Smile

A married couple goes missing in 1995. After seven years they are presumed dead. It is 2018. Belay, a tormented worldly-wise employer of judges, apprises the Special Adjudicator, Ewald Wren, a black-letter law judge, that his short-term ruthless brand of justice is culpable. Wren impugns Belays competence. Belay retires Ewald and resolves to put him firmly in his place. Chase, an inimical and crime-writing uncle cuts in after the farewell bash. He believes Wren is the most likely culprit. He coerces Wren to survey all the locations and, mechanised by covert listening devices, to investigate all of those who may have been implicated. Otherwise, he will be ruined, imprisoned, or killed, or worse still his family will be forfeited. Left with no choice Wren accedes. Wren processes the evidence. He suspects further murders and ancillary attempts on lives. Glasson Dorcha, the most ruthless gangster in Glasgow seeks to avenge Wren for his jejune imprisonment and the murder of his grandfather by mutilating him. Wren learns life. Belay learns than extreme pain is plural. Wren and Chase are finally revealed as in-laws. Who will win? Will Belay, Wren, Chase, Glasson, the murderer or one of the suspects win?