Customer Reviews

The Unbidden Truth: A Barbar Holloway Novel

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Kate Wilhelm's gift is to write so well that when you read these novels, you feel as though you know the people in them, or are getting to know them in real life, and just happen to be reading an especially well-written newspaper story about a crime. There are all the details you would expect, and all the background.

Barbara Holloway, a lawyer who wishes neither to act like one nor make money like one, holds office hours in a cafe. A lot of people who would never be seen walking into a law office will come sit at her cafe table. So she gets the odd cases. Odd, but even though they aren't things that happen in everyday life, Wilhelm makes them believable.

It's best to read the series in order - I'll wait while you order the other books :-) - because there are background details about our protagonist's life that you need to know. Who is this guy Darren and his kid Todd, anyway?? What's going on between Barbara and her father Frank? You can read this book without that background, but it's more fun if you do know it.

This particular book has a complex plot, spanning not only the width of the country but parts of Mexico as well, and spanning several decades of time. A young woman with childhood amnesia accidentally discovers that she is a piano prodigy - shortly before being arrested for murder. Uncovering the real murderer involves digging into everything from illegal border crossings to the Federal Witness Protection Program. The publisher's blurbs and back cover could sum up the plot for you, so I'll skip that. Instead let me mention a couple of details I particularly enjoyed. The piano playing, of course - if you are familiar with classical music and jazz standards, you will find them running through your head as you read about Carrie's piano playing in the lounge. And related to that, the discussion of people who have the talent of seeing or hearing something in their heads, so that they can practice their talent, be it music or otherwise, even without the proper tools. The insight into the minds that have this talent is very interesting; part of the discussion about it compares it to riding a bicycle - the muscle memory that says you never really forget how, once you've learned.

Carrie remembers details about her childhood that most people think are fantasies - who, for example, would think that Aunt Loony and Uncle Silly are real, rather than imaginary playmates? The exposition as we uncover the family that has been denied to her is great.

I suspect we'll be hearing more from the women's club that brings Barbara this case. Some of the characters introduced in this book will probably become part of the continuing cast. I will be looking forward to the next one!

Oregon attorney, Barbara Holloway is retained to defend a gifted young pianist, Carol Fredericks who is being framed for the murder of the manager of the nightclub bar where she works. Carol has amnesia of the first eight years of her life, the life she had with the parents she does not remember who were killed in a fiery automobile crash where she was also severely injured. As the trial goes on, memories start to come back to Carol or Carrie as she likes to be called, to cumulate in a dramatic climax.

The start of the story was extremely fast-paced and really drew the reader right into the story. An intriguing, realistic primary and secondary cast made this book a pleasure to read. The middle of the story dragged a little as a courtroom set thriller sometimes does. Not every witness is fascinating or riveting. As the story started to unfold the pace picked up once again. There were quite a few red herrings, but the plot was not overly complex and it was not too hard to figure out the culprit.

In Eugene, U of O music professor Louise Braniff informs attorney Barbara Holloway that she is a member of the Crones' Club officially known as the Benevolent Ladies Club, sponsors of worthy causes. They want Barbara to defend Carol Frederick, accused of killing Joe Wentzel. Louise explains that with proper training Carol could become a world class pianist. Stipulations of secrecy as to who the benefactors are make Barbara a bit suspicious, but because she heard Carol play at a club she agrees to take on the case if the client is willing to have her as her lawyer.

On the surface, the prosecution seems to have an air tight case, but as Barbara begins to question the evidence, she realizes that someone framed her client. Making matters difficult is that Carol cannot remember anything before her eighth birthday including how she learned to play the piano. As Barbara and her team dig deeper to learn who and why, keeping Carol, her team, and herself safe soon becomes the prime imperative as a killer prefers to remain above the law and has the means to do so.

Though more an investigative tale than a legal thriller, fans of both sub-genres will enjoy this tense action-packed tale. The complex story line is filled with red herrings and several twists and turns that will keep readers on their toes waiting for the next spin. The large ensemble adds depth to the exciting plot, but THE UNBIDDEN TRUTH is that the novel belongs to the heroic attorney (mindful of John Grisham's Reggie Love) and her beleaguered client.

I love legal thrillers, especially ones with female protagonists. But this was not the best book with which to start the Barbara Holloway series. If you haven't read the earlier books, I would encourage you to start with the first book in the series (or at least an earlier book than this one).

I started reading "The Unbidden Truth" without realizing it was several volumes into a series. Because I had not read the previous books, I know I didn't enjoy it as much as it deserved. It must be a balancing act for authors to decide how much background information to include in the later novels in a series. Too much space devoted to background annoys the loyal readers who have been through all the earlier books. Too little and you risk alienating new readers who get confused by the characters who come and go without explanation. There wasn't enough background in this particular book for me, as a new reader of the series.

I had a hard time keeping the cast of characters straight, especially the ones who weren't a central part of the action. However, the plot was interesting enough that I will go back and read the rest of the series. But I'll make sure to do it from the beginning this time. Lesson learned.

One part of the plot bothered me: the clues about the "king" didn't seem to fit the eventual reason for that crime. I expected it to involve someone much higher up the criminal food chain.

Kate Wilhelm once again creates a winner in the Barbara Holloway series. An artful mix of law, suspense and suprises, The Unbidden Truth is a great summer read. She uses unusual and surprising characters to build a credible, enjoyable story using old and new characters. If you haven't gotten hooked on the Holloway series, you are really missing out!

Just discovered this author... I'm looking forward to more in the "Barbara Holloway" series.

Kate Wilhelm has a clever-imaginative writing style and kept me spellbound; I really didn't want the story to end. I'd love to follow Carol's life further. The twists and turns in this story were most unusual. I was just surprised at the culprit! I really enjoy a story that keeps me entranced to the end. The inclusion of Carol's childhood amnesia and her life as a supposed orphan were just fascinating. Excellent!

As always, Kate Wilhelm write books that hold your attention span and get you involved with her characters. If you haven't started the Barbara Halloway series, give it a try.