Books of the Month
'Arthur & George' by Julian Barnes
Based on a true story, Arthur & George is the tale of two very different lives, and the strange occurrence which brings them together. Around the beginning of the twentieth century, George Edalji, a quiet solicitor still living with his parents, is accused of mutilating cattle and writing obscene and threatening anonymous letters.  Despite a complete lack of motive and some highly questionable evidence, Edalji, the son of an Indian who converted to Christianity and who is now practising as the village vicar, is convicted, and serves three years in prison. Throughout, he refuses to admit that racism might be key to the police’s persecution of him. He’s eventually released, but only on license – in other words, he’s not pardoned, and without a pardon he can't return to work as a solicitor. In desperation he writes to one of the most famous men of the time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, to present his case. And, amazingly, Conan Doyle becomes his champion, demanding a review of the case, writing articles in The Telegraph, and haranguing the Home Secretary. His reasons for taking on the case are deeper than his concern for British justice, however, and related to his own guilt about his private life. And though he certainly succeeds in kicking up a stink about the Edalji case, Doyle’s detective methods are often debatable, his conclusions questionable, and the eventual outcome far from conclusive...
Barnes’ research has led to a thoroughly engaging novel. Shuttling between George’s life and Arthur’s life, the author withholds both George’s race and Arthur’s fame until it becomes strictly necessary, and keeps us guessing about the connections between them. In parts mystery, detective story, critique of the judicial system and reflection on guilt, knowledge and religion, this engrossing, poignant novel will hold your attention until the end.
Susan Tranter
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