jurymen May Dine', I didn't regret buying his book and it didn't disappoint. It was a page turner, and I couldn't put it down. Action packed with plenty of twists and turns, and some quite unexpected changes of direction that kept the reader hooked and wanting more, I was only too sorry when the tale that Nick spun, ended. A totally believable plot, with great characters, some of whom the reader can empathise with and some others who well and truly deserved and got their just desserts. Nick told me he's on with his next book set up north in a gritty northern town and I can't wait for that one to be on the bookshelves, and if it's half as good as this one, I won't be disappointed.

Nick Boreham is the English counterpart to Robert.B.Parker. 'Jurymen may Dine' is a highly enjoyable crime adventure that I read in one sitting, perfect escapism that keeps you on your toes. Characterisation and plot keep you invested and reading just one more chapter, with a satisfying conclusion at the end. I really hope this is the beginning of a 'Tony Quirke' series that runs and runs like Parkers 'Spenser' novels.

Themes explored in Nick Boreham’s Jurymen May Dine are the fallibility of the criminal justice system which combined with a jury system comprising a cross section of untrained members of society can convict innocent men or women and secondly community as family. The setting is the fictional close knit locale of Riverdale in the east end of London where family loyalties and the legacy of old crime families still holds sway and the past and the present are irrevocably intertwined. As lone ‘not-guilty’ juror Tony Quirke turned amateur private investigator sets out to prove a mis-carriage of justice and thus Conrad Connor’s innocence by overturning a murder conviction, he is drawn into a web of intrigue through deception and the desire for revenge by Conrad’s sister. Subtle and nuanced plotting unfolds at pace making for a compelling read. The quest for justice pulls the reader into the psyche of Tony Quirke and he/she will continually find themselves asking ‘just who did kill Douglas Hamilton?’ As he peels away deception after deception, discards false leads and survives a murder attempt Tony Quirke eventually uncovers the truth. And what a truth: the author captures the reader holds the explosive denouement to the final few chapters when the real murderer’s identity is finally revealed. A master-class in characterisation, Jurymen May Dine gives chilling insights into the workings of the criminal mind and is superb example of 21st century noir that sits comfortably on a par with the best of Pascal Garnier. This is one to keep and read again and again…