#HistFicThursdays - Poole of Honour by RJ Verity - Excerpt

  

Today, I'm delighted to welcome RJ Verity to the #HistFicThursdays blog as part her Coffee Pot Book Club's book tour. Today, meet her brand new book Poole of Honour, and discover your next great read! Read on to enjoy an excerpt from this fabulous book!

First of all, let's meet the book...

London, 1965. The city is swinging, the world is shifting, and Daniel Poole is a rising criminal barrister with everything to prove – to the courts, to his father, to his wife and to himself.

But Daniel is carrying a secret that could shatter the life he has so carefully built. As society begins to question the rules it once held sacred, he is forced to decide what he stands for — and what he is willing to risk in order to belong.

Set against a backdrop of cultural upheaval and political change, Poole of Honour is a tense, character-driven historical novel exploring ambition, identity, and the cost of silence, as the next generation of the Poole family confronts a world on the brink of transformation.

Poole of Honour is available via this link.

And here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

Excerpt 3 (Chapter 3, In Court):

Daniel is representing two men charged after a police raid: Charlie Bolt, a young docker, and Eric Partlett, a wealthy City financier. At the preliminary hearing, the prosecution throws a curve ball.

As in most magistrates’ courts, the raised bench dominates the front of the room beneath the Royal Coat of Arms; the counsel benches are arranged in the centre, the enclosed dock set at the rear. To one side stands the witness box, the public gallery behind it, and a scattering of empty seats lining the opposite wall.

Eric and Charlie appear from some stairs leading from the cells directly below. They sit side by side in the dock, but Daniel can’t help thinking their worlds are as far apart as his father’s two homes in Leeds and Los Angeles. Charlie is unkempt and alert, his eyes darting here and there; Eric, perfectly groomed, holds his gaze to the floor. Daniel squares the papers in front of him, though they are perfectly square.

A man in a long grey coat walks into the courtroom and stands at the side of the public gallery. Daniel notices Eric glance at the man and give a deliberate, single nod. 

Oakes taps Daniel on the shoulder and leans forward to say quietly, ‘That’s Grady. The detective that Bolt was talking about.’

Grady takes his cue and walks over to Rory Budgen, prosecuting counsel, and whispers in his ear. Budgen writes furiously on his notepad.

‘All rise,’ calls the clerk as Magistrate Monaghan enters the room, his perfunctory manner making it difficult to fathom his true position on any type of offence.

Budgen remains standing after everyone is seated again. He glances at Grady before addressing the court. ‘Your Worship, the prosecution seeks to amend the charge before the court today.’

Daniel jumps up. ‘With respect, Your Worship,’ he says. ‘The defence has had no time to prepare against a new charge.’

‘I think it would be beneficial to hear what the new charge is first, don’t you think?’ Monaghan doesn’t even look up from his papers.

Budgen continues. ‘In light of new information, the prosecution has decided to drop all charges against Eric Joseph Partlett.’ He pauses, pretending to check his notepad for extra effect.

Daniel looks at Partlett and, for the first time, sees an emotion, a flicker of relief as he gently exhales through his pursed lips.

‘Very well,’ says the magistrate and writes something down. ‘And what of the charges against the co-defendant?’

‘Your Worship, the prosecution will also drop the charge of gross indecency against Charles Edward Bolt.’

Charlie is now wide-eyed, a grin on his face. Partlett also has a sense of relief – and something else, too: a man who’s in control again.

‘However,’ continues Budgen, ‘the prosecution wishes to raise a new charge of indecent assault against Mr Charles Edward Bolt.’

‘You gotta be kidding me!’ shouts Charlie, and lurches to his feet. A ripple of breath moves through the courtroom.

Daniel rises, lifting his left palm to try to placate Charlie from a distance.

‘Your client is in danger of contempt of court,’ the magistrate observes drily, ‘which would bring another charge against him.’ 

‘Yes, Your Worship,’ says Daniel. ‘The defendant is as surprised as I am about the new charge. It is customary to share evidence before a hearing. Against whom is this allegation made?’

Budgen rises slightly. ‘Mr Bolt is alleged to have committed an indecent assault upon Mr Partlett, Your Worship.’

Daniel looks at Partlett, but he does not look back.

The magistrate puts his pen down and addresses prosecuting counsel. ‘This is most unusual, Mr Budgen.’

‘Yes, Your Worship. But in light of a new and credible witness statement, which details the severity of this crime – and which the defence will have the chance to review immediately after the hearing – we will be pursuing the charge of indecent assault against the defendant.’

‘I see,’ says the magistrate and addresses Daniel. ‘And what does your client plead?’

Daniel looks over to Charlie, who is vigorously shaking his head, and responds, ‘Not guilty, Your Worship.’

‘Very well. The defendant is committed for trial at London Sessions.’

Daniel rises to make his submissions on bail, but he knows within a sentence that Monaghan has already decided.

‘Given the gravity of the charge,’ says the magistrate, ‘the defendant is remanded in custody.’

‘This is out of order!’ shouts Charlie.

‘Take the defendant down,’ says the magistrate. ‘We will not have this behaviour.’

The bench rises, and Bolt is led back down to the cells, his shouts still heard as he descends below.

Partlett is summarily released from the dock, and steps onto the courtroom floor. He makes his way to the door just as Daniel heads for the same narrow exit.

‘Looks like I won’t be needing you after all,’ says Partlett curtly.

‘I don’t know what you’ve done to walk free,’ says Daniel, ‘but you might live to regret it.’ 

 Now, let's meet the author:

RJ Verity grew up in Yorkshire and studied at King's College London before spending more than twenty years working in financial services across Asia. She now lives in Guernsey with her endlessly patient husband and their ageing but ever-spirited Labradinger. When she's not writing or reading, she can often be found exploring the island's rugged coastline.

RJ writes character-led historical fiction rooted in place, memory, and the social and personal forces that shape ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Poole of Light, opens The Poole Legacy – a trilogy following three generations of one family across a century of change.

The second novel, Poole of Honour, was published on 15 September 2026. Set in London in 1965, it follows Daniel Poole, a rising criminal barrister drawn into the most divisive political debate of the decade – one that cuts closer than he dare admit.

You can find RJ on these links:

Website - BSky - Facebook - Instagram - Amazon Author Page - Goodreads - BookBub

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