Book review

As stated in the last Senior Lawyers’ Newsletter, it will be the intent of these book reviews to discuss both non-fiction and fiction books.

Since my first review dealt with the non-fiction book In The Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson, a fiction work has been chosen for this review. However, before reviewing this new book, I am happy to announce that the last review did generate several profound, intellectual and historical e-mails from a reader who had personal knowledge of the Ambassador Dodd situation in Germany from 1933 to 1937. Those comments were indeed enlightening and very much appreciated.

Any comments or suggestions on these reviews, or recommendations of future books for review, should be posted on the comments website following this article or e-mailed to g.rafool@comcast.net, or faxed to Gary Rafool at 309-673-5537. In this regard, please see the note at the end of this review concerning a historical novel written by a New Orleans attorney, whose book will be published in September, which will be after this review has been sent for publication.

The novel chosen for this review is The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair, by Joel Decker, a young author, born in Geneva, Switzerland, where he later studied law. However, his childhood summers were spent in New England.

The book was written in French, originally published in 2012, and translated into English in 2014 by Sam Taylor. It is available in both paperback and e-book. It won three French literary prizes and it has become an international best seller.

I found this book to be a good, old fashioned mystery thriller, quite lengthy (some 650 paperback pages), but a very fast read with many twists and turns, which will have the reader wondering what is to come next. Actually one review posted on Amazon said the book had “more twists than a Chubby Checker concert.”

There is nothing intellectually stimulating about the story and, according to over 240 reviews posted on Amazon, the book has generated either a love or hate reaction, with an overall rating of almost four out of five stars.

I feel, however, that this will make a very interesting “snowed in” or winter beach read that will keep the reader’s attention until the very last page, no matter if it is love, hate, or a just in-between reaction to the book.

The main theme in this book starts during 1975 in the New Hampshire town of Somerset. Harry Quebert came there to write his first novel, which was later published with the title “The Origin of Evil.”

During the time Harry was writing his book, the townspeople of Somerset assumed that he was a famous New York author who had come to their town because of its peaceful and quiet atmosphere, conducive to his writing.

After its publication, The Origin of Evil became an immediate success. It bestowed on Harry the accolades and reputation of being the great writer that the townspeople always thought he was.

With the money earned from this book, Harry purchased the home he was renting in the Somerset Area. He also took a teaching position in the English Department of Burrows University in Massachusetts.

It was at Burrows that Marcus Goldman became a student of Harry’s in 1998, and Harry became Marcus’ mentor.

A number of years pass after Marcus’ college graduation, and Marcus is now living in New York City where he achieved literary success in 2007 after his first novel was published. Unfortunately, in 2008, he develops “writers block” and cannot get into the writing of his second novel even though he has signed a very lucrative contract with his publisher and his deadline is fast approaching.

Consequently, to clear his head, he makes contact with Harry in the Somerset area. Harry invites Marcus to visit and Harry once again becomes Marcus’ mentor.

Although he is still experiencing difficulty writing, Marcus returns to New York in June of 2008, after his brief visit with Harry. Shortly after his return, Marcus receives a frantic call from Harry. Harry is very upset and tells Marcus that the remains of a young girl named Nola Kellergan, who was 15 years old when she disappeared in August of 1975, were found on Harry’s property.

As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Harry, who was in his 30s when he met Nola in 1975, was having an affair with her that summer . The couple was planning to leave the Somerset area at the end of August, to move to Canada, on the night that Nola disappeared.

Harry is arrested for Nola’s murder. Marcus, in spite of being just a few months away from his deadline, leaves immediately to console Harry in pre-trial confinement and to try to get to the bottom of what happened between Nola and Harry.

It is at this time that Marcus’ publisher suggests that Marcus should use this investigation as the inspiration for his next book.

All of the previously mentioned twists and turns take place during Marcus’ investigation of Nola’s death.

Note: As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one of the letters received in response to the first book review was from Arthur E. Pape, an attorney in Wheaton, who sent some information about Michael H. Rubin, an attorney friend of his from New Orleans.

Mr. Rubin is a practicing attorney and a former professional jazz pianist and composer who has played in the New Orleans French Quarter. He has served as an adjunct law professor at Louisiana State University Law School. And, he has just written his first novel, The Cottoncrest Curse, to be published on or about September 10, 2014.

This is a historical novel taking place in the “Old South,” with one of its plot points being the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896), in which the United States Supreme Court established the “separate but equal” law that remained until being overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).

Perhaps this might be the subject of a future book review in this Newsletter. ■