CHIDUBEM, Madu Kingsley2026-06-012026-06-012025978-978-777-783-1https://nigeriareposit.nln.gov.ng/handle/20.500.14186/2624Black Robe, Blackmail was born from a deep curiosity about the power and fragility of justice. As someone who has always been fascinated by law and its human consequences, I wanted to tell a story that would ask: What happens when the person meant to uphold justice is the one being judged? In crafting this novel, I drew inspiration from real societal issues, particularly the silent pressures faced by judges, the weight of public expectations, and how secrets can threaten even the most principled people. I was creatively influenced by both international and Nigerian courtroom dramas. Movies like The Judge, A Few Good Men, and The Lincoln Lawyer gave me insight into how layered and intense legal narratives can be. But just as impactful were local films like The Arbitration, which showed how justice, ambition, and personal interest often intersect in a Nigerian context. Though this story is fictional, the questions it raises are real: What is justice without truth? Who watches the watchman? And what happens when silence becomes complicity?■ The message ■ Traces of 2010 ■ Echoes in the court ■ An unseen hand ■ The ink beneath the paper ■ The ghost cop ■ Tamuno Joins The Case ■ The past revealed ■ The red gavel ■ Court of distraction ■ The old friend's letter ■ The hidden camera ■ A name appears ■ The informant ■ The offer ■ The trap ■ The face in the crowd ■ The verdict ■ EpilogueenBook