One of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. The characters leap of the page and you are drawn in to the life of Ellis Portal, a Judge who has been judged and found wanting. He now is a homeless man, living off the land, with few creature comforts. The story of his rise and fall is very well done, and very believable. He still has his character flaws and he has to over come these to try a help someone from his past as well as someone from his present. ( )

Ellis Portal is a self-exiled judge living in the forest/valley of Toronto, Canada. He stumbles into a mystery when he finds a severed hand in his garden that brings the past into the future. He attempts to investigate the mystery with limited resources that include his homelessness, his mental health issues and arising medical problems.
Tried to read this book twice. Couldn't get into it the first time. The second time I forced myself to finish it (for a book discussion). Didn't find the main character very interesting and I wasn't invested in his struggle. The supporting characters are limited due the the protagonists self isolation and the plot does not play out well. Maybe future novels in the series get better. ( )

DNF for now. May try again later. Slow moving and not engaging. ( )

1st in a series. Enjoyable, fast read. Interesting to read a novel set in Toronto. Interesting to read about Canadian judicial system.