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Justice Hall (2002)

ISBN 978-0-553-58111-9

Chosen by Anna Quindlen as a Today Show summer reading pick

     The sun did not shine on Justice Hall so much as Justice Hall called forth the sun’s rays to fall at such and such an angle. We did not look upon it; rather, it invited our eyes to admire. It sat in its exquisitely shaped bowl and smiled gently on the careful arrangement of dappled deer on its slopes, the fall of shadows from its trees, the play of the breeze on the water at its base. In the summer it would glow; in the rain, its face would appear pensive; under a blanket of snow it would be a fairy-tale castle; in the moonlight, this would be the dwelling place of the gods.
     Justice Hall was the most self-centred house I had ever seen. My heart went out to the man at my side; If Justice Hall wanted Mahmoud, I did not believe Ali had a chance.

Read Excerpt from Justice Hall here.

What they say

Justice Hall opens on a deliciously dark and dreary night. Holmes and Russell have just returned to their snug seaside cottage after yet another hair-raising case, when a pounding at the door interrupts their fireside stupor. The frantic visitor is Ali [Hazr, from O Jerusalem]. Except that Ali turns out to have been masquerading all those years ago in the desert. (Washington Post)

From the opening knock on their door by a wounded visitor to the satisfying denouement, King has again crafted a sterling story. (Publishers Weekly)

Links

For a timeline and various links, go to Mary Russell's World
We haven’t been able to locate the Justice Hall estate among the National Trust properties, but for similar places, look at their site or even neighbouring Blenheim Palace
For pictures of the Shot at Dawn Memorial project, look here or here.
For a bibliography and Laurie's suggestions to teacher and book groups, click here.
To hear an audio clip of Justice Hall, click here.

Pictures

A Capability Brown landscape (Blenheim Palace)	Deer in the garden (Knole)
Roof leads (Broughton Castle)