Cry of the Phoenix

Katya Denys claims that she killed Mattheu Vandermeer in self-defense. But when an autopsy reveals sodium pentobarbitone in Vandermeer's bloodstream, Katya is charged with murder. During her trial, it becomes clear why she would want to see this man dead. Cry of the Phoenix is a courtroom drama that interweaves the stories of four people -- all marked by the events of World War II -- who come together on a small island off the coast of Wales in the spring of 1953. Katya Denys is a young Polish woman haunted by her past. Mattheu Vandermeer claims to be a clergyman from Amsterdam, but he leads a strange, secluded life on the island, which he owns. Robert Kensley, who comes to the island under false pretenses, starts the chain of events that leads to Vandermeer's death and Katyas arrest. Does Robert have an ulterior motive? And what about Vandermeer's housekeeper, Morwenn Madoc? Does she hate Katya Denys enough to withhold evidence that might aid in Katya's defense? -- Amazon.