The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

Publisher's Synopsis

Single mother Revelle Lee is an interpreter who spends her days translating for victims, witnesses and the accused across London. Only she knows what they're saying. Only she knows the truth.

When she believes a grave injustice is about to happen, and a guilty man is going to be labelled innocent, she has the power to twist an alibi to get the verdict she wants. She's willing to risk it all to do what's right.

But when someone discovers she lied, Revelle finds the cost might be too high... and she could lose everything, including her son.

My Review of The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

Revelle Lee works as an interpreter, mainly in courts and with the police when taking witness and suspect statements. She’s also in the process of adopting 6 year old Elliot and she’s desperate to make the best possible impression she can on the case worker who’ll help decide whether she’s awarded custody.

The story is divided between her job, which requires that she’s available at almost any time to speak for her clients, and taking care of Elliot while also earning his trust. On top of this, we get a slight sense that she’s carrying a troubling past, something serious enough to jeopardise both her job as an interpreter and her suitability to adopt a child.

Her job as an interpreter requires that she remains unemotional and removed from what is being said in court. She must simply translate the words spoken without adding any type of tone or inflection that might change the meaning of the words. It’s also important that she’s accurate when she translates the words spoken and, regardless of how guilty her client might seem, she should never do anything to affect the outcome of a case.

So when she finds herself interpreting on a case that is quite personal to her, the temptation to disobey the rules is staring her smack in the face. To give in to that temptation could risk everything she’s worked hard for.

The conceit of the book was quite an interesting one and appeared to promise any number of possibilities for a tense storyline. Far from being a clever and composed character, though, Revelle was frantic in both her physical actions and in her mind. The result is a mess of confusion as she lurches from one crisis to the next, barely in control.

She makes one bad decision after another throughout the course of the story and is then forced to attempt to clean up after herself. Her indecision and dithering, while a believable, real-world quality, was rather frustrating when applied to the heroine of a suspense story. Also frustrating was the speed with which she would jump to a solution to a problem, act on it, only to immediately regret her actions and jump to another solution. It all felt too out of control and frenetic at times.

Introducing a job in the legal system that I’ve never come across before marks The Interpreter as a unique take on the normal legal thriller. This alone ensures that it stands out in the field. The fact that the tension and drama is inexorably ramped up as the plot thickens gives it even greater standing and ensures that it’s memorable beyond the book’s final sentence.

There are parts of The Interpreter that are compelling and highly commendable, particularly the interaction between Revelle and Elliot as they start their mother/son journey. Similarly, her treatment of a homeless man, which epitomises a true caring nature and demonstrates exactly where her heart lies. 

This is a thriller that suits someone who prefers a careful, well-structured build up with a deeper back story for greater context and a moving personal relationship. When the resolution comes, a number of seemingly random pieces of information are drawn together to create a neat conclusion.