Publishers Weekly
★ 07/31/2023
In this stellar debut thriller from playwright Robinson, London-based interpreter Revelle Lee considers the consequences of sabotaging a murder investigation. Revelle, who speaks several languages, has made a career translating for trials and criminal investigations. One afternoon, six-year-old Elliott—whom Revelle is fostering and planning to adopt—is sent home sick from school, and she leaves him in the care of a security guard outside the Old Bailey while she finishes interpreting for a murder trial. When she goes to collect Elliott, she learns the guard has passed him off to Sandra Ramos, a servant of the accused, and Revelle strikes up a conversation with Ramos before taking Elliott home. A short time later, Ramos is murdered, and Revelle is assigned to her case. Invested in taking down the prime suspect, Revelle deliberately mistranslates his alibi to make him look guilty, and he’s arrested. Then she starts receiving threatening messages from someone who claims to know not only what she did, but also a secret from her past that could jeopardize her chances of adopting Elliott. Robinson is marvelous at mining the moral murk of Revelle’s choices, and chapters from the perspective of her stalker ratchet up the suspense. Minnette Walters fans will be delighted. Agent: Katie Greenstreet, Paper Literary. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
In this stellar debut thriller from playwright Robinson, London-based interpreter Revelle Lee considers the consequences of sabotaging a murder investigation. . . . Robinson is marvelous at mining the moral murk of Revelle’s choices, and chapters from the perspective of her stalker ratchet up the suspense. Minette Walters fans will be delighted.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Robinson’s thought-provoking debut provides a unique spin on the courtroom drama. . . . By blurring the lines between lies and truth, this book will make readers question whether justice is served.” — Booklist
“Brilliantly crafted and deliciously dark, The Interpreter forces us to question how far is too far when it comes to serving justice and protecting our loved ones, and whether the best of intentions can excuse cataclysmic outcomes. A propulsive and heartfelt page-turner.” — Erica Katz, author of The Boys’ Club and Fake
“An ingenious premise, cleverly executed, THE INTERPRETER is multi-layered and intriguing, gripping from beginning to end.” — Sabine Durrant, author of Sun Damage
“Clever, atmospheric, and utterly absorbing—I loved it.” — Alice Clark-Platts, author of The Cove
author of The Cove Alice Clark-Platts
Clever, atmospheric, and utterly absorbing—I loved it.”
SEPTEMBER 2023 -- AudioFile
Nathalie Buscombe and Ayesha Antoine narrate this debut thriller. Revelle, who speaks 10 languages, is a meticulous courtroom translator. But when she fears an alleged killer will go free, she deliberately mistranslates his alibi and gets him convicted. Someone finds out, and now Revelle's job and the pending adoption of a child she wants very much are endangered--along with her life. Buscombe puts listeners firmly in Revelle's shoes, depicting every appropriate emotion. She transports listeners into the mind of a protective mother and powerful professional. Antoine voices a fearsome, bitter person from the past who is bent on retribution. Her emotions swing from sorrow arising out of a great loss to vengeance that is limitless. L.M.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
