April Fool

by William Deverell,

This is the first book I have read by this author but it won't be my last.  I don't think I have ever read a book that was a mystery and funny at the same time.

A retired lawyer, enjoying life as a hobby farmer on the coast of BC, is shocked to learn that a former client is under arrest for rape and murder.  Arthur Beauchamp still feels guilty about his last case, one of the few cases he lost, because he feels this client was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned.  It doesn't look good on the surface of things for the accused as he was found, dressed in drag, trying to escape the area after the robbery and murder in the area.

While Athur is being urged to come out of retirement to fight this one last case his wife is engaged in an activist campaign against a development near their property and is camping up a tree to protest the development and destruction of the forest.

While Arthur is trying to support his wife and her cause, and defend his client who has escaped custody he must deal with the local handymen who keep borrowing/damaging his vehicles and destroying his property.  It is like something out of Ballykissangel or Green Acres.  In addition he has to deal with two young and weird young lawyers and cantakerous judges.

The story has many twists and turns and many hilarious parts, especially when Beauchamp is able to proceed with questionable questioning from a normally grumpy judge because the judge has fallen asleep and then everyone is afraid to wake him but the time has come to close the proceedings for the day.

The ending of the book is unexpected and unpredicteed but the crime does get solved, the "innocent" thief is given a handslap penatly for escaping custody and Arthur can turn his legal skill to helping his wife and her environmental cause.

A very well written and engaging story,