A JUDICIARY IN CRISIS

Once again as we approach the season of goodwill, jollity, and reckless spending, there may be even more of a blow to high street stores than in previous years. Thanks mainly to Covid, and a growing disregard toward social distancing and PPE by a percentage of belligerent shoppers, many consumers will favour online shopping this year in an attempt to avoid the stress and folly of previous panic buying. On that note, gifts made from binded paper and ink seem to be rarely out of stock, and may be the answer to any stocking filler dilemma. The Orcadian File is a novel driven by one main character-Monty and is not quite an action novel. There is the occasional rammy, true, but mostly we follow his stressful predicament in representing and defending an innocent man on trial for a murder he did not commit. Threatened throughout by unseen enemies, including within the judiciary, whilst under intense pressure to produce something akin to a fish and loaves trick for his client, Monty is forced to seek out protection from an organised crime syndicate. The defence team’s ongoing struggle may keep many a thriller reader entertained throughout the festive period, but there is considerably more going on in this novel. There are detailed accounts of the judicial trials of both Sextus Roscius in Republican Rome, and also Justin Martyr in the Imperial era, for those who like a wee bit of historical portal travel with their legalities. Then there is a continuation of the ongoing political mischief evident within the prequal novel-Kertamen, running in the background for those who enjoy a political power struggle. The narration additionally drifts from time to time into yet another genre-one which may well appeal to those who know their Luca Brasi’s from their Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo’s, for there is a good an old fashioned mafia underbelly here too. The portrayal of which is primarily seen through the contemporary sensibilities of one Calògiru Profaci, who delivers timeless lessons on power, advancement, and jealousy within Edinburgh’s Italian underworld. Whilst we don’t linger too long on the description or modus operandi of Profaci’s employers however, and instead focus upon the judicial battles, this is a side serving of what I think may be one of very few Scottish mafia tales. I hope dear reader, that you enjoy and have a very lovely Christmas.

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