Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate

Twelve men and women who form a jury bring their disparate histories and prejudices to the case. An unusual structure, dealing with surprisingly progressive issues for the time.

Mrs. Rosalie van Beer is charged with the poisoning of her eleven-year-old nephew, Philip. A vain harridan, she would never say she didn't like the boy, yet kept him under her thumb, treating him as if he were an invalid. Skinny and shy, his only friend was a wild rabbit. Rosalie and the boy were the last of the line, with Philip ultimately inheriting the estate. Putting on airs and appearing false to everyone, it's easy to see she wanted the impediment to her wealth removed. The case reveals his hatred after she killed his rabbit out of spite, and the evening salad, which made both of them sick, was laced with deadly poison. She vomited; he died. The cook and butler stood to inherit money, the doctor was past his prime, and his private tutor was the only one concerned for the boy. An act of murder, or simply an accident?

The jury consists of Miss Atkins, an abused orphan who killed her aunt for money; Mr. Popegrove, a Greek servant who blackmailed his way into becoming a London restaurateur; Dr. Holmes, a Latin professor and Rhodes Scholar with a love for young men; Mr. Bryan, a grocer devoted to his Bible; Mrs. Morris, a Jewish woman whose husband was killed in a racial attack; a Communist; a hairdresser; an actor; an encyclopedia salesman; a union plasterer; a newspaperman; and a public house owner.

Clever and detailed, this is a must for fans of courtroom drama. For the charge of murder, this divided jury must come to an agreement; the guilt of this cruel and silly woman must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The answer is skillfully left until the last page, and a reader could see it going any way.

An English socialist and historian, Postgate wrote several mysteries, of which Verdict is the most famous, being filmed as Verdict Of Three for Playhouse 90 in 1958.

My hardcover copy from Triangle Books publishers is courtesy of the D. & S. MacDonald library.

1940 / Hardcover / 290 pages