Ben is already defending a vicar, accused of indecent assault on a choir boy, when he is plunged into a capital murder case. The accused is Billy Cottage, charged with murder after a frenzied attack on a young courting couple aboard a houseboat. The young man, Frank Gilliam, dies in the attack, while his girlfriend, Jennifer Doyce, is raped and seriously injured. The attacker steals a gold cross and chain from Jennifer, which makes the crime a capital offence.
When the police recover the cross and chain from Billy’s sister, and find his fingerprint inside the houseboat, things start to look ominous. But then comes the crucial piece of evidence of his propensity to sing a particular song. To make matters worse, Ben is being led by Martin Hardcastle, an arrogant QC with a serious drinking problem.
In his fight to save Billy Cottage’s life, Ben finds that he has both the law and the facts against him; and the tide of public opinion has not yet turned against capital punishment.
Peter Murphy graduated from Cambridge University and spent a career in the law, as an advocate, teacher, and judge. He has worked both in England and the United States, and served for several years as counsel at the Yugoslavian War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. Peter heralds from a predominantly Welsh family and spent a lot of time growing up in Wales. He has been a supporter of Welsh rugby ever since the glory days of the late 60s and early 70s. He has written six novels: two political thrillers about the US presidency, Removal and Test of Resolve; four legal thrillers featuring Ben Schroeder set in Sixties London, A Higher Duty, A Matter for the Jury, And is there Honey Still for Tea? and his latest, The Heirs of Owain Glyndwr.
