What do you think?
Rate this book
Verdict of Twelve
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.
199 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1940
54 people are currently reading
777 people want to read
About the author
Raymond W. Postgate
36 books8 followersRaymond William Postgate (6 November 1896 – 29 March 1971) was an English socialist, writer, journalist and editor, social historian, mystery novelist, and gourmet who founded the Good Food Guide.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
October 10, 2017
This was a delightful read. It's hard not to use the word "delightful" when describing this old fashioned British courtroom drama. Verdict of Twelve is a republication of a book originally released in 1940. It starts with the backstory of the twelve jurors selected for a murder trial, describes the events leading to the trial short of revealing who did it, and then recounts the trial, deliberations and verdict, ending with a clever epilogue -- especially the last line. It's all in the telling. Postgate creates characters with distinct backstories and personalities, giving a strong sense of the baggage they bring to jury duty. And he writes in that lovely precise language of older British novels -- few words conveying much thought and emotion. There's nothing deep here, but Postgate does a great job in conveying the motives and motivations of all involved -- seeding some doubts about the value of trial by jury. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
February 15, 2023
Oh, this was fascinating - & a very quick read!
I've never been a juror - & never will be as our small town doesn't have jury trials.
& after reading this, if I ever embark on a life of crime I don't think I would want a trial by jury!
This is a very different murder mystery, being as much about the jurors & how their daily lives & mentality shaped their opinions. It all felt very authentic & I liked the author's concise writing style.
The ending had
I can see why this book is considered a (neglected) classic.
I read Martin Edwards (excellent)introduction after reading the book, as some of Edward's other introductions have contained spoilers, but you will be quite safe reading this one before starting the book.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
I've never been a juror - & never will be as our small town doesn't have jury trials.
& after reading this, if I ever embark on a life of crime I don't think I would want a trial by jury!
This is a very different murder mystery, being as much about the jurors & how their daily lives & mentality shaped their opinions. It all felt very authentic & I liked the author's concise writing style.
The ending had
I can see why this book is considered a (neglected) classic.
I read Martin Edwards (excellent)introduction after reading the book, as some of Edward's other introductions have contained spoilers, but you will be quite safe reading this one before starting the book.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
March 7, 2025
I was gifted this by a mysterious person. It is such a fun take on the classic murder mystery! It first goes into the back story of all the jurors. And that’s all I can say!
January 11, 2023
This is an unusual crime novel, revolving around a trial and focusing on the jury itself. In the first section we are introduced to all the jurors, from different walks of life and all having their personal prejudices and various backgrounds. Having met the jurors, the actual crime being tried is outlined and you are aware of how the different members of the jury may view this - being sympathetic, indifferent or likely to be negative towards the defendant.
The crime is an emotive one, involving the death of a child by her guardian. As this is of a particular era and place, class is quite relevant and the woman on trial for her life is often looked down upon because of her background. We, the reader, are informed of the trial and then, like the jurors, we are shown the evidence, before the jury goes into deliberate on their verdict. Having done jury service myself, more than once, I thought this was fairly realistic and it shows how people view the evidence before them and make up their mind. There tend to be those either for or against, as well as those more easily swayed, or less involved, but overall this is both an interesting novel and an interesting examination of trial by jury.
The crime is an emotive one, involving the death of a child by her guardian. As this is of a particular era and place, class is quite relevant and the woman on trial for her life is often looked down upon because of her background. We, the reader, are informed of the trial and then, like the jurors, we are shown the evidence, before the jury goes into deliberate on their verdict. Having done jury service myself, more than once, I thought this was fairly realistic and it shows how people view the evidence before them and make up their mind. There tend to be those either for or against, as well as those more easily swayed, or less involved, but overall this is both an interesting novel and an interesting examination of trial by jury.
September 27, 2017
According to the evidence...
A trial is about to commence and the jury is being sworn in. A death has occurred in unusual circumstances and a woman has been charged with murder. But the evidence is largely circumstantial so it will be up to the jury (and the reader) to decide whether the prosecution has proved its case…
The book has an unusual format, almost like three separate acts. As each jury member is called to take the oath, we are given background information on them; sometimes a simple character sketch, at others what amounts to a short story telling of events in their lives that have made them what they are. These introductions take up more than a third of the book before we even find out who has been murdered and who is on trial. When the trial begins, the reader is whisked out of the courtroom to see the crime unfold. Finally we see the evidence as it is presented at the trial and then follow the jury members as they deliberate. Despite this odd structure, I found it completely absorbing – each section is excellent in itself and together they provide a fascinating picture of how people’s own experiences affect their judgement of others.
In that sense, it’s almost like a precursor to Twelve Angry Men, although the comparison can’t be taken too far – in this one, we spend more time out of the jury-room than in, and the crime is entirely different. But we do get that same feeling of the jurors having only the limited information presented to them on which to form their judgement, and of seeing how their impressions of the various lawyers and witnesses affect their decisions. And we also see how, once in the jury room, some jurors take the lead in the discussions and gradually bring others round to agree with their opinion – a rather cynical portrayal of how the evidence might be distorted in either direction by people with strong prejudices of their own.
What I found so interesting about the first section is that Postgate uses his jury members to give a kind of microcosm of society of the time, The book was first published in 1940, but feels as if it’s set a couple of years before WW2 begins. Instead, the war that is mostly referred to is WW1, showing how the impact of that conflict is still affecting lives a couple of decades later. Postgate also addresses some of the issues of the day, lightly for the most part, though he does get a little polemical about the dangerous growth of anti-Semitism in British society – very forgivably considering the time of writing. A jury is an excellent device to bring a group of people together who would be unlikely to cross paths in the normal course of things – here we have a university professor, a travelling salesman, a domestic servant, a pub landlord, etc., all building up to an insightful look at the class structures within society. But we also see their interior lives – what has formed their characters: success, failure, love and love lost, greed, religious fervour.
I was also surprised at some of the subjects Postgate covered. One of the jurors allows him to give a rather more sympathetic portrayal of homosexuality than I’d have expected for the time. Another juror has clearly been used and abused by older men in his youth and has learned the art of manipulation and blackmail as a result – again in a very short space Postgate gives enough information for us to understand even if we can’t completely empathise with the character. There is the woman whose character was formed early by her hideous parents and a state that was more concerned with making her a valuable worker than a decent person. Each character is entirely credible and, knowing their background means we understand how they come to their individual decisions in the jury room.
The crime itself is also done very well. I’ve not given any details of it because part of the success of the story comes from it only slowly becoming obvious who is to be the victim and who the accused. It’s a dark story with some genuinely disturbing elements, but it’s lifted by occasional touches of humour. Again characterisation is key, and Postgate provides enough background for the people involved for us to feel that their actions, however extreme, are quite plausible in the context. After the trial, there is a short epilogue where we find out if the jury, and we, got it right.
I thoroughly enjoyed this – excellent writing, great characterisation, insightful about society, lots of interesting stories within the main story, and a realistic if somewhat cynical look at the strengths and shortcomings of the process of trial by jury. Easy to see why it’s considered a classic – highly recommended.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
A trial is about to commence and the jury is being sworn in. A death has occurred in unusual circumstances and a woman has been charged with murder. But the evidence is largely circumstantial so it will be up to the jury (and the reader) to decide whether the prosecution has proved its case…
The book has an unusual format, almost like three separate acts. As each jury member is called to take the oath, we are given background information on them; sometimes a simple character sketch, at others what amounts to a short story telling of events in their lives that have made them what they are. These introductions take up more than a third of the book before we even find out who has been murdered and who is on trial. When the trial begins, the reader is whisked out of the courtroom to see the crime unfold. Finally we see the evidence as it is presented at the trial and then follow the jury members as they deliberate. Despite this odd structure, I found it completely absorbing – each section is excellent in itself and together they provide a fascinating picture of how people’s own experiences affect their judgement of others.
In that sense, it’s almost like a precursor to Twelve Angry Men, although the comparison can’t be taken too far – in this one, we spend more time out of the jury-room than in, and the crime is entirely different. But we do get that same feeling of the jurors having only the limited information presented to them on which to form their judgement, and of seeing how their impressions of the various lawyers and witnesses affect their decisions. And we also see how, once in the jury room, some jurors take the lead in the discussions and gradually bring others round to agree with their opinion – a rather cynical portrayal of how the evidence might be distorted in either direction by people with strong prejudices of their own.
What I found so interesting about the first section is that Postgate uses his jury members to give a kind of microcosm of society of the time, The book was first published in 1940, but feels as if it’s set a couple of years before WW2 begins. Instead, the war that is mostly referred to is WW1, showing how the impact of that conflict is still affecting lives a couple of decades later. Postgate also addresses some of the issues of the day, lightly for the most part, though he does get a little polemical about the dangerous growth of anti-Semitism in British society – very forgivably considering the time of writing. A jury is an excellent device to bring a group of people together who would be unlikely to cross paths in the normal course of things – here we have a university professor, a travelling salesman, a domestic servant, a pub landlord, etc., all building up to an insightful look at the class structures within society. But we also see their interior lives – what has formed their characters: success, failure, love and love lost, greed, religious fervour.
I was also surprised at some of the subjects Postgate covered. One of the jurors allows him to give a rather more sympathetic portrayal of homosexuality than I’d have expected for the time. Another juror has clearly been used and abused by older men in his youth and has learned the art of manipulation and blackmail as a result – again in a very short space Postgate gives enough information for us to understand even if we can’t completely empathise with the character. There is the woman whose character was formed early by her hideous parents and a state that was more concerned with making her a valuable worker than a decent person. Each character is entirely credible and, knowing their background means we understand how they come to their individual decisions in the jury room.
The crime itself is also done very well. I’ve not given any details of it because part of the success of the story comes from it only slowly becoming obvious who is to be the victim and who the accused. It’s a dark story with some genuinely disturbing elements, but it’s lifted by occasional touches of humour. Again characterisation is key, and Postgate provides enough background for the people involved for us to feel that their actions, however extreme, are quite plausible in the context. After the trial, there is a short epilogue where we find out if the jury, and we, got it right.
I thoroughly enjoyed this – excellent writing, great characterisation, insightful about society, lots of interesting stories within the main story, and a realistic if somewhat cynical look at the strengths and shortcomings of the process of trial by jury. Easy to see why it’s considered a classic – highly recommended.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
October 17, 2017
Raymond Postgate’s name is virtually unknown today, but in his day, no less than Raymond Chandler lauded this novel, first published in 1940. Postgate makes his intention clear from the epigraph, which is by Karl Marx: “It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but, on the contrary, their social existence determines their consciousness.” In other words, people make decisions emotionally based on their own histories and experiences, not on evidence and reason.
Rosalie van Beer, a selfish, social-climbing widow, is accused of poisoning to death her 11-year-old nephew, Philip Arkwright, whom she heartily disliked. (The feeling was, understandably, mutual.) His death left her a very wealthy woman. So did she kill the boy? Or is there another explanation? Postgate gives you the background of all 12 jurors — 10 men and two women — as well as of the accused and those around her, but it intensifies the tension rather than bogs down the suspenseful story.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and British Library Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for reissuing this British crime classic.
Rosalie van Beer, a selfish, social-climbing widow, is accused of poisoning to death her 11-year-old nephew, Philip Arkwright, whom she heartily disliked. (The feeling was, understandably, mutual.) His death left her a very wealthy woman. So did she kill the boy? Or is there another explanation? Postgate gives you the background of all 12 jurors — 10 men and two women — as well as of the accused and those around her, but it intensifies the tension rather than bogs down the suspenseful story.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and British Library Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for reissuing this British crime classic.
February 25, 2023
This has an interesting premise. In the first part we get to net twelve jurors and understand their background stories, in the next part, we have the actual crime, and the last part we see how the jurors experiences colour their opinions of the defendant.
I got a bit lost during the first part which reads more like a series of short stories but once we were into the main body of the story it became much more compelling. Ultimately, I did enjoy it, but I did find the ending rather unsatisfactory.
I got a bit lost during the first part which reads more like a series of short stories but once we were into the main body of the story it became much more compelling. Ultimately, I did enjoy it, but I did find the ending rather unsatisfactory.
March 27, 2019
Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate is a story about the twelve members forming the Jury of a case & the trial of that case itself told as an old fashioned British courtroom drama. The crime itself is revealed one third into the book & thus keeps up the suspense. It’s divided into four parts.
The Jury – where we are introduced to the members and their personal history.
The case – The people involved and what had happened.
The trial and Verdict – The scenes in the court room and examination of the evidence and witness and closing Arguments.
Postscript – A final conclusion.
I loved the plot structure. It was refreshing and very insightful as to how the background of the jurors can or might affect the verdict. But I felt the the author was pretty dispassionate in its execution including the the story behind the case. Like who am I rooting for? It felt very disconnected. Maybe that’s what he was going for, I dunno.
CHECK OUT FULL REVIEW ON WWW.BIBLIOGYAN.COM
The Jury – where we are introduced to the members and their personal history.
The case – The people involved and what had happened.
The trial and Verdict – The scenes in the court room and examination of the evidence and witness and closing Arguments.
Postscript – A final conclusion.
I loved the plot structure. It was refreshing and very insightful as to how the background of the jurors can or might affect the verdict. But I felt the the author was pretty dispassionate in its execution including the the story behind the case. Like who am I rooting for? It felt very disconnected. Maybe that’s what he was going for, I dunno.
CHECK OUT FULL REVIEW ON WWW.BIBLIOGYAN.COM
October 14, 2017
I'm rating this 4 stars although initially I wasn't too impressed and would've happily given this between 2 and 3 stars. The story is plotted well, the first part we are given snapshots of the lives of 12 jurors who have been brought to court to decide the fate of one woman. The second part summarises the crime and the third part we are in deliberation with the jurors working out guilty or not guilty. The beginning seemed a bit messy and thrown together, but by the middle of the second part I was really enjoying it and fascinated by the story, although it was pretty obvious what the ending would be.
February 5, 2017
This is something different in crime novels. It features the twelve members of a jury trying a woman for murder. You get pen pictures of the jurors and little vignettes about their lives. Then the events which lead up to the crime are related and the reader gets an idea of the characters and the events leading up to the murder. Then there is the trial itself and the jury's deliberations.
I loved the way the author brought the characters to life with just a few words so that even though there are a lot of characters involved in what is a relatively short book it is still easy to remember all the people involved. I thought the jury's deliberations were very well done too and you could see what influences were working on each person.
This is a masterpiece of its kind and even if you prefer conventional crime novels it is still worth reading for the characters alone.
I loved the way the author brought the characters to life with just a few words so that even though there are a lot of characters involved in what is a relatively short book it is still easy to remember all the people involved. I thought the jury's deliberations were very well done too and you could see what influences were working on each person.
This is a masterpiece of its kind and even if you prefer conventional crime novels it is still worth reading for the characters alone.
February 13, 2020
DAME AGATHA AND HER PEERS
BOOK 52 - 1940
CAST - 4: This novel opens with a study of jury members. Postgate is smart to focus specifically on 6 of the 12. Outside the jury, Miss. Victoria Atkins has a sister, May, and two brothers, Edward and Robert. I found the character of Arthur George Popesgrove the most interesting. He is actually Achilles Papanastasiou, adopted for 'intimate services" for politician Theseus Theotok. Arthur hustles his way to England, hustling/backmailing clients along the way. James Alfred Stannard runs the pub "Hanging Gate": his wife had died and his sone had moved to Australia. Edward Gilling is a tutor to Phillip, a nephew who is sickly. Yes, a varied and interesting cast.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: Tension in the jury room portrayed just right, no histrionics.
CRIME - 3: An 11-y/o boy is poisoned: his Aunt charged.
INVESTIGATION - 2: Pretty much non-existent except during trial questioning.
RESOLUTION - 4: While lawyers sweat bullets, an excellent and original alibi is revealed. And the last paragraph is absolutely perfection! All is tied up beautifully.
SUMMARY: 3.2. Solidly done British mystery, odd red herrings and fascinating alibis.
BOOK 52 - 1940
CAST - 4: This novel opens with a study of jury members. Postgate is smart to focus specifically on 6 of the 12. Outside the jury, Miss. Victoria Atkins has a sister, May, and two brothers, Edward and Robert. I found the character of Arthur George Popesgrove the most interesting. He is actually Achilles Papanastasiou, adopted for 'intimate services" for politician Theseus Theotok. Arthur hustles his way to England, hustling/backmailing clients along the way. James Alfred Stannard runs the pub "Hanging Gate": his wife had died and his sone had moved to Australia. Edward Gilling is a tutor to Phillip, a nephew who is sickly. Yes, a varied and interesting cast.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: Tension in the jury room portrayed just right, no histrionics.
CRIME - 3: An 11-y/o boy is poisoned: his Aunt charged.
INVESTIGATION - 2: Pretty much non-existent except during trial questioning.
RESOLUTION - 4: While lawyers sweat bullets, an excellent and original alibi is revealed. And the last paragraph is absolutely perfection! All is tied up beautifully.
SUMMARY: 3.2. Solidly done British mystery, odd red herrings and fascinating alibis.
February 24, 2023
Dark and not like a detective novel, but well written.
December 19, 2018
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
This book isn’t really about the crime itself, but about the jurors who sit to judge it in court. Each of them has their own experiences, some of them shadier than others, all of them changing the way they look at the woman in the dock. The mystery itself is wholly second to the examination of why each character decides to vote guilty or not guilty. It’s a clever story, albeit rather shallow — after a few characters on the jury, the author gives up really giving them backgrounds and personalities, because twelve is too many to really handle. It makes sense, but it also makes some parts of the deliberation of the jury rather perfunctory.
Overall, it’s clever enough and entertaining, if not massively difficult to figure out, or really all that good a psychological examination of juries.
Warning: one thing that may be distressing for some folks is that a pet rabbit is brutally killed (in a way designed to distress its owner). I honestly found that bit rather disturbing. Yeesh.
This book isn’t really about the crime itself, but about the jurors who sit to judge it in court. Each of them has their own experiences, some of them shadier than others, all of them changing the way they look at the woman in the dock. The mystery itself is wholly second to the examination of why each character decides to vote guilty or not guilty. It’s a clever story, albeit rather shallow — after a few characters on the jury, the author gives up really giving them backgrounds and personalities, because twelve is too many to really handle. It makes sense, but it also makes some parts of the deliberation of the jury rather perfunctory.
Overall, it’s clever enough and entertaining, if not massively difficult to figure out, or really all that good a psychological examination of juries.
Warning: one thing that may be distressing for some folks is that a pet rabbit is brutally killed (in a way designed to distress its owner). I honestly found that bit rather disturbing. Yeesh.
October 15, 2017
What good fun!
This well written mystery is in three parts. The first is an in depth look at several of the jurors for an upcoming trial the reader has yet to be told about. Part two gives some background on the event the trial is about. Part three is the trial itself and the deliberations.
I went into this story blind and if possible I would definitely recommend the same to anyone wanting to read it. The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.
I will say however that getting to know the jurors (a motley collection of liars, murderers, religious fanatics, and just plain indifferent people) and how their lives impact the decision they eventually arrive at is almost as much fun as the trial itself.
Fiendishly clever and a window into the darkness of seemingly ordinary peoples souls, this was a blast to read.
This well written mystery is in three parts. The first is an in depth look at several of the jurors for an upcoming trial the reader has yet to be told about. Part two gives some background on the event the trial is about. Part three is the trial itself and the deliberations.
I went into this story blind and if possible I would definitely recommend the same to anyone wanting to read it. The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.
I will say however that getting to know the jurors (a motley collection of liars, murderers, religious fanatics, and just plain indifferent people) and how their lives impact the decision they eventually arrive at is almost as much fun as the trial itself.
Fiendishly clever and a window into the darkness of seemingly ordinary peoples souls, this was a blast to read.
November 1, 2017
British Crime Classic publication, fresh and crisp though original publication date was 1940. This paperback comes with introduction by Martin Edwards. The presentation was also fresh and crisp, organized in three parts: The Jury, The Case, The Trial and Verdict and then the Postscript.
I found the portraits of the jurors most interesting.
Per Edwards, "The characterization of the people in the story, as well as the teasing mystery, and the dark cynicism about human behaviour and the nature of justice, make this a crime novel to cherish."
I found the portraits of the jurors most interesting.
Per Edwards, "The characterization of the people in the story, as well as the teasing mystery, and the dark cynicism about human behaviour and the nature of justice, make this a crime novel to cherish."
February 24, 2023
Intriguing mystery with a rather unusual structure of three parts. The story is of a murder trial - the alleged poisoning of a lonely young boy by his aunt - and in the first section we meet the twelve jurors and are told some of their backstories and personal characteristics, then the facts of the crime are relayed, and in the final section the reader is present at the jury’s deliberations and the verdict.
I found the psychological exploration of the jurors fascinating, especially when their prejudices and personal feelings began to influence their view of the witnesses and accused, and it was very convincing, especially as the victim seemed to occupy relatively little of their thoughts. The crime itself was full of pathos and cruelty, and Postgate did well to get this across clearly without being sentimental or too emotional.
I hadn’t read anything like this before and found it very rewarding and interesting.
I found the psychological exploration of the jurors fascinating, especially when their prejudices and personal feelings began to influence their view of the witnesses and accused, and it was very convincing, especially as the victim seemed to occupy relatively little of their thoughts. The crime itself was full of pathos and cruelty, and Postgate did well to get this across clearly without being sentimental or too emotional.
I hadn’t read anything like this before and found it very rewarding and interesting.
February 16, 2017
This is another great crime read that the British Library has brought back into the public view. Blending some fantastic writing, colourful characters, despicable characters an intriguing plot and a splash of ivy poisoning, this is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. Plus the word 'popinjay' is used - how can you not love a book that uses the word 'popinjay'?!!
December 11, 2017
“It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, bvut, on the contrary their social existence determines their consciousness” Marx
Raymond Postgate’s Verdict of Twelve is a fascinating and absorbing variant of the crime novel.
Published in 1940, and with the concerns of the times embedded – anti-Semitism within society, an entrenched class system, the effects of culture, economics, politics upon the lives and outlooks of individuals – this is courtroom drama
A crime, one which will lead to the death penalty if the accused is found guilty, has been committed.
The reader is not directly introduced to the crime itself, initially. Rather, we meet the jury. And are given insights into the backgrounds of each of them, which allows Postgate, a pacifist, socialist, journalist, and a founding member of the British Communist Party, to present differing internal narratives, to show across class and gender, how the lives of individuals have been shaped by personal events, but also, far wider, by politics, culture, and the structure of capitalist society.
“Once any group, no matter what, is separated by a general suspicion or merely a general belief from the rest of society, it is by that mere fact made different, and develops at once marked characteristics of its own”
So this becomes a very interesting and well written crime novel. Whilst a lot of the Golden Age writers of the 30s were writing about crime committed by, and within, the privileged classes, Postgate is doing something very different. This is not just an entertainment (though it is a very well structured and entertaining read in the genre) It is educative.
After meeting the jurors, the case itself (a complex one, though the list of suspects is small, and the reader might, from their own sympathies, have clear ideas of who-dunnit not to mention why-dunnit.
Having met the jurors, and received a view which shows us that subjective judgements will play a very large part in the ‘Guilty/Not Guilty’ decision, judgements moulded by character, which is moulded by external factors as much as internal factors, we might be also being drawn into what our own decisions might be, as to the innocence or guilt of the person on trial.
“Like most men of past middle-age he habitually faintly disliked or distrusted handsome men, especially dark handsome men, If there was any excuse he would classify them as shiny or foreign looking”
The book ends with a wonderful rug-pull, to topple the reader.
I received this as a well-done digital ARC. It is part of the British Library Crime Classics series, a marvellous treasure trove for those preferring less detailed spatter of blood, gore and other bodily fluids which much modern crime writing seems to dwell on, somewhat gratuitously.
Series editor Martin Edwards provides an interesting Introduction, which I read, as is my wont, after reading the book. And was pleasantly surprised to discover that it had contained no spoilers. Instead, it was an account of Postgate himself, in the context of his own life and placing this book within the genre of other crime writing.
Raymond Postgate’s Verdict of Twelve is a fascinating and absorbing variant of the crime novel.
Published in 1940, and with the concerns of the times embedded – anti-Semitism within society, an entrenched class system, the effects of culture, economics, politics upon the lives and outlooks of individuals – this is courtroom drama
A crime, one which will lead to the death penalty if the accused is found guilty, has been committed.
The reader is not directly introduced to the crime itself, initially. Rather, we meet the jury. And are given insights into the backgrounds of each of them, which allows Postgate, a pacifist, socialist, journalist, and a founding member of the British Communist Party, to present differing internal narratives, to show across class and gender, how the lives of individuals have been shaped by personal events, but also, far wider, by politics, culture, and the structure of capitalist society.
“Once any group, no matter what, is separated by a general suspicion or merely a general belief from the rest of society, it is by that mere fact made different, and develops at once marked characteristics of its own”
So this becomes a very interesting and well written crime novel. Whilst a lot of the Golden Age writers of the 30s were writing about crime committed by, and within, the privileged classes, Postgate is doing something very different. This is not just an entertainment (though it is a very well structured and entertaining read in the genre) It is educative.
After meeting the jurors, the case itself (a complex one, though the list of suspects is small, and the reader might, from their own sympathies, have clear ideas of who-dunnit not to mention why-dunnit.
Having met the jurors, and received a view which shows us that subjective judgements will play a very large part in the ‘Guilty/Not Guilty’ decision, judgements moulded by character, which is moulded by external factors as much as internal factors, we might be also being drawn into what our own decisions might be, as to the innocence or guilt of the person on trial.
“Like most men of past middle-age he habitually faintly disliked or distrusted handsome men, especially dark handsome men, If there was any excuse he would classify them as shiny or foreign looking”
The book ends with a wonderful rug-pull, to topple the reader.
I received this as a well-done digital ARC. It is part of the British Library Crime Classics series, a marvellous treasure trove for those preferring less detailed spatter of blood, gore and other bodily fluids which much modern crime writing seems to dwell on, somewhat gratuitously.
Series editor Martin Edwards provides an interesting Introduction, which I read, as is my wont, after reading the book. And was pleasantly surprised to discover that it had contained no spoilers. Instead, it was an account of Postgate himself, in the context of his own life and placing this book within the genre of other crime writing.
November 12, 2017
I can’t believe that I hadn’t heard of this book before it was included as one of the wonderful British Library Crime Classics. This unusual tale follows the deliberation of a crime as recounted in court to a jury of the traditional twelve.
The book is split into three parts – we have the introduction to the jury in the first part some of whom have led colourful lives, especially one who committed a serious crime, but on the whole they are what we can assume are a fairly typical mix of society at the time the book was published, in 1940. We have a travelling salesman, a domestic servant, a publican and the university professor who imagines his superior intellect will be needed to help the other members reach the right decision. The question is will he and will they? Raymond Postgate uses this first section to not only give us the jurors social standing but also to comment, albeit lightly, on the politics of the time so we get to understand the havoc caused by WWI and the rise of anti-Semitism in the UK at the time he wrote the book, which I would hazard a guess at being prior to the start of WWII as this doesn’t get a mention. This opener can also be seen as a way of asking the readers to predict how the jurors will decide whether or not to convict the defendant, although at this stage we have no idea what crime has been committed let alone who the defendant is. This is because we get some details of their lives, those who have lived the life they expected to those who have felt thwarted, those who have known great love to those who have felt deep loss, the religious and the abused sit side by side, again providing us with a range of experiences that could be common to any random group of strangers.
In part two we learn about the charges levied against the defendant told in a fairly straightforward narrative format with little of the dramatics that we may associate with a courtroom drama. The story is a sad one and the evidence far from conclusive, more than that I won’t say because I don’t want to take anything away from the sheer delight I felt at trying to determine what the truth of the matter might be.
The final section is where we sit amongst the jurors and see what they decide, and why. Some are decisive, and those that are were not necessarily the ones that I predicted would be in the first part. Raymond Postgate seems to have a good handle on seemingly lightly skimming the surface and thereby making this book intensely readable but punctuating his words from truths that are as pertinent now as they obviously were then, that is why people tend to act the way they do.
I can’t leave this review by stating that the postscript is phenomenal, sheer genius and one that ensures that this is one of those books that I will remember for a long time to come.
The book is split into three parts – we have the introduction to the jury in the first part some of whom have led colourful lives, especially one who committed a serious crime, but on the whole they are what we can assume are a fairly typical mix of society at the time the book was published, in 1940. We have a travelling salesman, a domestic servant, a publican and the university professor who imagines his superior intellect will be needed to help the other members reach the right decision. The question is will he and will they? Raymond Postgate uses this first section to not only give us the jurors social standing but also to comment, albeit lightly, on the politics of the time so we get to understand the havoc caused by WWI and the rise of anti-Semitism in the UK at the time he wrote the book, which I would hazard a guess at being prior to the start of WWII as this doesn’t get a mention. This opener can also be seen as a way of asking the readers to predict how the jurors will decide whether or not to convict the defendant, although at this stage we have no idea what crime has been committed let alone who the defendant is. This is because we get some details of their lives, those who have lived the life they expected to those who have felt thwarted, those who have known great love to those who have felt deep loss, the religious and the abused sit side by side, again providing us with a range of experiences that could be common to any random group of strangers.
In part two we learn about the charges levied against the defendant told in a fairly straightforward narrative format with little of the dramatics that we may associate with a courtroom drama. The story is a sad one and the evidence far from conclusive, more than that I won’t say because I don’t want to take anything away from the sheer delight I felt at trying to determine what the truth of the matter might be.
The final section is where we sit amongst the jurors and see what they decide, and why. Some are decisive, and those that are were not necessarily the ones that I predicted would be in the first part. Raymond Postgate seems to have a good handle on seemingly lightly skimming the surface and thereby making this book intensely readable but punctuating his words from truths that are as pertinent now as they obviously were then, that is why people tend to act the way they do.
I can’t leave this review by stating that the postscript is phenomenal, sheer genius and one that ensures that this is one of those books that I will remember for a long time to come.
January 24, 2023
This book is different to many of the British Crime Library, as it starts by focusing on the members of the jury on a case of murder of a young boy by his guardian. We read the backstory of some of the jury in detail, the others with less detail, but still get an idea of their likely feelings, and maybe verdict. The history of the guardian is then told, and throughout the book the status of all involved is
examined, mostly based on wealth, and gender. We are told the circumstances leading up to the actual death of the young boy, and this is then explained to the jury at the trial.
Having done jury service myself, there were definitely characters in this book that were very akin to those I had encountered, so found this very reminiscent.
examined, mostly based on wealth, and gender. We are told the circumstances leading up to the actual death of the young boy, and this is then explained to the jury at the trial.
Having done jury service myself, there were definitely characters in this book that were very akin to those I had encountered, so found this very reminiscent.
July 25, 2017
"Verdict of Twelve" is a mystery set in England that was originally published in 1940. The first part of the story (39% of the book) told the background of the twelve jurors. This might sound boring or perhaps like too much information, but the author kept it concise, interesting, and later referred to the jurors in such a way that it was easy to remember their background and see how it influenced their view of the case.
Part two told what had happened in the case as it happened with enough information that you can guess whodunit. Except it's not a clear case. Anyone could have read that clipping, several people benefited from the death, etc. Though I was pretty sure I knew whodunit, I worried that we'd never know for sure. Part three was the court case, with any repetition of information done to show how the lawyers presented it and how the jurors reacted to it.
I was surprised by how well the story kept my interest from start to finish. We learn the outcome of the case and what actually happened as someone witnessed it but didn't admit it until the case was over. There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, well-written mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Part two told what had happened in the case as it happened with enough information that you can guess whodunit. Except it's not a clear case. Anyone could have read that clipping, several people benefited from the death, etc. Though I was pretty sure I knew whodunit, I worried that we'd never know for sure. Part three was the court case, with any repetition of information done to show how the lawyers presented it and how the jurors reacted to it.
I was surprised by how well the story kept my interest from start to finish. We learn the outcome of the case and what actually happened as someone witnessed it but didn't admit it until the case was over. There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, well-written mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
March 2, 2023
I dithered over whether to give this four stars or five. As a warning But I enjoyed the book so much, I had to give it five.
The plot of the story is obvious from the title; a trial for murder and how the jury reach the verdict they eventually do. It is split into three parts, The Jury, The Case and Trial and Verdict plus a short postscript. As you might expect, part 1 introduces the jury members, some in more detail than others, and I found this part very absorbing. It is fairly obvious that the histories and experiences of these people is going to colour how they see the case. Part 2 is what leads to the trial - possibly a murder but possibly not. Part 3, obviously, is the trial, the jury discussions and how they eventually reach the verdict they do. The postscript contains a little twist in the tail.
I will say, and without spoilers, that in my opinion the reader is left not really knowing whether the jury reach the correct verdict or not. The jury discussions left me wondering whether trial by jury was really the safest method of determining guilt or innocence in the days when a guilty verdict could cost someone's life and the the postcript throws the whole thing into a different light anyway. I will also say that I was suprised that no one on the jury was acquainted with the stories of Saki.
The plot of the story is obvious from the title; a trial for murder and how the jury reach the verdict they eventually do. It is split into three parts, The Jury, The Case and Trial and Verdict plus a short postscript. As you might expect, part 1 introduces the jury members, some in more detail than others, and I found this part very absorbing. It is fairly obvious that the histories and experiences of these people is going to colour how they see the case. Part 2 is what leads to the trial - possibly a murder but possibly not. Part 3, obviously, is the trial, the jury discussions and how they eventually reach the verdict they do. The postscript contains a little twist in the tail.
I will say, and without spoilers, that in my opinion the reader is left not really knowing whether the jury reach the correct verdict or not. The jury discussions left me wondering whether trial by jury was really the safest method of determining guilt or innocence in the days when a guilty verdict could cost someone's life and the the postcript throws the whole thing into a different light anyway. I will also say that I was suprised that no one on the jury was acquainted with the stories of Saki.
August 31, 2024
The older I get (and possibly because of the fiction I choose to read), the less I trust the jury system. Raymond Postgate’s Verdict of Twelve might have put the last nail in the coffin. This twisty, brilliant short novel (originally published in 1940) follows a group of jurors who are tasked with finding an accused murderer guilty or innocent. As readers, we know more than they do, so watching them deliberate is an absolute torment—but in a way that makes me want to get other readers to read this book just for the joy of watching them get all the way to the end and hearing them yell when they figure out what really happened...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration.
February 25, 2023
A satisfying if rather dark read
An interesting story in which the reader spends as much time with the jury as with the accused. The story is split into three parts. The first part is an introduction to the key members of the jury giving significant insights into their lives and characters. The second part describes the victim, the accused and the events leading up to the crime. The third part is the trial and verdict including the deliberations of the jury.
There is not much levity or lightness in this story. The crime is very sad as indeed are the lives of a number of the jurors. Nonetheless this is well written and makes for a very interesting read.
An interesting story in which the reader spends as much time with the jury as with the accused. The story is split into three parts. The first part is an introduction to the key members of the jury giving significant insights into their lives and characters. The second part describes the victim, the accused and the events leading up to the crime. The third part is the trial and verdict including the deliberations of the jury.
There is not much levity or lightness in this story. The crime is very sad as indeed are the lives of a number of the jurors. Nonetheless this is well written and makes for a very interesting read.
September 20, 2017
First sentence: The Clerk of Assize had to have some way of relieving the tedium of administering the same oath year after year.
Premise/plot: Verdict of Twelve is a classic mystery originally published in 1940 in Britain. This mystery has four parts. In the first part, readers meet the twelve jurors. Backstories--some quite detailed--are given for all members of the jury. In the second part, the crime is laid out for readers. This isn't the trial itself. This is a behind-the-scenes glimpse just for readers. In the third part, I believe, the trial occurs and the jury deliberates. The fourth and final part is an epilogue revealing if the jury got it right or wrong.
A young boy dies of poisoning. His aunt stands accused of the crime. Is there enough reasonable doubt to rule her not guilty? That is the question. The defense will argue that four people equally had motive, means, and opportunity. The aunt, the two servants, the boy himself. (The aunt and two servants would inherit a good bit of money if he died. All of the people in the house had access to ivy dust from the ivy plants. All had opportunity to mix ivy dust into the salad dressing.) The defense targets the boy himself--the victim. They argue the boy was trying to murder his aunt, but wasn't smart enough, clever enough to pull it off successfully.
My thoughts: This one was a fascinating yet troubling read. There are scenes from this mystery that may haunt me for years to come. I definitely liked it and would recommend it. While the focus is closely on the twelve jurors, it is a very different type of read than Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose.
Premise/plot: Verdict of Twelve is a classic mystery originally published in 1940 in Britain. This mystery has four parts. In the first part, readers meet the twelve jurors. Backstories--some quite detailed--are given for all members of the jury. In the second part, the crime is laid out for readers. This isn't the trial itself. This is a behind-the-scenes glimpse just for readers. In the third part, I believe, the trial occurs and the jury deliberates. The fourth and final part is an epilogue revealing if the jury got it right or wrong.
A young boy dies of poisoning. His aunt stands accused of the crime. Is there enough reasonable doubt to rule her not guilty? That is the question. The defense will argue that four people equally had motive, means, and opportunity. The aunt, the two servants, the boy himself. (The aunt and two servants would inherit a good bit of money if he died. All of the people in the house had access to ivy dust from the ivy plants. All had opportunity to mix ivy dust into the salad dressing.) The defense targets the boy himself--the victim. They argue the boy was trying to murder his aunt, but wasn't smart enough, clever enough to pull it off successfully.
My thoughts: This one was a fascinating yet troubling read. There are scenes from this mystery that may haunt me for years to come. I definitely liked it and would recommend it. While the focus is closely on the twelve jurors, it is a very different type of read than Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose.
February 21, 2022
A totally random pick from my local library and what a happy surprise this was! I had compiled a list of 50 best mysteries years ago as editor of the book club Mystery Guild, but I never encountered this in all my research back then. It's original, funny albeit tragic, and really unputdownable. The jurors in the murder case of a young boy, the ward of the woman on trial, are the main characters and they're so boldly drawn in all their miseries and prejudices and selfishness. The lawyers don't come off much better, nor do the defendant or the other parties who give witness. But the dark brew of their thoughts and actions is filled with bubbles of wit that make this sad story very amusing to read. Of the child's physician, "elderly Dr. Parkes:" "He was an old man, slight, with white hair and bowed head, and with a professional caressing voice. His practice had strunk, and his bills to Mrs. van Beer were large and paid without question.... Lack of any other resources forced him to go on practising when he should have retired. He had to live, and for that reason, someone else was to have to die." How can you resist?
December 31, 2017
I remember a bad 1970s disaster movie called Smash-Up on Interstate 5. The big deal in this movie was the spectacular chain-reaction car crash at the end, which was also previewed at the beginning. Most of the movie, however, was set up: here are the characters driving the cars, their hopes, dreams, fears, etc. So if you could wade through that, the car crash would play out and have meaning beyond the spectacle, supposedly.
This book is like that, except written much better. The first 100 pages are set-up of the jury: why they think how they think. The middle part is the murder, and the last part is how they make their decisions given their personalities--the car crash. This was as interesting to me at 50 as Smash-Up was at 10. It helps that Postgate has a wicked wit and an awareness of and empathy for people that goes beyond that of the typical mystery writer. Also that juries really do seem to function like this. Also that there's a whammy ending you don't see coming. Unrepeatable, but excellent.
This book is like that, except written much better. The first 100 pages are set-up of the jury: why they think how they think. The middle part is the murder, and the last part is how they make their decisions given their personalities--the car crash. This was as interesting to me at 50 as Smash-Up was at 10. It helps that Postgate has a wicked wit and an awareness of and empathy for people that goes beyond that of the typical mystery writer. Also that juries really do seem to function like this. Also that there's a whammy ending you don't see coming. Unrepeatable, but excellent.
October 17, 2020
I think most American readers think of Golden Age British mysteries and are only thinking of Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, Margery Allingham, maybe a couple other names. The British Library has been publishing a series of British Golden Age mysteries (yay them!) and this is my first dive into that pool. At the core is a murder trial but it begins with an exposition of who and what the jurors are and we can see how they are influenced by that (one is even a murderess who has gotten clean away with killing her aunt). In addition, the crime itself is interesting - the supposed murder by poison of her nephew by the aunt who will inherit - particularly in the choice of poison (pollen from the ivy that grows on the garden walls in back of the house they share). Characteristically, this is so very well written that it is easy to recommend as an entertaining read. The British Library Crime Classics is definitely a pool I will dive back into soon. An intelligent mystery without the bloodbath of American noir.
February 24, 2019
This is a fascinating, quick read, but a more cynical, jaundiced view of the criminal justice system you'd be unlikely to find anywhere. It is, of sorts, a murder mystery: a young boy is poisoned and his guardian (an unpleasant, bitter woman) is accused of the crime. A jury is assembled and, after hearing witnesses and the lawyers for the defense and prosecution, renders its verdict. Before we learn any of this, however, we learn about the jurors themselves: their own crimes, their weaknesses, their prejudices and biases. We then see how these play out when it comes to interpreting the evidence and testimony presented at the trial. This makes for a quite a different courtroom drama than, say, a Perry Mason mystery, where the jury is almost always a faceless, anonymous group about whom we know nothing. An obvious comparison to this tale is "12 Angry Men", which deals with some of the same issues. But this one stands on its own and is really quite masterful.
October 13, 2023
Technically, this is a very clever idea: telling a crime story through the jury in the trial. And telling how the jury isn't really neutral, because each member has their own life story, that influences how likeable they consider the accused, and that influences their decision to consider them guilty or innocent.
Also, pretty much every character is drawn somewhat exaggerated (not just the jury-members, also the lawyers, the accused etc.). Especially with the book being fairly short, the characters need to be, so that this kind of story can work. It's not enough for a character to be very religious, he has to be a fanatic, he can't be just a slightly prejudiced man, he has to be highly misogynistic. And that means ... they are almost all so very unlikeable. And it's absolutely no fun reading about them. I just don't find it even slightly entertaining, to read about people who are all horrible.
Also, pretty much every character is drawn somewhat exaggerated (not just the jury-members, also the lawyers, the accused etc.). Especially with the book being fairly short, the characters need to be, so that this kind of story can work. It's not enough for a character to be very religious, he has to be a fanatic, he can't be just a slightly prejudiced man, he has to be highly misogynistic. And that means ... they are almost all so very unlikeable. And it's absolutely no fun reading about them. I just don't find it even slightly entertaining, to read about people who are all horrible.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews