Book Review: The Waxwork Corpse by Simon Michael

Author: Simon Michael
Title: The Waxwork Corpse
(Charles Holborne #5)
Genre: Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Format: ebook
Pages: 336 
Published: December 23rd 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)



London, 1965

Charles Holborne, maverick barrister, will never fit in at the Bar; he is too working-class, too Jewish and too dangerous.

But that makes him the perfect outsider to prosecute a shocking murder case which has already made its way to the press.

By chance, a body was found, dumped in a lake. It had clearly been there for some time, but the conditions in the water have meant that it was nearly perfectly preserved.

The police have managed to match this ‘waxwork corpse’ to a missing woman and if her husband — a senior judge — was the one who killed her, the scandal threatens to rock the British justice to its foundations.

The waxwork corpse is not the only thing to be raised from the past. The investigation also dredges up a violent mistake made by Charles in his youth which, if revealed, could put his own life at stake…


I was super intrigued by this one. Luckily it works well as a standalone! 

The story follows Charles Holborne who is a maverick barrister. He is too working-class and too Jewish for the Bar. This makes him perfect to prosecute a shocking murder case that has made it to the press and the main suspect is a senior judge who was the husband of the missing woman. Along with all of this, a violent mistake made by Charles in the 40s is being unburied. If revealed, could put his own life at stake.

This was intense and I could hardly put it down. I liked Charles of course, but I was more intrigued by the murder investigation and then the trial. I kept catching myself yelling at the book or gasping (much to my boyfriend's annoyance who had the utter mistake of asking what was up because then I had to try and explain all the drama! I think he was secretly amused and curious because he did ask how it ended later on). 

So good. So good. I haven't read such a great thriller in a while. I am so happy this did well as a standalone. I am curious about the others now. Like I said...I like Charles and I am curious about him and some of the other mysteries. 

I was worried about the mix of the murder mystery and the trial because one aspect is usually too quick or overshadows the other. But I think we had enough time to investigate and then see the trial play out. Perfect blend there. 

AND THAT TWIST! WOW! Didn't see that coming. Kuddos to the author there. 

All-in-all, I really loved this book. It was sooooooooooo good and if you like mysteries/thrillers, then I highly recommend this one. I'll give this 5 stars.