The Interpreter (Brooke Robinson, Harvill Secker)

Revelle Lee is a court interpreter in London. She spends her days translating the words of victims, criminals and witnesses. It’s her job to inhabit them, wear their skin and communicate their experiences without embellishment. She is not supposed to have an opinion on the cases she works on and she is not supposed to get emotionally involved. But when she believes she’s spotted a lie, a lie that will see a guilty man walk free, she decides to twist her translation. The crime thriller genre is full of stories told through the eyes of detectives, so debut author Brooke Robinson’s decision to explore the perspective of a court interpreter is a refreshing and interesting take. Revelle is an absorbing character. On top of the complexities in her professional life, she is hoping to adopt six-year-old Elliott. She is determined to provide him with a stable, loving childhood­­—everything her own childhood was not. When someone learns about Revelle’s mistranslation, her future as an interpreter and as a mother to Elliott are on the line. This is a gripping thriller that explores the intricacies of language and the tension between truth and justice. It would be an excellent book-club pick and will appeal to readers of Alex Michaelides, A J Finn and Sarah Vaughan.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Coco McGrath is a freelance editor and former bookseller. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews