#BookReview :: Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate

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In Verdict of the Twelve, author Raymond Postgate tell us about a murder case through the different participants at the trial.

The book is barely 250 pages long yet offers so much to its reader. On the face of it, the book deals with a murder case and the trial after. But the way the author has presented it to the readers makes it so much more than a murder case or a trial drama. In the first section of the book, the author takes his time in introducing each of the twelve jurors in detail with details about their lives and their backgrounds. That is when we realize the diversity of the society we live in. The second section of the book deals with the murder case and its representation in the trial. This is where the readers get to consider the nitty-gritties of the evidence and motives of the case. The final section of the book we see the jurors as they deliberate and reach a verdict. Will you agree with it or will the ending drive you crazy?

The wide variety of characters involved keeps the book interesting as the readers are kept on their toes by wondering how each piece of information is being received by each individual and how that would affect the big picture. The case itself was interesting as it could be seen as open and shut case and yet leave you wondering if there was something more going on. The author’s language and style of narration is in line with that of typical British crime classics and build up a feeling of nostalgia at the same time.

Have you ever considered how you can experience something that millions other have before you, yet the way you experience it is never exactly the same with any of them? Have you ever realized, while in a crowd, that you may have nothing in common with any of the others? Have you ever considered why you think the way you do or how you react to a situation can be a culmination of several past experiences or how you can build up prejudices or mistrust of some people or something without even realizing it? These are just some of the things that the book will compel you to think about long after you have turned the last page.

I recommend this book to all crime genre enthusiasts and to people who like books that highlight various aspects of human nature.

This post is a part of A to Z Challenge and BlogchatterA2Z