| When Chief Inspector Wexford gets sick, due to | | | | PC too, but in his case it's simply a pose. He |
| a new virus that causes people to lose their | | | | couldn't care less, and it's for the reader to decide |
| balance and fall as they walk, he visits Dr Akande | | | | whether to take him or to leave him. |
| - and soon goes home consoled and even | | | | Now Wexford has three cases to investigate: the |
| miraculously cured. When Dr Akande calls him in a | | | | disappearance of Melanie, the murder of her |
| few days and tells him his daughter Melanie is | | | | Adviser Annette Bystock and the murder - as |
| missing, Wexford is only too willing to help, but it | | | | well as origins - of the unknown girl whom he |
| takes him a lot more time - nearly a month. | | | | mistook for Melanie. Then the forth case is added |
| It's known Melanie was going to look for a job, | | | | to the already complicated enough chain of |
| but the Adviser she talked to in the Jobcentre | | | | crimes: an attempted murder of Oni Johnson. |
| has been murdered. Wexford can't help thinking | | | | It soon becomes clear to him that Sojourner - |
| there's a connection between the two events. But | | | | that's the nickname he gives to the unknown girl - |
| life is never that simple. | | | | must have been a secret slave, illegally brought to |
| "Simisola" is a detective story, but also a social | | | | the UK and badly beaten and raped on a regular |
| novel, addressing several issues at once: | | | | basis. I must admit that having finished the book I |
| unemployment, racism, secret slavery, rape and | | | | still don't understand how exactly he arrived at |
| poverty. Written in 1994, it also introduces the | | | | the name of her master (and her murderer). He |
| term "political correctness" - or just PC - obviously | | | | must have psychic abilities. The book is full of red |
| still quite new for the English in that year. | | | | herrings, and there's no clue pointing at the right |
| Unemployment - apparently, growing fast in the | | | | direction, until the end. |
| recession (how 2009 it sounds!) - affects | | | | It's longer than the two other books from the |
| Wexford's family directly. His daughter Sylvia | | | | Wexford series I've already reviewed - I guess, |
| cannot find a job. Her husband Neil has lost his | | | | going deep into social issues requires that. |
| business. They have to encounter all the hardships | | | | Poverty, theft, slums and scary unemployment |
| that unemployment brings: they can't afford to | | | | levels resulting in the final unrest in the little town - |
| keep their house, can't afford expensive food | | | | the author describes it all with such mastery that |
| they are used to, and struggle to keep their car. | | | | leaves no questions as to why she keeps |
| Racism is not too far away either - Dr Akande is | | | | receiving all those awards - but when she gets to |
| a Nigerian, and Wexford undertakes a desperate | | | | describing people (something she is usually very |
| fight with himself to remove all traces of | | | | good at), I can't help disagreeing with her on a |
| prejudice from his own mind. So, whenever he | | | | few things. They just don't ring true! The most |
| communicates with his new doctor or just thinks | | | | glaring example is the lack of gratitude the |
| about him, he obviously overdoes on PC. He | | | | Akandes show to Wexford when he (spoiler alert) |
| controls his own speech and even thoughts, but a | | | | brings Melanie home safe and sound. Well, |
| huge blunder in his actions reveals an unpleasant | | | | Laurette Akande has never been too nice |
| truth to him: he is still prejudiced. When a body of | | | | towards the Chief Inspector, whether he |
| a black girl is found, Wexford naturally assumes | | | | deserves that or not (too full of herself, that's |
| her to be Melanie Akande and brings the grieving | | | | my impression), but Dr Akande himself is |
| parents to identify their daughter without carrying | | | | portrayed through the book as a warm, tolerant, |
| out all the necessary routine - even without as | | | | mildly humourous gentleman, and the fact that he |
| much as looking at the photograph! | | | | never says as much as "thank you" to Wexford |
| The sad discovery makes him reconsider his | | | | is entirely unbelievable. What's more, he apparently |
| approach. Overdoing on PC is not the way. I must | | | | decides to carry a grudge. |
| say, to me it's obvious that it can only serve one | | | | C'mon, would any of us who have children believe |
| purpose: to disguise the prejudices that live deep | | | | that? |
| inside a person. People who are genuinely | | | | Sojourner's destiny (her real name is Simisola) is |
| unprejudiced will just treat everyone - black or | | | | just horrific - and everyone who has a heart is |
| white - the same as a matter of course, just like | | | | bound to be devastated by the knowledge that |
| Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn and his wife Troy | | | | it's not author's imagination but terrible reality. |
| did. But Wexford is a good person. He really | | | | Such things have actually happened - and continue |
| wants to overcome his rudimentary racism, so | | | | to happen. I must say it took a lot of bravery |
| we know he will succeed. His colleague Inspector | | | | from the author to write this book the way she |
| Burden is another story: he is seen overdoing on | | | | did. |