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Simon Michael
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Force of Evil: A gripping historical legal thriller (Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers Book 6) Kindle Edition

by Simon Michael (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 603 ratings
Charles Holborne is back in another tricky mystery! Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Robert Bailey, Michael Connelly and Robert Dugoni.

A seemingly simple case leads Charles to a shocking discovery…

London, 1965

After a series of successful cases, Charles Holborne’s reputation is on the rise.

He is asked to work pro bono to represent a widow in a recent accidental death case.

The deceased was a Sergeant Maynard, an RAF policeman who worked at the Cardington base in Bedfordshire.

It seems his death was the result of a tragic motorcycle collision, but Mrs Maynard insists her husband was murdered.

Though sceptical at first, Charles soon realises she could be right.

And as he delves further, he realises that the RAF base could be the centre of a much bigger criminal undertaking…

As rifts in the corrupt Metropolitan Police are revealed, and the threats to Charles and those he loves escalate, he begins to wonder — has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?

FORCE OF EVIL is the sixth crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London.

‘The Charles Holborne series is going from strength to strength. Riveting, gripping and breathtaking, Force of Evil is a stunning novel that had my heart racing and my palms sweating as the threats and danger increased. It isn't just unputdownable, it's completely unmissable; this is crime writing at its finest.’ – The Book Magnet Blog

THE CHARLES HOLBORNE LEGAL THRILLERS SERIES
BOOK ONE: The Brief
BOOK TWO: An Honest Man
BOOK THREE: The Lighterman
BOOK FOUR: Corrupted
BOOK FIVE: The Waxwork Corpse
BOOK SIX: Force of Evil
BOOK SEVEN: The Final Shot
BOOK EIGHT: Nothing But The Truth
BOOK NINE: Death, Adjourned
BOOK TEN: The Fall Guy
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  1. Book 6 of 10
    Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers
  2. Print length
    404 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 3, 2020
  5. File size
    1.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 10 books in this series.

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08F22BRYY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books (November 3, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 3, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 404 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 603 ratings

About the author

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Simon Michael

Simon Michael

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Simon Michael, often referred to as “the British John Grisham”, is the author of the best-selling London 1960s legal crime thrillers featuring his antihero barrister, Charles Holborne. Holborne, born Charlie Horowitz, is a former heavyweight boxer and occasional criminal who was once known by his former East End associates at "the Yiddisher Brick Shithouse". Now he's a barrister, battling prejudice, entitlement and corruption in his West End profession.

Simon was published in the UK and the US in the 1980s and returned to writing when he retired from the law in 2016. The Charles Holborne series, now nine books, have garnered strong reviews for their authenticity and excitement and are under contract for a TV series.

Simon’s tales from the Bar and the plots for his novels are based on his criminal practice, his life and that of his own family. Refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, the Michael family arrived in the Port of London in 1492 and remained in the East End for the next 450 years. Simon believes himself to be the only member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple formerly to have been a council labourer, a van driver and a gardener. Once qualified he practised as a barrister for 37 years, working at the Old Bailey and other criminal courts, defending and prosecuting a wide selection of murderers, armed robbers, con artists and other assorted villainy. The era about which he writes, the 1960s, was the “wild west” of British justice, a time when the Krays, the Richardsons and other violent gangs fought for control of London’s organised crime, and the corrupt Metropolitan Police beat up suspects, twisted evidence and took a share of the criminal proceeds. Simon weaves into his thrillers real events of the time, the cases on which he worked, and his unusual family history.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
603 global ratings

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Customers find the book suspenseful, with one describing it as a wonderful descriptive novel set in London. They appreciate its readability, with one customer mentioning it took only a few hours to finish.

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4 customers mention "Suspenseful"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book suspenseful, describing it as a literal page turner, with one customer noting its wonderful descriptive scenes set in London.

"...his own legal background to tell his stories, and it’s fascinating to watch the twists and turns each story takes...." Read more

"...It is tautly rendered making the story a literal page turner. It took me a mere few hours to read and has me impatiently waiting for the next one...." Read more

"...readers to be reminded of what has happened, but it's well worth reading all of them. The plot in this book is well thought out and gripping...." Read more

"...I absolutely couldn’t stop reading. It is a wonderfully descriptive novel set in London, with a focus on crime and corruption in the police force in..." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with one mentioning it takes only a few hours to finish and another noting how quickly it builds momentum.

"...Force of Evil” builds quickly, with tension mounting as the story moves toward the courtroom drama of a case brought against an innocent woman by..." Read more

"...It took me a mere few hours to read and has me impatiently waiting for the next one...." Read more

"...I absolutely couldn’t stop reading...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Glynn Young
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another top-notch story in the legal thriller series
    Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    London barrister Charles Holborne, formerly known as the Jewish East End boxer Charles Horowitz, meets his good friend Detective Sergeant Sean Sloane at a pub for a drink. Charles and Sloane have a lot in common; both have strong stubborn streaks, and both have a certain prejudice against corrupt politicians and police officers. It’s the mid-1960s. Despite his courtroom success, Charles is an outsider in his profession, because of his profession and the stain of being too friendly with the wrong kind of crowd. Sloane, too, is an outsider, an Irish cop working for the London Met who finally got his transfer out of the corrupt Vice Division.

    Sloane may have transferred out, but both he and Charles are about to get sucked into a case that involves stolen goods from the Royal Air Force, two murders, the gangs running London’s underworld, and police corruption that makes the Vice Division look clean. As they leave the pub, they see someone checking nearby rail cars – someone who shouldn’t be. Sloane gets severely beaten up; the villain is allowed to go free by the apprehending officer. The detective sergeant recovers at a local hospital, and he finds himself becoming interested in his attending physician, Dr. Irenna Alexandrova, who fled South Africa after her parents were jailed by the apartheid regime.

    Despite being told to stop his investigation into the railyard incident, Sloane continues, while developing a relationship with the doctor. Soon, she’s framed and arrested by police officers attempting to pressure Sloane. If she’s convicted, she’ll be deported to South Africa, where she probably faces death. Charles takes on her legal case. The attorney is also juggling his blown-up relationship with his former girlfriend and working with his brother to figure out a solution to their mother’s failing memory.

    “Force of Evil” is the sixth Charles Holborne legal thriller by British author Simon Michael, and it’s every bit as good as its outstanding predecessors. Michael draws upon his own legal background to tell his stories, and it’s fascinating to watch the twists and turns each story takes.

    Michael studied law at Kings College, London University and was called to the Bar in 1978. He worked primarily in the field of criminal law until the late 1990s, when he focused his practice on clinical negligence. He began writing in the 1980s and resumed it when he retired from legal practice.

    “Force of Evil” builds quickly, with tension mounting as the story moves toward the courtroom drama of a case brought against an innocent woman by corrupt police officers. It’s a top-notch story by one of the best writers in the genre today.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another taut page turner....
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The brilliant level of legal strategies employed in unraveling the plot line and the knowledge of historical detail provides extraordinary authenticity to all Simon Michael's books in the Charles Holborne thrillers. His sixth thriller is gripping. It is tautly rendered making the story a literal page turner. It took me a mere few hours to read and has me impatiently waiting for the next one. I was 12 in 1965 UK, albeit not knowing much about the crime world and Michaels rendering of that period in time is superbly delivered. I highly recommend this book and the entire series for those who appreciate finely drawn and accurate detail delivered with precision.
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  • Di
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Another five stars for Simon Michael and Charles Holborne. I've gone through the superlatives in my previous reviews, and this book is no different. Charles Holborne is growing as a person and as a barrister, and I'm loving every minute of his experiences. Each book stands alone, and any back story is covered enough to allow new readers to know what's going on, and previous readers to be reminded of what has happened, but it's well worth reading all of them. The plot in this book is well thought out and gripping. I particularly like Irenna Alexandrova's character; as a South African (who also lived in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe), the southern African politics within the story resonates with me. The other side story which brought tears to my eyes was the issue with Charles's mum; she's a wonderful, strong character and it's hard for her to come to grips with her condition (I don't want to give spoilers), but I think Simon handled the situation very sensitively. These are the differences that make the characters very real and relatable.
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  • Ruth M Cohen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn’t put it down!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The sixth in the Charles Holborne series, Force of Evil is Simon Michael’s best crime thriller yet! I absolutely couldn’t stop reading. It is a wonderfully descriptive novel set in London, with a focus on crime and corruption in the police force in the early ‘60s. Simon adds an extra dimension with the incorporation of a polical refugee from South Africa.
    I highly recommend reading a Force of Evil. And if you haven’t already read his other books in this series, take the time to read them all
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Mrs A
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic addition to the series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I have thoroughly enjoyed this Charles Holborne series and I think this book is probably one of the best. The wife of a RAF Policeman persuades Charles to work pro bono when he dies suddenly in an accident. She believes it’s not an accidental death and Charles has his work cut out to prove her right in the Coroner’s Court. He is also requested to represent a friend’s girlfriend after she’s wrongly accused of theft.
    This book is well written and so easy to read. At times I just couldn’t put it down because as with all the books in the series there are so many twists and turns and you can guarantee there’s always someone after Charles because he leaves no stone unturned when he’s acting on behalf of a client. He regularly upsets the police. As always Ronnie and Reggie Kray are somewhere in the background as well, their hold over Charles leaves him forever in their debt.
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  • Dr A D Buss
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping page turner.
    Reviewed in Australia on July 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A carefully crafted thriller with twists and turns throughout. An excellent read.
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  • Mandrek Larl
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best in the series so far ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 3, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I used that headline last time when I reviewed "The Waxwork Corpse", the fifth book in the Charles Holborn/Charlie Horowitz series, but with his sixth instalment, "Force of Evil", Simon Michael has surpassed the high standard he set with its predecessor.

    Michael's books work best within the courtroom setting when Holborn uses his brain and not his fists. Anyone [well almost anyone] can write a crash, bang, wallop, goodies and baddies thriller but it's Michael's knowledge of the law, legal processes and procedures, and the arcane and ritualistic practices and behaviours of the Bar that separate these books from the mundane; and with a considerable amount of this book set in the courtroom this is a winner as Michael ratchets up the intensity when Holborn with a major prize at stake defends his client on the relatively minor charge of receiving stolen goods... [Enough said, no spoilers here.]

    I do though have a few minor grumbles, Michael continues to take up too many pages with Holborn/Horowitz's domestic detail: his relationship with his ageing parents Harry and Millie, his on/off relationship with Sally and this time his attempts at interior decoration [who cares], thankfully Sonia is still pregnant but I suspect the birth of a new Horowitz will form a by-story in the next book. Once again the Twins make an unwelcome re-appearance in Holborn's life, but this time it's little more than a comic cameo as they try, in their own special way, to help!

    On a positive note though there's less of the unbelievable action that previously set Holborn somewhere between Horace Rumpole and James Bond, but he remains the most frequently beaten-up barrister in London; there's less repetition of the Horowitz backstory, a few hints but that's all; and there isn't another new and incredulity-stretching revelation from his past.

    Like the previous book this sixth instalment could perhaps work as a standalone read, but for maximum benefit do yourself a favour and read all of them in order first; it won't take long, they're short but once started hard to put down.

    PS. I remain convinced that these books would make an excellent TV series.
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  • BigAl
    4.0 out of 5 stars Another great romp
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I have a soft spot to mid century period fiction, and Simon does it brilliantly. Charlie Holborne/Horowitz is a wonderful endearing and enduring character who I throughly enjoy. This was well paced and kept me turning the pages. I love the glimpses into the legal profession, and policing during those simpler times.
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  • L. Cox
    5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Beautifully written. Well plotted, believable characters that one cares about. Mr Michael captures the atmosphere of the times very well. I am about to start the next book in the series and am looking forward to an equally entertaining read. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. Treat yourself to this and if you haven't read any of this series start at the beginning, you won't be sorry.
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