Peter Murphy, geboren in 1946, volgde een vooraanstaande carrière in de rechten na zijn afstuderen aan de Universiteit van Cambridge. Hij werkte als advocaat en docent in zowel Engeland als de Verenigde Staten, waaronder verschillende jaren in Den Haag als advocaat bij het Joegoslavië-Tribunaal. In 2007 werd hij benoemd tot rechter bij de Crown Court en keerde hij terug naar Engeland, waar hij momenteel woont.
Kiah Harmon, a young Virginia lawyer, is just emerging from the most traumatic time of her life when actress Sam van Eyck walks into her office, unannounced, with the case of a lifetime. She asks Kiah to recover a 200-year-old debt from the US Government - a debt that goes right back to the time of Alexander Hamilton.
Set against the backdrop of a family reunion at a lake house, the story explores the complexities of familial relationships as the elderly matriarch, Gloria, invites her estranged family for what she suggests may be her final Christmas. As the gathering unfolds, underlying tensions surface, challenging the wisdom of their reunion. However, an unexpected surprise emerges, offering a transformative perspective on the meaning of family, ultimately reshaping their connections and understanding of one another.
Charlie Walden, the irrepressible Resident Judge (RJ) of Bermondsey Crown Court is back with a new selection of cases. As ever, there is little rest for the RJ as he does his best to deal with: the church-going carer who steals from the old lady under her care; the cleaver-wielding chefs with different ideas about how to make a Caesar salad; the man with a penchant for "marrying" multiple women; and the astrological guru accused of fraud. Not to mention the shock-horror when colleagues get into trouble--Judge Hubert Drake for writing an angry letter to the press, and Judge Marjorie Jenkins for storing suspected pornography on her judicial computer. Oh, and not to mention the ongoing wars against the Grey Smoothies, who try to frustrate Charlie at every turn with their bureaucracy and their endless quest for value for money for the taxpayer.
The story follows Danny Boyle, who seeks a new beginning in Canada with his uncle's support and his girlfriend Deirdre by his side. However, their lives take a challenging turn when his uncle falls ill with AIDS and Deirdre's pregnancy adds pressure. As they welcome their second child, Danny struggles with the responsibilities of fatherhood and turns to alcohol for solace. Deirdre's determination to save their relationship drives the narrative, exploring themes of love, struggle, and redemption in this poignant sequel of the Life & Times Trilogy.
In a state of alcoholic coma, Danny Boyle grapples with the consequences of his destructive past while his family faces the fallout of his actions. As he confronts haunting memories and unresolved issues, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that challenges his understanding of life and relationships. The narrative unfolds in a poignant exploration of resilience and redemption, culminating in an unexpected resolution that reflects the complexities of human experience. This final installment of the Life & Times Trilogy offers a powerful meditation on life's possibilities.
"Retired resident judge Peter Murphy takes us back to the world of criminal trials in South London for another session with Charlie keeping the peace between his fellow judges - Marjorie, 'Legless' and Hubert - while fighting off the attacks of the Grey Smoothies, the civil servants who seem intent on reducing the court's dwindling resources to vanishing point in the name of 'business cases' and 'value for money' Meet the rum and memorable characters who pop into Charlie's domain, including Lester Fogle from one of London's Disorganised Crime Families, Arthur Swivell the one-time Bermondsey singing legend and the very unbardlike Elias Shakespeare. And you will never feel the same about 'The Owl and the Pussycat' or the entente Cordiale again."--Back cover.
When Charlie Walden took on the job of Resident Judge of the Bermondsey Crown Court, he was hoping for a quiet life. But he soon finds himself struggling to keep the peace between three feisty fellow judges who have very different views about how to do their job. And as if that's not enough, there's the endless battle against the 'Grey Smoothies', the humourless grey-suited civil servants who seem determined to drown Charlie in paperwork. No hope of a quiet life then for Charlie, and there are times when his real job in the criminal court actually seems like light relief.
An accomplished Cambridge graduate with a good job and an attentive lover, Imogen Lester seems to have the world at her feet. But when her parents are murdered abroad while working for the Diplomatic Service, she is suddenly thrown headlong into a murky world of espionage and organised crime...
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Ireland, the story follows Danny Boyle, whose life spirals into turmoil after his beloved grandmother's death. Reunited with his troubled parents, Danny grapples with the haunting secrets of his family's past. As he becomes embroiled in drugs and a gangland murder, he must navigate a web of deception and seek help from various figures, including clergy and criminals. This novel, the first in the Life & Times Trilogy, explores themes of identity, family, and the struggle for redemption through vibrant storytelling.
Successful Societies and Productive Cultures
The success of prosperous economies hinges on three critical factors: paradoxes, patterns, and portals. By integrating philosophical, ethical, religious, and geographic elements, the book provides a deeper understanding of what drives economic prosperity, moving beyond traditional economic theories to explore the complexities that contribute to success.