The Seven by Robyn Delvey

 

The trial of the century is taking place, seven individuals accused of the bombing of a theatre which killed forty-three people and injured many more. When the possibility of a mistrial looms, lawyer Eve Wren is tasked with examining the unused evidence to ensure nothing has been overlooked. What she finds is shocking and puts her own life in danger.

The Seven from Robyn Delvey really packs a punch with its explosive start as we join world-famous actress Madeleine Farmer, along with others connected to the world of theatre and film, being held hostage at a Gala dinner in the Novus Theatre. The people are being held hostage by Patrick Nye and his followers. Nye is a fanatic who leads a group called The Decorous who are opposed to wealth and greed.

After the shocking events of the hostage situation are revealed to us we jump forward fifteen months and meet our main character, Eve Wren. Eve is new to the CPS having previously lost her job with a private law firm because of her principles. This gives us an idea of her character, however, we see that she is also filled with doubt and uncertainty, particularly as she is trying to find her place in the CPS.

Eve's attention to detail and the fact that she refused to compromise her principles make her the ideal candidate to check the undisclosed evidence. As Eve interrogates the mass of evidence we are introduced to some of the survivors of the heinous event and learn that not all scars are visible.

As we get to know some of the other characters we are given a glimpse of their life now, dealing with disfigurement, loss and survivor guilt. The story also jumps back to the hostage situation itself and we see how each person was impacted at the time and how they handled the situation.

By focusing on the hostages we get an idea of the survivor's guilt they are living with and how each of them has handled the situation. Some seem to have handled their feelings better than others but all are struggling and the approach of the court case has caused many of them to disassemble. Author Robyn Delvey has avoided writing from the point of view of Patrick Nye and his followers. I think this is a clever tactic, refusing to give voice to the fanatics, particularly as this appears to be the primary motive for the seven surviving members of The Decorous to be tried together.

There is a real sense of menace as during Eve's investigation she uncovers the possibility of an eighth member of the group as a piece of evidence wasn't scrutinized. You begin to wonder if this was accidental or deliberate and question who can be trusted.

The Seven by Robyn Delvey will be published on 1st January 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a review copy.

Author Details

Robyn Delvey is the pseudonym for critically acclaimed and award-winning writer Michelle Davies. She is the author of six previously published crime fiction novels and has worked for some of the most successful brands in UK magazine publishing, including Grazia and Stylist. She trained in journalism and for a period was court reporter on an award-winning weekly newspaper in Buckinghamshire, covering trials at both magistrates’ and Crown court. She now lives in north London with her partner and their daughter.