A woman is on trial for her life, accused of murder. Each of the 12 members of the jury has his or her own burden of guilt and prejudice which could effect the outcome. Hailed as one of the best mysteries of the year when it was first published in 1940, this book has become a classic of the genre.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
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I've been collecting some of the British Library Crime Classics collection for a while now; not only are they beautiful, but I'm a huge fan of traditional crime stories, and this collection has such an enormous range!
As soon as I read the blurb for Verdict of Twelve, I knew it would be right up my street. The book focuses first on the jurors, so that when the actual trial begins, we have an idea of the prejudices they may already have. I found that not only was this a refreshing take on a crime story, but it also helped to break the story up. I flew through it, and really enjoyed every moment. It was carefully put together, well thought up, and a real joy to read.
Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫
SPOILER ALERT
The Story
The book is actually split into three different sections; the introduction to the jurors, the case, and then the trial itself. I loved that the book was done this way. The different sections each had a clear direction, and I found it really easy to follow the different details of the story. That's often not very straightforward in most crime classics, where each small detail can prove to be significant, but this was structured really well for the reader.
Section 1: Introduction to the Jurors
The first section in the book is dedicated to establishing who the jurors are. This was a little confusing by the fifth or sixth of them, as we learn quite a lot about some of the characters, but it was also really fun. We learn about who these people are, what their history is, and how they might be personally affected by the case they are to witness. I loved this, as we never see this in crime stories. The focus is always on the defendant and the prosecution. It was actually really good to see the kind of people that made up the other side, and it just made me more excited to get my teeth into the rest of the story.
Section 2: The Case
By the time we got to the actual case, I'd already absorbed a lot of different information, and a lot of different stories within the story. I thought this may have hindered my ability to follow the actual case, but I found it surprisingly easy to switch my focus. As the book is so carefully split up into individual sections, switching focus to Rosalie and Philip and the events that unfolded between them was very natural. I thought the case itself was very interesting. There were a lot of different details that could have been important (or could have been red herrings), and a number of different characters that may have played a bigger part in what happened. By the time the case had been fully explained and Rosalie convicted, I was really keen to read about the trial, and see everything I'd read so far come together.
Section 3: The Trial
I've never been called for jury service, but I have read and watched a lot of crime fiction, so I knew how the process of the trial would go. Nonetheless, it was so interesting to read about it all as the jury would receive it. Although I already knew about the case, the evidence was really fascinating to read through. It was also really clever how the different pieces of evidence stirred emotion in the jurors. I thought the author did a fantastic job of cutting briefly to the different jurors as each piece of evidence was revealed, and as they responded to what they witnessed and heard. It helped to remind me of who they all were, and why they might be affected by the case.
The most unique of all the different parts of the book, however, has to be right at the very end, when all the jurors are together, debating what verdict they should give. In no other crime story have I seen this type of setup, and I really enjoyed it. The jurors are such a massive part of process of conviction, and it makes me wonder why they are not the focus of the story more often! It really made me think about how one juror could make a huge difference to the outcome of the trial. I loved being able to delve into the minds of each of the jurors, and see what they believed they should do, and why. It really brought up the question of morality for a lot of them. People are victims to their emotions and preconceived ideas, and I loved that that was explored.
What we all really wanted to know by the end of the book, of course, was whether or not Rosalie actually was guilty. The suspense by this point was huge, and I was so eager to know the truth. I often feel when the truth is revealed after such a suspenseful book, it can be a little bit of a let down, but I actually didn't find this to be the case in Verdict of Twelve. Rosalie was, in basic terms of her case, innocent, but not totally; and again, it sparks questions in the mind what we consider to be guilty. She had not actively poisoned her nephew, and had not intended to. But when she found out that he was intending to so to her, she also didn't try and prevent it, knowing that the outcome would be his death. This book stayed in my mind for a good while after I finished reading it, as it really forces the reader to address the question of what is right, and what is wrong?
The Verdict
Very rarely do I find a crime book that I think is perfect, but this was definitely one of them. It had all the elements you expect from a good crime story; rounded characters, different focuses, and numerous little details that make you question what you think you know. Then, of course, we have the added suspense and intrigue to boot.
But what really elevated this book past a lot of other stories with those same elements is the way it was approached. It was done from the opposite perspective to what we usually expect, and I think it was a phenomenal job. Learning about the jurors before we even read about the case built up the suspense even further, and I loved witnessing the story from those twelve people. Classic crime turned on its head. A masterpiece.
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