JUDGEMENT OF DEATH
by Bob Biderman
When Mike Rose, in London on an assignment for Investigations Magazine, is run down on a country road, Joseph Radkin (The Genesis Files) is sent over to work on his story. Radkin moves into Mike's digs, begins a tetchy friendship with Mike's girl, Kate, and hits the first snag: Someone has stolen Mike's article notes concerning the Lavinia Chancellor case—``Woman accused of murdering aristo lover with poisoned cocaine!''—and its resemblance to the Victorian murder trial of Florence Maybrick, who was accused of poisoning her husband with the then-drug of choice, arsenic. But Lavinia's dad, a retired cop, starts feeding Radkin clues (or are they?); then a photograph focuses Radkin's attention on Lavinia's victim, a philanderer, and on a politician and stalwart of the hunt club. Further niggling uncovers: possible blackmail; a researcher who's taken off for India; more death; and one of Mike's memos that just may mention his own murderer by nickname. Finally, Radkin and Kate put it all together—quite cleverly, as it happens. A bit heavy-handed with the Yank-in-England treatment, but redeemed by a lovely plot, intriguing tidbits about poisons, and Radkin's transatlantic calls home to wife Polly.