focused on lawyers and legal issues.
Libby Hogarth successfully defended Jared Delio against criminal charges of sexual assault by three women. Hogarth grew up and was educated in Saskatchewan The complainants had connections with Saskatchewan. The trial was in Toronto. She demonstrated in cross-examination the weaknesses in their evidence and Delio was acquitted.
The character of Hogarth is clearly patterned on Marie Heinen who successfully defended Jhian Ghomesi on charges of sexual assault in Toronto. There were three complainants in the real life case. By chance I am currently reading a memoir by Ms. Heinen.
Untrue “lurid stories” are spread after the trial “about what Hogarth did to get ahead and stay ahead”.
Hogarth and Zack Shreve, Joanne Kilbourn’s husband, articled, a few years apart, for the same lawyer after graduating from law school. They remained friends.
Three years after the Delio trial Hogarth is coming to Regina to give the Mellohawk lecture called “Abracadebra” on creating “a community that understands that rape is an act of violence, that no means no and that a man doesn’t have to prove his masculinity by forcing himself on a woman”.
Since the lecture was announced Hogarth has been receiving weekly a threatening anonymous email from Amicus Curiae (friend of the court):
I’M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!
Hogarth comes to see Zack as one of the complainants, Eden Sass, in the Delio case has called Hogarth wanting to recant her evidence and say she lied at the trial. Hogarth, Zack and Joanne discuss ways to convince Sass not to recant. The conversation made me uncomfortable as I will discuss in a further post.
That evening, New Year’s Day, Zack and Joanne celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary at a lovely dinner party. The table is decorated with glass pots of newly planted wheat which is several centimetres high. The pots are so unique and cleverly Saskatchewan.
Eden and Seth Wright, the brother of Zack’s former partner Margot Wright Hunter, are examples of “outsiders, children who never felt they were truly a part of the family they were born into”. Kevin Coyle, a friend of Joanne, speaks of the consequences by referring to a study called The Long Reach of Childhood.
The title of the study resonated with me. In What’s Past is Prologue the phrase refers to adults whose childhoods were isolating. It equally applies to happy childhoods. Whether positive or negative, childhood reaches out through our whole lives.
Earlier books in the series have also explored the consequences of childhood. Joanne and her best friend, Sally Love, had difficult experiences that extended into their adult lives.
Taylor entered the series, coming to live with Joanee, after her parents were murdered.
Joanne’s children endured the violent death of their father.
Bowen powerfully states they are “… defining moments in life, the moments that last only a second but determine the course of forever”.
After reading the passage I was lost in memories of such moments in my lifetime. More are painful than are joyful.
I was not ready when murder occurred. I had been caught up in the lives of the characters. As with the best books in the series there need not have been a murder to keep me absorbed.
What’s Past is Prologue is an excellent book. Of course, I am biased. Any book with Saskatchewan lawyers among the primary characters is bound to win my approval. I appreciate the original motto of Zack’s firm:
“A Reasonable Doubt for a Reasonable Price”
Gail Bowen has reached a personal milestone in that she is now 80. Some years ago in an email exchange she said she was not sure how long she would continue the series. I said P.D. James wrote mysteries into her 90’s. I am optimistic we can look forward to at least another decade of Joanne Kilbourn mysteries.
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Bowen, Gail – 2011 Questions and Answers with Gail; 2011 Suggestions for Gail on losing court cases; The author's website is http://www.gailbowen.com/ - (2011) Deadly Appearances; (2013) Murder at the Mendel; The Wandering Soul Murders (Not reviewed); A Colder Kind of Death (Not reviewed); A Killing Spring (Not reviewed); Verdict in Blood (Not reviewed); (2000) - Burying Ariel (Second best fiction of 2000); (2002) - The Glass Coffin; (2004) - The Last Good Day; (2007) – The Endless Knot (Second Best Fiction of 2007); (2008) - The Brutal Heart; (2010) - The Nesting Dolls; (2012) - "B" is for Gail Bowen; (2012) - Kaleidoscope and Q & A on Kaleidoscope; (2013) - The Gifted and Q & A and Comparing with How the Light Gets In; (2015) - 12 Rose Street; Q & A with Gail Bowen on Writing and the Joanne Kilbourn Series; (2016) - What's Left Behind and Heritage Poultry in Saskatchewan Crime Fiction; (2017) - The Winners' Circle; (2018) - Sleuth - Gail Bowen on Writing Mysteries / Gail the Grand Master - Part I and Part II; (2018) - A Darkness of the Heart and Email Exchange on ADOH; (2020) - The Unlocking Season; (2021) - An Image in the Lake and The Fourth "F" is Forgiveness
It sounds as though I have much to look forward to with this one, Bill. But then, I would expect nothing less of a Gail Bowen book. And it sounds like there are some really interesting plot lines in this. I really like the way the characters in this series have grown, changed, dealt with heartache and joy, and more. That, to me, is one of the best things about the series. Of course, the crime plots are well done, too, but it's the people you come to care for, if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I feel the characters of Joanne and Zack so well I could carry on a conversation with them in my head. It helps that I have visited with Gail and Ted at their home.
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