Firstly I wish to thank Anne Cater for inviting me to take part on this Blog Tour for JUDGE WALDEN, back in session by Peter Murphy

BOOK DESCRIPTION

If you like Rumpole of the Bailey, you’ll love Walden of Bermondsey

Judge Walden is back, to preside over five new cases at Bermondsey Crown Court.

Retired resident judge Peter Murphy takes us back to the world of criminal trials in South London for another session with Charlie Walden keeping the peace between his fellow judges – Marjorie, ‘Legless’ and Hubert – while fighting off the attacks of the Grey Smoothies, the civil servants who seem intent on reducing the court’s dwindling resources to vanishing point in the name of ‘business cases’ and ‘value for money’.

Meet the rum and memorable characters who pop into Charlie’s domain, including Lester Fogle from one of London’s Disorganised Crime Families, Arthur Swivell the one-time Bermondsey singing legend and the very unbardlike Elias Shakespeare. And you will never feel the same about ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ or the Entente Cordiale again.

Fortunately, Charlie has Elsie and Jeanie’s lattes and ham and cheese baps, and newspaper vendor George’s witty banter, to sustain him in the mornings; and in the evenings, the Delights of the Raj, or La Bella Napoli, to enjoy with the Reverend Mrs Walden.

Buy Link:

Judge Walden: Back in Session (Walden of Bermondsey)

HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW

I was delighted to return to the behind the scene court chambers of Bermondsey in this the second book of the series. I had already got to know the basics of who did what to keep the courts working smoothly but there are some interesting and unusual elements that disrupt the normal day-to-day life in this ‘session’. Among all the disruption daily life tries and mostly succeeds  to carry on be it at times very noisily.

Charlie Walden is a cracking character that has dismissed the stuffy, boring and head in the clouds image that I had set in my mind of a man in his postion, before reading these books. He comes across as a wise and thoughtful man who doesn’t pre-judge the people in his court. He does have the ear of a confidant, his lovely wife, the Reverend. She is definitely his third eye to find solutions that he at times struggles with.

There are five unique court cases that I was privy to hear. I really loved playing judge and jury myself as to if I thought the people in the dock were guilty or innocent. There are a very mixed bunch of cases, from ones that made me giggle to the more serious.  I held on to every word. Loved the market trader one, super touch at the end! What I really liked was the whole experience not only  from Walden’s home life to court cases but also the backroom scenes of stubborn judges that stick to traditional methods to up and coming young  lawyers determined to stand their ground.  It makes for fascinating reading.

There was only one thing I hated about this light and entertaining book and that was I finished it. It would make for super Sunday evening TV viewing. So looking forward to more of this series.

HERE IS A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Murphy spent a career in the law, as an advocate, teacher, and judge. He has worked both in England and the U.S., and served for several years as counsel at the Yugoslavian War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. He is the author of the Ben Schroeder thrillers.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES plus buy link

Walden of Bermondsey