Eleven years after its original publication, Jef Geeraerts’ THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR hits our shores in translated form. The novel is steeped in the world of political intrigue, with blackmail taking center stage.
Albert Savelkoul is the public prosecutor of the title — a very unlikable character who has married his way to the top, even though his marriage is pretty much in name only. As we find out from an interview, his wife details their union in very open terms, rattling off the reasons why Albert has had a mistress for pretty much the whole of their relationship. But he is not happy with just one mistress, and his wandering eye is squarely set in the direction of the family maid.
It’s apparent from the start that Albert’s wife is in cahoots with the ultra-right Catholic group Opus Dei, which looks like some sort of evil group hell-bent on world domination. Okay, maybe not domination, but wanting to get as many people as possible under their control. Even Albert is in their crosshairs; he might be a public prosecutor, but that doesn’t stop him from being corrupt. He not only takes bribes for heroin dealers, but has a secret Swiss bank account.
Opus Dei makes it its business to corral Albert into its midst by blackmail and wanting his ill-gotten gains. The society is painted so sneering, it makes Albert more likable, even though he is just as bad. Geeraerts’ writing is very dense in style and well worth taking a chance on, even if it’s not an easy read, with some of the translation a bit stilted at certain points. Still, it’s one of the more interesting novels yet to be issued by Bitter Lemon Press.
What is funny is that some readers will say that Geeraerts is ripping off Dan Brown with the inclusion of Opus Dei, even though this book came out long before THE DA VINCI CODE hit the stands. It seems that Geeraerts has an ax to grind with that Catholic group, and makes no excuses for it. For readers who want to take a chance on an interesting story that doesn’t rely on the typical crime motif, THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR is filled with enough intrigue to make many race to the end. —Bruce Grossman
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