Zatvor

by Pippen Smith, Jane Darke (Editor), Paul Marriner (Contributor)

What would you do if you were whisked away from your home, separated from your husband and thrown into prison without any idea what you have been accused of? It couldn't happen to you, or could it?Out of the blue, Jane and James are arrested by the police and taken from their home and contented life in a small Bulgarian village and put into the notorious Burgas Zatvor. Ignorant of any charges against them, they struggle physically and mentally to cope with the horror of their enforced confinement.Why have they been brought here? Who instigated their arrest? How can they get justice?As the various crimes committed by Jane's fellow inmates are revealed the reader is taken deep into the lives of the Roma culture, where young girls are sold at bride markets and babies are smuggled from gypsy ghettos. The hidden implications between the criminal fraternity within the Zatvor are gradually exposed in intriguing detail.From the colourful gypsy life in Bulgaria, to the greed of the drug's trade and the sexual violence, that is inherent within the people-trafficking gangs, this story weaves its way across the borders between Bulgaria, Turkey, Afghanistan and finally to Scotland where Jane eventually finds her answers.This is a story of theft and stolen time and how precious lives are ruined. Zatvor is the link that brings justice to some... but not all.

289 pages, Paperback

Published September 27, 2018

Reviews

[Patrick Brigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zatvor, is the fictionalized account by a couple who were wrongfully arrested in Bulgaria, on a sixteen year old European arrest warrant, for the theft of two valuable paintings from a Scottish laird's estate. The Bulgarian prison, which they are banged up in, was beyond description, and full of Bulgarian Gypsy’s and hardened criminals. Not only professing their innocence of any crime, during this horrid ordeal, they are kept in the dark as to the alleged crime, which they are unaware until their arrival in Scotland. In their sixties, both Jane and James the fictional characters are kept separated, and treated with the usual Bulgarian contempt for foreigners, who they automatically enjoy mistreating. No respite for the couple, they are not much better off in Scotland, where they are kept on remand, with very little supporting evidence of any kind, and the usual flagrant incompetence, endemic in the British justice system. However, a couple of cute cops who are the initial UK arresting officers, take a personal interest in the case, and unravel a conspiracy, involving a ring of ex public school fraudsters. Having discovered the Liard conveniently swinging from a rope, it doesn't take long for them to disentangle the case, and to release the innocent couple. But, having been held on bail for a year, considerably out of pocket, and with no recourse for any financial damages, they gladly return to Bulgaria, their country house, and pleased that it is all over, decide to write a book about their unprecedented ordeal. A real page turner, and well written by a novice novelist, this is a must for the beach, but perhaps not for the Black Sea!

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving to Scotland seemed like a great idea, but then James and Jane are arrested and thrown into a Bulgarian jail. A horrid place, but the worst part is neither knows the truth of what really happened. Readers are going to find out in this thriller that takes all into places they never knew existed. Really good writing of a dark, suspense.

[Sharon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read!

Loved this book. How all the chapters are intertwined & draw everything together at the end. Fab read!! Well done on your first book!