Old Bill’s Last Will and Testament
Old Bill’s Last Will and Testament by Lee Stuesser is a legal thriller published by FriesenPress on December 8, 2021. This 306-page novel unfolds in the summer of 1972, against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the Cold War, as it explores the complexities of a will that leaves a potentially valuable estate to the family of a deceased Australian airman. The story follows Josef Manne, a young criminal lawyer tasked with executing Old Bill’s wishes, as he navigates courtroom battles and dangerous encounters in his quest to understand the motives behind the will.
Readers will find a narrative that takes them from the Canadian bush to the Australian outback, delving into the mysteries of the past and the legal challenges of the present. As Josef seeks to locate Rebecca, the sole beneficiary of the estate, he discovers that others are also intent on finding her, leading to a race against time to ensure her safety. The novel intricately weaves themes of crime and legal intrigue, presenting a compelling journey filled with unexpected twists and revelations.
Official synopsis Publisher
It is the summer of 1972: the Vietnam War is still raging, the Cold War is still hot and WWII is still a lurking memory.
This legal thriller travels from the Canadian bush to the Australian outback; from courtroom battles to barroom brawls.
Old Bill has died.
He lived alone in a one room shack along the Blue River in Saskatchewan. His was a simple life; he needed little. But in death, he leaves an estate potentially worth millions of dollars.
In his handwritten will, he gives all to the wife and daughter of an Australian airman, who was killed in a prisoner of war camp at Niigata, Japan in 1945. To his surviving brother, he leaves ‘absolutely nothing’.
Josef Manne, a young criminal lawyer, is charged with carrying out the old man’s wishes.
The brother challenges the will. If it is overturned, he inherits all. Josef’s biggest problem is the will itself. Why would Old Bill leave everything to the wife and daughter of this deceased Australian airman? Makes no sense. Josef needs to find out the why. What happened at Niigata in 1945?
First, Josef needs to find the wife and daughter. If both are dead, the will lapses, and the estate goes to the brother. The wife has died leaving the daughter, Rebecca, the sole beneficiary. Josef travels to Goondiwindi, Queensland in search of her. Little does he know that others are searching for Rebecca as well – to kill her.
Josef has to keep Rebecca alive.
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